Cake Love: All Things Payne(92)

Evaleen mumbles something under her breath and turns to her computer to start typing. After a minute I hear the printer perk up behind her and she walks over to grab the paper coming out. Finally she places the print out in front of me.

"This is a statement of what you and Payne have told me about the incident. Please sign the bottom if you agree that it is accurate and true. Upon signing you, as well as Payne, will be put on leave without pay until an investigation can prove what you say is true."

She is holding a pen out in front of me and my hand shakes as I grab it. My eyes glance over the type on the page but I can't make out the words as my eyes blur from unshed tears and my head begins to throb. Nervously I sign and hand everything back to Evaleen.

"Well, I guess this means no lunch then." I try to joke but my voice is shaky.

"No, I have too much work to do now and I have to talk to the Mimir brothers about this. Mr. Payne has already left the building, so you can go and grab your things. Unfortunately you will need to leave immediately. Do you want me to walk out with you, Morgana?"

Oh god she used my first name ... this is bad. Evaleen must really feel sorry for me.

"No. I'm okay. I'll just grab the few things I have. My picture of my family, my porcelain cake statues and assorted dessert sprinkles. I think that's it."

I rise, not as a twenty-nine-year-old woman who takes the challenges of life and seeks to conquer them, but as a defeated female slowly crashing and burning while feeling like she is living in a ninety-year-old body. Tottering out of her office, I make my way down the hall and notice Mr. Payne's door is open. Gathering my courage, what minuscule crumbs are left of it, I peek inside. It's like stepping back in time to that Friday over a week ago. The chairs are overturned and that poor plant, who never asked to be in Mr. Payne's office, is lying on its side, gasping its last ... whatever the opposite of "breath" is in photosynthesis.

Walking over I lovingly try to put it straight. Regrettably it has taken so much abuse, the leaves are bent or broken off. The plant is a shell of its former self, so I sit beside it and hold its palm as it passes from this world.

"Shh, little Planty. No need to cry, I'm here. I won't hurt you."

My eyes begin to burn again as my cheeks prickle and before I know it a long sob takes over. By sob I mean ugly, snotty, wet cry. The word moist grosses me out, but it's in the English language for a reason. To describe my face at this moment; it is moist, red and puffy. I'm sure my mascara has added to the facial fail.

I don't stop crying for quite a long time and I'm surprised security hasn't shown up to have me removed.

"Morgana, what did you do now?" I hear Aria's voice coming from the door as I look up to see her moving toward me. She comes to sit beside me at my impromptu wake honoring the passing of both Planty and my career.

"I f*cked up, Aria. Like stupid f*cked up. I'm on leave without pay and will most likely be fired after the investigation. Also, Mr. Payne hates me. Hates me!"

She is shaking her head in disbelief.

"Wait? What? Investigation? Oh my God, Morgana, what happened? Evaleen called me to come get you, but she didn't say why."

I sigh and tell her the whole story, even the spanking. She giggles at that and crinkles her nose. Methinks the lady hath not been spanked before. By the end she gives me a lopsided smile and shakes her head.

"Oh Morgana ... do you know what the record is for most orgasms in an hour?"

I shake my head, feeling my voice go hoarse after the day's events.

"One hundred thirty-four orgasms in an hour by a woman. I think for a man it was sixteen."

I keep staring off into the distance giving her no reaction to her data. Aria sighs and gets up, holding her hand out to me.

"Come on let's go get some lunch, head home, and have a Coen Brother movie marathon."

She helps me to my feet and we make our way to the door.

"We can't forget the cake, Aria. I need it to be dark like my mood, maybe chocolate ganache frosting."

After gathering my things and heading out, we stop to get Chinese food -- and of course, cake -- on the way home. Once in our apartment I sit at the black granite breakfast bar, grab a fork and dig into the confection. No slices, just straight eat out of the box because emotionally that's where I am right now. I don't even want to think about how tomorrow I have to look for a job.

Aria is sitting beside me observing me consume the chocolate frosted cake that says "Hippy Birthday Carl." in red icing. She opens her Chinese food container and digs her chopsticks inside, pulling out some lo mein.

"You know what might help you, Morgana? Dating a guy."

I stop with my fork in the air while chocolate crumbs fall off and turn to look at her.

"I'm done with men, Aria. I just want to get some low level job where no one has to interact with me and I can start my life as a hermit."

"I think in a few days or a few weeks you might like to go out with a guy who isn't your boss. Have a one-night stand to get over him."

Ugg! I have no desire to sleep with some player just to get some.

"No thanks, Aria. That's you, not me."

Aria is fiddling with her cell phone while eating out of her carton. She pushes the phone toward me.

"What about him? You may not want to f*ck him but maybe we could all hang out, you see if you like him. How about it?"