Did I make my friend uncomfortable?

[Frazzle]

Yesterday, a friend/coworker was going to be gone for a month and a half so I went in to give her a hug. As I awkward put out my arms, she said she wasn't going to give me a hug because she was sick and didn't want to give me the "bubonic plague." I was left hanging so I went in awkwardly for a side hug which she did not really reciprocate. She was really sick and had to leave early that day. She was coughing up a storm. But I'm afraid I might have made her uncomfortable or creeped her out (I'm a guy).

 

Now we have hugged before. I don't really give her hugs that often, only for special occasions like her birthday or when I was consoling her because she was crying about her grandfather being close to dying. I also gave her a hug when she came back after being gone for 3 weeks one time and she returned it enthusiastically and seemed genuinely glad to see me.

 

We are really friends outside of work as well. We hang out outside of work. As a matter of face, she just invited me to her place a couple of weeks ago to drink tea and "talk." We literally talked and just sat on a swing set on the deck.

 

Was it because she was sick that she didn't hug me? Or was I making her uncomfortable? Am I overthinking this? I just feel awkward about the whole thing. I think one of my worst fears is going in for a hug and not having it reciprocated. And especially since it's at work, I don't want to make my coworkers uncomfortable. She's a friend but she's still a coworker after all.

Edited July 14, 2018 by Frazzle

[preraph]

Guess it depends on if everyone else was lined up to give her hugs too and if it's a huggy office. Hugging in front of employees, if it's not the norm, can be embarrassing and cause people to talk and ask questions. Has she ever initiated a hug with you? If not, I'd say stop and things will be fine.

[Frazzle]

Guess it depends on if everyone else was lined up to give her hugs too and if it's a huggy office. Hugging in front of employees, if it's not the norm, can be embarrassing and cause people to talk and ask questions. Has she ever initiated a hug with you? If not, I'd say stop and things will be fine.

 

Do you mean stop giving her hugs at work or overall? Now that I think about it, she's never initiated a hug. But to be fair, the last time we hugged at work, she seemed very enthusiastic. We hadn't seen each other for awhile at that point.