Marilyn, my PA.

“Marilyn, can you come into my office please?”

That was the easy part. Nothing wrong with a manager asking for his assistant’s attention, but as soon as I’d said it, I started to ****. What was I going to say to her? Sure she was flirty around the office, but she’d never expressed an interest- and besides, I was a married man; there was no way to make an innocent advance. My face was flushed, my heart fluttering too fast to feel, and I decided not to make a move as I sat behind my desk and Marilyn stepped into the room.

I paused for a long moment, and Marilyn shifted her weight to her other foot. The conversation with the HR girl had brought about the required change in her wardrobe, but the new, professional look suited her. She wore a black jacket with pink pinstripes closed over a bright pink round-neck tee, long black slacks with a little flaring, and neat, black two-inch heels; her hair was held high with a comb, and she wore her little gold-rimmed reading glasses, where before she had always worn contacts. Perhaps I took too long about registering these details- Marilyn raised an eyebrow, and cleared her throat.

I searched for something neutral to say, but all I’d been thinking about was her attire.

“ Marilyn, umm.. you’re looking well..”

“ No way.” She looked indignant. I figured she must have taken the clumsy compliment as a sleazy pick-up (which would be near the truth) and hurried to appease her.

“It’s a nice suit, Mar…”

“Nuh –huh. There’s no way you could have a problem with this outfit,” said Marilyn, pouting, hand on hip. That was it, then; she was on the defensive after the HR thing. I was so tense, I couldn’t keep from chuckling as the situation so neatly diffused itself.

“Really, Marilyn, you look fantastic“, I said while trying to compose myself.

“You called me in here to tell me that?” Perhaps not amused, but Marilyn was certainly relieved. I saw my way out, and took it.

“Marilyn, I didn’t mean to lean on you about the clothing thing. It all got out of proportion, and its important that you feel comfortable when you’re working. I want you to forget about the whole thing, and just wear what the hell you want.”

“Oh.” Marilyn seemed taken aback. “ Thanks. Eh, is that all?”

“Yes, I guess so. Actually, I was about to head out for lunch.”, I said, with a clear head but a grubby conscience.

“Anywhere nice?” She already had one foot out the door.

“Maximilllian’s- have you been?” Max’s was new, but on our block- it was enjoying a run of popularity with the executives.
“No, I usually take my lunch on the canteen with the girls.”

“Would you like to come? That is, if the girls aren’t expecting you.”

And there it was. How that came out so easily after all that had gone before, I do not know.

“Oh. Well, yes, but I don’t get off until one…”

After such an aggressive opening, I was afraid to lose momentum. “We’ll make it an exception. I don’t need your assistance while I’m off at lunch, after all.”

Marilyn considered this for a moment, then nodded.

“Okay, I’ll meet you down in the lobby in ten minutes, Marilyn.”