Office Affair

Did you think I would leave?!

Two weeks into her job Anya started feeling sick. At the beginning she thought that she had caught a cold and that she could walk it off, but it didn't help. She opened up a new assignment on the computer, when her head started spinning, so she immediately went to Dominic. She knew that she could trust him, since they really became friends, meeting off work in restaurants and parks.

"Dominic," she knocked on the door. His mind seemed to be somewhere else, so she coughed.

"Yes? Oh, Anya! Come in," his genuine smile melted her, but she kept it hidden on the inside. She didn't want him to know how she felt about him. It would be too painful if he found out, because then they wouldn't be friends any more, with him being her boss and all. So she smiled and walked in.

"I need a favor."

"Sure! What's up?"

"I know it's probably too soon what with my contract and all, but...can you let me go home today?"

She noticed that his eyes narrowed, and her stomach clenched even more. She started making excuses for even asking the question, but then he walked up to her and took her hands in his.

"Your fingers are ice-cold. What's wrong, Anya?"

"I don't know, I feel like throwing up and my head is killing me."

He rubbed her hand between his palms, trying to warm it up a bit. She relaxed, realizing that yet again, Dominic proved himself to be a true friend, rather than an evil boss. She felt guilty for ever doubting him.

"Have you eaten anything?"

She declined.

"Why?"

"Because...."

How could she tell him the truth that she only eats when Dominic invites her to his office, for their lunch.

"Because?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm not sick because of the food. Can you please let me go?"

She knew that he will argue with her on the food subject, and it made her head spin. In fact, the whole office started doing a weird and blurry dance. She put the palm of her hand on her forehead, but still the pressure was overwhelming. Her legs gave out, and yet somehow she didn't hurt her head on the tiles. What an odd thing, she thought. She was sure she would get hurt pretty bad, but her head landed on something soft. Then she blacked out.

When she opened her eyes again, she was in a strange, white room. She could hear the cars on the street, which meant she was no longer in Dominic's office. If that was the case...where was she? How did she get from his office to...here?

Looking at the ceiling gave her no reasonable conclusions, so she turned her head to the left, and saw a machine that was beeping. A few moments of intense focusing made her realize that it was a heart monitor. It was beeping and beeping and beeping, and she noticed the strings coming out of it. She followed one of the strings and realized that it went somewhere beneath her...wait, seriously...hospital gown? But how could this be? Then she looked to her right and met with her heart's desire. Dominic's brows were tight with concern for her, but his eyes managed to produce a soothing, loving gesture, followed by a smile on his lips. Then she looked at her fingers. They were entwined with his.

"Hi," he whispered. She smiled.

                                                                                                ****

It all happened fast. One moment her hand was in his, and another moment her eyes rolled in her sockets and she passed out.

"Anya, what's going on?"