Story Continues.......

Here is the rest of the story from yesterday's post. It has been a work of labor but with a little advice I may be adding to it and changing it. A writer's craft is never complete.

She spent the rest of her afternoon going over the contracts, looking for proof that Jacob was not doing this. He called once he landed and she convinced him to order take out and she would be over at his place within the hour. He agreed and said they would discuss his news. He sounded so happy. As if he was a balloon about to burst and leak his news everywhere.


On the drive over she was nauseated. How would she approach the subject? Would she let him tell his news first and have a small slice of happiness before things got uncomfortable between them? Once she told him, there would be no going back and things would definitely be a challenge.

When he opened the door, she saw he had candles, wine and flowers. He knew what she liked. He ordered her favorite Chinese and said they would discuss the news after dinner. Throughout dinner she tried to carry on conversation but she sensed he knew something was wrong.

They sat on the couch and he turned her around and put her feet in his lap and started to massage them. He said,” You seem preoccupied and you were quiet, is something on your mind?”

She looked at him and tried not to show her concern and smiled. She said quietly, “No I am just excited to hear your news, so out with it, tell me.”

“Okay, here it is, you will be promoted to VP of the marketing department.”

Unbelievable, she had dreamed of this opportunity for a long time and now it was within her reach. If she told Jacob what she knew and he became fearful that Delaney would tell management what she suspected she might lose her new position. Did she want to risk it? Could she let this slide? To finally be on top of her game, with an opportunity like this that most people in her situation never received.

Even though she hated to change the mood, with a new promotion on the horizon she had to tell him what she knew. She told Jacob she had found the checks made out to him from various companies and showed him the proof.

“Please explain this Jacob I want to understand”

He was quiet and his brow was furrowed but no sound was coming from his lips.

“Was this a mistake? You have worked here for years and I saw several checks dating back just until a year after you started.”

As she expected he was immediately telling her how much damage this could do for him and others. He begged her to let all of this go. If she brought all of this to the attention of the President, she would never see her promotion. He promised her ability would be questioned again. If he lost his job she wouldn’t have anyone to protect her, so she had as much to lose as he did.

The conversation ended with her feeling threatened. He promised to quit his illegal activity if she gave her word she would not share what she knew with anyone in the company. They could both still have their jobs and she could achieve her goals.

But could she live with her choice knowing it wasn’t right? And would he really pull away from the extra money? She knew she had to tell the President, even if she was risking her job and her relationship with him because she had to live with her conscience not him.

She left his house and she told him she needed time to think and she knew it meant possible disaster for them both. No matter what she decided, the outcome would affect at least one of them.

Delaney was unable to sleep. She loved him and she had worked so hard to be recognized for her abilities and to be treated as a normal employee. She wondered if the President would thank her for pointing it out. Would he make Jacob resign or maybe just make him return the money to the clients?

It was amazing that Jacob would threaten her like this, knowing that she would be left with no other choice because she had always been honest to fault. If she took the position without saying anything no one would know about Jacob’s indiscretion except her and she couldn’t live with that. If she kept quiet and another employee found out Jacob would possible take her down with him. She knew she never would be able to fully trust Jacob. After finally dozing off to sleep, in her mind she knew what she had to do.

Delaney arrived at the office early the next morning hoping to talk to the President before Jacob arrived or many employees came in for the day. She didn’t want to be the queen of the office gossip or politics. Being disabled was enough to circulate in the rumor mill. She took the chance the President would be in and when she reached his office, his light was on and his assistant wasn’t there. She stood in his doorway and lightly knocked. Her demeanor was timid even though she tried not to show it.

“Mr. Douglas, do you have a moment to speak with me?” she said sheepishly.

“Sure Delaney, come in and have seat.” he said with a curious tone.

She thought it was now or never. “Mr. Douglas, something disturbing has come to my attention and I feel it necessary to make you aware of it.”” If this information became public this could do irreversible damage to the company.” she started

“Go on Delaney’ he said quizzically. He looked tuned into her face and thoughts.

She just needed to spit it out but she knew in heart once she started telling him she could never go back.

She told him what she found in Jacob’s office and why she had been in there without Jacob present. She knew it would be hard to believe just on her word so she had copied a lot of the checks and emails to offer as proof.

Mr. Douglas was shocked. He had never heard of these companies or even seen the finished copies of the agreements as was procedure. Delaney explained she was afraid to come forward at first. She worked hard to obtain the new position but she thought due to her disability and the way she was treated in the past, she would not be believed.

“Well, Delaney I am shocked to say the least but I am grateful you came forward. If this had continued the whole company would have been at risk.” “Someone would have caught it eventually and in the wrong hands this would have been a bad outcome.”

“Thank you sir, but there is one other thing you must know because I don’t want this to be used against me as Jacob’s defense.”

“At the risk of thinking, what else is there, please go on,” said Mr. Douglas.

“I may lose my promotion or even my job but Jacob and I have been intimate for the last 6 months and I apologize,” she said shyly.

Mr. Douglas’s tone changed and he took his glasses off and laid them down on his desk, “Delaney you are right it is against policy to fraternize with your superior.”

“I know and I am deeply sorry.” she said as her lip started to quiver. She was almost breaking down but she was fighting the strong urge because it didn’t seem to be professional to cry. As her father once told her you made the bed and now you have no other choice but to lie in it.

Mr. Douglas sat there not really sure how to handle this one. His finger was up to his lips like he was really contemplating this drama that would definitely play out bad. He was having a difficult time believing the situation. He had handpicked Jacob because he saw his potential to go far in the company. Jacob had been afraid of making a mistake or doing anything that would have been viewed as wrong.

“ I am going to call a meeting and confront him with the findings later today and please do not mention it to him because I don’t want him to have time to come up with possible reasons of how to explain this away.” , he said.

Delaney left his office feeling a wide range of different emotions. She felt a huge amount of relief for having told what she knew. She would never be a good criminal or poker player. If anyone saw her face they would know she was bluffing or there was more to the story. She also felt fear because she knew Jacob would feel betrayed. Although they trusted each other all she would hope for was that he found a way to understand she had more to lose than he did. He had his education and friends in high places. She had an education too but had to prove her ability and give no one a reason to see her disability as an inability.

Mr. Douglas told her the meeting would take place in his office about 3pm. He said he would let her know the outcome of the meeting and if he decided to take any disciplinary action against her for her involvement with Jacob. At this point all she could hope for was to keep her job. She could see losing her new position as a punishment but she hoped with all she had done she wouldn’t lose her job. She couldn’t imagine having to look for a job in this economy. The disability made it enough of a challenge alone.

The day seemed to creep by and she did a good job of being occupied not only with her thoughts but her duties as well. Jacob had called and asked her go to lunch but she let the call go to voice mail. He said he would call her later and he would be tied up in meetings for the rest of the day.

When she left at 4pm, she had not heard from Jacob or Mr. Douglas and she left through the back entrance to keep from having to go by Mr. Douglas’s office. She would know the outcome soon enough.

She went home and curled up on her couch with a stiff drink and turned on her TV to distract her thoughts but it wasn’t helping much. She had done what was morally right but all she kept asking herself was what had she done? She called her grandmother because her grandmother had a way of making her see the positive side of things and feel better. After talking to her, Delaney followed her advice and tried to sleep and she didn’t remember the last time she turned over and looked at the clock. She knew she had lost her friendship with Jacob because he always called to say goodnight and he didn’t call.

In the morning, she took extra care not to be late and she had a message on her voicemail from Mr. Douglas asking that she meet him in his office at 9 am. She noticed that Jacob’s door to his office had been closed since she came in. Was he avoiding her or had he not come in yet?

She walked slowly to Mr. Douglas’s office knowing she had made the right decision. She had a conscience and it was the only thing to do in this situation even if it cost her the promotion.

In the meeting, Delaney found out she was keeping her job and that Jacob had agreed to resign effective immediately. He offered to resign once he was confronted with the copies of the checks and said the only thing he asked was for her to be able to keep her job. He said the relationship was his idea and he pressured her to get involved. She left his office still with mixed emotions. Even as Jacob was losing his job because of his actions, he could have taken Delaney down with him. In situations like this the reaction most people have is to bring everyone down around them.

The rest of the day went by so slowly and all she wanted was for it to end. Some of her fellow colleagues were going out to a club after work and invited her to come and even though she always went she made an excuse that family was visiting. She needed down time to regroup and start fresh. Once she arrived home she changed her clothes and decided she wasn’t going to cook that meant Chinese food and no dishes. She changed into what she called house clothes and ordered her dinner. While she waited for the delivery, she curled up in the corner of the couch and began channel surfing to see what movie she could watch with dinner. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. It was too early for the food. She walked to the door and look through the peep hole and she saw Jacob. She had never expected to see him again. She hesitated before opening the door and she could feel the wave of nausea coming over her and her palms starting to get clammy. She knew this would be either a short conversation or a screaming crying fight.

She opened the door and stood very still. She tried to get the words into sounds but nothing came to her lips.

“Delaney, can I come in?” he said softly.

She moved aside and stood there. Why was he here and what was left to say? She knew he would be angry because he was now unemployed.

She offered him a drink and he declined. He said he had thought a lot about what happened and although he was now jobless he understood why she chose not to stand by him and went to see Mr. Douglas. He said that maybe this was a gift in disguise not only for him but for her as well.

“I know you have heard the saying when one door closes another one opens. It means there are bigger and better things out there for both of us.” Nothing but good things to come.

He would provide references or help her further her career any time in the future.

He was actually calm and saying things she thought he would never say. She heard him say he didn’t blame her for not going along with it and putting her job in jeopardy. He stood up and reached in his pocket and put the copy of the key she had given him on the coffee table.

“My wife and I are trying to salvage our marriage and I agreed to go to counseling.” he said after turning around and facing the door.

Delaney could not speak. What she had just experienced wasn’t what she expected at all. All of the things he said were going to be her responses if his comments and attitude had been accusatory or condescending about what she had done to him and his career.

He stood up to walk to the door and then turned back around and came back to stand in front of her and raised his hand to brush against her face. He reached over and let his lips lightly brush hers and walked towards the door. Delaney was shocked and following along quietly. Before she knew it the door was closed and he was gone.