One Place Removed

I took a summer intern position in the Risk Management department of a large multinational. My supervisor was a 32 year old single woman. Very attractive, killer body, outgoing, hard drinking girl. I was cautioned by a coworker to not go home with her, unless I liked that kind of stuff.

I did go to her house, a large nude over the fireplace, a reclining nude over her bed. A couple of small black and white pictures of her nude when she was a child. She made a pass, then another before I let her show me what she liked. We slept in a spoon, her arms around me.

In the morning we took it easy, we talked and she told me about him. 52 Suite and all. He was responsible for her career. A love she could never have. Had I ever loved anybody like that?. I felt sorry for her so I went and sat beside her and cuddled up. We made love for awhile before showering.

After several weeks I asked how she put up with her lifestyle, in love with a man she couldn't have as her own. She understood her place, she told me, sometimes you're number two, that's all. I, me, I told her, need to be number one. With that she hugged me, a Mom hug, 'you're number one with me.'.

I was hired full time, doors opened early, my career 'took off', someone decided I was on the fast track. If she was number two, what did that make me, her derivative. As long as I was number one with her, his influence prevailed.