Cold Feet

VIOLA

I can’t believe my luck. I had thought I wasn’t going to hear from Clark soon, if ever again but he calls me a few days after I spoke with him the first time. He sounds unbelievably cheerful.

“Viola,” he finishes my name in a sing song tone. “I have something I think you’re going to love.”

I get excited just by the tone in his voice. “What is it?” I ask excitedly.

“Well, there is a wedding planner who asked me to find her an assistant before we spoke. I gave her a call and told her about you. She recalls you well and is eager to give you a chance to get back in the game.”

“Okay. So I would be her assistant?”

“Actually no. I spoke to her about you for that job but it turns out she’s got a whole new idea that she wants to launch and she wants to ask you if you’d be interested to head up this project.”

“What is the project?”

“She didn’t say but she wants to discuss it with you directly. She says she thinks you’ll love it. It needs entrepreneurialism, creativity, a self starter, and she thinks you have all those qualities. She also said the pay is good.”

“Okay, I’m interested,” I say. “I know Lara. She’s a nice person and I think we could work well together.”

“Great!” Clark says. “So shall I get her to call you?”

“That would be good but I work shifts. It would be better if you give me her number or you give her mine. Then we can message and arrange a time to talk. I don’t want to miss her call. It will be really unprofessional and this sounds like a good opportunity.”

“Okay,” Clark says happily. “I’ll arrange everything.”

“Thanks Clark.”

a God! I can’t believe

a long time.

shift I keep checking my phone for a message from Clark but it doesn’t come. These things take time, I tell myself although my excitement begins

up hope on getting a message. It’s late and there’s no chance that I’m going to get a message at this hour. I take a shower and get into bed. I fall asleep full of

from an unknown number and normally I don’t answer calls from unknown numbers but this morning I let it go and grab my phone. I know I don’t have Lara’s number

immediately after I

I have to refrain

Viola. This

the hugest smile. I struggle to close my mouth so I can speak properly when I

before Lara gets down to

tell you what I have in

fit in respect of being

want to start a new niche service. It’s for

“Elope?” I ask confused.

“Yes,” Lara says.

get on a plane or get in a car and do it. They

it nicely even if it is at the last minute. We can offer limo rental, jets, hotel bookings, rings, dresses, everything they want at short notice. It will bring a sense of class to people who choose to elope and remove the cheap aura attached to the word ‘elope’. The market is big and people will part with good money to make their

to picture what the service would look like. The more I listen and the more I think, the more

do you say? I have the assistant position if you want. It’s yours but I think this opportunity is more challenging. It’s

am really grateful that you thought of me for this role. I would be

hear her happiness in her voice. “Don’t you want to

care. It could pay almost nothing and