Previously on The Saga of Office Boy: The Couple (Q&A)
I sat at my desk on a quiet Thursday morning when I heard that familiar chime. Sure enough, I looked up at the screen and my Gmail tabbed blink, "Office Boy says..." I opened the tab and clicked on the blue chat log.
Do you want to come down to Atlanta and kick someone's butt for me? asked Office Boy.And why exactly do you need me to kick someone's butt for you?Because a lady hit on me.Umm...how exactly did she hit on you?She walked up to me and said, 'I want to eff you.'Oh, wow. Umm...okay.Yea...And what did you say?I said, 'Do you want to see my pictures of my beautiful girlfriend?'Aww! Really?Yep.That's so sweet.
*** Four days later...
I snuggled up to Office Boy and laid my head on his chest, smiling contentedly that we were reunited after a full week apart."Do you remember that lady I told you about the other day?" he asked."The one that hit on you?""Yea." "Yea, I remember her. Why?""Just curious.""Did you really ask her if she wanted to see pictures of me the other day?""No...""You didn't?""No.""When what did you say?""I can't tell you.""Why not?""Because," he said. "I'll tell you in five months.""Five months? Why in five months?""Well, the number of months is arbitrary, but it needs to be a good long while.""Why does it have to be a good long while?""Because, it just does.""Well, can you tell me why you can't tell me for five months?""If I told you my reasons, it would give it away."
I gave an exasperated sigh, crossed my arms and turned away.
"You wouldn't ask for your Christmas presents before Christmas, would you?"
"No, but this isn't the same thing. You could've just let me think that you said what you told me on Thursday and it wouldn't have made a difference. But now you've told me you said something else and I want to know what it is.""I wanted to make sure you would remember the story.""A woman walked up to you with the opening line of 'I want to eff you.' Do you really think I'm going to forget that story?""Well...""Come on. Just tell me," I said, smiling sweetly and batting my eyes."I'll tell you in five months.""Ugh!"
I let the issue rest for a bit, as conversation turned elsewhere.
"So...what did you tell that lady the other day?""Wait, umm...let me check my calendar. Has it been five months yet? Nope. Looks like it's still the same day it was. Oh well. Guess you'll just have to wait.""Ughhhhh.""Good thing, too. If we hadn't gone to work for five months, we both would've lost our jobs by now.""Oh, shut up."
***A week and a half later...
I pulled into the parking garage, found an open spot, turned off the engine and headed over to the elevator as my phone buzzed. Where are you?Just pulled into the parking garage. Ok. I'm at Max and Jenny's.Alright. I'll be up in a minute.
I walked out of the elevator doors and down the hall to Max and Jenny's. I knocked on the door, they opened it and welcomed me in.
After a bit of small talk and playing with John and Helen's labradoodle puppy, Office Boy and I headed back to his apartment. We arrived at the same time as the Chinese food we had ordered, so we paid the delivery man, opened the door, and walked into the apartment.
Office Boy went into his room to change out of his work clothes as I pulled the bowls out of the cabinet and the food out of the bag. As I began to scoop the food into bowls, Office Boy piped up.
"So you know how I told you I wasn't going to tell you what I said to that lady for five months?""Yes," I said, smiling."Well, I normally wouldn't tell you this, but I'm a little drunk, so I'm gonna tell you what I said.""Ok..." I said, still smiling."But you need to stop doing that, and come over here," he said, as he walked from the living room right next to the kitchen and motioned to where I should stand.
I placed the bowls and food down, and walked over to Office Boy. As I stood in front of him, he began to rock back and forth on his heels, touching my forearms, like a child who can't decide what quite what to say.
"Soo..." he began. "Okay, so, you know how she said, 'I want to eff you'?" he asked, continuing to rock back and forth on his heels."Yes," I said, trying to keep myself from laughing at the clearly comical situation."Well, I said, 'I have a girlfriend.' And she said, 'So?' And then do you know what I said?""No. What did you say?" I asked, looking up at him as he continued rocking back and forth on his heels."I said...'Well, I kinda love her.'" He stopped for a moment, looking across the room. "Yea...I kinda love her. And then she said, 'Ohhhh.'"
I looked up at him as he stopped speaking, and smiled. He stopped rocking back and forth and looked down at me, awaiting a response.
"I love you, too," I said, and smiled."Really?""Yes," I said."I didn't expect to fall in love," he said."I didn't either," I admitted."I love you," he said, smiling."I love you, too." A huge smile crossed his face as he leaned down and kissed me.
A few minutes later, he sat in his massage chair as I went back to dishing up our dinner.
"I was gonna wait a while because of that survey. I wanted to make sure I really meant it before I said it. But then I had a conversation with myself and I said, 'Are you really gonna love this girl for five months and not tell her? That's just dumb! Sober Bobby's probably gonna hate me for this tomorrow, but I don't care. I love you."
He paused, as though pondering whether or not he had said the words correctly.
"Yep. Don't feel bad about it. I love you," he said, smiling contentedly as he leaned the massage chair back and relaxed.
***
Happy 6 monthaversary, my dear Office Boy. The last six months have been absolutely wonderful and I've loved every moment that we've spent together. You can always make me laugh or smile when it's the last thing I want to do, you give the best hugs, and you have the most wonderful smile. Here's to six more months and beyond. I love you. :)
