Thanks to john6lisa for helping with Bridget's southern vernacular.
And to tanner12 for reminding me that Bridget had already gone to therapy (for panic attacks).
And to CdB55 for her watchful eye.
And to everyone who is still reading along. With so many wonderful stories out there to choose from, I appreciate you including mine.
Touched by an Angel (by Maya Angelou)
Myka rolled over in bed to an empty pillow and the sound of the water running in the shower. Helena was already up and getting ready. Myka pushed herself up on her pillows and turned on the television.
"In other news, the fashion world was rocked this morning when Sarah Styles, premier designer for the House of Givenchy, announced that she will be going out on her own. Ms. Styles, you'll remember, was the designer of the famed Bering-Wells wedding dresses as well as those of the bridal party. Her career took off as a result and now she's given her notice the night before one of the biggest fashion shows of the year."
"Do you know anything about this?" Myka asked, as Helena slipped back into bed, her skin still damp and wrapped up in a towel.
"Yes," Helena said, more interested in kissing Myka's bare shoulder.
"That must have been some talk," Myka teased.
"I'm very effective…with my…..mouth," Helena quipped, leaving a trail of kisses down Myka's arm.
Myka already knew what Helena meant, but she added to the excitement by grabbing Helena's jaw and asking; "You mean you just talked, yes? That mouth is mine."
Those few words, laced with a jealous sentiment that both knew Myka was pretending, lit the short fuse on Helena's libido. Myka was pulled over and on top of Helena in one swoop.
"This mouth is yours," Helena said, her eyes smoldering with excitement.
"Not just the mouth," Myka warned and heard Helena whimper.
Nothing started Helena's day off the right way as when she completely surrendered to Myka first thing in the morning.
"Do you miss him?" Leena asked Myka, forty five minutes later when she sat at the kitchen island, sipping her cup of coffee.
"I do," Myka said, looking over at the place where Bandit's dish used to be.
"Then I will have her bring him back," Helena announced, coming in after a long discussion with the intern in her closet. Helena wore a solid red pencil skirt which hugged her hips and a patterned matching blouse on top.
"If it helps, I saw him with Irene while you guys were away. They make a good couple," Leena smiled. "She's taking really good care of him."
"I think he's better off there," Myka said, not totally convinced. Then she kissed Helena as she got up to prepare her a cup of tea.
"You have visitation rights," Leena smiled as Helena picked up her phone and texted.
"That's true," Myka laughed as she timed the tea to perfection. She brought it to Helena and watched as the Brit sipped it.
"If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I'd swear Miss Sullivan were here," Helena said convincingly. The tea was the second best she had ever tasted and that included the tea at Buckingham Palace.
Myka couldn't help but giggle with delight at being able to give Helena one of the things that was high on her list of necessities of survival.
Leena occupied herself as the couple kissed, but couldn't help steal a peek at that white aura. In all the years after she received the gift, Leena had never seen one like this.
"Oh, I should have seen this coming," Irene said as she readied herself for work, bringing what Helena told her she wanted.
After the couple got to Wells Corp, and Helena had kissed Myka so long that the elevator started to close three times, the CEO finally arrived on her own floor.
"Good morning, Ms. Wells," Sui said and handed Helena the day's messages and paperwork.
"Mr. Generis, how are you this morning?" Helena asked, her voice lilting.
"All of my programs are functioning," the android confirmed. "I have been instructed by Mrs. Frederic that today might be a good day to start your yoga regiment. She expressed little confidence in the meditation sequence I have developed, but felt that you would have no trouble excelling at the set of breathing exercises and postures."
"Mr. Generis, check your deduction program and you will arrive at the same solid conclusion that I have; Mrs. Frederic has too much time on her hands," Helena scoffed as she went inside her office. She was busy looking at the mail to notice who was running towards her.
Bandit was so excited as soon as he smelled Helena's perfume when she stepped out of the elevator. He was racing around her office, waiting to greet her. Now, without his trainer there, he was simply overjoyed to see the Brit and leaped at her, knocking the mail out of her hands and pushing her against the closed door.
"Get-her-up-here!" she yelled and Sui knew immediately who she meant.
As Helena struggled to get the overexcited dog under control, Eileen came through the interoffice door with her tea. "Oh, he is so happy to see you," Eileen said as Helena struggled in vain to get the dog off her. He was walking in between her legs and rubbing against her, all to her displeasure.
"I will be…covered…..in dog hair," Helena protested and yelled again for the woman on her most wanted list. "I want her here now!"
Eileen bit her lip as she watched Helena stumble onto the couch, succumbing to the animal's affections. Now Helena was prostrate over the arm of the couch as Bandit mistook this for playing and placed his paws over Helena's back, holding the screaming woman in place.
"Bandit, come here," Eileen tried, but the husky's expression said it all. 'I'm winning!'
"Bandit," Eileen tried again more assertively, but Bandit knew who was talking to him. He playfully growled his disagreement and pushed his cold, wet nose under Helena's neck as she struggled to get up. 'She likes this!'
"I will kill her!" Helena uttered, but her excited voice only enticed the dog more into play. 'Hear her high pitched voice?'
"Bandit," came the calm voice and Helena was released instantly. 'I gotta go.'
"That dog …. I want that dog…," Helena ranted as she stood up and pushed her hair back in place. "I think he licked me," she said in a disgusted tone to Eileen.
"He was happy to see you," Helena heard Irene say and she swung around on her heels.
"You!" Helena said, wiping the saliva off and quivering. She held her hand out, waiting for someone to disinfect it. Eileen grabbed the bottle of Purel and rushed to Helena's side.
"Oh my God," Helena said, rubbing it on her hands, wishing she could rub it all over. She looked down at her dress, now speckled with black and white hair. "At home was one thing, but I am at work!"
"You wanted him here," Irene said, petting the dog as he sat calmly by her side. ' I missed her!'
"You left him in here? He attacked me!" Helena bemoaned. 'We were playing. I won.'
"No, he was happy to see you and his sharp memory probably told him that you were the one who allowed him to do anything he pleased," Irene said, hoping the dog wouldn't be offended by her remarks. 'It's true, I remember.'
"I told you Myka wanted to see him," Helena said, sitting behind her desk and staring at her outfit. "I look like I rolled around in a kennel!" 'Been there, done that. It's fun.'
"It's a dog-eat-dog kind of world," Irene mused and Bandit howled. 'Good one, Irene.'
"I could get it cleaned," Eileen suggested and Helena was pleased someone was making sense. "Please," the Brit said, disrobing right there. She couldn't wait to get the clothes off.
"Do you have clothes…." Irene asked, pointing to the apartment.
"Yes, but nothing that goes with my shoes," Helena said, frustrated.
"So, you'd rather sit there... in your underwear... than wear something that clashes with your …black shoes?" Irene asked, trying to point out the lack of logic. "I think we might just have a policy against this in the Employee Handbook."
Helena huffed and sat down in her chair. The cool leather touched her bare skin and made her shudder. She closed her eyes, but didn't dare give Irene the satisfaction. "Could we get back to the part where I am firing you?"
"Don't tease," Irene said, walking to sit down in front of Helena's desk. 'I miss this,' Bandit thought of the human's banter. He sat calmly right next to her, his head tilting to the right and then the left as he looked at Helena. He looked up at Irene as if to ask why Helena was dressed like that, but the woman just shrugged her shoulders in response.
"Are you two done?" Helena asked annoyed that Irene wasn't apologizing.
"He doesn't understand you," Irene explained, but it only added fuel to Helena's fiery temper. 'I really don't.'
"Do you think you could possibly get your mind back on your work?" Helena bellowed and even Bandit understood that to mean - 'Helena'.
"Of course," Irene said. "Can I get you a robe…or?"
"I no longer sleep in the adjoining space. Therefore, there are very few articles of clothing in there. Please try to keep up," Helena pleaded.
Irene nodded her head, but couldn't help but wonder how Helena was going to get through her morning decked out in just her underwear. "I can have something sent over…." Irene suggested.
"Fine! Yes," Helena relented because Irene wouldn't give up.
Irene texted Leena to have one of the interns pick something to go with … and she bent down and took a picture of Helena's shoes and sent it with the request.
"You are an annoying woman," Helena said, flinging her frustration across the desk.
"Thank you," Irene said, deflecting it as usual. "Anything else? I have work to do," she asked, rising from the chair.
"Here's an idea," Helena said, sitting back in her chair and jumping a little. She was not ready to concede defeat. "…Why not do as I asked and bring him to Myka?"
"Helena, I did exactly as you asked. You requested that I bring him to work, and as we both know, the very center of my work, of my universe really, is right here," Irene said, waving her hand to indicate Helena's office and its occupant.
On some level, Helena was hearing exactly what she wanted to hear, even if she detected the slightest bit of sarcasm. She wanted to rebuke what Irene said, but how could she? "Well, yes…," Helena finally said.
'You won, you won,' Bandit's wagging tale said and Irene patted his head in gratitude.
"This time," she whispered to him.
"Are you…talking to him?" Helena asked, but whether it was out of concern the woman was losing her senses, or jealousy, Irene couldn't be sure.
"Helena, you have a busy day ahead of you. I'll take Bandit to visit Myka, per your request, and you let me know if you need me, okay?" Irene said, as she started to walk out.
"Yes," Helena replied, having been calmed down in almost the same manner as the dog had been by Irene. 'You're good with her.'
As soon as Irene left though, Helena picked up her phone and texted Myka. "I'm sitting in my underwear. Want to see?"
Myka read it and immediately hit Facetime. Hell yes, she wanted to see. Of course, she wanted to see. OK, she wanted to know why, too, but mostly she wanted to see.
Helena answered the phone and came into view. "Oh my God, you really are," Myka said, sitting down slowly in her chair to enjoy the sight.
"Not that I wouldn't do this for you, but it was Irene's fault. So you have her to thank really," Helena said coyly.
"Irene?" Myka asked, knowing she should inquire into the explanation.
"Yes, I had to change my outfit and I have nothing here. So while you are on the floor beneath me, I am in nothing but this above you," Helena said, moving the phone to scan her scantily clad body.
'God, she is fun!' Myka thought as Helena continued to tease her.
"Too late," Irene said to Bandit when she opened the door to Myka's office and saw the dreamy expression on her face.
"You brought him in to see Myka?" Millie squealed as she petted the dog.
"Yes, but she's busy right now," Irene said, connecting the dots and choosing to come back later.
When Millie answered the next call, she relayed the message that Myka was busy. "Oh, sure, I'll let her know," the assistant said as she hung up the phone.
Irene was walking down the hallway to her office when she overheard Millie tell Myka that Bridget Cummings called and said since Myka was busy, she'd go upstairs first to see Helena.
"Get Sui on the phone. Don't let anyone in," Myka said, bolting out of her office, then running back in to try to call Helena on her cell phone.
Irene handed the leash to Sandy and told her to keep him safe. "Keep him safe?" the administrative assistant asked.
"If what I think is going to happen actually happens, all hell might break loose," Irene said, making her way back to Myka.
"She's not answering," Myka said frantically, as she rushed to the elevator.
"I can't get Mr. Generis on the phone," Millie confirmed.
"Ms. Sullivan isn't answering either," Irene said, getting on the elevator with Myka.
"She thinks I'm coming up," Myka said to Irene as she pressed the button several times for the door to close.
"Yes, I know," Irene said, her foot tapping the floor now.
"She's not….," Myka said.
"Know that too," Irene confirmed.
Seconds before, upon hearing Myka was busy, Bridget decided she'd go to Helena's office first and thank her for speaking to Sarah. After their dinner and long talk last night, Sarah shared that it was Helena who stopped by to talk to her. Both women were touched by the gesture. Not only did fashion designer take ownership of what caused the upheaval, but Sarah said Helena made everything clearer for her and she wanted to tender her resignation and start her own fashion studio as Bridget had suggested. Bridget was ecstatic. She would have thanked Helena last night, but Helena never let on that she had spoken to Sarah. Now was her chance to thank Helena in person.
When no one was at the front desk, Bridget knocked and waited. When the door opened, she rushed to Helena to thank her. Helena decided she couldn't exactly greet Myka at the door, so she stood behind it. When the knock came, Helena whipped it open and waited for Myka to come in.
"I cannot tell you how much it means to me that you would…," Bridget said turning and grabbing Helena in her arms. "...Your talk with Sarah had such a profound effect on her." Now the financier released a very surprised Helena, but kept her gaze at Helena's eyes. "You are one of the kindest people I know, Helena."
It took a second for Bridget to realize now that Helena was standing there scantily clad. What was even more surprising though, was Helena's silence. "I'm sorry. Did I…..?" the visitor asked.
"Yes," Helena said and then there was another knock on the door and Eileen came in with her boss' outfit.
"Oh, Ms. Cummings," Eileen said, feeling embarrassed enough for all of them. "Ms. Wells' …clothes…I had them…"
Helena smiled and took the outfit and started to get dressed. "You were saying?" Helena said to her uninvited guest.
"I was beginning to think 'Casual Workdays' had a whole new meaning at Wells Corp," Bridget quipped.
"No, it was her fault," Helena said, pointing to Irene when she and Myka rushed through the door.
"Oh thank God," Myka said, trying to sound relieved, but was in fact very disappointed.
"I am sorry," Bridget said and look wide-eyed at Myka. She understood that she was not the one Helena was expecting to see.
"Not a problem," Helena said, because she had already come up with the solution.
"This woman, this dear woman," Bridget said to Myka and Irene, "…went to see Sarah yesterday and was wonderful. I don't mind telling ya'll that even though it was my idea for us to see the therapist; I had this foolish notion that we were there for just Sarah. I already had done my therapy stint. But I can see now that I was only hindering the process. Helena, your talk helped Sarah see what she really wanted and that helped me, too. Now, we're both more committed than ever to our relationship. You'll never know how much you helped, Helena," Bridget gushed and grabbed the Brit again tightly.
"I wouldn't say that," Helena squeaked out as she was held in a firm grip. "I'm very happy for you and Sarah," Helena said sincerely when she was finally released.
"I owe you guys a bachelorette party! We have to do that soon, okay?" Bridget pleaded and Helena just smiled.
Bridget said her goodbyes and walked out with a discernible bounce in her step. Myka was so taken with how sweet Helena had been to their friends. "You are wonderful," Myka said and kissed Helena.
Irene smiled at Eileen as they went to leave and return to their offices.
"I am so happy for Bridget and Sarah," Myka said and then added, "…but I am sorry I didn't get here sooner."
"Irene?" Helena called after her friend. "Would you please bring Bandit up to see Myka?"
"You want me to bring him... here?" Irene asked, just to be clear. Helena peeked out from behind Myka, her raised eyebrows indicating – YES! NOW! Please! "Bring the dog, don't bring him here, take him to Myka, bring him back here," Irene muttered as she left to do as Helena asked.
"What are you doing?" Myka asked, but Helena wouldn't answer.
Minutes later, the HR Director followed through and returned the dog to Helena's office.
'I'm back!' Bandit thought as Irene released him and let him run at the couple. 'Myka!'
"Oh Bandit!" Myka squealed, as he rubbed alongside her and whimpered.
"Bandit," Irene said and he immediately sat down.
"No, it's okay," Helena said. "I'll watch him."
"Now that's like leaving the children to run the Daycare Center," Irene said as she closed the door behind her. She looked over at Sui who had returned to his post. "Mr. Generis, I don't care what happens in there, how loud she screams, or what kind of temper tantrum she throws, you are not to call me up here, do you understand me?"
"Yes, ma'am," Sui said.
"Bring the dog, don't bring the dog, make him stop, now it's okay, take him with you, I'll watch him now," Irene said under her breath as she retreated to the elevator.
"Come here Bandit," Helena said with opened arms.
'Me?' the dog's expression read.
"Come here," Helena said again and he did. He jumped onto her lap as she hugged him.
"I think you missed him more than I have," Myka said, petting him.
"Oh yes," Helena said and the dog's tail hit Myka's legs back and forth. "Hug him, Myka."
Myka laughed, thinking Helena wanted the dog to see how much they missed him. She bent over and hugged Bandit, much to his delight.
'This is the best play date ever!' the animal thought. For the next several minutes, Helena encouraged Myka to pet him as she was doing, too.
"Okay, well we have to get back to work," Helena said in a convincing sing-song voice to the dog. She lifted him off her lap and he sat down.
"Oh gosh, Helena! You're covered in dog hair," Myka said, when Helena stood up.
"As are you," Helena smiled, as Myka looked down at her navy blue dress.
"Oh my God, Helena! Do you have one of those sticky things….?" Myka said, trying unsuccessfully to wipe the hair off.
"I have something better," Helena said, taking the dog by the leash and walking him to the door that connected her office to Eileen's. "Miss Sullivan, would you be so kind as to watch Bandit?"
"Sure," Eileen said, happy to see the dog.
Helena closed the door and turned to Myka. "Get undressed," she said.
"What? Helena, I can't …..," Myka protested as Helena, for the second time that morning, removed her clothes.
"You're covered in dog hair," Helena said, pointing to the mess on Myka's dress.
Suddenly Myka realized this was all part of Helena's plan all along. "You told me to hug him on purpose, didn't you?" Myka smiled slyly, as she unzipped her dress.
"I did no such thing. But I can't have my Chief Counsel walking around covered in dog hair," Helena said, taking Myka's dress and her clothes. She then opened the door to Eileen's office a crack and held the clothes out.
"Oh!" Eileen said, upon seeing them. "I'll have them back in a jiffy."
"No rush," Helena said, closing the door and then leaning against it.
"For God sakes, Helena, please tell me you have locks on these doors," Myka pleaded. Helena pressed a button on her desk and Myka heard locks turn. "So you can't have your Chief Counsel walking around in dog hair covered clothes, but you can have her walking around in her underwear?" Myka teased, as Helena pulled her in closer.
"Now what makes you think you'll be … walking?" Helena said seductively.