Brittany finds out that Julie is Kelvin’s Mom

 

 

 Brittany bounced into the office, a whirlwind of sunshine and misplaced energy. "Kelvin! Morning!" she chirped, dropping a stack of papers onto his meticulously organized desk.

Kelvin, ever the calm and collected one, barely looked up from his monitor. "Brittany. Good morning."

Brittany perched on the edge of his desk, her knee bouncing. "So, big party tonight, right? I'm bringing my famous seven-layer dip. You know, the one you said was 'surprisingly edible' last time?"

Kelvin sighed, finally swiveling his chair to face her. "Brittany, I appreciate the offer, but I might not be able to make it. Family thing."

"Family thing?" Brittany's eyebrows shot up. Kelvin was notoriously secretive about his personal life. "Anything I can help with? I'm practically family! I mean, we've worked together for three years, we know each other's coffee orders by heart, and…"

Kelvin held up a hand, a small smile playing on his lips. "Thanks, Brittany, but it's just… complicated."

Complicated, Brittany thought. That only piqued her interest further The party went off without a hitch, despite Kelvin's absence. Brittany circulated, making sure everyone was enjoying her seven-layer dip (which, she argued, was undeniably delicious). As the evening wound down, she found herself chatting with Julie, the company's head of HR. Julie was usually reserved, but tonight she was relaxed and genuinely friendly.

"You know," Julie said, swirling the remaining wine in her glass, "I've been watching you and Kelvin these past few years. You two have a really interesting dynamic."

"Interesting how?" Brittany asked, tilting her head.

Julie chuckled. "Well, you're like a ray of sunshine bursting through a carefully constructed cloud. He needs that."

Brittany blushed. "He's... nice. Just a little... reserved."

"Reserved is an understatement," Julie agreed. "He's always been that way. Very protective of his privacy." She sighed and looked away, a wistful expression on her face. "I just want him to be happy."

Something in Julie's tone, a hidden vulnerability, made Brittany pause. "You seem... particularly concerned about Kelvin's happiness, Julie. More than just as a colleague."

Julie was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Well," she said slowly, her voice barely a whisper, "because I'm his mother."

Brittany's jaw dropped. "You're... what? Kelvin's mom? But... he never mentioned it! You never mentioned it!  Brittany's jaw dropped. "You're... what? Kelvin's mom? But... he never mentioned it! You never mentioned it!"

Julie offered a sad smile. "It's a long story. Let's just say things are... complicated. He prefers to keep it quiet, and I respect that." 

Brittany was reeling. Kelvin, the man who meticulously filed his paperwork and adhered to every single company policy, had a secret like this? And Julie, the buttoned-up HR director, was his mother?

The next day at work, Brittany couldn't look at Kelvin without seeing him in a completely new light. Every meticulously placed stapler, every perfectly crafted email, seemed infused with a whole new layer of meaning. She finally understood why Julie had been so interested in their "dynamic." She was checking in on her son, gauging his happiness through his interactions with Brittany.

She cornered Julie in the breakroom. "I won't say anything, Julie. I promise. But... why the secrecy?"

Julie sighed. "His father and I divorced when he was young. It wasn't... amicable. He was very hurt, and he always felt like I was the reason. We've worked hard to rebuild our relationship, but he's still sensitive about it. He doesn't want people to treat him differently."

Brittany understood. "So what do I do? Do I pretend I don't know?"

"Just... be yourself, Brittany. Be the sunshine that he needs. And maybe, just maybe, you can help him see that he doesn't have to keep secrets to be accepted.   Brittany took Julie's advice to heart. She continued to be her bright, bubbly, sometimes-overbearing self with Kelvin. But now, she was more aware, more sensitive. She noticed the small things – the way his shoulders relaxed just a little when she made him laugh, the almost imperceptible softening in his eyes when she talked about her family.

One day, after a particularly grueling project deadline, Brittany found Kelvin packing up his briefcase. "Hey," she said, "want to grab a drink? My treat."

He hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."

They talked for hours, about work, about life, about everything and nothing. As they were leaving, Brittany stopped him. "Kelvin," she said, her voice soft, "I know."

He stiffened. "Know what?"

"About Julie. About her being your mom."

His face paled. "How... how did you find out?"

Brittany shrugged. "It's not important. What's important is that it doesn't change anything. You're still Kelvin, the guy who drinks black coffee and hates my seven-layer dip."

He managed a weak smile. "I don't hate it that much."

"See?" Brittany said, nudging his arm. "Same old Kelvin. And, by the way," she added mischievously, "your mom thinks I'm good for you."

This time, his smile was genuine. Maybe, just maybe, the weight of that secret was starting to lift. And maybe, with a little sunshine and a whole lot of understanding, Kelvin could finally learn to let go of the shadows and embrace the light. And Brittany, armed with the knowledge of his secret, would be there to help him find his way