Using her pity as a lure

Though Sheila had no idea, Barry had intentionally lead her on a path to his laundry basement, staying far enough away to pretend he couldn't hear her calling him over the sound of the party while keeping himself in sight so that she would keep on his trail. He trudged down the wooden staircase with heavy steps and took a seat on an old floral-patterned couch next to the washing machine. Sheila followed behind him, already preparing her apology and words of comfort for the poor boy.

"Barry...?" she asked quietly, taking a seat next to him

"Oh...hi Miss Satra..." he replied meekly

"Listen.. I'm so sorry about Millie's behavior before...I have no idea why she would act so cruelly! Please don't think it was anything that you did, she just gets moody so easily is all..."

"It..it's alright Mis-"

"Call me Sheila honey."

"..It's alright Sheila..I know why she was angry and....it's fine...she was right anyway."

"Right? Right about what honey??"

"Well you see... Millie told me about the rough patch you've been having at home recently..."

That was a lie; she hadn't told him shit. She had, however, told Tes in the break-room when Barry had been coincidentally passing by and he noticed the opportunity for tasty gossip.

Apparently, Sheila was at a crossroads with her husband. Currently he had moved out and the two had often been teetering on the brink of getting a divorce, but after each fight they would realize how broken their family would be if they truly split apart. Not to imply that deep down they didn't still care for each other — they were merely looking for another way to make it work.

"She... she told you about that?" Sheila asked, obviously surprised and now blushing from embarrassment.

"Yes, we get along really well at the firm so we share almost everything. But this time she came to me with a proposition as she thought that I could help you out."

"Help me out? How would you help me?"

Barry looked away feigning embarrassment - but really it was to let out a sinister grin he was desperately trying to hold back since she had entered the basement.

"She thought I'd be able to help alleviate the stress you keep building up over it...y- you know..since Mr. Satra keeps his distance through it all, you'd need someone to relax with.. "

Sheila turned redder than a ripe tomato at this.

"Millie s-suggested...this to y-you!? she blurted out, now desperately avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah but... it's stupid, it's not like you find me attractive anyway being such a gorgeous woman and all..."

"No I think you're a very attractive man Barry but that... isn't the problem though, I'm still married after all! Eheh..." she awkwardly laughed.

"Well I mean Millie said she asked her girlfriends about the same idea with her Dad, she said she figured if you both weren't so frustrated then you'd realize how pointless all the arguing would be." he lied.

"She DID!?"

"It wouldn't be such a bad idea would it, just to try it out?" he slowly shifted his hand onto her thigh, stroking her.

"W-well If my husband is okay with it..I s-suppose it's worth a try then?"

Barry edged closer to Sheila, his face unmistakably moving in for a kiss.