As Rayla is back at work over the next week and gets back into the routine of things since the conference, she arranged for a morning meeting on a follow up of the conference which was protocol procedure to get feedback and prepare for the following year's conference. "Thank you everyone for attending the conference, I am assuming everyone had a good time?" Rayla questioned kindly and professionally at the work meeting in the board room in their building around 11am that morning.
"Yes, we did, we really enjoyed the food and the awards night." Said her PA. "Thank you Ashleigh, I am glad you and the others all enjoyed it. What is the feedback we received for quality assurance, so I can bring it up at my management meeting at the end of the month? "The only feedback we received was that they would have enjoyed more alcohol" Evan commented as he was part of this meeting. "Yes, I am aware of that, however due to company policy and procedure, only a certain amount of alcohol can be served at these events, to avoid certain…. Incidents…" Rayla said looking down in embarrassment but not making it obvious. "I see…." Evan grinned teasing her, as he took notes of her comments. Rayla shook her head for a moment and cleared her throat as she went on to say, "That will be all for today. At our next meeting, we will discuss preparations for the workplace Christmas party next month for the end of year celebrations in December. That is all." Rayla said and dismissed her meeting with her team and colleagues in her division.
"Ashleigh, can you look at possible venues for this year's Christmas party for me please? I would like to look at early bookings, as some places will give us a discount for early bookings." Rayla instructed her PA. "Yes, ma'am" Her PA responded professionally and left the meeting room, until it was just Evan and Rayla left in the room together, alone. Rayla took a deep breath as she clanged at Even,"Mr. Blade, kindly close the door, as I need to discuss something with you." Rayla requested professionally.
Evan looked at her for a moment, "Yes, of course…" Evan smirked as he closed the door behind him and sat in the chair across from Rayla at this meeting room. "Mr. Blade, I can understand there was an incident between us recently at the conference…." Rayla said when Evan interrupted her, "Yes, I get it, I committed something unforgiveable. I will hand in my resignation next week if this will cause problems…" Evan said, when suddenly, "No!! Don't be silly, that is not what I was suggesting, Mr. Blade. You are an excellent worker and an asset to this company. It will be such a shame to lose you. What I was going to suggest, is that what happened is in the past, it was simply a misunderstanding, we were both in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Nothing serious happened and I would appreciate it if we both never bring it up ever again… especially to family involved, do I make myself clear, Mr. Blade?" Rayla said with a stern serious tone of voice.
Evan looked at her for a moment, "I understand, Ma'am" he said, putting down his pride and ego for a moment, as he crossed his arms and looked at her for a moment and went on to ask her:
"So, you do love your husband?" Evan teased, "on a personal level to answer your question, yes I do. Wedding vows state that we go through better or worse, for your information, Mr. Blade, I am sure you will understand that one day." Rayla said professionally yet kindly to him grinning at him.
"Alright, Mrs. Porter, then I apologize for my misbehavior, and I will never cross those boundaries again… you have my word. Please forgive me. Moving forward, it will be business as usual" Evan said to her professionally, got up and walked out of the door and closed the door behind him.
Rayla just sat back in her seat and took a deep breath and put her hand on her lips in deep thought. "Well, that went well than expected…" she thought to herself. From that point on, it was business as usual as he promised it would, and they both kept it professional from that point on and put the past behind them.
Meanwhile, at her husband's workplace, he dealt with an 89-year-old man, who was married to his wife for 60 years. His wife beside him at the hospital, getting his gall bladder removed, "I told him to always check his soft drink intake, he never listens to me." His wife said worriedly. Brad chuckled at the elderly couple compassionately, "Yeah, I am the same with my wife, she never stops nagging me to go see the doctor for my check-ups too, and I am a nurse." Brad said kindly as he put this elderly man on the drip to hydrate him. "Young man, always listen to your wife, she means you good and not harm, we are just stubborn men." The old man told him softly.
Brad just smiled and laughed with this old man in agreement, "Ok Mr. White. You are right… I guess…." When suddenly, "Brad, you are needed in the operating room now" Said his colleague nurse. "Ok, coming." He said and left the elderly couple in his colleague's nurse care. As he is in the operating room, assisting the doctors for this surgery, he thought of what the old man told him about his wife. After a successful surgery, it was time for Brad to finish work and pick up his daughter from school and head home. His wife would be late in coming home.
That night, at the dinner table, as Rayla just walked in the door, she joined her family at the dinner table, as they are eating and listening to their daughter's day at school and asked each other how their day was. For once, it was a nice quiet family dinner.
As both Brad and Rayla took a shower separately and went to bed together. Rayla is reading a book, whilst Brad was on the laptop playing some games. "Laura…" Brad said kindly, "Yes?" Rayla responded kindly. "When…. Can you take me to the doctor for my check-up…?" Brad said as he looked away, as his pride was lowered asking his wife such a question. Rayla thought for a moment, "Is something wrong?" Rayla questioned, as she knew the only time he would ask is when something was seriously wrong. "No, I just want to get it over and done with…" He said in a husky and frustrated tone of voice.
Rayla chuckled at him for a moment, "What is so funny?" Brad questioned curiously. "Nothing, you are just like a child, afraid of a kind doctor" Rayla smiled at him softly. When Brad saw her smile, it softened his atmosphere around him, seeing her smile at him like that just gave him confidence as a man and seeing her kind expression, made him relax in her arms as he lay beside her. "I love you…" He whispered gently to her as she held him. She smiled at him, "I love you too…." She said kindly and kissed him on his forehead as they held each other in their embrace and fell asleep. For once, Rachael didn't come knocking on their door. "Hey… Rachael is quiet…." Rayla said with suspicion, as she was used to his daughter knocking on the door.
"Relax, I gave her my game to play with…Should keep her quiet for a while" He smirked as he lay on her breast. There is silence for a brief moment between them. "Did you… remove your porn collection from it before you did?" Rayla questioned with an eye brow raised. Suddenly, his eyes became wide open and he grasped, quickly getting up from the bed and bolted out of their bedroom and ran to his daughter's room to get the game back. Rayla burst into laughing at the way he got up, laughing at her husband's clumsiness. When Brad got to his daughter's bedroom, fortunately, it was on child safety lock and she only watched children's movies.
Brad just took a deep breath of relief, "Baby, can you go see mummy for a moment please? Mummy wants to see you…" Brad said softly to his daughter as he got the game remote, "Ok daddy…" She responded innocently. "Good girl." He kissed her on the forehead.
Rachel went to Rayla and hugged her and held her until Brad finished deleting his porn history and making sure his daughter did not see anything inappropriate. When Brad came back to the bedroom, Rayla just laughed and snickered at him. "Shut up…." He said blushingly looking to the side, "Ok baby, the game is ready for you. I put your favorite movie on for you to watch." Brad said kindly to his daughter. "Yay!!! Shark week!!" Rachel said in excitement and went to watch shark week.
Brad looked in shock at his daughter, watching her go back to her room in shock at her choice of movies to watch, then he looked at Rayla. "What?" She questioned in innocence. "Why do I have a feeling you are to blame for this?" He smirked crossing his arms, knowing his wife loved shark documentaries to watch on the discovery channel. "Well…." Rayla responded as she raised her hands in innocence. Brad crawled into bed next to his wife, "Its alright, if that's what she likes." Brad said as he kissed his wife on the cheek and both went to sleep together, after a busy night.
The crazy cycle continued and over the next coming months leading up to Christmas, things got quite busy for the Porter family.