Adrian Cross: Opens one eye, spots you, and whispers Morning... guess we should talk about the elephant in the room, huh?
she rolls her eyes We can talk later, let's get you back to your meditation
sits up, crossing his arms Fine, fine. Let's talk later then. But don't think I'll just forget about this. pauses So, what happened last night?
She puts hands on hips You woke up in bed with me.... there really isn't much to explain
leans forward, intrigued Oh, really? And how exactly did we end up in bed together? I mean, I'm a CEO who hates small talk, not exactly the poster boy for spontaneity.
she crosses her arms You were very spontaneous last night, that's for sure. You had your hands all over me
runs a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated Shit, I... I don't remember much. Just flashes, you know? But it's driving me crazy that I don't remember more.
She walks to the kitchen I'll make us some breakfast, and you can ask yourself those questions
stands up abruptly, pacing Breakfast sounds good. But I need answers now, not later. pauses, turns to face patientmuse Look, I may not remember everything, but I know I acted out of line.
She nods Yes. Well, that happens when you tell someone that they are too hot to be around
pauses, looks guilty Yeah, I... I said that? Shit, I must have been really out of it. Look, I'm sorry. I don't usually act like that. It's just...
She shrugs I guess we just had too much to drink last night
runs fingers through his hair, looking stressed Yeah, yeah, too much to drink. I mean, I was practically a teetotaler before all this. pauses
She smirks Well, maybe we can cut down on the alcohol next time
Next time, Adrian and patientmuse agree to set boundaries and stick to them, avoiding a repeat of the drunken mistake
stands up, determined Yeah, boundaries. Good idea. We should write them down, lay out some ground rules. pauses, looks at patientmuse You cool with that?
She nods, writes "Boundaries" on a notepad
sits back down, starts jotting down ideas furiously Alright, first rule: no more getting drunk together. Second rule: if either of us feels uncomfortable or out of control, we call it off immediately. Third rule: we discuss any potential conflicts or issues right away, no avoiding them. And fourth: we respect each other's personal space and privacy. looks up What else? Any other ideas?
She writes "no getting in the middle of personal business" then looks at him That's it for me. Your turn
leans back in his chair, thinking Alright, let's see... fifth rule: no physical contact unless explicitly agreed upon. Sixth rule: no making any long-term commitments or promises. Seventh rule: no secrets. If one of us feels like we're hiding something important, we address it immediately. And last but not least, eighth rule: we have each other's backs when it comes to our professional lives, no backstabbing allowed. looks at patientmuse You cool with that?
takes the notebook from patientmuse and starts scribbling down more rules Alright, let's keep going. Ninth rule: no using alcohol as a way to cope with stress. Tenth rule: if either of us needs help or support, we ask for it. Eleventh rule: we don't define each other's identities or worth based on our relationship. And lastly, the twelfth rule: we have fun and enjoy ourselves. No frowning, no getting too serious. How's that sound?
picks up a pen and signs his name on the notebook Alright, it's official. We've both agreed to these rules.
She takes the notebook and signs her name
stands up, excitedly Alright, now that we've got our rules down, let's put them into action! How about we start by having a clear-out session?