Page 33 of One Little Favor
Ugh! I hate this feeling of depending on someone else for my happiness.
I’ve had boyfriends before, but we never had the type of connection I have with Tom. The thought of not talking with him all night, of not seeing that elusive smile, of not ending my night with sex, has me feeling so sorry for myself that it almost makes me mad.
And then the text comes in. The one I’ve feared since this whole thing started with Tom almost a week ago.
Mitzi
I wasn’t expecting one of our coworkers to send me these pictures today.
What follows are several pictures of Tom and me at the airport in St. Thomas earlier today, as we waited for our flight. In one, I’m sitting on his lap and he’s feeding me this amazing tropical soft-serve ice cream we’d found at the airport. In another, I’m standing against a wall and his hand is curled behind my neck, and his face is tucked next to mine as he whispers something in my ear. And the last one is us holding hands as we stand in the boarding line.
“Fuuuuuuuuck,” I groan as tears prick my eyes. Who the hell do we work with that would have been in St. Thomas, who would then take and send these pictures to Mitzi?
Mitzi
I knew he’d do this, which is why I tried to protect you with that clause in your contract.
I’m not sure how to respond, or if I should contact Tom before I do. I wish he was here right now. I switch to the phone and hit his contact to call him, but he doesn’t answer.
Mitzi
This is what he does, Avery. Why do you think he’s been through so many executive assistants in the past year?
Wait, what? What the actual fuck is she telling me right now? Tom’s had affairs with four other women in the last year? That’s not possible. He told me that he’s never slept with anyone he works with and never slept with another woman more than once.
Unless ... could he have been lying?
No, there was truth and emotion and love in everything he did this weekend. In taking me to St. Thomas and inviting my parents to dinner with us, in all the ways he pleased my body, in all the conversations we had and the quiet moments we spent together.
Avery
I don’t believe you.
Mitzi
Regardless, you know what your contract says. I might be able to save your job for you ...
I wait, but she’s obviously going to make me ask.
Avery
What do I need to do?
Mitzi
Break it off with him. And you’ll need to switch to a different position within the firm. But you’ll have to request it. I don’t have the power to make that kind of switch.
Avery
He’s not going to just let me go like that.
Mitzi
Oh honey, that’s what he tells them all. I wish I could say this is the first time I’ve had a conversation like this with one of his executive assistants, but unfortunately this happens all too often. I’d really hoped that you could resist him. I even tried to help by sending you texts every time I thought you might be doing something that would attract his attention.
I crumple into a ball on my couch, letting the tears fall and not worrying whether my mascara will stain my white throw pillow. It feels like my entire world is imploding. My job, my hope that I can help my dad, my feelings for Tom and the way he made me feel. How can it all be crashing down so spectacularly?
I don’t know if I can continue working with Tom. How could I see him every day, even if it was in passing, after this? Is this how all his other executive assistants felt? Is this why they each left, because they couldn’t go on working at his firm even if they weren’t working directly for him?
