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His request was laced with an unusual seriousness. "Hank, I need your permission to spank Mike on the office premises."
Surprised, a chuckle bubbled up from within me. "What mischief has Mike stirred up now?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
Joe's face softened, a flicker of frustration dancing in his eyes, but a ghost of amusement lingering on his lips. "We were in a meeting, a serious one. It was the quarterly review, everyone present. We were discussing sales targets, business strategies, you know, the usual serious stuff."
I nodded, painting a mental picture of the scene. The conference room, filled with employees, the air thick with anticipation and seriousness.
"But then," Joe continued, a twinge of annoyance now clear in his voice, "amidst the serious discussions, we heard this honking sound. High-pitched, hard to ignore, especially when the room is otherwise dead silent."
Joe paused for a moment, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth despite his evident frustration. "It took us a while to pinpoint the source, but there he was. Mike, our office clown, hiding behind a facade of seriousness."
I chuckled again, already imagining Mike's mischievous grin, his twinkling eyes hidden behind the veil of supposed professionalism.
"He was sitting at the back of the room," he continued, "his hand stealthily hidden in his pocket. And every time someone said one of those tired office buzzwords, you know the type - 'synergy', 'leverage', 'paradigm shift', he'd squeeze this red honking clown nose he'd somehow smuggled in. It honked every single time, and he'd giggle, trying his best to look serious."
I couldn't help but laugh at the audacity, the cleverness, the utter Mike-ness of the prank.
"The whole room broke down," Joe added, attempting to maintain his stern demeanor but failing as a reluctant grin crept onto his face. "Every bit of professionalism thrown out of the window, replaced by laughter echoing through the room. Employees were doubled over with mirth, all thanks to Mike and his antics."
Joe concluded his story with a shake of his head, a grudging smile still plastered across his face. "This is why I need to spank him here," he said, a note of pleading in his voice. "He needs to learn that despite the location change, our relationship dynamics are still in effect. That I'm still his Daddy."
"Joe," I replied, my voice laced with a hint of amusement, "While I see where you're coming from, you know our company policy doesn't allow spanking on premises. And as amusing as this might have been, we need a little light-heartedness around here sometimes."
A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I leaned back in my chair. "Let's chalk this one up to team morale, shall we?"
Joe sighed, a disappointed "Alright" slipping from his lips. His eyebrow then arched, his gruff facade giving way to a softer, more concerned demeanor.
"You seem a bit distracted lately," he began. "Is it the upcoming project deadline or some unsolved design problem?"
I drew in a deep breath. "It's not that," I admitted, my gaze trailing off to the glass partition separating Lina's office from mine. "I just can't keep pretending nothing's going on."
Joe studied me for a moment, his eyes narrowing in thought. "You're talking about Lina, aren't you?"
I turned my attention back to him, surprised by his deduction. "How did you—"
Joe chuckled, his gruff exterior softening for a moment. "Hank, we've known each other for decades now. I think I know you better than you think."
"Is it that obvious?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He leaned back, his arms folding across his chest. "Only to someone who knows you well. And I'm guessing it's not easy, having her work right next door to your office, is it?"
I sighed. "Yeah. But you were right. They're different. I've started noticing the differences."
Joe looked curious. "How so?"
"Bianca was fiercely independent. Sometimes, she felt suffocated by my attentiveness, my protectiveness. Lina," I glanced at her office again, "She seems to seek it out, respond to it in a way Bianca never did."
"You're scared to be a Daddy again, aren't you?" It was more a statement than a question.
"It's just that... what if I mess up again? What if she finds me overbearing like Bianca did?"
Joe gave me a reassuring smile. "Your resolution to stay away from Littles... it might not be relevant anymore."
I opened my mouth to argue, but Joe continued. "You should reassess. The circumstances that led you to retreat from being a Daddy— are they still valid? Or have they been overshadowed by Lina's presence in your life?"
Chapter 14: Lina
Deep in the world of dreams, I found myself caught in a story woven by my subconscious desires. My sleep was filled with vivid, sensual images that sent a thrill of anticipation through my resting body. I knew him well, the protagonist of my dream. Hank. Yet, in this dreamscape, he was different, a stark contrast to the man he was in the office.
