by Ada Frost
Chapter 13
I sat in contemplative silence at my desk, staring at data I could easily process in my sleep, but my fingers remained poised motionless over the keyboard. I couldn’t explain what I was starting to feel, was it the perpetual veil of numbness finally lifting from me or the realisation that Dominic was finally committing to Vanessa by moving in with her but something simmered within me, wanting to break free, a sudden desire to finally fight for him and declare myself. I had quietly accepted everything and had taken whatever scraps life wanted to throw my way, but taking Dominic away from me completely – that terrified me more than anything Elliott was capable of doing.
My desk phone rang startling me out of my trance; I looked at the clock noting the time “Good Morning, Evelyn Beaumont.”
“Morning Eve it’s Lucinda. Your lunch has arrived.” She said softly.
“Oh, erm...thanks. I’ll be down in a minute” we said our goodbyes and I stared at the phone like it was suddenly going to explain my lunch arrival, the lunch I hadn’t even ordered.
After collecting my lunch I returned to my office and sat at my desk, opened my goody bag. A bagel with cream cheese and bacon, a chocolate orange muffin and a cup held my favourite asparagus soup. I smiled as a warm tingling spread through my body.
Just as I was about to take a bite of my bagel my desk phone rang again. Sighing I placed it down carefully and picked the receiver up.
“Good Morning Evelyn Beaumont speaking”
“It never gets old hearing that sexy little voice of yours” my ears buzzed hearing his voice.
“H...hi” I stammered and swallowed my nerves.
“Angel I've missed you so much this past week, I just wanted to check see if you were getting on okay at work. mum said it was your first day back today”
“Eve...you still there?”
“Yeah sorry”
“So...is everything going okay?” He sounded nervous.
“Yeah” I answered quietly.
“I’ll be home this weekend.” He cleared his throat “I wondered... just a thought because we haven’t seen each other in a while...I thought...maybe I could book us a hotel room for the weekend and we could spend the weekend together...just the two of us. What do you think?” before I had chance to answer he started talking again “I think it’s what we need, time together...just the two of us. So we can reconnect, because I feel like lately we seem to be drifting apart...I know it’s because I work so far away” I wanted to laugh at that statement, and explain exactly why we weren’t connecting. “Say yes Angel”
“Okay” I gulped and hated myself for being so weak.
“Okay.” He breathed out a relieved breath. “I’ll see you Friday.” I expected him to hang up but then he said “I love you, and I miss you so much”
“Yeah” I uttered and disconnected the line. I knew I will have just annoyed him, but I couldn’t stand to hear him any longer.
My mobile alerted me to a text and I contemplated ignoring it, fearing it was from Elliott. But when I activated the screen a small smile spread across my face.
Hope you liked your lunch x
Tmw I’ve ordered a ploughman’s for you x
Dx
My smile grew exponentially.
Delicious thank you x Ex
My phone chimed a second later
Sorry I wasn’t there to take you to work
I'm helping V move house but should be back to normal Wed.
I wanted to see you
Dx
Don’t worry about it Johan helped me out,
He even took Ellie to school lol
I smiled remembering their constant banter in the car.
Y?
I frowned at his super short reply.
She asked him to.
He turned up early and after Sunday Ellie has taken a shine to him
She practically begged him to take her lol
Ex
I bit at my thumb waiting for his response, I giddy excitement swelled in my stomach. My desk phone rang making me jump.
“Evely –“
“What happened Sunday?” Dominic interrupted sounding out of breath. “Dominic?”
“Who else? Yes it’s me, now what happened Sunday?” He snapped his voice laced with frustration.
“How are –“
“Eve come on what happened Sunday?
I let out a loud breath “Johan came round to see how I was and to tell me that you were busy and wouldn’t be offering a lift, so he would be there in your place –“
“He wasn’t...I didn’t send him in my place. I asked if he minded passing by your house Monday and seeing if you needed a lift. I didn’t say to turn up Sunday.”
“Anyway...he told me you were moving Vanessa in...” I paused hoping he would argue that little fact but he stayed silent so I continued “we talked for a bit and then Ellie came in and saw that Johan had upset me –“
“What? Why did he upset you? What did he say?”
I let out a frustrated sigh with his constant interruption, it was like I was on speed chat and he was timing our talk like a quick fire round. I chose to ignore his question and continued “so in a panic he said we could all go to the park and play on the swings. Ellie was fine with that but by the time we came out of my room –“
“What! Why were you in your bedroom?” He practically shouted down the phone line.
“Because I was in bed...” I gasped when I realised what that sounded like. “I was sat on my bed reading when he turned up and Ellie brought him to my room. When we went to find Ellie she was dancing around the room like she does and Johan and I joined in...we had fun actually he –“
Dominic grumbled something on the other end of the line I didn’t catch.
“So we forgot about the park and spent the afternoon dancing, he stayed for dinner and then went home. When he came round the next morning Ellie was overjoyed and begged mum to let him take her to school so on our way to work we did.”
A long silence played across the line.
“So Johan said that...he told me you moved from your mums”
“Shit!” I heard shuffling on the other end as if he was moving the phone around “I wanted to tell you myself but not whilst you were still recovering. I...I don’t know if it’s permanent yet. I...can I explain later, in person rather than over the phone?”
“Yeah” I choked out, his hesitancy crippled me, and it was obvious he wanted to tell me they were back together and living together.
“I'm glad you’re back at work. Don’t overdo it okay. I...missed seeing you” his voice quieted at the end.
I was about to tell him I missed him when a female voice called him in the background. “Listen I have to go. See you later okay?” He sighed into the phone.
“Yeah, bye Dominic” I quietly placed the receiver back down and closed my eyes against the tears
threatening to streak down my cheeks. I felt sick that I had to spend the weekend alone with Elliott, and I felt sick Dominic was currently moving Vanessa into his home.
My day consisted of processing data and reacquainting myself with the lab, the smells the sounds and atmosphere soothed my battered nerves, simply wearing my lab coat again made me feel grounded, and this is where I belong. It was the one place I had a certain amount of control.
I answered the general questions of what happened, was I feeling better, how long until my pot was removed, have the police caught the perpetrators. My answers became robotic I faced so many from different people throughout the company. I eventually returned to my office, rather exhausted. I reopened my unfinished bagel and took a bite, closing my eyes to the taste sensation. I may have even moaned a little.
“Hi Eve, how are you? It’s great to see you back, we all missed you.” I smiled up at Dominic’s secretary. “I’ve been asked to bring this memo out to people personally so that there aren’t any excuses for non-attendance.” She chuckled as she passed me a piece of paper.
I q
uickly scanned over the content, quickly breaking out in a cold sweat. I looked up into Emily’s smiling face “I seem to be getting that reaction a lot today.” She chuckled. “I'm afraid I've been asked to say that it is mandatory for senior staff attend.” She smiled again “I remember you looked a- maze-ing last year, I loved your dress but...didn’t you have to go home ill?”
I shifted nervously in my seat “Yeah something like that.” I cleared my throat “I'm sure whatever you wear it will be just as stunning if not more so, I on the other hand have zero to wear. What do you think you will wear?” I asked.
“No idea. You?”
“I have no idea, I don’t even own a dress, and unlike you the only thing formal I have is for work. And I doubt that will suffice. And seeing as you remember what I wore last year I cannot wear that again” I smiled as she giggled.
I didn’t own anything remotely fancy to wear. I seriously needed a fairy Godmother because I don’t even have any friends to borrow from. Lou is shorter than me but we are a similar size I think, but she tends to favour more revealing dresses that created a seductive Goddess, I tended to lean towards the frumpy hessian bag lady look. Last year I had allowed Lou to take me shopping and she had all but threatened to handcuff me in the changing room if I didn’t purchase the dress. I admit it was stunning, just not on someone like me.
“When is this thing taking place again?” I scanned the memo as Emily replied.
“You have just over a month to prepare. They are planning it for the first weekend in December; apparently it gives our international companies time to prepare flights.”
“What?”
“Yep, apparently the directors from New York are coming over and so are the Paris team. It’s designed for everyone to meet and greet. Jasmine sent out the formal invites internationally yesterday. So far I believe most who have been invited are attending.”
“Wow, it really is a big event”
She nodded “so I need to start looking for a cocktail dress immediately. We can’t be leaving it too late.”
I offered her a weak smile trying to hide a minor panic attack going on inside. I’ll need my sister’s advice on this, because I definitely haven’t a clue what the protocol is on these events. The Christmas party last year was both mortifying and precious to me. Although the night started and ended with me in tears I cannot regret what happened...
Christmas Party 2012
Lou and I went shopping to pick out a dress for tonight. We decided on a sexy one shoulder, silk evening gown in deep purple. The deep coloured silk was gathered from my left shoulder, swept down over my breast curved over my hip and around my waist to create the illusion of being wrapped in a gorgeous deep purple silk cocoon. The long length swept along the floor and I loved how it felt caressing my calves and ankles. Louise teased my hair into a French plait, her advice was I needed my hair away from my neck to showcase my long slender neck, I wore her platinum necklace that Darren had bought her and my late Grandmother’s ring, she did my makeup but said that I needed to leave it delicate and offer only a gentle hint, to highlight my sensual nature – whatever that means. The whole ensemble accentuated a femininity I didn’t realise I had. I admit I felt beautiful, I didn’t feel like me.
Elliott arrived to pick me up dressed in a black tuxedo, the ever dapper and charming frontage on display for all to see.
As we pulled up outside the venue I felt my nerves take hold of me and strangle the living daylights out of me. My mouth was dry, my hands trembled, and my stomach didn’t feel like it even belonged to me any longer.
“Come on, honestly you look amazing.” He gestured to the front doors “Trust me, there is no one in there who will look as stunning as you do tonight”
I smiled at him before he turned and got out of the car.
As we entered the concierge approached, to take our coats, I looked around and I was awed by the high ceiling with a beautiful glass dome above us, I imagine it looked spectacular in the sunlight. There was a large crystal chandelier hanging down from it, sparkling in the light. Underneath that on the floor beautifully carved rosewood round table sporting the most generous arrangement of white flowers I’d ever seen, the aroma was intoxicating, like a summer garden.
“Sweetheart” echoed a deep masculine voice; I turned to see Alistair walking towards us, with a stunning Jasmine holding his arm. Her perfect ebony hair cascaded down her naked back; she had chosen a deep bottle green floor length gown, accentuating every gorgeous curve of her feminine body. It left her back fully exposed to the base of her spine, just above her bottom. The front was a scoop neck that teased but elegantly hid what beauty hid underneath. She smiled adoringly at her fiancé and I couldn’t help reciprocate and smile at their obvious love.
Elliott cleared his throat and startled me slightly. “Mr Ealing –“
“Tonight I insist it be Alistair.” He chuckled.
“Alistair, this is Elliott my...boyfriend” That didn’t sound juvenile at all “Elliott this is my boss Alistair Ealing and Jasmine Fairbrother, soon to be Ealing” I smiled at the lovely couple.
“Pleased to meet you” Elliott said holding his hand out and shaking Alistair’s hand.
“Likewise, shall we” Alistair gestured towards the doors to the ballroom. He leant close to Jasmine and kissed her neck, “shall we go in darling?” Jasmine gave him a bright smile and nodded.
I took a deep breath, laced my arm through Elliott’s. As we stood at the precipice of the room everyone started to turn and mutter to one another in our direction. I felt like we were in an old western film, where a stranger walks into the tavern and the music scratches to a halt and everyone turns to stare at the intruder.
“What’s wrong? Why is everyone staring?” I whispered feeling my body begin to tremble. Alistair, who stood to my right, tilted his head in my direction and whispered “Your chap and I are the envy of every man in this room, as we have the world’s two most beautiful women on our arms”
I looked up and scanned the room for Dominic. My eyes caught sight of Vanessa, who scowled at me. Her icy stare bore into me and I could see the distaste in her eyes, it was a similar look Elliott had when...no let’s not go there tonight. The serpent took a sip of her drink and looked away. I slid my gaze to the tall, broad shouldered male in a black suit stood in front of her. His back was to me but I could tell who it was from the strength and poise of his shoulders and the way he stood casually in his formal attire. He had a glass of champagne in one hand and his other tucked into his trouser pocket whilst he chatted away to his male companion.
I felt like we were at a school disco, seeking out our designated groups of cool or geeky friends but not daring to step fully into the room. I noticed we still stood in the door way at the top of the stairs.
“Champagne?” a waitress announced holding a large silver tray. I smiled and shook my head. But
Alistair reached for two glasses passing one to his fiancée and one to me. Then he carefully got another two offering one to Elliott, who shook his head.
“No thank you, I’m going to the bar.” With that he untangled my arm and left me standing alone with my boss like an idiot. I gaped after him watching his back as he neared the bar. My face heated and my ears buzzed with anxious energy. I was about to turn and run like hungry hounds were chasing me when I felt a gentle hand rest high on my hip.
“Well aren’t you a vision” whispered Johan.
I let out a relieved breath and turned smiling at him.
At that point the man Dominic was talking to nodded in our direction, Dominic turned his head to look over his shoulder at the distraction. He glanced at us looking indifferent, turning his attention back to his guest. Within a split second of recognition he spun his body back round to face us. He stood rigid, his mouth slightly agape and frozen. He looked amazing in his black tuxedo and silk bowtie. His hair was brushed back in a handsomely smart style. His cerulean eyes sparkled making the whole vision of him knee-tremblingly beautiful.<
br />
“That man is definitely not interested in you. Us men, we all stare like that at woman we don’t find enchanting.” He made a low chuckling sound. Johan teased me mercilessly about Dominic and I. “Stop it” I said through clenched teeth. I quickly glanced at the bar to Elliott who was already downing a glass of his favourite golden liquid.
“What do I do?” I whispered it was more of an inner thought spoken aloud.
“What your heart tells you to” whispered Johan, then he winked.
Slowly Dominic made his way over to us, not once did he lose eye contact with me. His eyes fixed on mine as he navigated his way through the chattering guests. He slowed as he reached the steps to us, taking one step at a time in an excruciatingly slow pace, as if he was sneaking up to a rare butterfly he was afraid of flying away. I squeezed tightly on Johan’s arm, fighting the impulse to run and jump into Dominic’s arms.
“Eve.” He breathed out, then he cleared his throat “You look...” his gaze fell then came back to my eyes again “breathtaking”
I could feel Alistair, Jasmine and Johan staring at us, and when I glanced across at then, both had large grins spread across their faces.
“Alistair” Dominic nodded towards our boss.
“Dominic. Have a good evening” Alistair smiled at us and escorted Jasmine into the room leaning into whisper something to her. Dominic noticed my arm hooked in Johan’s and scowled. Dominic’s muscle in his jaw started twitching and a tense feeling over took me. This was a matter of milliseconds all this happened but it felt like minutes or hours even. As if sensing the change in Dominic, Johan poked the tiger “Stunning isn’t she, abandoned on the threshold, so obviously I swooped in to rescue a damsel in distress.” He smiled his annoy-the-shit-out-of-Dominic grin.
