Chapter 6
…
Alan woke up to the light shining through the bedroom window. He turned his head slowly and looked down to see Shirley smiling up at him.
"Morning." He smiled, softly.
"Morning."
"You sleep alright?"
"Best nights sleep I've had in a long time."
"No regrets…about last night?"
"No regrets." She smiled.
"I'm sorry I missed out on your delicious lasagne."
"Maybe next time huh?"
"Next time, I meant what I said you know…when I said I love you."
"I believe you, especially after last night."
They lay in silence for a few minutes, Alan holding onto Shirley, never wanting to let her go.
"Alan…"
"Mmm?"
"What are we going to do about Denny?"
"I wish I knew Shirley, I tried to talk to him yesterday and well…you witnessed for yourself how he reacted."
"Perhaps I should talk to him."
"I don't want him shooting you with paintballs."
"I hardly imagine he would do that to me, do you?"
"I wouldn't like to take the chance Shirley."
Shirley shifted her position and sat up, pulling the covers up and coming to sit beside Alan.
"We both know it has to be me that talks to him, I'm the only one he'll at least hear out right now."
"I knew how Denny felt about you and I….didn't care. What kind of a Friend am I to him, what kind of Friend goes after the one Woman he has ever truly loved?"
"Denny doesn't love me Alan, he just cares a great deal about me and his feelings are confused. We only ever slept together once and believe me, it wasn't that special. He's a dear Friend but that's all, it's all it ever was and he knows that. Denny just can't stand any other man having me, he felt the exact same way when I married Ivan. He told me the day of my wedding that he wasn't good enough for me." She joked.
"Well in fairness he was right, wasn't he?"
"As it turns out…yes. When you told him about us yesterday thought, he never once said that you weren't good enough for me…did he?"
"No, no he didn't."
"You're a good Friend to him Alan and Denny knows that, he loves you so much and I very much doubt that there is nothing he wouldn't do for you. Finding out about us just took him by surprise and it will take him a little time to get use to the idea…but he will."
"You really think so?"
"I know Denny, leave him with me alright?"
"Fine…now, how about I cook us some breakfast. It's the least I can do after ruining dinner?"
"Sounds lovely, I'll go shower and change while you're cooking."
Alan leaned in and kissed her before she slipped out from under the covers and headed into the bathroom.
…
Brad and Denise were in the break room discussing Shirley and Alan when Paul Lewiston walked in and they suddenly stopped talking. He watched then and saw the stupid expressions on their faces as soon as he'd entered.
"Everything alright in here?" He asked.
"Erm yeah…everything's great." Denise answered rather too quickly.
"Really because I'm almost certain that I over heard Shirley's name mentioned?"
He was quick to pick up on the glances Brad and Denise shot one another at the mention of Shirley.
"Alright you two, what's going on?"
"It's nothing." Brad answered.
"It's not nothing, I demand to know what you were discussing concerning Shirley…NOW."
Denise turned around to face Paul and could see the annoyance on his face and decided it was probably best just to tell him. She was about to respond when Brad butted in.
"The thing is Paul…it's to do with Shirley and Alan."
"What about them?"
"Well, when you were in court yesterday…something pretty big happened here."
"Well don't beat around the bush Brad, spit it out?"
"Alan and Shirley are on together."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me."
"Don't be so ridiculous."
"Oh he's being serious Paul, they are together."
"Office gossip is not….."
"It's not gossip, it's the truth. Both Alan and Shirley admitted it to Denny yesterday in Denny's office. He shot Alan with a paintball gun because of it."
"Wait a second, Denny shot Alan Shore?"
"With a paintball gun, yeah." Denise answered.
"They admitted they were seeing each other?"
"Right there in Denny's office, personally I don't get it…I mean Shirley could do way better than Alan Shore…I mean the guy's a womanising…"
"Bad, shut up." Denise said sharply.
"You should both be getting back to work, if either of you should see Alan Shore or Shirley before I do…tell them I wish to see them."
"Will do Paul."
They both watched Paul walk away as Denise turned back to Brad.
"What the hell did you have to go and tell him for?" Denise asked.
"Oh come on, like he wasn't gonna find out. Denny's not gonna keep quiet about this one, is he."
"Shirley's going to kill us for this one."
"It's what she gets for sleeping with Alan Shore of all people then."
"Geez Brad, so much for compassion."
"To hell with compassion, if she's stupid enough to get mixed up with Shore then what does she expect."
"Just remember she's a Senior Partner in this Firm so you'd better watch what you say in her presence."
"I think I can handle myself Denise."
…
To Be Continued…