with the end of the fiscal year quickly approaching, i gotta check-in on connie from admin—how’s she doing? what’s new and exciting? she taking care of herself? 🥰
Connie's been saving up her PTO for the summer, like she does every year. She's got three weeks off this year, and she's planning to use it every last day. One week of staycation, one week of visiting her mother out west, and one week of getting to chores and tasks she's been putting off around the house. Very productive.
Bighud's still only in his first couple of years at Business Inc so he hasn't built up the same PTO as Connie yet, and he's honestly a little sad thinking about her being out of the office for so long. He tells her as much while he's leaning over her desk one day, taking one of her hands in both of his and idly running his thumbs over her manicured fingernails.
"I'm gonna miss you," he admits, kind of shyly. Connie's heart swells at how earnest he sounds. How earnest he is.
"I'm not going far," she reminds him. "You can come visit me at home any time."
Bighud smiles but it doesn't quite touch his eyes. "I know, but. I'm gonna miss you here. What's the point of coming to work if I don't get to see you every day?"
He takes her hand properly now, sneakily bringing her knuckles up to his lips while Connie blushes and peeks over her shoulder to make sure no one has caught their private moment of office PDA.
"Have you booked your vacation yet?" she asks, working to conceal the emotion in her voice.
"Ah, not yet," he sighs. "I don't even know what I'd do with a vacation."
"No one you could go visit?" Connie asks.
"Nowhere you want to travel?"
Bighud just smiles, too nervous to say what he'd really like to tell her, that he doesn't really want to go anywhere if Connie isn't there.
Connie clears her throat, and makes a suggestion without really thinking.
"Well, if you wanted to take a week, maybe you could...come out west with me. It's really beautiful out there."
Bighud frowns. "Aren't you going to visit your mom?"
Oh god. Connie's starting to regret this suggestion. Too late to turn back now. "Well, I...maybe I want you to meet her."
Bighud smiles so wide it nearly splits his face in half. "Really?"
Relief washes over Connie as she smiles back, equally as beatific.
"Yeah," she nods. "I mean, I know it's a lot to ask. You only have, what? Ten days off a year right now? I understand if you didn't want to use half of them to come meet my mother. Plus I know that's kind of a big step and I - "
"Connie." Bighud quiets her rambling as he rests his elbows on her desk and leans in close enough that Connie can smell his cologne. "I would love to come."
"Okay," she whispers, breathless at how close he is, how sincere his gaze is as it locks with hers.
There's a loaded moment where Connie wonders if they might kiss, right here in the middle of the office. But no. With what looks like considerable effort, Bighud pushes off her desk and starts to back away.
"Teams me the dates!" he tells her with a wink over his shoulder as he makes his way back to his cubicle. "I'll put my request in right now."
"Okay," Connie says again, so overwhelmed with happiness she has to bite her lip to rein in her smile.