As Friday ends, Robin finishes his final review comments on a notebook. He sends off the notebook to the author and is done with his own so he begins to close up his workstation for the week. He takes off his headphones and hangs them up on a hook next to his computer. Then, he takes out a wipe and wipes down his desk and computer. He finally turns off his computer. He looks at the time. It's exactly closing time. He looks over to Marian who is still working on her project. "How much longer until you are finished?"
Marian is clearly stressed. She still has all of her stuff out around her desk. She grabs one of the piles of papers, looks at it, and sets it back down, and then grabs a different pile of papers. She is reading through it frantically. She is trying to finish her work, but she isn't ready to leave yet.
"I just need 20 more minutes. I can meet up with all of you later."
Robin looks at the clock and doesn't want to keep everyone waiting so he starts towards the main entrance. "Alright. Sounds good." He is about to leave when he stops himself. He torn. Should he help his office mate out with her last project so she could join the group earlier, or should he leave her to deal with the consequences of her waiting to do work until the last minute? Robin knows that this type of behavior is typical Marian. People are always waiting on her feedback to finish their work. Robin decides that since other people are waiting, he should leave Marian and join the group. "You know, if you didn't mess around all week you could get more of your work done."
Marian looks offended at this. She already feels bad about being late and Robin's snarky comment is not going to help her in any way. "Mess around? Not all of us can just put on our headphones and disappear. I do my best work when my mind and body are ready." Robin replies before he can stop himself, "You do your best work on a Friday afternoon when you have drinks waiting for you." Marian looks like Robin just shot her in the heart. She shakes her hand at Robin and says, "Hey, procrastinators are people too." Robin looks at her with pity in his eyes. He begins to offer to stay and help when he gets cut off by Marian. "Just order an appetizer and I will be there in time for the main course." She then looks back at her computer screen and under her breath mumbles...why aren't you working?! She then looks back at Robin and finishes her line of thought, "I only need to be there to get the check anyway."
Robin is about to close the door when he tells her, "I am going to order two appetizers since you are both late and you are paying." With this, he walks out the door and heads down to the main entrance of Blahco to meet up with the rest of the coworkers.
Robin is striding down the stairs when he meets up with his friend. Graham. Graham meets up with Robin and they continue to the main door. Graham is telling Robin all about the date that he has set up for tonight after the dinner with their coworkers. Graham is listing all the things that make this girl hot. By the time the two get to the bottom of the stairs, they have caught up with Kris, their supervisor, and Darrin. Graham doesn't know either of these two people well so he stops talking about his date when they catch up with them.
Darrin is office mates with Aurora, he explains that Aurora went to change into an outfit she had in her car that was not her work clothes. The four of them wait about two minutes until Aurora strolls in with a new outfit. She manages to look even more amazing. Kris greets her as she walks back in and compliments her cute outfit. Aurora asks if they have been waiting long, to which the group replies no. That Robin just arrived a couple of minutes earlier. Aurora seems to relax when she realizes the group hasn't been waiting for her.
Kris then asks, "Where is Marian?" Robin tells everyone that she is finishing up her reports and that she instructed everyone to go ahead without her. Aurora then offers to go help her finish up the reports when Kris stops her. "Don't you dare! That woman needs to get her shit in order." Kris looks around after she swore to make sure her boss didn't hear it. They all walk together out of Blahco.
Theo is waiting at Fatty Catty when the group arrives. He also asks about Marian. Robin fills him in about Marian running late. Finally, a hostess seats them all at the table. They individually start looking over the menu withouth much interaction. Then waiter came to take everyone's orders. Aurora asks, "Should we order some food for Marian too?" Robin replies, "I don't think that Marian is too concerned about eating tonight." Theo starts laughing and goes to give Robin a high five. He says, "Sounds right. Marian is rarely as excited for the food as she is for the drinking." The high five that Theo is holding up for Robin is left un high-fived. Robin doesn't know Theo well enough.
Aurora then asks Robin while looking at his eyes "Oh, are you dating Marian?" Robin feels the need to quickly clarify, "no it's not like that at all. I am just her office mate. Actually, she is dating Theo." At this, he points to Theo who waves as soon as his name is mentioned. Robin had to make sure that Aurora understands that he is very single.
Theo takes this as an opportunity to introduce himself to Marian's coworkers. "Hey, I don't think I know everyone here. Maybe we should do some introductions? Marian should be doing them, but she is obviously not here. I am Theo, I am Marian's boyfriend. I don't work with you all at Blahco. From what Marian tells me about her job, you couldn't pay me to do that all day. I am a personal trainer. Each person takes their turn introducing themselves to Theo. Kris, who is the boss, Darrin who shares an office with Aurora next to Marians, Graham who works downstairs in accounting who is Robin's friend, and Aurora who just started at Blahco a couple of months ago. When everyone is done they are still waiting for Marian. So Robin asks, "Theo, how did you and Marian meet?"
Theo starts smiling. He leans in closer to Robin. "I am on an ultimate frisbee team with her roommate. Marian came to one of our matches and started talking with me immediately. I guess you could call it love at first sight." Kris rolls her eyes as Theo tells this story. This is not at all how Marian would tell this story. As Marian's best friend, she should make sure to tell Marian so she can do some damage control.
After their introductions, Marian finally shows up. She walks into the restaurant and immediately heads towards their table. A seat is left between Robin and Theo. Marian settles into the seat. "I am here! I am sorry you guys had to walk over without me, I had a ton of work to finish this week." Robin takes a sip from his drink. He knows that what happened today was nothing new for Marian. She has time management problems.
Aurora is the first to speak, "I am so glad you made it. And that you finished before our food got out. You still have time to get in your order." At this, a waitress comes up to the table and asks Marian if she wants something. Marian orders without thinking, "A whiskey sour!" The waitress pauses. "Did you want any food to eat?" Theo starts laughing at this, "Babe, the rest of us haven't ordered any drinks." Marian looks around at the table and then looks at the waitress waiting to hear her answer. "I don't mind starting the party myself."
Robin is just grateful that it is the weekend. At least Marian won't be coming into the office tomorrow smelling like a night out. There have been days when she came into work after a night out and she basically got nothing done. He doesn't have to share an office with her tomorrow and be distracted by her hangover behavior.
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