I own nothing except Lillian. It's a little short today, sorry!
Chapter Seven
It had been almost three weeks since Albert's dinner date with Lillian. They had been on a few dates since then, just to get coffee or have dinner together; they always enjoyed themselves on their dates, talking and laughing and eventually kissing quite a bit (but nothing more, Albert made sure of that). It was very clear to Albert that Lillian was falling in love with him.
Which was why he felt so guilty to be standing outside her door one Saturday morning, trying to bring himself to ring the bell. Eventually he did, and not a minute later, Lillian opened the door.
"Oh! Hi, Albert," she said, eyebrows raised in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Albert sighed and rubbed his neck, trying not to meet her eye. "I need to talk to you about something, Lillian."
"Do you want to come in?"
Albert nodded, and she led him to a small living room; they sat together in the couch, but not close enough to be touching.
"I'm actually glad you came by, Albert," Lillian said. "I've been meaning to talk to you too."
"You have?"
She nodded. "I can't keep seeing you, Albert," she said quickly. "I've always tried to keep my work life and my personal life separate, and I should have known better than to get involved with a colleague and I... I'm sorry, Albert."
Albert relaxed, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "So, you're breaking up with me?"
Lillian nodded sadly, not meeting his eye.
"That's why I came here, actually. That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Albert admitted.
"That makes me feel so much better," Lillian said with a grateful smile on her face. "I was worried that you would be upset with me, or something. So...what's your reason for our splitting up? Didn't want to date a colleague?"
Albert tugged at his collar. "Uh...not exactly, no."
Lillian grinned. "Ah, another woman then?"
Albert nodded. "Before you!" he added hurriedly. "Before I met you."
"The secretary, right?"
Albert's mouth fell open; he couldn't speak for a few moments. "How...how did you know?" he asked with a small laugh.
Lillian shrugged. "I guessed. But if a woman can nag you about something for eight years and get you to actually do it, even if it means leaving behind something you love, she must be a lot more than just a secretary to you."
Albert laughed. "That sounds like Rose," he sighed. "You remind me of her sometimes," he added quietly. Lillian raised an eyebrow.
"I do?" Albert nodded.
"When you smirk at me or, or give me that look with the raised eyebrows and a hand on your hip...I guess that's part of why I can't be with you anymore."
"Because I remind you of her?"
Albert nodded.
"You still love her?"
Albert glanced at Lillian and then nodded again. Lillian frowned.
"So why aren't you still with her?" Albert sighed.
"Our relationship wasn't ever easy. At first, I didn't even let myself think about her like that, because we were working together."
"But I guess you got over that?" Lillian asked with a grin.
"Yeah," Albert laughed. "But I was awkward and shy, and Rose had a fiery temper, and not much patience. And my mother always insisted on getting between us. So even after we finally came out and admitted our feelings for each other and started dating, after all the years we had known each other, all it took was one misunderstanding...and she walked out on me."
Lillian reached over and took Albert's hand. "I'm sorry, Albert. Is there...is there any chance you two could get back together?"
Albert shook his head. "I don't think so. I don't think she lives in New York anymore, and even if she does I don't think she'd want to see me. She was pretty livid when she left."
"I'm sorry," Lillian said again.
"It's okay," Albert said with a sigh. "Sometimes I wonder how I managed to get her to stay with me as long as she did."
"Well I think her leaving you was a mistake," Lillian said adamantly. "Excluding myself, any woman who gives you up is either not very bright, or has horrible taste in men."
Albert laughed a little. "Thanks, Lillian."
"...you miss her?" she asked after a pause.
"Oh, god yes."
Thanks for reading, review please!
