Juliana slumped into her office chair, heart racing. She’d nearly admitted to being attracted to her client. To the woman’s face. And although it was true, it was inappropriate. Unlike Tasha, Juliana had morals. Believed the line between professional and client was there for a reason.

That line was going to be hard to maintain, though, because her hour with Jenny had been more enjoyable than most of her actual dates. She smiled, remembering the jokes Jenny had cracked about her own lack of balance. The way she seemed genuinely happy to be there. With her.

But maintain the line she would, because it was important.

She opened the folder and gazed at Jenny’s signature on the liability form. Juliana’s father had no concept of keeping clients separate from one’s professional life. Her mother spoke of him often, even though he’d never been a significant part of Juliana’s life.

He was a plumber. Her mother was fond of pointing out that he broke every plumber stereotype in existence. He didn’t have a pot belly or a bushy mustache. He never sported the dreaded “plumber’s crack” due to ill-fitting jeans. He was charming and handsome. And apparently he was married, as she discovered later.

Juliana couldn’t understand how her mother could stand being “the other woman”. It bothered her, sure, but it was almost as if she didn’t think she deserved better. She didn’t carry on with the affair after she found out, but she never paired up with anyone else either. Had her mother thought a married plumber was the best she could do?

Juliana closed the folder. Stashed it away in a filing cabinet.

And felt inexplicably sad.