Echoes of Aphasia

Chapter 3: Dates And Late Nights

The rest of the week went by rather uneventfully, well that is if you don’t count the fact that Caden asked me on a date. It’s not that I didn’t get along with him, I guess I was just nervous getting close to someone romantically after what had happened before I up and left.  And maybe a small bit because my interest was in someone else. Someone unavailable though. I guess that is why I agreed to going on a date with him. No matter how nervous I was, I had to start letting people in again.

Hayden has been extremely professional the remainder of the week. Too professional for my liking, honestly I thought we were on our way to being friends before he was my boss so it kind of sucked. I didn’t receive any texts from him and I barely even saw him at work. I should have been happy, because at least I knew that I couldn’t interfere in his relationship with Violet, but the lack of contact made my heart pull in an uncomfortable way.

It was Friday now and I was more than ready to go home and relax in a hot bath with a few drops of my favourite essential oils to help me calm my nerves, however Hayden had other plans for me it seems.

“Alesana I need you to write me reports about every child that comes to the day care, as well as making a portfolio for each child where we can add every colouring picture or whatever they do in it. I need it tonight.” Hayden says firmly. It looked like something was bothering him. Maybe he was having just as bad a week as I was.

“Yes, sir.” That was my only reply. Hayden was too tensed for me to make small talk, and judging by the formalities, he wouldn’t appreciate me starting up small talk while I should be working. He stared at me with a conflicting look on his face. Then he turned around abruptly and walked back to the elevator. Probably back to his office.

I had finally finished everything he wanted by 11P.M. and even though I was sure he would have gone home already, I made my way to his office to hand everything over to him. I didn’t need to get in trouble for not doing my work, so 5 vanilla lattes later, I was finally finished.

As I entered his office floor, I noticed that only one light was shining and that was indeed his office light. I knocked softly three times and when I didn’t hear anything, I cautiously opened the door. I braced myself for the worst, but what I didn’t expect to find was Hayden sleeping peacefully on his arms. My feelings were conflicted. I wanted to wake him up but I also wanted to leave without being noticed.

The former of the two won though. I placed the portfolios and the reports down on an empty spot on his clustered desk and then I crouched down next to his chair. I placed my hand gently on his shoulder and called out his name softly.

“Hayden. Mr. Clarke, wake up please. It’s time to go home sir.” He stirred a bit and then his icy blue eyes fluttered open and met with mine.

“Alesana? What are you still doing here?” I ignored the fluttering feeling I felt in my stomach  when he called me by my name. No one had ever called me this, mainly because everyone preferred my first name. It's the second time he used it and just like the first time, I blushed.

“I had to finish the work you gave me sir, you said you wanted it tonight so I didn’t want to leave without it being done.”

“Please stop with the sir when were alone. It drives me completely crazy when you're so formal all the time. I’m so sorry I made you work this late, I was frustrated and I wasn’t thinking clearly.” He stared at me with pleading eyes and I could see the exhaustion taking over his handsome features. In that moment I wanted nothing more than to comfort him as the friend I wanted to be for him. So I did just that.

“It’s okay Hayden. If you didn’t make me work late then you would have probably slept here all night. Are you alright? You seem really tensed the past couple of days? Sorry if I’m overstepping my boundaries as your employee.”