This Man

‘I’m off,’ Victoria calls, getting up from her desk. ‘I’ll be back about four.’

‘I won’t see you. I’ve a doctor’s appointment at four.’

‘Oh?’ She glances over on her way out.

‘I lost my pills.’ I offer. She pulls a face that tells me she’s been there and done that. It makes me feel slightly better for being so careless.

I start filtering through my emails and take some copies of drawings to send to my contractors.

When it hits three o’clock, I go to make the coffee. Sally always does it, but I’m relieved to ease my eyes from my bright computer screen.

‘Ava?’ I hear Sally call me. I poke my head around the kitchen door, seeing her waving the office phone. ‘A man on the phone for you, he won’t say who he is.’

My heart jumps into my throat. I know damn well who it is. ‘Is he on hold?’

‘Yes, shall I put him through?’

‘No!’ I yell, and poor nervous Sally flinches. ‘I’m sorry. Tell him I’m out of the office.’

‘Oh, okay.’ She looks all wide eyed and confused as she pushes a button on the phone that will connect her back to Jesse. ‘I’m sorry, Sir. Ava is out of the offi…’ She jumps a metre into the air, dropping the phone onto her desk with a loud clatter. She scrambles to pick it up again. ‘I…I…I’m…I’m…sor…sorry, Sir…’ She’s stuttering and stammering all over the place, a good indication that Jesse is yelling down the phone at her. I feel riddled with guilt for putting her through this. ‘Sir, please…I…I assure you…she’s…she’s not here.’

I watch as she freaks out at her desk, looking at me wide eyed and stunned as she’s verbally assaulted by Mr Neurotic. I smile apologetically. I’ll buy her some flowers.

She drops the phone back into the cradle, looking at me in shock. ‘Who was that?’ she asks. She’s going to cry.

‘Sally, I’m so sorry.’ I quickly grab the coffees from the kitchen – the only peace offering I can lay my hands on at the moment – and drop Patrick’s on his desk, exiting sharply before he can strike up a conversation. I take Sally’s coffee to her desk and place it on her coaster. ‘I’m so sorry.’ I hope I sound as guilty as I feel.

Sally blows out a long exasperated breath. ‘Someone needs a cuddle!’ She starts giggling.

I’m completely stunned on the spot. I was expecting tears and a nervous breakdown. Instead, dull as dish water Sally has just cracked a joke. I look at the mousey, plain Jane chuckling, and I start laughing too – a proper bend over, tears in my eyes, stomach cramping belly laugh. It feels so good. Sally joins me in my hysteria as we both fall apart all over the office.

‘What’s going on?’ Patrick’s voice calls from his desk.

I wave my hand in the air to him and he rolls his eyes, returning to his computer on an exasperated head shake. I couldn’t tell him, even if I was in a fit state to talk. I leave Sally crying and head for the toilet to sort myself out. Oh, that feels so good. I’ve seen Sally in a whole new light. I like sarcastic Sally.

When I’ve gathered myself together and dabbed my running mascara, I let Patrick know that I’m off for a doctor’s appointment. ‘I’m sorry, Sally, I can’t look at you!’ I splutter as I pass her desk and leave the office, hearing her laughing again. I compose myself and make my way to the tube.

Chapter 23

After receiving a lecture about carelessness from Doctor Monroe, our life-long family doctor, she gave me a prescription for my pills and sent me on my way, but not before checking how Mum and Dad are getting on in Newquay. With Dad’s health being the main reason for their winding down from the big city, she was keen to hear all is well.

I stop off at the chemist on the way home, rolling in the door at just before six. It makes a change to be home so early. I’m surprised to find Kate isn’t home, but Margo is parked up outside so she’s not delivering cakes.

I shower, change into my shorts and vest, and blow-dry my hair roughly. When I’m done, I grab my phone from my bag and roll my eyes at the twenty missed calls and, rather sensibly, delete the five texts without reading them. It starts silently flashing in my hand as I walk through to the kitchen. Won’t the man just give up? He’s clearly not use to rejection, and he clearly doesn’t like it.

My wine bottle clatters against my glass, mid-pour, when I jump out of my skin at an almighty bang on the front door.

‘Ava!’

‘Oh God,’ I mutter to myself.

‘Ava!’ he roars, banging again.

I hurry through to the lounge, looking out of the blind to see Jesse staring up at the window. He looks frantic. What’s wrong with that man? He can stay out there all night, if he likes, I’m not answering the door. Being face to face with him will be a huge mistake. I watch as he holds his phone to his ear and mine starts flashing in my hand again. I reject it and look on as he glances at his phone in disbelief.

‘Ava! Answer the f**king door!’

‘No.’ I snap, watching him pace down the path to the road. I nearly have heart failure when I spot Sam pull up in his Porsche. Kate gets out.

Shit!

She approaches Jesse, who’s waving his arms around like a loon, as Sam joins them on the pavement and rubs his shoulder in a gesture of comfort. They talk for a few moments before Kate leads them up the path to the front door.

‘No, Kate!’ I shout at the window. ‘Fuck, f**k, f**k, f**k!’ That’s it, our friendship is over!