Chapter 18

Christie and Erik had spent the weekend together. The excitement and newness of their newfound love was both distracting and consuming. When Monday came around and reality loomed before them, they couldn't help but wish to remain in their isolation. Christie hadn't even answered her texts from Meg yet. Erik had gone home last night. Christie missed him terribly, but she knew that some space to clear her head was probably what she needed. She walked to work, bundled up in a thick sweater and scarf. When she walked into the building, the few people around stared as she went by. She became nervous from the attention and quickly went into the elevator. When she got to her cubicle, Meg pounced on her.

"Why haven't you texted me?!" Meg squealed.

Christie smiled awkwardly and blushed.

"Christie! Were you together the whole weekend?"

Christie nodded. "We didn't really do anything though."

"Oh, I'm so sure... I need details. Everyone was going nuts after you left. Ralph looked like he was going crazy and everyone else was so shocked!"

"I didn't mean to cause such an uproar. Erik hates attention. He's probably going to want to go back to no one knowing who he is."

"Fat chance of that happening. You can't just make a huge production in the middle of the company party like that and have everyone just pretend it didn't happen!"

Christie bit her lip, suddenly realizing the upheaval their display would have on Erik's life. She hoped he wasn't going to be upset at her.

At lunch, she rode the elevator down to the basement as usual to eat with Erik. She entered the dark supply room and approached Erik's desk. As she got closer, she could hear voices. She snuck up behind a shelf and peeked around. She recognized Mr. Farmer and Mr. Andrews immediately.

"Listen, I know that you had some kind of arrangement with the previous owner of Operius, but I'm afraid that we won't be able to maintain this... this... Special treatment you've been receiving. Coming and going at any hour you please, working down here and not following company guidelines. Your run of this place is over, starting now. There are going to be major changes for you and you'd better be prepared for it!" Mr. Farmer finished grandly and turned on his heel, Mr. Andrews following close behind him.

Christie ducked behind a shelf as they passed by. When they were gone, she poked her head around the corner to look at Erik, he was standing next to his desk, fists balled, still wearing his hat and glasses. He quickly turned and slammed his fist onto the desk, causing a monitor to tip over. Christie flinched. He was getting in trouble because of her, she thought in a panic. She felt like he probably didn't want to even see her, so she quietly went back upstairs. She went into the breakroom with everyone else and went to sit with Meg. When she sat down, everyone suddenly stopped talking. Christie blushed and pulled out her lunch.

"Why aren't you eating lunch with him?" Meg asked in a whisper.

Christie shook her head, eyes down, not wanting to talk about it.

Ralph looked over from his table with Tatiana and Sylvia. "Is that where you always go for lunch? If I had to eat while looking at his ugly maw, I'd never get anything down." He chuckled cruelly. Carla and Peter laughed loudly as well. Christie's face flushed and she stood up quickly and walked out. Behind her, she could hear Meg loudly berating Ralph. She headed into the girl's bathroom, went into an empty stall and sat down. She couldn't bear that Erik's life had been so upturned because of her. She sat and cried silently for a few minutes, then composed herself and went back to work, the rest of the day going by in a blur.

Christie rode the elevator down to the basement mechanically after her shift was over. When the doors opened, Erik stood there, smiling down at her. He only had to look at her face for a moment before he realized that she was upset.

"What's the matter?" He asked worriedly. He stepped into the elevator with her and took her face in his hands.

Christie's eyes filled with tears. "I'm really sorry." was all she could say.

He pulled her into a hug, wrapping his large arms around her. He pulled away eventually and pushed the first-floor button. "Tell me what happened." he demanded.

She gulped and took his hand as they exited the elevator. "I just feel like I ruined everything for you. Now everyone knows about you, and they are being really mean. I shouldn't have made such a spectacle during the party."

They continued walking down the quiet street and Erik's only response was to grip her hand harder.

She told him about how she had overheard part of the conversation with the bosses during lunch and Erik sighed and looked down at her.

"Christie... Listen to me. Nothing that happened was your fault. I wouldn't trade that moment at the party with you for anything in the world. Everyone was bound to figure out my secret eventually. I'm not sorry and neither should you be. Honestly, I was skating by for far too many years with Operius. I let my pain dictate my life for a long time. But that's over now. I have you, and I won't lose you again."

She smiled weakly up at him. "I just hate that I've done nothing but make your life harder..."

Erik stopped suddenly; they had reached Christie's front door without her realizing. "You've done nothing but make my life worth living. Please believe me when I tell you, that you have saved my life in every possible way... Let other people say what they want, it doesn't bother me, the only pain I feel now, is yours." He finished softly, and kissed her passionately. She drew away gasping and smiling. Relieved that he wasn't any less in love with her, despite her misgivings about her own worthiness.