Far from it (single - for now - route)

You have just finished peeing and start to wipe yourself wishing for a large bowl to fill with cold water when the door opens again. Footsteps that sound as they do not belong in a women's bathroom pass the obviously empty stalls and a moment later you hear a knock. "Ms Cho?", a voice asks tentatively yet confidently. "Please open the door". It takes you a moment longer than it should to place the speaker. It is Mr Simon Brown, of course it is, but he sounds... different. More so than anyone else from the limited number of familiar people you have communicated with to any meaningful degree after your fateful discovery.

Even as a face is being matched to the voice in your mind, you find yourself obeying the authority in the voice and leaning forward on the toilet, despite the protest your abused cheeks send through your nervous system. Naked and in the most compromising position one can imagine, you unlatch the door to see the new Mr Brown. The Simon from before tried to put an an assertive facade, sometimes turning borderline aggressive, but his real insecurities and fears were not hard to see. The man in front of you now has a real aura of assertiveness and calm confidence - and you do not think that just because you have to face him from the toilet, naked and with a bottom bright enough to serve as a stop sign.

"Ms Cho, good afternoon." His greeting is cool with the slightest hint of amusement, whereas the old Simon would have probably had a stroke at the sight of a naked woman in the office, never mind one in your state. "David suggested I might find you here, I returned far earlier than expected. I heard there was a problem with your punishment?", he continues. Stuttering and red-faced, you try to explain to the man you used to almost enjoy making uncomfortable that you indeed had a moment you regret but Mr Reed was extremely efficient in handling it. You try to make it sound like you had enough already (which you did) without making it sound like you are trying to tell him what to do (which you certainly would no longer dare to).

Mr Brown looks thoughtful for a moment and your heart sinks but then he nods. "We will make a discipline specialist out of him yet", he says and goes on to tell you that he is satisfied that no further action is necessary and you will be free to collect your clothes at the end of the working day from the HR office. He then suggests you get back to work and leaves, not sparing another glance to the sight his eyes would have been glued to just this morning.

Although emotions are boiling inside you, you manage to do just that, only taking the time to flush the toilet and then splash some water on your face. As you walk back, ready to face your team naked and punished once again, you tell yourself you must get this back under control. No more slip ups.