The Office

The office had been quiet all day, and it felt like Hugo had avoided looking at me for too long for most of the day. My initial thought was that he thought about me the same way everyone else had, but then I realised he was probably scared of my irritability levels when I caught him flinching the moment I picked up my stapler. 

"Hugo, is there something wrong?" I handed him a clipboard with the latest reports for him to file. "You've been avoiding my presence for most of the day." 

My assistant looked guarded for a second, but after raising my eyebrow, he spilled. "You looked distressed when you came in so I didn't want to disturb you because I thought that maybe it was something I did, but after everything you've been through I don't blame you for being upset so—"

"Okay okay, slow down, I get it," he looked embarrassed, so I tried my best to ease his anxiety. "Thank you for volunteering to be working overtime today." 

"No problem, it's my pleasure."