A Fresh Start

Micah walked into her apartment with her and they went straight for her computer after feeding Lira. She pulled up Facebook and typed in Bryce’s full name.

“This feels so unethical,” she mumbled. “But there is something familiar about him, now that I think about-”

She gasped and nearly dropped her laptop on the floor. Micah caught it quickly and frowned at Bryce’s Facebook page.

“What is it?” he asked, scrolling down the page.

Cherise couldn’t speak. She put a hand to her head as her eyes rolled back.

-

“It’s okay, Lira,” she heard Micah mumble. “See? She’s coming back around now.”

Cherise groaned and tried to sit up. Micah helped her and she realized he had been dabbing at her face. She was still in her living room. Lira curled onto Cherise’s lap, keeping her from standing up.

“What is it, Cherise?” he asked. “And you better tell me.”

His face was serious, not a trace of humor or smile anywhere.

“Micah,” she rasped, “that’s my ex-boyfriend.”

Micah’s eyes widened as he pulled out his phone.

“No way are we working with him,” he snarled, getting ready to call his grandfather.

She took his phone from him. “No,” she said and he glared at her. “The firm comes first. We just need to keep our distance.”

“Do you really think I’m just going to ignore this?” he demanded.

“I can’t either but this is business.”

Micah clenched his jaw but locked his phone. “Our relationship aside, Harold will want to know.”

“You heard him. We’re the best. We can’t let Bryce know, though,” she added and he threw his hands up in the air.

He jumped to his feet. “Are you serious? That man raped you! He-”

Micah stopped as Cherise stood to her feet, glaring at him but using the counter for support.

“You think I’ve forgotten?” she asked coldly.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “But how do you plan on being any kind normal around him after all he’s done? How can you even feel safe?”

Cherise kissed him gently. “Because I have you with me.”

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. “Maybe we should work separately with them,” he said after a while. She could feel his heart still hammering. “You can take Chris and I’ll take Bryce.”

He spat his name out like it was a bitter taste in his mouth.

She shook her head. “We’re going to do our job, Micah. Like you said to Felicia: Where you go, I go.”

He sighed again. “I don’t like this.”

“I know but it’s only for a week.”

Half an hour later, after she had changed into her pajamas, Micah was helping her to bed.

“I’m going to have to tell Harold sooner or later,” he said.

“We’ll wait until after,” she assured him. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

He kissed her and left, turning the light off as he did.

-

The next morning, Cherise had to take an extra pill to handle her nerves.

“Bring the bottle,” Micah instructed when he came in to see what was taking her so long.

“My doctor-”

“Said to use it as needed,” he finished and took the bottle of Xanax from the counter.

“You need to calm down,” Cherise said when they were in the elevator. “Remember, it’s just business.”

Micah just nodded and led her to their office. They logged onto their computers, checking their email. Micah was clicking a little too hard on the mouse just as someone knocked on the door. He glared at it for a few seconds before opening it.

Bryce and Chris walked in with smiles on their faces, notebooks at the ready.

“Here are your assessment tests,” Cherise said, pushing Micah towards his chair. “You’ll be in the board room while you’re taking them. It shouldn’t take you long.”

“God, I can’t even look at him,” Micah snapped when they had left the office.

“Can’t look at who?”

Harold had walked in with a stack of papers. He was frowning at Micah.

“Why are you so worked up?” he asked.

Cherise glared at him.

“We can’t train those interns,” he blurted out and Cherise groaned.

Harold’s frown deepened. “And do you want to tell me why?” he asked, closing the door.

“No,” Cherise said just as Micah said, “Yes.”

“Well? Which is it?”

“This is a business!” Cherise yelled at Micah.

“I’m aware of that!” he yelled back and Harold sat in one of the extra chairs. “And, as a business, we need to know we can trust our employees!”

“They’re not even employees! They’re interns! It’s been eight years!”

“I’m not letting you work with him!” Micah jumped to his feet. “It’s not going to happen, Cherise Allen!”

“He’s just shadowing us, Micah Morris!” she argued, standing as well. “I appreciate what you’re doing but-”

“Enough!” Harold bellowed and they turned to him. “You better tell me what’s going on right now.”

Micah was breathing heavily but ignored Cherise’s glares. “One of those interns went to school with Cherise,” he said through his teeth, his hands balled into fists. “He took her to a club and drugged her.”

Cherise, her heart pounding angrily, threw her stress ball at him but he paid no attention. Harold’s face was pale.

“He took her-”

“Shut up!” she screamed and fell into her chair, putting her head in her hands. “Just stop!”

But Harold didn’t need any further explanations. “I’ll reassign them,” he said in a low voice. “Why you didn’t tell me-”

“Because it’s a business,” she repeated. “You can’t reassign them. It’s one week,” she snapped at Micah when he started to argue. “I can handle it.”

Harold stared between the two of them. “I’ll be keeping a close eye on them,” he said quietly. “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me which one it is?”

“No,” she said and Micah growled, punching his hand into his other. “Please. Both of you. Just let us work.”

“If he gives you any trouble, tell me right away,” Harold said. “That’s an order,” he added when he saw Cherise’s face. “Get yourselves calmed down before the two of them get back.”

He opened the door and saw that half the office was staring. He closed it and Cherise heard him telling everyone to get back to work.

Micah wouldn’t look at her. He was glaring out the window.

“Micah,” she whispered.

“Don’t,” he snapped and she looked at her hands. “I don’t understand you,” he said finally. She looked up at him. He had calmed down a bit but he was still shaking. “You’re willing to put yourself in the same room with him where he can hurt you more?”

Cherise locked their office door and rolled her desk chair next to his. She took his face in her hands and kissed him. He hesitated at first but kissed her back, running a hand through her hair.

“Do you trust me?” she whispered, pulling back. His eyes were shut but he nodded. “I trust you. And this is me giving your permission to step in when you see fit,” she added and he looked at her finally. “But only if things get out of hand, okay? I doubt he’ll try anything in the office, anyway.”

“How can you be so sure?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I can’t be. But I have to believe that it’s true.”

He sighed and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her deeply. She returned it, trying to put as much passion as she could into it. He pulled away when someone knocked on the door. She fixed her hair and rolled back behind her desk. Micah opened it to let Chris and Bryce back in. They handed Cherise their tests.

“Great,” she said, clearing her throat at Micah who sat down and beckoned the two to his computer. “Micah is going to give you an overview of the system we use while I go over these.”

She pulled out the sheet Harold had used to compare their papers. She frowned at the bottom of Bryce’s test.

Dinner?

After work, she showed Micah and nodded at him.

“Bryce,” he said, “I’d like a word.” Chris left. “We have a Code of Conduct,” Micah said and Cherise admired how calm he was being. He held up the test. “We don’t date interns.”

Bryce smirked at Cherise. “For old time’s sake?” he asked.

“Work is over,” Micah interrupted, narrowing his eyes. “Get here early tomorrow.”

Bryce merely shrugged and walked out.