Choosing Her Lover

*****

The front doors swish open and Ben strides in. “Hi, how’s my favourite girl?”

Calm down….

“Hi, Ben. I’m busy right now. Is it anything particular or just….”

“Just thought I’d drop by to see if you’re free for lunch?”

Should I?

Why not?

“I’m off at one. Is that good for you?”

“Great. I’ll come back then.”

He turns to leave but as he does so, the elevator doors open and Charlotte steps out into the lobby, followed by James. Both are carrying large bags. A fluorescent yellow hard-hat, the kind that might be worn on a building site, peeps from the top of Charlotte’s.

There is something about the way the two move. Although they walk with a distance between them, somehow James’ proprietorial attitude to Charlotte still radiates wide.

Ben’s eyes narrow as he sees them.

“Oh hello, Ben. I didn’t know you were around.” smiles Charlotte. “Are you here to see me for something?”

“No, I just called by to say hello to Kirstie,” he replies. His words are polite, but his eyes are on James and are not friendly.

looks momentarily perplexed, then switches on a cool expression. “Hello, Ben. Charlotte

voice is also cool. “What’s

the ground-works set out

what’s Charlotte got to do with

going to be spending time with the surveyors over the next few days to learn what their job involves…. I assume you don’t have a problem with

“No, of course

We’ll be on our way,

pair to the door, James walks behind Charlotte, his

don’t like this you know. He behaves as though he’s the one married

the hell do

subject. “I’ve got to get some work done

I’ll

*****

try to start a conversation, but he’s not interested. Bolting down my sandwich, I

doesn’t improve. Mid-afternoon I get a phone call. It’s my sister, Erin, sobbing into the phone as I

“Hey, Sis, what’s wrong?”

was

Who’s dumped you?

out for a meal and said he wanted to talk to me. I thought he was going to ask me to marry him, but instead, he said he was seeing

I’m sorry. You really

take, Kirstie? What does it take? First, it was Dominic, then Ashley, and now Rob. I always think

*****

meeting Ben on the beach, he jogs up to me smiling, his mood obviously much improved, but his

a phone call I got from my sister. Her fuckwit boyfriend’s just