Only You and I (You and I #2)

by H. M. Irwing

  I called the men in and the noise from the living room dispersed to reconvene over the dining table. I perched myself on the kitchen bench top to listen in.

  A sudden knock on the back door drew our attention with snapping precision. I was sure I had earned a whiplash for my efforts. I gingerly stretched out the creek in my neck as I stared at door along with the rest of us. Expecting the worse, Dad slowly rose to open the door. There stood poor Cat all cold and shivering. Jake moved before I could and pulling her out of Dad's enveloping arms into his own, he guided her to take a seat at the table. It was amusing to watch her flush red under the scrutiny of the many eyes trained on her. I rushed to get her some hot chocolate and a slice of the pie.

  Davey repeated himself for the umpteenth time for her benefit. Explaining the law and the legal repercussions that could arise, he then went on to explain he had a friend who could advise on the Islamic law angle but as long as Cat remained in this country the laws here would protect her. But when the babe was born the tussle over the child could be an entirely different matter.

  We talked and argued the subject matter to death. There was no clear resolution. In all respects it became apparent that the only course of action was to somehow make peace with Sadiq. The chances of a diplomat being imprisoned for the crime of having sex with a consenting but under aged girl was near impossible despite the clever and convincing bluff Davey pulled earlier on. There was too much at stake. The country would not jeopardise the tentative peace with Sadiq's family over this.

  The night was long and in the end not fruitful. Tired and sleepy after seeing off the last of our guests I climbed into bed beside Jake ready to fall into the deepest slumber only to be jerked awake by his next question," So who is Barry?"

  Chapter 12

  "You know Barry. I've mentioned him before. He was the guy who got me the intern job," I muttered tiredly.

  "Why were you in his arms?" Jake asked quietly.

  I shrugged my shoulders finding it difficult to explain. "I don't know. I was just glad to see a familiar face on my first day at work. Especially, after Michael was giving me such a hard time of it. So when I saw Barry... I was just overwhelmingly glad." I looked at Jake to assess his reaction. I got nothing. His face was shrouded in shadows.

  "You took overlong in your farewell to Richard," he said after a while just when I thought it was all sorted out. My heart thumped in the low beat of guilt.

  "He wanted to kiss me," I admitted softly muttering under my breath.

  "Did you?" Jake asked as softly staring up at the ceiling. I recalled my moment with Richard. I had unwittingly escorted him to his car. My feet following after him of their own accord just after we bid him good night at the door. Jake had already done his disappearing act to retreat to my room. I on the other hand had set out to land myself in trouble.

  "You shouldn't have followed me," Richard paused by the door of his car his back to me. I shrugged my shoulders not sure why I had. I was in a trance.. a zombie-like-state, devoid of sense and functioning on instinct. That’s what happened to me when I stayed up into the night and had all the adrenaline drained out of me from events too exciting to comprehend. Jake understood that about me. Usually he found it funny. He would purposely trigger my adrenaline and keep me up way past my usual bedtime rousing my inner stupor into a state of utter stupidity.

  But Richard didn't know that. He didn't know why I followed him. He didn't realise that I did so simply because I missed him. That I loved him, still. That he shouldn't know. I started to backtrack then my feet stumbling over each other as I made a confused but urgent retreat.

  Two steps. That was all I managed before he was there. Wrapping his arms around my waist and drawings me tenderly back against him. I felt myself melt into his frame. We simply stood there with his arms about me and his face buried into my hair for I don't know how long.

  "I need to kiss you," Richard murmured into my hair. I turned my head slightly rocked by the shivers of anticipation that broke out all over me. I felt that need too.

  But I couldn't. "I can't," I had said.

  "But you want to. You want me," Richard remarked confidently. I couldn't deny that. So I started to pull free.

  He spun me around and brought his lips down onto mine stopping just a breath away. Tantalising me with no contact. I swayed into him but he held back. Moving his lips away. I followed. Each time he dodged my searching lips, I blindly followed. Knowing he was playing with me but unable to help myself.

  "I would love to throw you in my car and whisk you away. I would love to kiss those plump lips and ravish your senses away. But mostly I would love to strip you bare and lay you before me. Bury myself to the hilt inside you...," he whispered huskily,urgently, but then he drew back. "But I won't because Jake is my friend and you are not yourself right now. Go back,” said Richard showing more understanding… and restraint, than I had given him credit for.

  Richard took a controlled step back then another. After a long look, he turned to get into his car and then drove off without a backward glance.

  I had felt deflated. Numb and empty and I trudged back in. Closing the front door, I then felt the wave of guilt. Guilt for betraying Jake. That same guilt I felt now.

  "We didn't kiss." I said unable to lie to him.

  "But you wanted to?"

  "Yes."

  ************

  I woke up groggy from the lack of sleep. The night had been all the shorter after that revelation. I spent a good deal of it staring at Jake’s fake sleeping face. I could tell he was awake just refusing to acknowledge me. I also knew that he would be gone first thing in the morning. So I tried... I tried to stay awake to keep my eyes trained on him so he wouldn't disappear on me. But then I slept and he did.

  So I got dressed and rocked up to the silent and tired breakfast table to announce that I was leaving for work. I received no reply but was unaffected by that. My family had plenty on their plate. I reached the front door and would have successfully made a lucky escape if it hadn't been for my dad calling me back with," Lucy? Where is your sister? Where is Emily?"

  That jerked me to a halt. I groaned inwardly before I stuck my head back in to mumble ineligibly," She's staying at Lisa's." Then I scuttled off hurriedly.

  Lifting my phone I promptly sent a message to Emily.

  Get your ass home. Dad is asking about you.

  Satisfied that I have done my sisterly duties, I dashed off to the ends of Earth, in short to the Building in town.

  Defiantly, pulling up in the exact same spot as before, I turned off the roaring engine. I made sure to place the note I had scribbled on the dashboard facing out. Locking the door I checked to make sure my writing was visible.

  Call this number before you tow. This lawyer works here.

  Satisfied that it was legible I trotted off smartly to my place of work. Today I was dressed in a grey fitted slacks and a black and white top. Yes I have been bold in my wardrobe and add in a dash of colour that was not grey. Only black and white was grey. It was certainly becoming as indecisive, if the situation with Cat was anything to go by.

  Carrying my matching grey jacket over my arm. I strode on confidently in. I had braved the horrors of this place once before. I would survive it again.

  Heading straight to Michael's office I was surprised to see he wasn't in yet. I thought back to the trashing he received from Jake and hope he wasn't too impaired. Then again his absence meant my day off.

  I sat at my desk and noting the empty in tray. I meshed my fingers and fiddled my thumbs to wait impatiently. It wasn't long before Michael strode through the door and without a glance my way dropped a heap of papers in my in-tray that robbed my attention for the day.

  Lunch was missed again. So when my phone rang much later, I welcomed the intervention. I was surprised to see it was Sam, Jake's dad's assistant. I found myself agreeing against my better judgement to meet up with her for a belated lunch.

  "I am done with this pile. Can I
go on to lunch?" I asked very professionally and was proud of myself in not stuffing up my second working day with hyped up emotions. In a way, last night had worked some wonders. It made me so emotionally drained that it would take at least a day to recover.

  I looked up from the neatly placed pile in my out tray to offer a proud beam Michael's way only to find his eyes already trained on me. I'm figuring out this to be a habit he had of staring into space while he thought things through and that it was just a coincidence that I just happened to be occupying that space. I wasn't sure but I didn't want to contemplate any other possible reasons.

  Michael gave me the slightest nod. At least that is what I thought he did. No matter I took the dip in his head as the consent I was looking for. Then I was out the door, my bag in tow, heading for a lunch I wanted but was not looking forward to.

  I exited the Building in a rush knowing that with the present traffic it would take a while to wield my way across town to where I had arranged to meet Sam. I shuffled along at a rapid pace. That was when I ran into a stone wall.

  Falling onto my ass with bruising force I cried out in a squeaky-pitched-shock-resulted hoarse voice," Creep! Watch where you are go-."

  I stopped short when I saw that it was Barry.

  "Sorry luv. I am in a bit of a rush. The damn taxi I called for is not here yet. I needed to be at the clients an hour ago," Barry threw me a harassed looking but apologetic smile. I took his offered hand and hauled myself back onto my feet.

  "I could give you a lift," I found myself automatically offering, and then silently cursing myself for doing so. This would only make me even more late for my luncheon with Sam. But tried as I might, I couldn't quite see the fault in that.

  "Will you? My driver called in sick today and the whole day has fallen out of whack," Barry explained, and then at my uncomprehending look he went on," Jade has my car you see."

  "You have a female driver?" I looked up in surprise at him as he helped dust me off.

  "I evolve with the times, luv. Having a female driver is everything its’ said to be and did I mention Jade was hot to look at too," he said and we exchanged a knowing grin.

  "So where's your car?" Barry asked and my knowing grin turned vindictive. I let my gaze slowly drift away from his interested stare to settle on my beloved but awful looking metal clunker. The Wogwarts stole his breath away and with it his rosy colour too. I stared with outright glee as his parlour took on a greenish hue.

  "Unless you're...,” I drifted off barely refraining myself from saying chicken. “I mean you'd rather not."

  Barry took in a dry gulp, stiffened his shoulders and then with utter determination took himself off to stand by my car.

  "Let's just do this and get it over with," he said tightly.

  Chapter 13

  "I could get disbarred for this," Barry muttered under his breath. "I'm sure this vehicle is in violation of every road safety rule. I am certain in agreeing ...," he broke off from his mutterings to catch hold of the dashboard while I did a quick swerve that took us into the heart of traffic.

  Immediately the honks and horns blew, marking the recognition from our fellow road users of our presence. The sounds drowned out Barry's mutterings. Then I did what I seldom do. And were I not in the haste I was in I wouldn't have attempted at all. But I was in a hurry and from Barry's own words ...he was too. Desperate situations called for desperate measures. I clenched my teeth in adverse anticipation and pressed my palm onto the centre of the steering wheel and sounded the horn.

  As expected the blare was long and loud and oddly resembling the air horn of a massive freight ship. Like the sea parted before Moses so did the vehicles swerve out of our way. The beeping horns of all other road users fell silent. Traffic was no longer a hindrance… that is, until I turned off into the next congested road and once again, took my place in the queue.

  Then I turned to check on Barry. His greenish hue was by now alarming. "You're not going to throw up in my car are you? I don't think I have a barfing bag. At least I no longer have one. I forgot to replace my previous one when it got...used up," I finished off blithely and stared at him with suitable concern on my face.

  "What the fuck was that?" His green skin tone disappeared to be replaced with an equally alarming shade red. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat then after a long drawn out silence in which Barry didn't move, I didn't move and well, yes…the traffic didn't move, I offered up a sheepishly apologetic smile.

  I opened my mouth to offer an explanation but then the traffic kicked into gear at the same time. So I released my clutch and pressed on the gas, slowly, to keep the engine going, as I guided Wogwarts to pick up its pace. It would be all I needed to have old Woggy stall on me just now.

  "I'm waiting."

  I turned to stare at him having already forgotten his question. Driving this thing took all my concentration. "Huh?"

  "The blasted horn!"

  "Oh! It was a prank that my boyfriend, Jake played on me a while back," I said recalling that day. "Of course we weren't a couple back then," I explained further at his stunned reaction. As if that mattered. What did Jake and I being a couple or not matter in him gifting me this blasted horn?

  "What surprises me is that he is your boyfriend, now," Barry muttered mockingly, implying in his tone, that I was beyond stupid in that regard. I didn’t question his presumption. That I could get. And at this moment, even agree with… whole heartedly. Jake did, after all, give me this bloody air horn. But then he was suffering from his own miscalculation. Jake hated Wogwarts and just knowing the terrible horn resided within its bony metallic hull, made him resent old Woggy all the more.

  I simply shrugged my shoulders. Thinking of Jake was a good way of curtailing my glee at Barry's expense. Jake and I hadn't parted off well this morning. That still worried me.

  Shifting along the suddenly moving traffic, I drove on in silence and Barry too appeared to be lost in his own thoughts. He only emerged now and then to point out a direction and I meekly obeyed his command. Then we arrived at his stop and seeing that it was not far from mine and a parking spot was conveniently available I spun into the slot and slammed my breaks and hand-break to draw the car to a jerking halt within the limited space.

  "I'm not far from here. If you're not long I could give you a ride back when I'm done," I said into the awkward silence in the car.

  "Your number," Barry said staring still ahead while passing me his unlocked phone. I took it and keyed in my contact then handed it back.

  "That ...was a revelation," Barry said with something of awe in his voice. I merely nodded and slammed my way out of Wogwarts. I rarely locked up behind me as there was never a point but in order to make a better impression with the boss I waited for him to emerge and then did just that.

  I didn't hold much by way of his having experienced a revelation. Whatever insight he’d gain on me couldn’t have been any good. This ride couldn't have earned me any brownie points with the big boss. Not that I was out to earn these points, but any thrown my way couldn’t hurt either.

  I walked the short distance to Mickie's Corner where Sam had messaged me to meet up. With uncertain apprehension I made my way at a brisk pace. Pushing open the door I glanced inside searching for her but couldn't find Sam. What the...?

  Restraining the urge to curse out loud. I moved to sit at an empty table. In a rush a harried looking waitress popped up to take my order. "A chicken parma, please. Extra sauce," I said without looking at the menu. Picking a dish I thought they would have. This place looked like they would serve up a parma.

  "We do not have chicken parma. This is a vegetarian restaurant," said the upstart waitress with an unpleasant smirk.

  "Vege?" Ugh! If Sam planned revenge this was a sure way to go about it.

  "A burger then," I muttered sarcastically. I was hungry enough to eat even a tofu burger. Fake meat, whatever.

  "Sorry, I'm late." Sam appeared at my side in a rush bringing in the cool breeze from outdoors
in her wake. The door slammed shut behind her. She looked a little harried.

  "I'm in a rush. That traffic could have near killed me. Have you ordered yet?" Sam bit out in a rush, as she all but dropped into her seat before me. She looked, to put it nicely… out of sorts. The Sam I knew never really fumbled over anything but here she was doing just that. I watched with rising worry as her elbow jarred against the table nipping the edge of her fork causing it to flip up in the air, rotated in an arch and then landed on the floor with a clatter.

  This Sam startled me. I had only even seen her looking poised and all graceful before. I watched as she ignored her clumsy entry and broke into a speech on the merits of this place of eatery. She tumbled through too much information then ended it with a repeated query, “So, have you ordered, yet?”

  A little stunned by the speed of the information overload I was flooded with, I simply nodded my head, "Yes, I ordered a burger."

  "Great! They have the best burgers," she said just as the sprightly waitress bobbed back again. "I'll have a burger with sauce on the side," Sam said before she was asked.

  I grimaced. Who in their right minds ordered a burger with a side sauce?

  "You wanted to see me?" I was suddenly impatient to get it over with.

  Without a word she dug out a folder from her briefcase and placed it in front of me. "Don't look at that yet," she said.

  "What is it?"

  "It’s what you had Jake ask me to look into for you. I thought you might want to have it straight off me rather than me going through Jake to get it to you," she said just as the waitress turned up with my lunch order.

  "Thank you," I said to Sam as I pondered whether I could dig into my burger or if I had to wait for her meal to arrive first. She took pity on me. "You get started. Mine will be here soon. This place is famous for its prompt service. It’s best to eat it hot."