But Beautiful

Chapter 4: There's a storm ahead

The first week of her new job seemed to fly by. It was Tuesday of the following week and she was excited. She loved her new job, her new friends, staring at the most attractive man in the state when he wasn't looking.

She walked into work early and set a coffee on Connor's desk.

"Oh thanks, doll. I really needed this. Kenneth kept me up all night-" she cut him off.

"I don't want to hear that!" She laughed. He laughed along.

"So how are you and Mr. Hottie?"

"Connor, for the millionth time, there is nothing going on. Our relationship is strictly professional."

"I know, I'm just hoping if I keep saying it, it will come true." He laughed.

Katrina then came unexpectedly storming into the workplace.

"Where is he?" She asked.

"He isn't here yet, ma'am." Marilyn spoke.

"Who the hell are you to speak for him?"

"I'm his secretary. That's kind of my job." Marilyn said rudely. Connor tried to suppress a laugh.

"Oh my god. I know you! You're that girl Sam couldn't stop staring at and bought drinks for while he was with me a couple of weeks ago!" She shouted.

"Awe shit." Mumbled Connor.

"I don't think that was me, miss, and how can you accuse me of being that woman when it was weeks ago, you most likely don't remember clearly."

"Oh I remember. It was you. I remember everyone who threatens my relationship."

"Threatens your relationship?" Marilyn laughed loudly, "I was a girl in a bar that had never even seen that man before!"

"Woah, what the hell is going on here?" Said a deep, English accent from the doors.

"Oh this just got so good." Said Connor. Marilyn turned to look at him to see he was eating a small bag of lays chips with his feet on his desk top. She couldn't help but laugh.

"Samuel Kennedy! You're fucking your secretary?!" Katrina screamed. The entire office was staring at the three of them.

"I most certainly am not! If I was, believe me, I'd know." He spoke calmly.

"Oh Sam, fire her. Please? So I won't have to worry.." Katrina spoke sweetly as she pressed herself against his chest.

"Excuse me?" Marilyn spoke furiously. Katrina only glanced at her before looking back up at him for only a quick minute. Katrina glanced at her once more before she brought her lips to his, and he kissed her back. Marilyn stood there, the fire in her stomach raging, burning an entire village of calmness to the ground.

He grasped her shoulders and pushed her away gently.

"No." He spoke.

"No?" Katrina screamed.

"No, Katrina. I'd like you to leave now. Do not call me, and do not come here again." He spoke.

"Are you kidding me?!"

"No. Now leave." He said sternly. She stood there in front of him for only a moment, right before she raised her hand and slapped him, hard. She then stormed out the door into the street.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Kerr. That will not happen again." He spoke as he quickly walked to the elevator. She stood there dumbfounded.

"Holy hell. That was the best thing I've ever seen!" Said Connor.

Marilyn walked to the elevator, silently slipped in and pushed the number to her floor. She came up to his door quietly and knocked.

"Come in." He spoke sternly. She gently pushed open the heavy door.

"Sir, are you okay?" She spoke as she stepped in.

"I'm perfectly fine, Miss. Kerr."

She stepped closer to him to see that he had a deep red hand print on his cheek.

"I don't know, sir. That looks like it might bruise." She spoke.

"I'm fine."

"I brought you an ice pack..." She trailed off as she outstretched the ice pack to him. He sighed and took it from her, their hands grazing each other's just like they had when he returned her purse to her.

"Thank you." He spoke as he pressed the ice pack to his face.

"Do you need anything, sir? It seems as though it's going to be a long day." She said, showing him sympathy.

"No, miss. I just need silence. If you'd like you can go downstairs and help Connor. I know the two of you are friends and I'm sure he's quite busy." He gave her a small smile.

"Alright, sir. If you need anything, you can send someone down to get me." She spoke before she went to the door. Just before she stepped out, she looked back at him over her shoulder and gave him a small smile. He was beautiful, even on his one of his worst days.

"My darling, Marilyn, will you please go fix the copier? I hate to do this to you but I'm so swamped." Said Connor.

"No problem, hon." She laughed as she made her way to the copy room.

"Thank you, thank you!" He called.

She walked in to see a woman crying over the copier.

"Um, ma'am, I'm here to fix the copier.." She trailed off.

"Oh, I'm sorry." The woman said in between sobs. "I didn't mean it! I ruin everything I touch!"

Marilyn tried to suppress a laugh by biting her lip.

"I'm sure it will be just fine. I'll fix it." Marilyn smiled.

Once Marilyn had figured out the problem she quickly fixed it.

"See, no problem at all." She said.

"Oh thank you! I'm just terrible. I'm so sorry."

"It was no problem, really." Marilyn spoke as she gave a smile and walked out.

"Connor, there was a lady in the copy room and she was bawling." Marilyn said, still concerned.

"Yeah, that's Candice. She's really emotional. I thought every office had that one employee." He laughed.

"So, that's just.. The usual?"

"Yep. Has been for ten years around here. Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Her nickname is Sadness."

"Oh that's terrible, Connor."

"It's funny. You know, Sadness, from that new Disney movie 'Inside Out'. Darlene took her kids to the movie and came back talking about how we all need to see it because it reminded her of Candice. We got an entire work party to go and see it, and that's how she got her nickname."

"You guys are so mean."

"No, Candice thinks it's funny now. She actually went and seen the movie and now she quotes Sadness around the office. She has a Sadness plush toy sitting on her desk." Connor laughed. Marilyn just smiled and shook her head.

Marilyn then realized she had made the best decision for her future. To move, to apply for this job. Her life was finally going right. Katrina may have been a tiny bump in the road, but so far it's going wonderfully. She was glad to finally be happy.