#dad's coworker found him in the next door buildings toilets

[feelingfolegandros]

Day 2,3,4, - Wednesday, October 28 - Friday, October 30 2020

Apparently I’m a masochist, because I scheduled two client sessions for my second day back. Well, technically they scheduled themselves that day, but I blame myself for opening my calendar up so soon. Oh well, c’est la vie! I am blessed to have work! Especially work that doesn’t really feel like work. And really, the most lovely people somehow want to work with me, so that feels great. 

The first one was at 9:30am, and I thought I’d do it in my bedroom, because I have a little desk setup in here that is something in between a coffee table and a side table with a very loungey chair with pillows to cushion my butt.. I love it. However, the internet in this room doesn’t always love me. The connection in this particular room isn’t so stable, and it was making it difficult to have a flowy conversation with my client. After moving into the main room where B.W. was working away on her laptop (we’ve joked that it’s our coworking space), I couldn’t concentrate... When I have a one-on-one session, I really need total silence and privacy otherwise it kind of all goes to shit haha...I decided to ask my client to reschedule and she happily obliged. Phew! We had our proper session the following morning (Thursday) and it went well. 

On Thursday, I turned on TV in the living room/ coworking space for the first time and someone’s Spanish Netflix account was still logged in. Score! Not because I need to use a Netflix account (My Dad pays for a shared family account, thank you very much), but because I didn’t have the patience to figure out how to log in or type in my Dad’s email with the freaking TV remote. I gleefully watched Season 4 Episode 1 of Keeping Up with The Kardashians while lying down on the couch eating pasteli (I think that’s what they’re called.. It’s these Greek snacks made of sesame seeds and honey). I don’t think I’ve seen this season before… But it takes place c. 2009 or so when Khloé has her whirlwind romance with Lamar Odom and they get married about a month after they first start dating. Honestly… iconic. I found myself drawing parallels between Khloé and myself. The situation with my boyfriend also feels like quite a whirlwind although I’m not expecting a proposal nor a wedding anytime soon. However, I can’t say I haven’t already fantasized about our Big Fat Greek Beach Wedding, possibly held at the same taverna we met at. 

On Wednesday night, I went for a solo walk in the early evening in Chora. I love being alone here. I spent a lot of time alone on Folegandros when I came for the second time from mid-September to early October. Later, Z.X. came over, mostly because he forgot his phone charger. He ate too much and was a bit stressed about some things regarding his house (which he is renovating himself) so I made him a mint tea. The next morning (Thursday), I discovered we had fresh mint in the garden! So lucky! The mint made an appearance later the same day when I brought a bunch of it to my friend C.D.’s house. He is the brother of the bride of the wedding where Z.X. and I met. I met C.D. at the taverna he works at in the summer alongside his sister. They’re both amazing and funny and warmhearted. C.D. basically lives next door to B.W. and I, and we both paid him a visit - bundle of mint in tow. He boiled water in a traditional Greek coffee contraption for our tea, and we all drank our beverages outside, even though it rained earlier that day. He made himself a freddo espresso with milk. 

C.D. worked in IT in Athens for much of his life, but moved here at the end of January for a fresh start, away from city life. The four of us - the two Greeks Z.X., C.D., and the two Berliners B.W. and I all moved here for the same reason this year… Very interesting! It’s nice to be around people that are all still enthusiastic about the island. Some OG locals, ie. those who were born and raised here, are a little more jaded after the decades they’ve been here. Living somewhere, anywhere, long enough, you’re bound to find things about it that irritate you, even if you live on an island where each beach you go to is more beautiful than the next. 

Today is Friday. Z.X. proposed we go to the beach today, so he picked B.W. and I up around 13h. Before that, we put a load of laundry in and I took the garbage we’ve accumulated over the past couple of days to the bins near the bus stop. (It’s important to note that the plumbing here on Folegandros like much of Greece, is not that robust, so you’re not supposed to flush paper down the toilet. So most people put their used toilet paper in a bin. Hence, part of the reason why we had accumulated two medium-sized bags of garbage in a few days.) I realized on my way back home that there were bins much closer to the house. Another too-late realization was that the shortcut I took on the way there cut through a sheep’s / goat’s pasture. I did notice some poop as I was walking through, but I didn’t think much of it at the time. Are goats chill? I have no idea… I won’t take the risk again, and I also noticed two locals taking the official shortcut which doesn’t involve shuffling over two waist-height concrete walls… It involves using makeshift ladders to scale them! 

Back to the beach! This time, we went to Livadi beach near the port. While B.W. was gleefully swimming parallel to the shore, Z.X. and I were standing about ankle-deep in the water. Suddenly, we felt the submerged sand below us slowly, surreally shift. (Too many “s” words, but I’m leaving it… hahahah) I’m not sure who mentioned it first, but we soon concluded it must have been an earthquake. It reminded me of the only other time I felt one - just over a decade ago when I worked in a giant office building one summer. To me, it felt like a strange tear in the time-space continuum, a strange physical and existential headache, and like techtonic plates below were shifting (which I guess they technically are). Anyway, Z.X. and I got out of the water, more in awe than afraid, and he called one of his friends, who also felt it, and experienced it as dizziness. He checked his phone and there was indeed a 6.6 earthquake further north in Greece. On Samos, two teenagers lost their lives, and in neighbouring Turkey, there were more deaths and injuries as part of the country experienced a tsunami. 

Z.X. and I planned to see each other next on Saturday night, but he called me later on Friday saying that Ireni’s Restaurant (my favourite) was serving rabbit tonight, he was going to eat there with a few of his friends, and would I like to join? Hell yes I would… Hell yes I did. Ireni - a Greek grandmother / matriarch / goddess / chef extraordinaire - obviously stewed those rabbits for us like they were the last rabbits she’d ever stew. They were served very simply with French fries, but we also had chorta (bitter greens) and Greek salad before the main event. Everyone drank alcohol… white wine and Raki I believe, probably beer too, while I had my usual neró (water). It was my first time eating at Ireni’s since the summer, and I was so delighted to be back there. Meeting Z.X.’s friends was great too. One of them lives on Folegandros too, and has a lot of common with Z.X. The other two live in Sifinos (either that or Sikinos… so confusing!) and were in town for a month or so. They could all speak varying degrees of English (more than my pathetic amount of Greek) and it was yet another elbow in the side from God or whoever to learn some more of this beautiful language. Photos from that meal below...

That’s all for now. I have a lot of catching up to do on my daily life here… Both in writing and in general (all shall be revealed soon), but I hope you’re enjoying reading all of this, whoever you are....

[melissentee]

COVID -19 Diary (I)

Thursday 12/03/20

This has been a week from hell so far. On Monday I got told I have to take over one of the first grade classes and I have been processing this while trying to teach this class immediately. Also, I have an exam at Uni next week (I am studying part-time, don’t ask) and my weekend is for once jam-packed.

I’m at a teachers training seminar (since I also have to teach Music now I figured extra training could only benefit me) when I get the email that all exams at the Uni are canceled an the new Semester has been pushed back....

Friday 13/03/20

What was supposed to be a day of intense studying has become an empty shell of a day spent watching as more and more of the German states close their schools. Mine does while I am at tea with my parents.

My throat starts to ache.

As I am going to bed my throat is hurting so much it’s hard to sleep.

Saturday 14/03/20

The throat pain is gone but my nasal passages are closed. Great a cold. Perfect timing. So there go my plans for the day. I text my friend and cancel our trip (which we planned to replace our visit at LBM). Since my doctor closed in December and I have not found a new one yet, I call the general service number to see If I should go to work on Monday (I mean it’s just a cold) and where I can get a doctor’s note from.

The answer is I definitely should not (I figured) and call this doctor. After googling said doctor I found out he is a surgeon. I do not call the surgeon about my cold.

Sunday 15/03/20

Another day of canceled plans. I do not attend my cousins Birthday in order not to infect anyone. Mom tells me dad also stayed home. My mums boss calls (while my mom who does not have a cold is at my cousins birthday party) and demands my mom has the self study assignments for her students ready by Monday, so the parent can pick them up.

I text my boss I will not be at work tomorrow.

Monday 16/03/20

I call my mums doctor. The nurse on the phone tells me the doctor does not accept new patients, but after some begging she asks the doctor and agrees to at least write me a doctor’s note (I need it for work, it is required). She gives me a pickup time and tells me not to step into the office.

I drive to the doctor. A note on the door reminds me to NOT enter the office and to simply knock. 2 other people are already waiting. A postal worker enters the building and knocks very irritated at the office door. A nurse in full protective gear opens the door, lets him in, takes my insurance card and closes the door. A very irritated Postal worker leaves the doctor’s office. We are all exaggerating and this is nonsense. The nurse opens the door again and hands me my insurance card and my note.

My das throws his insurance card in his doctor’s mailbox and will get his doctors note send by the postal service. (He also has a cold.)

A coworker asks where I am, I tell them I’m sick. But keep me updated I can send assignments for my class

Tuesday 17/03/20

The school has agreed, assignments for the students will be published online. But probably not before next week since the system is not working. I prepare my assignments.

A WhatsApp group for all teachers from our school is founded. A colleague my age makes a joke, an older colleague immediately complains, since this is only for work purposes.

I go on a walk with a friend. I was planning on holding a distance, but her toddler takes my (disinfected) hand because she needs help with the stairs. I can’t tell a toddler I can’t help her.

Wednesday 18/03/20

My parents make a fire. I go. My mum complains my brother and dad use to much toilet paper.

Merkel speaks.

Thursday 19/03/20

I’m out of milk, cheese and bread so I brave the supermarket. It’s relatively empty. They are out of yeast (I wanted to make hot cross buns) and Cheese (which is a tragedy). And out of oatmilk (have been for weeks, what is going on) so soymilk it is.

I drop of eggs and toilet paper at my parents (mum couldn’t get them the day before). My mum is making clay soap dishes. My grandparents are using their sauna.

I prepare my aunts birthday gift. We are all missing her party. She lives an hour away and some of her neighbors got sick. So for my grandparents sake, we are careful.

Get an email from Uni. My timetable for next semester. Also there will be online assignments till we can reconvene in person.

[pixiealtaira]

Mistletoe Mayhem

Hummel Holidays 2016 prompt 17: Mistletoe

Pairing: Kadam of course

Summery: There is such a thing as TOO much Mistletoe.

By mid-December Kurt Hummel wasn’t sure if he loved going to Adam’s apartment or dreaded it.

He loved the peace at Adam’s apartment.  It was always less stressful than the loft. Rachel had been low-key annoyed with him since McKinley’s regionals where Kurt avoided Blaine like the plague and ‘ruined’ her dreams.  She showed it in not even trying to rein in her diva attitude, ever. And Kurt never knew how Santana was going to behave from one day to the next.

At least Blaine had found someplace else to live.  Rachel had invited him to stay with them while he found a place at the start of the semester.  Kurt slept in the loft one night he was there and then spent every other night for three weeks someplace else…either at Adam’s or other Apple’s places…and refused to pay rent while he was not living full time at the loft….going so far as to call Rachel’s dads to explain his dilemma.  Putting up with Blaine at NYADA was already nearly too much for Kurt to handle.

He loved the way Adam’s apartment always smelled.  Adam loved cooking, and he loved having Kurt over to cook with him even more.  Kurt loved cooking with Adam.   And Adam let him bake as much as he wanted.  There was room to move around in the kitchen area, and Adam had full sized appliances and there was an island that separated the kitchen from the rest of the living area and real cupboards and even a pantry. They burned scented candles and incense when they felt like it.  In that manner…Adam’s apartment was heaven.

Adam’s apartment had bedrooms and closets and bathrooms…with walls and doors. Granted the second bedroom was tiny, but it was big enough for a day bed and to be used as a guestroom…or sewing room or art room or study or whatever need was prevalent at the time. The second bathroom might have had only a sink and toilet, but it was off the living area so could be used by guests without them traipsing through the bedroom, so there was that.

He even loved how Adam’s apartment was decorated…for the most part.  Adam had several small trees…one about three feet high and two that were just little table top ones.  They were decorated in themes…one of the small ones was covered in little gingerbread figures and baking items like rolling pins and bowls.  Adam even had little tiny working cookie cutters strung on it.  The other was candy themed, with little blown glass ornaments shaped like wrapped hard candies and gumdrops.  Kurt loved the how delicate they were.  His favorite tree though, was the larger one…Adam picked odd themes and hunted all season to decorate the tree in them, so it was always changing just a little. Adam told Kurt someday when he had moved to a house he’d have a big tree which he’d decorate with all the odd things. The current theme was dungeons and dragons…and somewhere Adam had found a garland made of jingle bells and dice.  Kurt loved it and he didn’t even play D&D.

The problem was…mistletoe was everywhere…and it migrated.  Kurt never knew when he was going to be kissed stepping into the apartment. Not too much a problem when it was just him and Adam. But the rule was…if you were under the plant, you kissed and gathered your berry, so when anyone else was there as well you ended up kissing whoever you ended up under the plant with.  And Adam had some lecherous old lady neighbors…Miss Lilly caught him under the damned plants sixteen times one evening.  And at ninety she did NOT take no for an answer…his cheeks were pinched red and he was wearing more lipstick than she was by the end of the evening.

And Adam thought it hilarious.  Kurt was not as amused.  And it had frankly started to make him nervous to go to Adam’s. He’d even tried avoiding it after the Miss Lilly day. It didn’t really work.

Because the loft was even more ridiculous during the holiday season.  Rachel had gone nuts.  Every day he heard about the Santa debacle from the year before.  She just harped on and on about it.  Santana was snappy and snippy and bratty…Brittany was giving her mixed signals again and her folks were tossing issues up all over the place because they wanted her home but her grandmother didn’t.  And the loft had been decorated very ‘loudly’…by Rachel of all people.  The colors were bright and headache inducing and ugly to boot.

Not to mention Blaine and Sam were over constantly….for holiday parties and gatherings.  And Blaine with any bit of alcohol in him wouldn’t listen to him or leave him alone. And never believed in the word no at all.  Sam with any alcohol in him let Blaine do whatever Blaine liked because they were ‘bros’ and that was more important than anything.

And there was always alcohol.

He was attacked as much at the loft as he was at Adam’s, even without the large amount of mistletoe, by Blaine generally…although early in the month there had been a very scary evening where Santana had drunkenly decided she wanted to see why Brittany was always talking about his kisses and hands.  It was always blamed on the single bit of Mistletoe at their loft…always.

But Adam’s place wasn’t safe either, not with all the Mistletoe.

Kurt had decided to bring it up, even, but he figured that he would do so after the party Adam was hosting on the 18th.  He nearly broke down and talked to Adam before the 18th when Sam drunkenly grabbed his ass at Rachel’s mid-winter winter wonderland bash, but Adam was worried about his party anyway and after listening to his fears his party would be so dull his co-workers would never want to talk to him again, Kurt decided to suck it up and endure Miss Emily two door down’s wandering hands.  The party was for Adam’s co-workers from the café he worked at, so Kurt could kind of see Adam’s worry.  He wouldn’t know what to do with people who didn’t sing all the time either, especially those who also didn’t speak fashion.

Kurt arrived at Adam’s party a bit late.  The subway was running behind and he’d been stuck at the loft longer than he had wanted listening to Rachel’s rant about the Winter Showcase and her insistence that her crushed heart and soul could only be healed with tons of gifts…she would like one from Kurt every day of Hanukkah and at least four for Christmas and he was to make sure Santa found her as well.  Santana got in on the demand fest and ranting, and Blaine and Sam added their Christmas wish lists as they came in while Kurt was headed out.

Adam’s apartment was packed. Kurt couldn’t see him anywhere, either. He could see that the mistletoe rules were in effect and people caught under then were trading pecks back and forth nearly constantly.

Kurt looked upwards before stepping into the apartment and continued his pattern of looking upwards and then walking a few steps as he searched for Adam.  He finally caught sight of Adam near the stove in the Kitchen when he was grabbed by the arms and dragged two steps sideways.

The kiss was not a peck on the cheek.

Adam was at his side and removing him from the man who had grabbed him, placing Kurt behind Adam before the man let go enough for Kurt to step back.

Kurt could hear the slurred words as Adam lit into the fellow and then into the coworker who had brought his already drunk brother to the party in the first place.

Adam turned and bundled Kurt into his arms and then into the kitchen and into the small pantry.

“Darling, are you alright? I could take you home.  I’ll find Alice or someone to watch over everything. I could…”

“Adam, I’ll be fine. I just need to go brush my teeth and sanitize my mouth and scrub my face really well.  I thought at least here I’d be safe from drunken kissing. Old ladies, no…never safe from them, but drunken kisses, I thought I was good here. I hate December.  I hate stupid drunken parties and I hate mistletoe!”

Adam kissed the top of Kurt’s head and escorted him to the bathroom. He stood outside the door and waited for Kurt to be finished and then tucked Kurt against his side for the rest of the evening, which proceeded drama free from the most part.  There were two other Mistletoe incidents which went too far and there was nearly a fist fight over the Christmas Trivia game, but Adam managed to rein everyone in when they started to get rowdier than optimal in such a small space.  Kurt was never more than an arm’s reach away.  The white elephant exchange went well and the party games seemed to be a hit, so both Adam and Kurt decided it wasn’t a disaster, even if neither was willing to call it a complete success.

Kurt started cleaning up as soon as people started leaving, which was a reasonable 11pm. Adam had escorted the last group to a taxi and Kurt headed down to toss the trash into the bin outside.  Adam beat Kurt back.

He was tearing down the Mistletoe when Kurt entered the apartment.

“I am sorry.” He said as soon as he noticed Kurt watching him. “I thought it was funny when it was Miss Lilly and Miss Emily or any of the other old ladies in the building. I knew they were just doing it to tease you.  But it was not funny when someone drunk pulled you under and it wasn’t funny when others were mauled either.  I’m going to toss it all.”

“You don’t have to toss it all…”Kurt said softly.  “But I think it should be in just one place.”

“And where would that be?” Adam asked.

“Over your bed.  I mean, I assume I’m the only one who will be caught by it there, right?”

Adam smiled. “Definitely. You come pick your favorite piece and I’ll tuck it over the bed.  I am so very sorry, Kurt.  You should have knocked sense into me ages ago.”

Kurt walked over and wrapped his arms around Adam. “I didn’t want to make you stop a tradition.  I hate when that happens to me.”

“It isn’t a very old tradition…we had about four pieces in the house growing up. The original Apples started this the first year we formed and it was out of hand even then, really, but that lot was so wild and mixed up that I don’t think we ever noticed. Cutting it back to one bunch, just for us, will be still keeping tradition enough.”

“I love you.” Kurt said. He plucked the prettiest bunch out of the pile by Adam’s feet and went and laid it on the dresser in the bedroom. Then he picked another piece and sat it over the desk. “Two bunches, but in personal spots. I’m going to make sure all the dishes are done and everything is right in the bedroom. Don’t be too long. By the way, I hope you don’t mind me crashing more often.  With the reduction of mistletoe I’m going to be hanging here more often until the Holiday season is over and parties at the loft die down to maybe one a month…and with that the alcohol consumption. I am so very tired of drunken bumbling.”

Adam beamed. “I’ll clear more space in the dresser and closet. Maybe I’ll be able to convince you to just keep stuff here all the time.  And like…just keep adding to it until everything you own is here.”

Kurt spun around and rushed back to Adam. “Adam?”

“Just think about it, yeah?” Adam said. “I know you have several months still on your lease, but I hate what you have to deal with there.  I’ve heard about the shenanigans this month. Rachel is quite freely spreading it all around.  She is the biggest gossip I have ever met. If you were here, you wouldn’t get caught up in their mischief. We could just stick to our own type of carrying-on.”

Kurt smiled.  “I’ll think about it, but I’ll definitely bring stuff over for the rest of the month.”

Adam kissed Kurt. Kurt automatically looked up to see if they were under Mistletoe.

“And another reason for the plant to go.” Adam said. “Kisses aren’t just because anymore.  It is way past time I tossed the stuff.  With it gone you might stop thinking I need a reason to shower you with kisses.”

Kurt kissed Adam and then went humming towards the kitchen.  He really did rather love it at Adam’s apartment.

[socialattractionuk]

People share tales of hooking up at their office Christmas party

(Picture: Ella Byworth/ Metro.co.uk)

Ah, the classic office Christmas party hookup.

Months of friendly emails and eye contact in the queue for the microwave have been building up to this moment.

Sexual tension is running high. You’ve had a glass of mulled wine and are thus feeling naughty.

It’s time to finally blurt out that you’re interested in each other and start smushing your faces together in a corner.

But an office Christmas party hookup isn’t just a highlight of a year for the two people making out. All their coworkers get the thrill of hot, juicy gossip.

In case your office is dismally drama-free, we’ve asked people for their tales of hooking up with people at their office Christmas parties to bring you secondhand joy.

I’ll start, because I feel it’s only fair to share my story if I’m forcing people to reveal their office romances online.

Ellen, 25

Okay, so let me preface this by saying that the guy I got with at the Christmas party is now my boyfriend. We’ve been together two years, we live together, and we work together.

So… success.

There was a lot of buildup beforehand. We’d been messaging for months and had previously gone to a work thing (a festival dedicated to cats, if you’re curious) in which we were both really shy around each other, as well as chatting at usual work pub trips.

Basically, he and I both assumed that we had unrequited crushes.

It got to the Christmas party and – spoiler – we did not hook up.

But it was the official start of us dating, because I am smooth as f***.

After looking after a pal who’d gone a bit too hard on the drinks, we decided it was hometime. The tube station was closed, so I very smoothly suggested that we just get an Uber back to mine. He lived far away, we could split the cost, and there would be no funny business.

There was no funny business. We were very respectful and only had a very brief kiss. But it turns out getting a McDonald’s, sleeping in the same bed, and then going to work the next morning sleep-deprived and in need of carbs, is quite an intimate experience.

We ended up coming clean about our mutual crush and decided to go on an actual date.

We did, it went well, and soon we were in a proper relationship. We had a very serious discussion about what would happen if things went wrong (if someone cheated they had to leave their job, if it was a mutual breakup we could both stay at work together and make sure we could collaborate as friends) and kept things secret for a good few months, making the official announcement with a casual holiday Instagram from Barcelona.

It was all very sweet, he is lovely, and it’s the first healthy relationship I’ve been in, even with the initial worry about whether we’d both get sacked.

Anyway. Can we read other people’s stories now? I’m deeply embarrassed.

(Picture: Phébe Lou Morson for Metro.co.uk)

Tara, 26

Yes there was a build up, it was mainly all about the build up. Went on lunches together all the time, constant flirting and messaging. I went to his flat for dinner, nothing happened.

Christmas party comes along and I’m basically determined that it was the night it would happen.

He arrives later than everyone and kind of gives me the cold shoulder a little. I’m like ,what is going on? This is what we have been waiting for!

I catch him in a quiet corner, there’s a very passionate snog, and then he says: ‘I can’t see you for the rest of the night but I will explain later.’

WHAT?

Then I see him with a girl who has just arrived.

His work bestie pulls me to one side and is like, oh, yeah, that’s his girlfriend.

I did what any 22-year-old would do: I found a handsome stranger and snogged him in front of work guy.

Work guy gets annoyed, pulls me outside, and yells at me while his bestie preoccupies his girlfriend.

He said it was mean to do it out of spite. He said he didn’t want to be with his girlfriend, he wanted to be with me, and he didn’t know his girlfriend would turn up.

Then he leaves. I didn’t talk to him for a week after.

We did eventually sleep together after leaving work at the same time one day, but then didn’t talk again until I handed in my notice a month later.

Two years ago he moved to London and messaged me to ask if I fancied meeting for a drink. I said no.

Sarah, 23

There was no buildup – I just always thought he was a really nice person and that we had similar interests. We got on really well and in my mind I thought I’d be working with him in the future so I never thought of crossing the professional line.

He’s told me since he always liked me when we worked together but didn’t want to act upon it, as he wanted to be professional.

We still don’t know who made the first move as we both had one too many drinks. But last year we were dancing with each other at our work Christmas party at a nightclub and then it just suddenly happened. We kissed out of nowhere.

Colleagues spotted us and from what I remember I ran to the toilet in embarrassment. I couldn’t believe what had happened. My friend followed me and we spoke about it in shock.

I obviously wasn’t worried about people seeing at the time as we were both drunk but I think I immediately regretted it.

After speaking to my friend and also realising everyone saw the kiss, I think we just carried on chatting and dancing. Later we went back to his and we both passed out on the sofa super quick. We both woke up and moved to sleep in his room, then I woke up at around 11am fully dressed with my belt, jeans and jacket on with a full face of makeup, lying on top of the covers.

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I immediately thought what is everyone going to think at work on Monday? I saw so many missed calls and messages on my phone from my work friend and I literally could not face replying, I was so embarrassed.

In my mind I had to leave his house straight away as I thought it must have been a drunken mistake, but then he asked me if I wanted to stay for lunch, I knew then it was something different and that it wouldn’t be awkward.

He was leaving work anyway, so there weren’t really any consequences. Most people said they saw it coming, others said they were shocked. I still couldn’t really believe it myself!

Thank goodness it was the last week of work before Christmas so it meant most people were off on holiday leave, so I didn’t have to face much embarrassment.

It also meant that hopefully everyone would forget it even happened over the Christmas break (I hoped). Over the Christmas holidays we saw each other a few times for dinner and drinks and I realised I really liked him.

I think because I knew he had left work, I allowed myself to like him more – and it kept growing from there.

Next week on 15 December it will be a year from when we first got together. In January that’s our official year anniversary. He’s completely a part of my family and life now. I also think he’s my dad’s best friend…

Emma, 23

I always fancied him a little bit I think but we were always so busy at work we never really got to further anything. I never really got to test the waters. By the time we finished at work at 5/6am, I was never feeling or looking my best to think here is a good moment to try.

But we’d occasionally drink after we finished and we’d always have a great, flirty time.

We were bartenders so we didn’t have an actual Christmas party, we had a delayed ‘thanks for the work over Christmas party’ in January.

We closed the bar for an evening on a Sunday when we were usually very quiet and basically just went hard on the booze, karaoke and silly bar games. We spent most of the evening together playing bar olympics and there had been a lot of alcohol.

A couple of people had asked me separately if I was interested in him but I got cagey and weird. Turns out they’d asked him and he was interested.

Not sure the exact steps leading up to the ‘main event’ but we ended up nipping off to the disabled toilets together and you can guess the rest.

It was very drunk, sloppy, awkward groping each other against the doors and walls. Knowing how grotty the floor was meant that laying down was never an option.

The sink was a bit dodgy as well and not really attached to the wall so as we leaned on that or I was bent over it I got a bit scared I was gonna rip the whole thing off the wall. We both finished and it was ok as drunken toilet based hookups go.

Everyone saw us go in and applauded as we came out. Horrific.

Absolutely nothing changed afterwards. We never hooked up again, but stayed friends and continued to work together well and have fun and even meet each others new partners. Our colleagues teased us but we just accepted it.

I don’t live in the same city any more but we are still Facebook friends and if I returned I wouldn’t feel awkward seeing him.

(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

Molly, 29

Before the party I saw him, like, once in the office but had no interaction.

I had a boyfriend at the time so I wasn’t looking or noticing other people.

Anyway, there we were at the Christmas party listening to the boss making a Christmas speech surrounded by dancers when Sam said something inappropriate to me and we both started howling.

Honestly, the next thing I remember is literally getting it on in a room at the back of the club.

We left together but I was actually on the way to meet my boyfriend and tried to shake him off. I was very ashamed.

But we did actually have a conversation after someone told me he had a girlfriend. I was going to tell him I had a boyfriend and before I said anything he was like, ‘I have a girlfriend so don’t worry about this being anything’.

He proceeded to follow me home and ask to take me to a hotel.

I shook him off and was, like, f***, what did I do? How can I go back to the office?

But the next day in the office we started chatting on Slack. That was the start of a beautiful romance, but there was a sizeable gap between the hookup and the official getting together.

The Christmas party was the initial meet but we didn’t get together ’til April.

Now we have cats.

Abby, 28

There was SO MUCH buildup to it. We’d sat opposite each other for a few months and just spent our working days flirting between customer calls.

It made work so much more enjoyable, and I spent 99% of my time there happy and confident.

We were pretty merry at our christmas do and a couple of us went on to a club. We just ended up kissing in the corner of the nightclub. I’m not really sure which of us made the first move.

I’m pretty sure nobody saw us, although we were pretty paranoid about it – as both of us had partners at the time.

I think a lot of people in the office shipped us anyway. They were always telling us how good we’d be together.

The next day was pretty awkward. We spoke about what happened on the phone and vowed we were just friends. I could tell he was pretty pleased with himself though.

The sexual tension continued and then a few months later we actually slept together a couple of times.

In the long term it definitely made work a little more uncomfortable, especially as we had to face the music with our respective partners – we couldn’t help but resent each other for a while.

I don’t work in the same place now, but over the years since we’ve managed to remain friendly – there’s no chemistry between us anymore, and we rarely see each other at all, but we’d always be there if the other needed it.

(Picture: Ella Byworth/Metro.co.uk)

Lucy, 40

Working in a producing theatre company (specifically Hull Truck Theatre) was great for a single girl in her 20s. There were so many new people coming through the doors for each show so I’d scan the cast headshots for potential boyfriend material.

We’d have a meet ‘n’ greet in the foyer with the new cast and crew and I spotted Chris, the Geordie actor who was cast in a show called Cooking With Elvis by Lee Hall. I was instantly smitten.

I proceeded to avoid him for 3 years as I was far too socially awkward to speak to him.

If I bumped into him in the supermarket, I legged it down the aisle. If I bumped into him in the green room, I stood with my back to him to make a cuppa. He thought I HATED him.

The only thing I ever managed to say to him was that I’d found a butternut squash rotting in the back of my wardrobe. Keeping quiet, I think, was far more endearing.

I was at the Hull Truck Christmas party, and was returning to my mates after a trip to the loo when Chris walked up to me and said ‘you look nice’. I giggled nervously and replied: ‘so do you’.

He offered me a ciggie, lit it for me (it was pre-2007) and I scurried over to my girlfriends with a Marlboro hanging out my mouth excitedly telling them: ‘Chris just said I looked nice.’ We all stood smoking ciggies in our posh frocks and looking over towards him with anticipation

After the initial compliment and ciggie moment, Chris came over to me and, with the grace of a down-to-earth gadgie said: Give us a kiss. Let’s give these c***s something to talk about.’

I fell hook line and sinker. We snogged outside the bar and heard lots of not very subtle whispers of ‘look – Lucy and Chris are snogging’ as each member of the theatre bar and front of house crew took it in turns to have a spy.

Back in the theatre the next morning, the exec director announced how much fun Lucy was having at the party last night and I hid under my desk with a beetroot red face.

We didn’t leave the party together that night. But just a few days later it was the press night for another show Chris was in – A Kick in the Baubles. After doing Cooking with Elvis where he got his bum out on stage for comedy sex scenes with about three different characters, he was now in a festive farce that included him donning a PVC mini skirt, fishnet tights and marigold gloves whilst re-enacting the Queen video for I Want to Break Free.

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So it was a bit try before you buy in some ways.

Mind you, the events following press night didn’t involve PVC or Freddie Mercury impressions thankfully. And it must have been alright, because, despite the festive booze, he stayed with me until his call for the show the next evening.

No we’re married. We’ve got a mortgage. We’re in it for life.

Despite the fact we can seriously annoy the crap out of each other, he’s definitely the one for me.

It was 2011 when we married, and I’ve called Newcastle my home since 2006. So I’d say we’re in it for good. And I’m pretty blummin happy about that.

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