Work Text:
Regina sat at her desk in one of the two best offices in the marketing agency Partum Opus that she had founded along with Janis 'Imi'ike. Regina and Janis had buried their hatchet after the Burn Book situation boiled over and Regina got hit by a bus. That wasn't to say that they rekindled their connection or that they were friendly even, they weren't. They had just tolerated each other until they graduated from high school, and then they went they separate ways: Regina to Columbia to study business and marketing, and Janis to University of Washington to study commercial art.
Regina saw Janis very rarely, typically only for Cady's birthday, and when they stumbled upon each other while they were both back in Evanston. They definitely didn't stay in touch, like they stayed in touch with everyone else in their high school friend group.
But then, about five years after she graduated from college, Regina was working at a massive marketing agency that only focused on the bottom line instead of creating marketing campaigns that made an impact. She also felt like she had no say in any of the important decisions. The nail in the coffin came when their CEO announced that the agency was going to focus primarily on using generative AI for their work. Regina walked into his office after that meeting, and quit on the spot.
She wasn't hurting for money, so she had time to figure out what it was she wanted to do. She could find a job at a rival agency in the blink of an eye, but that wasn't where her heart was. After about two months of trying to figure out exactly what it was she wanted, it dawned on her. She wanted to build something of her own. She wanted to have the final say, she wanted to set the standard for the quality of work, she wanted to hire people she respected. The thing was, she was no artist. Yes, she could come up with the marketing campaigns and promote products like nobody else, but she needed that creative influence.
And then, she was talking to Cady just to catch up, and Cady mentioned that Janis was living in Seattle and searching for a job because she was unhappy in her current situation. Regina was on the next flight out to Seattle.
She sat down with Janis, laid out her plan, and Janis jumped on board pretty much immediately. That was how they founded their marketing agency, as equals. All big decisions had to get both their signatures, but they stayed in their lanes, and it worked. They used their connections in their respective industries to draw in clients, and within 6 months, they were already hiring digital artists, graphic designers, creative directors, and other staff. They even hired Gretchen as their COO, while Karen was one of the influencers they worked with regularly.
Working with Janis day in and day out, grinding towards their dream of building the business that they could both be proud of, meant that Regina spent a lot of time with her former best friend/enemy. Even when they weren't at the office agonizing over the right decisions, they were at either of their places, working while sharing takeout. Regina wasn't sure if it was the exhaustion or the common goal, but both of them dropped their barriers. That allowed them to talk about their past and own up to everything without being defensive. That, in turn, led them to start dating.
The first kiss happened completely unplanned. They were in Janis' living room, sitting on the plush carpet at the coffee table, going through the projected expenses, when Janis started doing goofy voice impressions to shake herself out of her exhaustion. She had looked so cute and earnest, so Regina kissed her. That led to sex, which led to dating, which led to marriage.
Nine years after they launched their marketing agency together, they were happier than ever. They had gotten married at 31 years old, three years after their first date. Two years after their wedding, their welcomed their first baby Liam Makana 'Imi'ike George. Janis had given birth to him, given that pregnancy wasn't a good idea for Regina with the injuries she got in the bus crash. Liam was as adorable as he was michievous and Regina was in awe of him ever day. Janis was a wonderful mom, endlessly patient and loving with their son.
Their family was absolutely perfect, and the agency was doing better than they could've imagined, with clients like the WNBA and Fenty Beauty, so they had decided to expand their family. They went through the IVF procedure twice, and Janis got the positive pregnancy test the second time. She was in her first trimester, and she easily got fatigued, so she opted to work from home. She preferred working from home in general because she felt freer and more creative when there were no people distracting her and asking her dumb questions. Their company had a flexible practice, so everyone could choose where they wanted to work from. Regina preferred the office because it helped her leave work at work at the end of the day.
Gretchen, who was their COO, also preferred working from the office, and so did Shane, who they had hired as the agency's CSO. Their agency collaborated with almost the entire high school friend group, because Karen was an influencer they regularly paid to participate in their campaigns, and Damian was a talent agent who put them in touch with the right creatives. The newest addition to the team was Aaron, who they hired recently as an administrative worker in the financial department. He didn't have a college degree, but that didn't matter to them much. Cady, who was a professor at NYU, was the only one not involved with the agency, though they did see her regularly.
She and Aaron had broken up years prior, but remained friends. She mentioned to Regina that Aaron needed a job, and after discussing it with Janis, Regina offered him one.
What Aaron, like most of the people at the Agency, because they hadn't been in touch on social media, didn't know, was that Regina and Janis were married. They each used their maiden names in the professional world, and they found that employees and clients alike treated them with more fear and respect if they didn't know they were married to each other. There was also the matter of privacy, which they both valued a lot.
That day, on a dreary Wednesday in October, Regina was getting ready for their bi-annual meeting. It was a way for them to catch each other up on their progress and to set the goals for the upcoming period. They always held it in the conference hall they had on the premises, and every single employee had to attend.
The meeting was at noon, so at 11:50 a.m., Regina shut her laptop, grabbed her tablet with the presentation for their upcoming goals, and headed to the conference hall.
About five minutes after she got there, Janis walked into the hall, looking gorgeous in a pair of loose-fit blue pants, powder blue button-up shirt, and combat boots. It was a simple outfit, but Janis could make any outfit hot. As she took the seat next to Regina, the blonde noticed her exhaustion, though.
"You okay?" She asked, cognizant of the fact that they were surrounded by the entire marketing agency.
"I'm good." Janis offered her a small smile that the blonde knew was genuine.
About five minutes after noon, Regina got up and walked onto the stage, stopping at the microphone. She gave a brief speech, looking back at the year they had had, and she mentioned what she expected from their future, before stepping aside so Janis could address everyone.
Regina presented their key goals for the following six months, and then Gretchen took over to deal with certain logistics issues and to update them on the pay raises that everyone was getting. Finally, Shane stepped up and explained the new security system they were implementing, with new security cards that allowed access to specific rooms and devices, so that they could protect themselves from corpoate espionage.
After the meeting ended, they attended the buffet lunch that Gretchen had organized, and then they went back to work.
"I'm gonna head home." Janis murmured under her breath as most of the employees went back to their jobs.
"I'll walk you to your car." Regina nodded, and once Janis grabbed her coat they walked over to the adjacent parking garage.
"You sure you're okay?" Regina asked as they came to a stop by Janis' SUV, a Porsche Cayenne, that Regina had bought for her 35th birthday.
"I'm fine," Janis offered her a smile "I just need to go and take a nap before Tina brings the tiny menace home from preschool."
"Okay," She slipped her arms around Janis' waist "but, text me when you get home. And if you need anything, call."
"Stop worrying." Janis pecked her lips "I'll see you at home."
"I'll get dinner." Regina told her pointedly, making her laugh a little. They had been having a battle over Janis cooking dinner even though she was exhausted.
"Yes, ma'am." She quipped, slipping behind the wheel "Go back to work, I'll see you later."
"I love you." Regina murmured, earning herself another kiss.
"I love you, too." Janis said, before driving off.
Regina returned to her office, though she was restless until she got a text from Janis that she was home. Then she went back to work, and she worked without taking a break until 4:50 p.m.. She had just shut her laptop, when Aaron stepped inside her office.
"We need to talk." He said, a grave expression on his face.
"Is everything okay?" She asked, frowning.
"I want you to promote me to CFO, and you have until Friday to do it." He stated firmly, crossing his arms.
"Excuse me?" She laughed at the ridiculousness of the conversation.
"I know about your affair, Regina." He scoffed "You're cheating on your husband like you used to cheat on me. I saw you with Janis in the parking garage. If you don't promote me, he'll find out everything."
Regina stood there, absolutely stunned. She knew that Aaron didn't know about her and Janis' marriage, but she kind of assumed he knew she was a lesbian. Apparently he didn't, and he was using the information he thought he had to blackmail her. What he didn't know was that he had just gotten himself fired, especially since there was a security camera in Regina's office that ran 24/7 as a way to protect the sensitive client data they dealt with.
"We will discuss this tomorrow morning." She just told him and left the office without a second glance at him. He was an absolute moron, and Regina was going to crush him like a cockroach, but that could wait until morning. She had a wife and a toddler to get home to.
She slipped behind the wheel of her Aston Martin DBX707, driving first to their favorite Italian food restaurant, and then home. When she got home, she got her favorite greeting: Liam running into her arms. Like always, she barely had time to put her bags down before the toddler flung himself at her.
"Mama!" He bellowed excitedly. He was dressed in a Powerpuff Girls t-shirt and blue sweatpants, his cheeks rosy and his hair wild, clearly having been running around. He was biologically Regina's, at Janis' insistence, so he had the exact same eye color, cheekbones, lips, and the baby blonde hair both she and Kylie had had when they were little.
"Hi, buddy." She hugged him tightly "What are you up to?"
"I play soccer, Mama!" He announced, voice slightly too loud.
"Yeah, and where's Mommy?" She asked him.
"Mommy the ref." He said seriously, making her chuckle.
She set him down to take her jacket off and put the laptop bag in the hallway closet, before grabbing the food and moving towards the inside of the brownstone. They had bought the brownstone when they got married, and they redid the interior to their exact taste. The first floor had a living room with a fireplace, kitchen, office, bathroom, and guest room, and french doors that led to the back yard where they had a quaint sitting area. The second floor had a den, a guest room, a study, a playroom for Liam, and a bathroom, while the top floor had their master bedroom, ensuite bathroom, Liam's bedroom, and a bedroom for the baby, with two more bathrooms.
Regina found Janis on the couch in the living room, dressed in one of Regina's hoodies and a pair of sweatpants, more refreshed than she had been when Regina saw her last.
"Hey." Regina leaned in to kiss her.
"Hi, Reg." Janis murmured "You seem tense."
"Tell you later." Regina assured her and the brunette nodded.
Once she washed up, the three of them settled at the dining table to finally eat. Regina had gotten lasagna for Liam, spaghetti carbonara for Janis, and spaghetti bolognese for herself. The toddler was delighted with his meal and dove in immediately, smudging his cheeks in 3 seconds flat. Janis grabbed her fork, but she hesitated, exhaling shakily.
"What's wrong?" Regina asked immediately.
"Nothing." Janis shook her head.
"Hey, come on, what is it?" Regina asked persistently "Is it making you nauseous?"
"No, it's not that." Janis murmured "It's just- It's childish."
"Jay, talk to me." Regina requested, giving her hand a squeeze.
"I know I've eaten only carbonara whenever we've had pasta for months," She confided, blushing "but it doesn't look appetizing at all to me right now."
"Do you want mine?" Regina asked her.
"Yes." Janis groaned, covering her face with her hands, embarrassed.
"Okay." Regina shrugged, switching their plates so that she got the carbonara and Janis got the bolognese.
"Are you serious?" Janis asked incredulously.
"Why not?" Regina chuckled "I like carbonara. And we both know you'll make yourself nauseous if you try to eat something you don't find appetizing."
They had learned that particular lesson when Janis was pregnant with Liam.
They talked about the projects they were working on during dinner, while Liam told them about his preschool adventures and friends. After dinner, they went upstairs to the playroom and sat on the floor with him, building blocks for a while. Then, they gave him a bath, and finally tucked him in.
Janis read him his bedtime story, but Regina lay there with them, letting the domesticity wash over her. They showered and got ready for bed, settling under the covers too.
"So, why were you all tense?" Janis asked without hesitation.
"Aaron is blackmailing me." Regina stated flatly, making her wife's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
"He what?!" She yelped "Why?!"
"For cheating on my spouse, with you." Regina offered, trying to keep a straight face.
"But I am your spouse." Janis countered, confused, and Regina couldn't hold it in any longer.
"I am aware, thanks." She said through her laughter "He saw us in the parking garage, and he said he was going to tell my 'husband' if I didn't promote him to CFO."
"My God, he is stupid." Janis shook her head.
"It gets worse," Regina snorted "he had this conversation with me in my office. The office I told him has 24/7 surveilance."
"Oh, this is gonna be fun." Janis laughed "I'm coming with you to work tomorrow."
"Deal."
They chatted about their respective days for about an hour after that, and then Janis started dozing off.
The next morning, Regina woke up first, like she did most days, and she found Liam playing with his action figures.
"Hi, Mama." He grinned at her when she stepped inside his room.
"Hi, baby boy." She chuckled "What are we having for breakfast today?"
"Smiley eggies and bacon." He announced certainly. 'Smiley eggies' was Liam-speak for eggs sunny-side up.
"Okay, then." She chuckled.
They made their way downstairs, and he played in the living room while she made breakfast. She had just served his meal, when Janis joined them, a little sluggish.
"Good morning." She murmured drowsily, kissing Liam on the head.
"'Morning, Mommy." Liam replied, already focused on his food.
"Good morning." Regina kissed her lightly "What do you want for breakfast?"
"Hmm," Janis looked around thoughtfully "scrambled eggs and bacon."
"Coming right up."
The three of them had breakfast and then they got ready for the day. Since Janis was coming in for the Aaron situation, she had decided to work from the office for the day, so Regina drove them, first to Liam's preschool, and then to the office.
Regina grabbed the security footage of the conversation with Aaron, and then she and Janis made their way to Gretchen's office.
"Gretch, can you and Addie get started on Aaron's dismissal paperwork?" Regina requested, making her friend look at her with wide eyes. Addie was their head of H.R., and she technically worked under Gretchen.
"Can I ask why?" She responded with a question.
"Well, he tried to blackmail me." Regina shrugged.
Gretchen called Addie into her office, and the two of them looked through the footage, before moving to the conference room together. Gretchen even called Shane, just in case Aaron reacted violently.
"What's going on here?" He asked when he stepped inside the conference room. Gretchen and Addie were at the head of the table, with Regina and Janis on their left.
Shane remained standing behind them.
"Have a seat, Aaron." Gretchen nodded to one of the chairs opposite Regina and Janis.
"We are here to inform you that your employment at Partum Opus has been terminated effective immediately." Addie stated, and his eyes widened.
"What?! Why?!" He demanded.
"How about for trying to blackmail the CEO of the company?" Janis countered sharply.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He huffed dismissively.
"Okay, then." Regina nodded and pressed play on her remote, the projectef screen on the wall lighting up with the footage.
They watched the footage in silence, and then Aaron rounded at her.
"So, this is how you wanna play it?!" He asked sharply.
"Oh, I'm not playing anything." She replied calmly "You rolled the dice and it didn't work."
"I'll make good on my promise, then." He muttered, standing up.
"Sure, but there's one thing you should've checked before blackmailing me." Regina told him "Who I'm married to."
He looked confused for a moment, and then Janis slipped her right hand into Regina's on the table, and she also placed her own left hand on the table too. So, they were holding hands, and displaying their engagement and wedding rings, at the same time.
His eyes widened, the realization hitting him.
"Like I said, you rolled the dice and it didn't work." Regina supplied "Shane is gonna walk you out."
Aaron didn't say anything, he just accepted his defeat and walked out of the room. Regina knew there would be speculation about his firing, especially since the meeting about his dismissal had been behind closed doors, but she didn't much feel like explaining herself.
It had been an unpleasant situation, but Regina wasn't too frustrated by it. She still got to run one of the best marketing agencies in the world alongside her wife, they still got to go home to the most adorable baby boy together, they were still expecting their second baby together, and they still had the most perfect house. Regina wasn't going to let anyone, no matter how stupid and uninformed to mess with their family.