Bound Ch. 09: Bound for Success

"What's this?" he asked taking the envelope from me.

"My letter of resignation." I announced. Turning, I hopped back off his desk. "Effective, immediately. Have a nice day." and I turned to walk out.

"I want your office cleaned out and you gone before lunch." he said to my back, not even bothering to open the letter.

"No Mr. Pierce!" I said opening the door. Casting a quick glance at Cindy, I looked back at him. "I don't work for you anymore." I reminded him with a sense of empowerment. "I'll be back next week to get my personal effects." with that I walked out the door and past Cindy's desk. "I'll call you later Cindy." I whispered not wanting to get her in trouble "Bye!"

"Bye Danielle." she called after me, a shocked look on her face.

I had such a relaxed, carefree feeling when I left the office that day. The butterflies were gone, my soul was light, and I had a huge smile on my face. I had done it! I'd stood up for myself, stood my ground. 'FINALLY!' I thought 'I am my own woman! Not some 'kept' woman with little value outside the bedroom, or in Mr. Pierce's case office/boardroom.' Jonathan Pierce was an ass and I didn't need to deal with him anymore. Confident I would be able to find a new job quickly, my only regret was I had already canceled the trip.

Practically exploding with joy it was killing me because there was no one I could share it with. Heck, I had never even told Jennifer about Pierce and she was my number one confidant!

"Jennifer!" I said aloud, my last thought dampened the mood somewhat. She was my BEST FRIEND and I had been keeping secrets from her. FAR too many! Determined to make it right I stopped off at the store to get some things for supper.

"Well you're home early!" Jennifer said when she saw me in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. Setting her purse and the car seat on the table she worked on freeing Daniel. "OH My God! that smells good. What are you making?"

"A big pot of 'I'm sorry soup'" I responded giving it a taste.

"'I'm sorry soup?' What's in it?"

"Well traditionally I believe it's made with crow and served cold." I responded.

"WHAT!?" Jennifer exclaimed in panic.

"but I couldn't find crow at the market" I continued without pausing for the interruption "so I'm using beef instead. Basically it's just a vegetable beef barley soup, which we'll serve hot." I added. "and after, if we're up to it, we'll have some 'just dessert' but basically that's just a blueberry cream pie."

"What's this all about." she said, suppressing a smile at my wry humor and re-positioning Daniel on her hip.

"I've been a horrible friend." I admitted. This was the most important part, admitting my wrong doing, the most egregious breach of trust and I needed to repair it before I could move on. Setting the soup drenched spoon on the spoon rest, I turned to her, making eye contact. "I've lied to you and I've been keeping secrets from you and I'm sorry."

She didn't say anything, she just sat down at the table and let me continue.

"It seemed so innocent at first, I didn't tell you because I thought you wouldn't understand. Now I realize I didn't tell you because I knew you WOULD understand, and you wouldn't have liked it."

Again she remained silent, her only response was a raising of her eyebrows.

"I've been sleeping with Mr. Pierce" I confessed. "and many of our clients as well."

"That's kinda what I thought." she admitted quietly.

"Really!?" I asked in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Sorry sweetie, I'm sure you're very good at you're job ... but personal assistants don't make the kind of money you've been bringing home, unless they're going the 'extra mile'." she finished with 'air quotes.'

"Why didn't you say something?" I asked incredulously.

"Well I didn't know right away and when I did begin to suspect ... Well, you seemed happy!" she admitted. "and ... I figured you WOULD tell me about it eventually."

"Oh!" I responded not knowing how else to respond.

"So what's changed? Why are you telling me now?" Jennifer asked.

"Honestly, it's been bothering me for quite a while now, but especially since Chris proposed. I think it was looking over the vows that really did it though." I explained. "My Dad used to always tell me 'a man is only as good as his word.' In less than a 48 hours, I am going to be taking a vow of fidelity. That MEANS something to me, and continuing like that at work ... I couldn't do it anymore." I finished, shaking my head, hoping she understood.

"You know what?" she asked with a blank expression on her face.

"What?"

"I'm proud of you!" she said with a smile on her face. "So what are you going to do for work now?"

"Well Monday I have to go get my stuff but then I am going to take the week off and enjoy my Honeymoon at home." I answered. "Next week I'll start looking for something."

"You know ... we are looking for another secretary at my job." Jennifer slipped in between spoonfuls of soup.

"Thanks Hun, but with the experience I have now ... I'm looking more at sales than secretary or personal assistant." I responded. "Plus, I've made some inroads in the industry now, I don't think finding a new job will be a problem. One where 'going the extra mile' involves only a few late nights and no 'over nights!'"

It was a good supper that night, almost as good as the conversation, even Daniel tried a little bit of the soup. The important thing though, was I came clean. I told her everything I had been holding back, as well as my thoughts for the future. Jennifer listened so well, without judging me or my mistakes. She just sat there, eating her soup and listening to me, chiming in now and then with suggestions or humorous retort.

After we put Daniel to bed we cuddled up on the couch with a glass of wine and talked and laughed till our sides hurt.

As we retired to bed, I apologized profusely for not telling her sooner. With a teary kiss, I vowed to never keep secrets from her again.