Chasing Clouds

by Annabelle Knight

  Carla looked at Steph, she was surprised to see a tear running down her cheek. Steph wasn’t exactly one for displays of emotion, even when they were well and truly called for. She wrapped her arm around Steph and gave her a squeeze.

  “You really miss him, don’t you?” Carla said.

  Steph turned away from her friend, nodded and wiped the tear from her cheek.

  “But this is a happy day, so no tears,” she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep, steadying breath.

  “Well, I think your day’s about to get a whole lot happier,” Carla said furtively, her glance flicking from Steph’s eyes to something behind her. Steph wheeled around, hardly daring to believe it; but stood there, still in his uniform, was none other than her Andy. She flew to him, and wrapped him in a huge embrace. He showered her with kisses and Carla saw him whisper something in her ear. Whatever it was it had the desired effect: Steph simply couldn’t stop smiling.

  Elodie marched down the street, leaving Chase in her wake. She had thought he might follow her, but when she turned to give him one last glance she could see that he was on his phone. Elodie imagined that his next port of call would be Jessica, or Tara, or whoever else was in his little black book. His black book made her think of his black box, or rather what was housed within it. She felt sick, and sicker still that he would use it as a way to keep her quiet. Elodie marvelled at how she had been taken in and wondered just how many women had been led down the same path. Elodie understood, that for her, it all boiled down to flattery. She had been unable to imagine what Chase saw in her and as a result had been so taken aback that she had been blind to him. Steph and Carla had seen though him; they had never taken to him, not really. They had been right about Tom and right about Chase. Elodie promised herself that from now on they could be in charge of her love life. Inhaling deeply, Elodie quickened her pace. All she wanted to do now was to see Betty hand over the keys to Steph, to celebrate with her friends and to forget about Chase completely.

  “Taxi!” she exclaimed holding out her hand and feeling very much as though she was in an episode of Sex and the City, especially when teamed with the warm evening air, the hustle and bustle of the streets and the fact that she was turned out in her most stylish ensemble.

  She stepped out of the cab a little while later having had time to mull things over. She was thankful that she would have Steph and Carla to vent her frustrations to. Of course, she would save her negativity for a later time. Elodie just wished Chase had been different. She was ready to be swept off her feet…

  Something about that thought seemed familiar. It was the ghost of a memory, a flicker in her subconscious that someone at some time had offered that to her, at least she thought they had. When it came to the opposite sex, Elodie wasn’t all too sure of anything anymore.

  Elodie walked into Betty’s amidst a throng of excitement. Unsure as to what was happening, she immediately sought the first familiar face she knew. Carla was busy pouring Champagne; Elodie pushed her way through the crowd and knew that she’d missed the main event as her ears filled with cries of congratulations and the clinking of glasses.

  “Is she mad?” Elodie asked Carla in a quiet voice.

  “Mad? She’s over the moon!” Carla said excitedly. “Take it things with Chase didn’t go well?”

  Elodie shook her head.

  “It’s over, completely over. I should have listened to you guys; no, I should have listened to myself. He was never interested in me, he just wanted someone to pass the time with. He’s a user, I should have seen, should have known, but I guess he just managed to work me,” Elodie said resolutely before turning her gaze to Steph. “But this evening’s all about Steph and her new business.”

  “Well it was, but now it’s all about Steph and her engagement,” Carla replied with a grin.

  “Her what?!” Elodie said, a half- puzzled, half- amazed expression on her face. “Her what?!” she repeated.

  Carla pointed to the corner of the room where Elodie saw Steph and Andy talking animatedly to a group of people Elodie knew to be Steph’s old school friends. She tore her way through the guests and flung her arms around Steph, apologising profusely for missing her moment but exclaiming how happy she was for them all the same. Steph dutifully held out her hand for Elodie to examine the ring. It was a simple solitaire diamond on a plain platinum band: understated, elegant and extremely Steph. Elodie was ecstatic for her and listened eagerly to Andy’s story of how he had planned the proposal. Betty had been in on it from the very beginning and couldn’t have looked happier with the news. She beamed from ear to ear and on the odd occasion looked as though she may even shed a tear.

  As the evening went on Elodie had hoped to give them the tickets this evening, but knew that now was definitely not the time. She placed her hand on her bag, conscious of what was inside but understanding that it would just have to wait: tonight was all about Steph. As the last partygoers left the café, Elodie began to clear up. It felt good to slip back into her old role, if only for an hour or two.

  Chapter 19

  The Gala was only a few days away and Elodie still hadn’t broken the news to Carla and Steph that they were going. Steph had been busy with Andy, and Carla had barely spent five minutes in the flat at any one time. Elodie had passed the time with housework and dreaming of gowns. She’d done a bit of research online and from the previous events’ photographs, it looked as though the only rule for the dress code was full- length and fabulous, which worried her as she was more a ‘function over fashion’ type of girl.

  ‘Ugh, it’s so easy for guys. Shall I wear my black tuxedo, my black tuxedo, or maybe I should wear… my black tuxedo?’ she thought to herself as she slammed Carla’s laptop shut and decided that dress dilemmas were the least of her worries. She needed to get Steph and Carla together. Elodie sat on her bed for a few long moments, her gaze resting on the hand- quilted blanket her grandmother had given her. ‘Oh what a simpler time it was back then: no love triangles, no arguments, no feeling like absolute crap because everything is just so damn complicated,’ she mused, knowing full well that it wasn’t true and thought that people have been having relationship problems since the beginning of time.

  Elodie spent most of the day wallowing. Something was gnawing away at her and she felt decidedly unsettled about whatever it was. She tried everything to distract herself: she ran a bath, watched a film and even went so far as to put a load of washing on. It seemed as though nothing was going to work.

  “You’ve been busy,” Carla called to her when she arrived back home a little after seven that evening.

  “I’ve been bored,” Elodie countered. “Where have you been? I’ve called you like a bazillion times.”

  “I know, I’ve been so busy. Spent the day traipsing around the city for castings and meetings. Think I’m going to try and switch agents, the ones I’m with are a bit shit, really. They keep sending me for jobs that I’ll never get in a million years. I need management that are going to really try and help me with my career. Anyway, I’m knackered now. I need a shower, I swear London gets grimier by the day. God, I’m starving, you haven’t by any chance made anything, have you, my lovely little housewife?” Carla grinned.

  “Paella is on the hob, will be ready in about twenty minutes,” Elodie replied distractedly.

  “Wow, you really have been bored!” Carla called as she disappeared off into the bathroom, only to reappear to add a ‘thank you.’

  “Do you think Steph might pop over if we invite her?” Elodie asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but failing because Carla called her on it immediately.

  “Why? What do you want?” she asked suspiciously.

  “Nothing, I just all want us all to hang out,” and then added weakly, “it’ll be nice.”

  “Well if you ask me you’re up to something. You usually want an early night before work and you’re all twitchy and you never cook! Lo
ok at you! What’s up? Tell me, El?” Carla demanded.

  Elodie said nothing, figuring that it was better to remain silent than to risk getting caught out in a lie.

  “It’s nothing, OK, not nothing, it’s something but I want you both together and tonight’s kinda the last chance I’m going to get to tell you.” Elodie eventually said.

  Carla folded her arms in front of her chest and Elodie shirked away as she felt her friend’s critical gaze wash over her.

  “OK, you got me. I’ll tell her to come over and then you can tell us what all this is about, but if you tell me that you’re pregnant with Chase’s bastard child then I’ll screw,” Carla said, only half- joking.

  It was over an hour before Steph arrived. She walked in to find Carla sat on the sofa flicking through one of Elodie’s scrapbooks of travel destinations and Elodie sat on the armchair, staring into space and chewing her fingernails nervously.

  “Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?” she asked as she settled herself on the sofa next to Carla. She fixed Elodie with a look that said: ‘This better be good.’ Elodie reached inside her bag and produced a crisp white envelope, which she promptly opened up, turned upside down and emptied the contents out onto the coffee table. Three pristine, white envelopes lay there. Each envelope bore one of their names, written in Elodie’s hand.

  “What’s this?” Carla asked, giving Elodie a puzzled look. She picked up the envelope with her name on and opened it up. She pulled out an equally crisp white card with embossed gold leaf lettering on one side and read. Steph followed suit but had barely opened her envelope when Carla began to scream.

  “Are you kidding? Oh my God, Elodie, this is incredible! How did you? Where? I mean who…? Jesus, it doesn’t matter. Is this for real? Am I dreaming? Please tell me I’m not dreaming. Oh my God, Steph, do you know what this means?” Carla babbled, her voice getting higher and higher with each word until Elodie was pretty sure only the neighbours’ dog would be able to hear her.

  “I don’t understand, are these invitations for us?” Steph asked. “To Alex Walker’s gala, this weekend?”

  Elodie nodded enthusiastically. She was unable to speak for fear that she’d cry with happiness. The look on their faces was absolutely priceless and made Elodie’s heart soar. Carla was grinning from ear to ear, still babbling and at various intervals clapping her hand over her mouth and squealing. Elodie turned to Steph, who was, to her dismay, frowning.

  “I can’t go,” Steph said bluntly, handing the invitation back to Elodie. “I’m sorry, El, but Andy and I are away seeing his parents. He goes back next week and this is the first time we’ll see them since the engagement. I wish I could go, really I do, but…” she trailed off.

  Elodie understood, of course she did, but that didn’t stop her from feeling irritated.

  ‘Stupid old Andy coming here and ruining my surprise,’ she thought, before giving herself an internal slap and scolding herself for being so self- centred. Steph was right: she should have asked them weeks ago, the fault was entirely her own.

  “Is there no way you can get out of it?” Elodie asked tentatively.

  “Oh, El, it’s not about that. I don’t want to get out of it. I’m really excited and I’m sorry but there’s just no competition. I don’t get see Andy as much as I’d like to and we see his folks even less. I really appreciate the gesture though, honestly I do.” Steph gave Elodie a smile that dictated that there really was no way she was going to change her mind and stood up.

  “You’re not going already are you?” Carla asked. “We should have a drink. You can have one small one, can’t you, El? It’s not like you’re the one flying the plane, and Steph, come on, we’ve not raised a glass to you and Andy yet, just the three of us.”

  Steph declined, albeit politely, and Elodie flat out refused, telling them that she absolutely couldn’t touch a drop the night before a flight. Steph picked up her things and gave an apologetic look. She clearly wanted to spend as much time with Andy as possible and there was nothing, not even VIP tickets to one of the most coveted social events in the world, that could change her mind. Steph gave Elodie then Carla hugs before leaving. The door closed firmly behind her and suddenly Elodie felt as though she’d been hit by a freight train. Carla had thrown herself across the room and had pinned her down in an almighty hug.

  “So, what are you wearing? I’ve got some old dresses that’d do but I think this calls for something a little more extravagant. Ooooh, let’s go shopping!” Carla said excitedly.

  “I’m going to have to, I’ve not planned this well at all. I’ve literally got nothing. But when? I’m working up until the day of the gala and I can’t very well go then. What if I can’t find anything? They’re only stupid domestic flights but when the shops are open I’ll be ten thousand feet in the air, ugh…”

  “Shop online?” Carla suggested.

  “You know I hate internet shopping. Nothing ever fits and it’s such a pain in the arse having to send things back. You just end up with loads of clothes that don’t fit and that you can’t return, stuck in the back of your wardrobe for years until you eventually take them to the charity shop. No, I need to physically go shopping.”

  “You could always pull a sickie?” Carla said mischievously.

  Elodie shook her head, although the thought did sound quite appealing and it wasn’t as though other people didn’t do it. ‘Christ, Gareth had called in sick just because he didn’t get a ticket to the gala,’ Elodie thought, before dismissing the idea.

  “No, I’m still in my probation period. I can’t phone in sick and, besides, I’m a terrible liar.”

  “OK, how about this? I’ve got nothing on tomorrow. Give me your credit card, I’ll go and shop for you. I know your size and I know what looks good. I’ll get you all kitted out and anything you don’t like I will return for you.”

  Elodie mulled the idea over. It was certainly more appealing than airport shopping – she didn’t think that the gala was the place for bikinis and bathing suits – and she really did hate online shopping.

  “OK,” she agreed as she rummaged in her bag and took out her credit card. “On one condition. You treat yourself to a little something too, my way of saying thanks,” Elodie said.

  Carla didn’t need telling twice, she grabbed the card from Elodie’s outstretched hand and flashed her a big grin.

  “Great, you’re the best. Elodie, this is amazing. You really are one in a million, you know. Now, off to bed with you, Grandma, we can’t have you late for work, you need to stay in their good books!”

  Elodie agreed that she did and, after bidding Carla goodnight, took herself off to bed. She lay there trying to sleep for what seemed like an eternity, fighting the negative feeling that Steph hadn’t been grateful enough. She knew that feeling this way was entirely ridiculous but couldn’t help it, all the same. There was a niggling feeling, an ugly feeling inside of her that she knew, but wouldn’t admit, was jealousy. She was still angry with Chase, still sad and still hurt; none of which was Steph’s fault. She drifted into a restless slumber and when her alarm rang out the following morning she felt as though she’d only just closed her eyes.

  ‘What a way to start the day,’ she grumbled to herself as she trudged to the bathroom, concentrating hard on just putting one foot in front of the other, knowing full well that this was going to be a long day. Still, there was one thing that would brighten it: getting home to Carla and her haul later that evening.

  Elodie’s flight to France and back was as dull as dull could be. The passengers were four women, all dripping in diamonds and heading to Paris for a spot of shopping. They weren’t exactly the nicest people and treated Elodie as more of a dogsbody than an actual human being, but sometimes that was just part of the job description; it was a sort of ‘like it or lump it’ situation. Gareth was now back at work but was still far from his usual cheery self. Gone we
re the quick- witted comments, the broad smile and general happy demeanour; they had been replaced with a dour expression that Elodie’s gran would have said could turn milk sour.

  “Still bummed about the gala?” Elodie asked once they had landed and the passengers disembarked.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” Gareth managed, “I’m absolutely fine, just concentrating on the job in hand. I’m not petty, Elodie. Alex has chosen those he deems worthy. Sadly, I’m not one of them. I hope you have a fabulous time.” Elodie managed a very small, very guilty smile and wiped the back of her neck feeling suddenly very hot. She hadn’t told Gareth she’d been given a ticket, but clearly, someone had. “Why you felt the need to hide it from me is beyond me, still, I guess that comes with being so young.”

  “I, I wasn’t sure how you’d take it,” she replied carefully. “I know you’ve wanted to go for…”

  “Years. I’ve wanted to go for years,” Gareth answered quickly, “as many years as I’ve worked here in fact, which is five by the way. Tell me, how many years is it you’ve worked here? How many years have you grafted, shed blood, dripped sweat and cried tears for this airline? It’s not even six months, let alone six years. But, Alex’s word is final, and he only has a certain number of tickets. He can’t hand them out to just anyone now, can he? To think, I even bought a tuxedo for it, I was convinced that this would be my year.” Gareth’s voice weakened and he turned away from Elodie. “Would you be a love and finish up here? I’m suddenly not feeling very well again.”

  Elodie agreed at once, wanting nothing more than this conversation to be over. She felt extremely sorry for Gareth and guilty for causing his pain all at the same time. Gareth thanked her and left looking extremely forlorn, his eyes sparkling with the threat of tears.

  ‘He really isn’t taking this well,’ Elodie thought to herself, wishing wholeheartedly that there was some way in which she could help. It was then she realised, in one sweeping moment, that she could: she could give him exactly what he wanted. Without thinking, she rushed off the plane, descending the steps two at a time in an effort to catch Gareth before he made it to the terminal. He had and was now nowhere to be seen. Elodie let out a great sigh of irritation and wheeled back around: she wanted to make his day as soon as possible. It all made perfect sense. She had a spare ticket and Gareth wanted one. She only wished she’d thought of it sooner instead of spending the daydreaming of what Carla would pick out for her on her shopping trip.