Disconnecting

As the soft sound of running water echoed through the apartment, Eleanor slowly blinked her eyes open. The events of the previous night came rushing back to her in a hazy blur, and she groaned softly as she sat up in bed, feeling the familiar throb of a hangover settling in. Beside her, Whitney stirred, letting out a soft groan of her own as she stretched and rubbed at her eyes.

"Morning," she mumbled, her voice husky with sleep.

"Morning," Eleanor replied, her voice rough from a night of indulgence. She reached over to the bedside table, grabbing a glass of water and downing it in one gulp. "How are you feeling?"

Whitney shrugged, sitting up and running a hand through her tousled hair.

"Not great, but not terrible either," she admitted. "Definitely could use some coffee though."

Eleanor nodded in agreement, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and standing up slowly. "I'll go make us some," she offered, padding out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.

As she waited for the coffee to brew, Eleanor couldn't help but replay the events of the previous night in her mind. It had been wild, unexpected, and undeniably thrilling. She felt a rush of excitement mixed with a twinge of guilt as she thought about what they had done with Greg.

Once the coffee was ready, Eleanor poured two cups and carried them back to the bedroom, where Whitney was now sitting up in bed, scrolling through her phone. She handed one of the cups to Whitney, who smiled gratefully and took a sip.

"Thanks," Whitney said, setting her phone aside and turning her attention to Eleanor. "So, what's the plan for today?"

Eleanor shrugged, taking a sip of her own coffee. "I called in sick to work," she admitted sheepishly. "I don't think I'm in any shape to face the office today."

Whitney chuckled, shaking her head. "Fair enough," she said. "I don't think I could handle work either, to be honest."

The sound of the shower grew louder, drawing their attention. With a reluctant sigh, Eleanor finally pulled herself from the warmth of the bed, she padded across the room, the hardwood floor cold against her bare feet, and gently pushed open the bathroom door. Greg stood beneath the stream of water, his silhouette obscured by the steam that billowed around him. 

"Morning," she called out, raising her voice slightly to be heard over the sound of the water. He turned, a wide grin spreading across his face as he caught sight of her in the doorway.

"Morning," he replied, his voice muffled by the steam. "Hope I didn't wake you guys up."

Eleanor chuckled, shaking her head. "No, we were already awake," she admitted, leaning against the doorframe as she watched him.

Eventually, the sound of the shower ceased, and Greg emerged from the bathroom, his hair still damp from the shower. He flashed them both a sheepish grin.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt," he said. "I've gotta head out for work, but I just wanted to say thanks for last night. It was...something else."

Eleanor smiled warmly at him, feeling a sense of camaraderie and affection. "No problem," she said. "Thanks for coming. See you later."

Greg nodded, his grin widening. "The pleasure is all mine," he said, giving them both a wave before disappearing out the door.

As the door closed behind him, Eleanor turned to Whitney, a playful glint in her eye. "Well, that was unexpected, how was your first threesome?" she asked with a laugh.

Whitney chuckled, shaking her head. "It was fun, what about you?" she said, leaning in to press a kiss to Eleanor's lips.

Eleanor smiled against her lips "Same, it felt really good" she murmured, deepening the kiss as they settled back into the comfort of each other's company.

Just then, Eleanor's phone rang, breaking the silence of the morning. Whitney stirred beside her, a small frown creasing her brow. Eleanor glanced at the caller ID, her heart beating as she saw Emily's name flashing on the screen. She picked up and after a few minutes, she stood up from the bed.

"I'm sorry, Whit, I have to go," she said as she made her way to the bathroom.

"Who's Emily?" Whitney asked, her voice laced with suspicion. Eleanor hesitated, unsure how to explain her connection to Emily.

"Uhm...a colleague at work," she replied, hoping Whitney wouldn't press further.

Whitney narrowed her eyes, sensing something was off. "Why's she calling? I thought you said you called in sick today."

Eleanor's heart raced as she scrambled for another excuse.

"There's an urgent meeting that just came up. They need me to be there," she lied, praying that she would buy it.

Whitney's expression softened, concern flickering in her eyes. "Are you sure everything's okay?"

Eleanor forced a smile, her stomach churning with guilt. "Yeah, it's just some last-minute thing. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Whitney sighed, reluctantly accepting Eleanor's explanation. "Okay, just be careful out there."

Eleanor nodded, her mind already racing ahead to her meeting with Emily. As she drove meet with Emily, her thoughts were consumed by guilt and anxiety.

She stepped into the cozy bistro, which was just a few blocks away from the hotel, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries enveloping her. She spotted Emily sitting at a corner table, a troubled expression on her face. Taking a deep breath, she made her way over, steeling herself for the conversation ahead.

"Hey," she greeted, forcing a smile as she slid into the seat opposite her. Emily's eyes flicked up, a mixture of relief and frustration crossing her features.

"Hey, Eleanor, What's really going on? Why have you been avoiding me?"

Eleanor shifted uncomfortably, her fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup.

"I... I've just been busy," she hedged, her voice betraying her unease.

Emily frowned, her gaze searching Eleanor's face. "Busy with what? You've been acting distant lately, and I can't help but feel like I've done something wrong."

Eleanor decided to be honest, no matter how difficult it might be.

"I... I have a girlfriend...and I don't think I want to continue with this" she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Emily's eyes widened in surprise, her features contorted with a mixture of shock and disbelief. "Wow! You have a girlfriend?" she repeated, her voice tinged with incredulity. "But... but what about me?... I'm married, remember...I'm just having fun."

Eleanor sighed. "Yeah, that's the problem, Emily. You're having fun but the truth is, I can't ruin something real for.....fun."

Emily's expression hardened, her disappointment palpable.

"So that's it, then? I'm not getting in the way, am I? We can still hangout, nothing more"

Eleanor shook her head, reaching across the table to grasp her hand. "I'm really sorry, I can't anymore, it was fun while it lasted."

Emily pulled her hand away, her gaze turning icy.

"I see," she said, her voice flat. "Fine, if you say so."

Eleanor watched in silence as Emily rose from her seat and walked away.