Shirley was watching her husband Brody, flirting with his secretary, Lila. As she couldn’t stand, she barged in.
“Brody, what’s going on here?”
“What’s your problem, Shirley? We’re just discussing work.”
“This is how you discuss work?” Shirley yelled, “By putting your hands up her skirt? In front of everyone?”
“Don’t make a scene,” Brody responded.
“We need to talk. In private. Now!” Shirley said.
“You don’t get to order me around. I’m filing for divorce today. I’ll take the house.” Brody said.
“You can’t take my house. It was my parents’. You have no right!” Shirley was angry.
“Don’t forget you’re married to a lawyer. Just watch me. I’ll move Lila in, and we’ll celebrate on every surface in every single room.”
As Shirley was shocked and hurt, Brody pushed his wedding ring into the cake Shirley brought. “Maybe you can pawn this for a dog house,” he said as he left with Lila.
As she was in her room, crying over what happened, her door got knocked. “I heard… I thought I heard a cry for help,” a strange man said.
“Well, you heard wrong. Unless you can help me keep my house from the husband who’s divorcing me, go away,” Shirley said roughly.
“I can’t help with that. But now, I can see why he’s divorcing you.” The man said, and walked away.
“What did you say to me?” Shirley said, as she followed the man and prevented him to close his door.
“I was concerned about the noise.” The man said.
“I clearly know what you meant!” Shirley said. “I may not look perfect, but that doesn’t give you the right to judge me.”
“You’re right. You don’t deserve that.” The man said in regret.
As Shirley was confused, she took her feet out of the doorway of the man, and then the man quickly shut the door.
“Wait! I was still yelling at you!” Shirley yelled at the door, as she kicked it.
As she went to her office on the next day, she learned that the new boss, Mr. Williams was going to be there that day.
“Great, just what I need when I’m already a mess, a new boss,” Shirley said, then she heard a voice behind her. “Well, your new boss is already here,” the voice was familiar. “You must be my kind and helpful secretary, Shirley.”
As she turned to her back, she saw the man she was yelling at yesterday evening. “I’m sorry about last night,” Shirley said to Mr. Williams.
“Your behavior was unacceptable. I expect better from my employees,” the boss said. “I need the case file for Richardson vs. Richardson. Now,” he said then he turned back to his office.
After a while, Mr. Williams found Shirley while struggling with the folders. “What’s taking so long? I asked you to bring me the case file, not scatter it across the floor,” he said.
“I-I have it here,” Shirley said, as sje was embarrassed.
“This is quite the mess. It seems tidiness isn’t your strong suit,” he said, as he looked at the folder mess in the corner.
While she was cleaning the mess, Brody and Lila came. They were laughing, and seeing them made Shirley mad again, and she rushed to her boss’ office. “I’m not your secretary anymore. I resign.”
“Get back to work on the Richardson case, Shirley.” Mr. Williams said.
“No. I’m leaving, so sign my resignation,” Shirley said again.
“I won’t sign this,” Mr. Williams said, and throw her resignation letter to the trash can.
“Look, I just can’t take it anymore,” Shirley said as she sat down. “What is it with men like you… that makes you think you can control my life?”
“I’m not refusing to accept your resignation because I want to bully you,” Mr. Williams said.
“Just let me go,” Shirley pleaded, “I can’t—” then her words stopped as Mr. Williams swept the tears away from her face.
“I can’t let you go because I like you, Shirley,” Mr. Williams said.
“But you don’t even know me, Mr. Williams,” Shirley said.
“Nathan, call me Nathan. And yes, I might not know you fully, but I admire your spirit and strength,” Nathan said, as he came closer.
Shirley was confused a lot, and left Nathan’s office. On the next day, Nathan surprised her as he greeted her with two cups of coffees in his hands, and with a smile.
“Excuse me, I need to step out,” Shirley said, as she noticed Brody and Lila’s intimate actions. Then Nathan realized that Brody was Shirley’s husband, from another secretary he learned.
“He’s flaunting their affair right in front of his wife,” the other secretary said. And Nathan was shocked. Few hours later Shirley went into his office with the files of Richardson case.
“Shirley, could you stay for a moment? I need help to organize these arguments for the case.” Nathan said before Shirley left.
“Sure, I can help. What do you need exactly?”
“I’m trying to frame our argument more compellingly. I thought you could give me a fresh perspective.”
Their conversation slowly turned into exploring each other, as they learned that they both liked jazz.
“You’re into jazz?” Shirley asked.
“Yeah, there’s a lot about me you don’t know. Jazz is just the beginning,” Nathan said.
As time passed, their connection went stronger. But Shirley was in a defensive stance, as she was afraid of getting another heartbreak.
On that evening, Nathan went to Shirley’s room, and knocked her door. “I need your help to convey my feelings more effectively in the opening speech,” he said as Shirley opened the door.
“Chocolate,” he whispered, as he pointed on Shirley’s lips. Then touched to her lips to clean theö.
“You’re here for the speech, right?” Shirley asked.
“No, Shirley. I’m here for you,” Nathan said. “I can’t stop thinking about you despite your situation.”
Shirley went into a defensive mode again, as they were about to share a moment, the door got knocked. “What do you want, Brody?” Shirley asked as she saw Brody, drunk at her door.
“Please, Shirley. I just… I need comfort,” he cried. “I’ve missed you so much, baby. Williams fired me.”
“Don’t. Touch. Me,” Shirley yelled, and pushed him away. Then Nathan appeared. “What’s going on?”
“What’s he doing here?” Brody was angry.
“That’s none of your business!” Nathan said. “Get away from her!”
“I own her heart,” Brody said. “We’ve been married for… ten years, or seven, a long time either way, and she still loves me. She calls me, begging me to come back to her every day!”
“That’s not true!” Shirley screamed, but it was enough for Nathan to walk away. As Brody grabbed Shirley again, she pushed him again. She ran after Nathan and stopeed him as he get inside his car. “Can we just go back inside and talk, Nathan? Please?”
“No.” Nathan said. “I should’ve known that this, you and me, was too good to be true.”
“How dare you believe his stupid lie about me begging him to come back? You can’t expect me to fight for you if you don’t do the same for me. Say something!”
“I wish I’d met you seven years ago and protected you from all the bad you had to suffer alone.” Nathan said, as he got out of his car.
“I…I want to make you happy.” He continued.
“You already do,” Shirley said.
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