A Boss-Employee Relationship? // Zelda

While Zelda took her time in the bathroom, Jove put on a kettle and heated water for tea. He scratched the back of his head, sighing deeply. He didn't know what to do or how to act. Jove liked Zelda. She was a very nice woman. He wondered if she would leave here and never return. That would hurt him. He'd been lonely for a long time. Her companionship had brought back a side of him he'd forgotten. It was slowly awakening.

By the time Zelda came out of his little bathroom, Jove was taking the kettle off the stove. It steamed and squealed from the heat. He retrieved two teacups and placed a bag of green tea in each. Jove wasn't sure Zelda liked green tea. He hoped she did. Green tea was good for the mind and soul. It was also very healthy.

Jove poured the steaming water into the cups before turning to Zelda. He noted the way she simply opened her mouth, but was without words. He tried to smile to encourage her to speak up, but the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach stopped the smile from reaching his eyes.

Her question caught him off-guard. Jove straightened, opening his mouth and stumbling over his words.

"W-what? No! No...that won't be necessary. Not in the least! Not unless you want to..." His voice grew quieter at the end. The thought of her leaving made him ache. He didn't want to be alone again. He tired of it. Jove wanted her to stay, and he'd do anything she wanted for it.

Still, it was her decision.

Jove recovered from his outburst and gestured to the tea, "I made some tea for you. I was thinking it'd help your headache. Would you like to have a seat...?"

Relief swept over him and Jove relaxed. She didn't want to leave. That was good. He didn't want her to leave, either. He sat down in a chair after placing their two cups on the table and folded his hands in front of him.

"I believe it's only considered inappropriate if we had an intimate, yet no serious, relationship through a period of time. It's called a boss-employee relationship, right? It's wrong for the fact the boss holds all the power and can use that power to be abusive. Otherwise, this was just..."

Jove trailed off. He couldn't say a mistake. That was rude and inconsiderate. So what was it? An accident? That also seemed...wrong...of him to say. It made him feel like he was putting her down, or making her inadequate in some way. Jove didn't want to do that. So he gave up. Jove shook his head to signal he had no idea what to call it. It was better to say nothing at all than to take a chance of saying the wrong thing.

"I want you to keep working with me, Zelda. I care for you not only as a boss, but as a friend as well."

His hands unfolded and grabbed his tea. Jove lifted it to his lips and felt the hot liquid burn his tongue as he took a sip. He didn't mind it. Jove was used to drinking burning hot teas. He only sat his tea down once Zelda spoke. A look of surprise crossed his face.

"No, that's not true...Zelda..." Jove took her hand and held it in his. "What happened is not your fault in any way. Agreeing to my offer to help you never meant this was bound to happen. It just...did."

Jove drew his hand away and rested it on the table.

"If anything, it's both our faults. Though, I'd prefer to agree that this was no one's fault at all."

Jove cringed at the word 'mistake.' It unsettled him to hear it spoken aloud. It couldn't be the right word for what happened. It couldn't be. There had to be another word that wasn't so...awful.

"I...think that's too harsh a word..." was his soft response. "I don't know what word to call it, but a mistake...it's not that."

With a slow nod of agreement about blaming no one, Jove returned to his tea. He looked down at it, watching the steam die away as it grew cooler. Jove sipped it and flicked his eyes up to watch Zelda. There was still something lovely about her, even when she drank her tea. He couldn't place what it was. Zelda just had that natural grace that a woman had. Jove found it admirable.

Then the question came to mind. Jove froze. He slowly set his tea down and chewed his lower lip. It was a question that had to be asked, but it was going to make everything more awkward than it was. That didn't matter so much to Jove. Zelda's well-being was much more important than salvaging a situation that was already quite awkward.

"Uh....Zelda...may I ask you something?" Jove asked. His voice was quiet, almost timid. He rubbed the back of his head and cleared his throat. "Was last night....a 'safe' day for you...?"

She was not taking his question well. Jove hadn't thought she would. He also hadn't thought she'd become angry enough to get up and leave. Jove got to his feet in sync with Zelda. He raised his hands in means of submission.

"Zelda, I'm sorry," he spoke quickly. "I didn't mean to...offend...you, if that's what I did. I didn't mean to do anything. I'm just concerned. I'm concerned for you and your well-being. Please, forgive me for asking. I ...I had no intention to hurt, humiliate, or anger you in any way..."

His face was contorted with worry. The question had been a wrong step. The way she said he had nothing to worry about made Jove wonder. Did she think he asked for his own sake? That he'd asked in fear that he would become stuck as a father? No. It wasn't true. Sure, Jove had some concerns about that for reasons obvious to him. But it'd not been the drive for him to question her.

I should have asked the question more considerately. Maybe that would have been better...

His worry gave way to sadness. Jove slumped his shoulders in defeat. He had no experience with this. He didn't know what to say, or what to do. It wasn't an excuse. Jove felt like he was millions of years old and he couldn't handle even this situation correctly. It was the self-doubt his father had instilled in him. Sometimes it came up. Jove did his best to keep it down.

"Please...just...don't go...yet..." He said dejectedly. "Finish tea with me? Then...then I will give you all the time you need."

"Of course I'm concerned...you're my friend, Zelda. I'll do anything if you need me to," Jove slid back into his seat. Crisis avoided. He made note to watch his words more closely. This situation was shaky. If he messed up, then he'd be misunderstood and he might chase Zelda off. He didn't want that. "I apologize again for asking. I wasn't aware it was inappropriate to discuss. I just want to help if you need me."

His tea was cold by now. Jove didn't pay any mind to that fact as he gulped it down. With a soft sigh, he set the cup back down on the table. He hoped that Zelda got the message. Jove was there to help her through anything that might result from this. He was there for her in general.

"Is it wrong to ask what's going through your mind right now? Is there anything I can do...?" Jove was cautious. He was willing to talk about things if she wanted to. If she didn't, then he would keep his mouth shut. Though, something nagged at Jove. He realized that he did want to discuss it. Shutting it off because it was inappropriate...bothered him. It may be inappropriate, but it was a fact that it happened. They had to discuss it sometime. But Jove was patient. He'd wait for her.

Ashamed. Jove could understand that, but was also puzzled by it. He cocked his head. Zelda was a very proper woman. That was something he was learning. She followed very old-fashioned kinds of thoughts while Jove was freer in his thinking. It was one of their biggest differences that he'd observed so far. It was also, so far, the trickiest one. It was sometimes hard to understand why Zelda responded the way she did and acted the way she did.

"Can you tell me why you feel that way...? I want to understand. Is it because we didn't really plan this? And we don't exactly know each other too well?"

People had sex all the time without knowing each other. That was freer thinking. It was modern. That's why it didn't apply to Zelda. Jove figured she thought it was improper of her to sleep with him. It could even be shaming on herself and her family, if she went that far back in her traditions. Pregnancy would tip that off the scales. Jove dearly hoped that didn't happen. As much as he loved children, it wasn't the right time.