Then There Was You: A Single Parent Collection

by Gianna Gabriela

  He started for his office.

  “Okay, will do, Boss.”

  I needed direction on a LOT of things. I made sure to knock on his door around every ten minutes for the next two hours. With every knock his ‘Come in’ became shorter and terser. And I did all my knocks exactly like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory.

  “Jude.” Knock. “Jude.” Knock. “Jude.”

  Even though he said, ‘Come in’, after my first knock, I carried on with the others. After the first three times I went in, he opened his door and said I didn’t need to bother knocking.

  “No, I like to be polite and also I’m a little OCD and it weirds me out if I don’t knock.”

  Two hours later Jude erupted.

  “Pippa. For fuck’s sake. Do you really have OCD or is this just revenge for all the work I gave you because if you’ll just stop knocking, I promise to never overload you with work ever again. You win, okay? Just please stop knocking every goddamn minute.”

  I smirked.

  “I don’t have OCD although I can quickly develop it again if you restart your twat games with me.”

  He sighed.

  “Sit down. Let’s start again.”

  I took a seat in front of him and watched as he rubbed his temples.

  “Okay. Hi, Pippa. I’m Jude, commissioning editor at Davenport’s and I need an assistant. I want someone who is organised because I am not. Someone who can keep my diary managed and get me to where I need to be. In turn, I will not be a twat. Sometimes I might be grumpy because I’m very busy, but I will anticipate that should I take any of my mood out on you I shall be subjected to evil revenge behaviour until I change my ways. Do you accept the post? Please say yes because from what I’ve seen so far of your secretarial skills, I think you’d handle the post well.”

  Ha! He’d given up on the second day. Result!

  I walked over to him and held out my hand.

  “Hi, I’m Pippa Nettleton. I’m your new Personal Assistant. Perhaps you could explain a typical week to me of the life of a commissioning editor and what sort of tasks I’ll be expected to do, what the priorities are etc. Then the rest of the time I can be sorting out the rest of the workload in my office. Maybe we could go back through your emails and re-categorize what is really urgent and what is routine?”

  He shook my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Pippa. While my work has varying degrees of urgency, the only real urgent matter at any time is my daughter Addison. If you get any calls about her, anything at all, then you interrupt me even if I was somehow having tea with the Queen, and you get that message to me.”

  “So if she rings saying she just did the most amazing turd, you want me to relay that in front of Her Maj?” I raised a brow.

  “Okay, okay, use your judgement, but if you’re unsure, always interrupt me. I’d rather that than I miss an important message about my daughter.”

  “Not a problem. Got it.”

  “And also a regular supply of hot coffee is a must.”

  “Already ahead of you with that one.”

  “Yes, the coffee machine is a genius move. I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought of it myself.”

  “Probably because your head has been up your own arse blocking any normal thoughts.”

  He laughed and I tried not to think about how much it suited him.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever had such a rude assistant, but I like it. It’s refreshing. As long as it doesn’t come out in front of our clients and other staff, feel free to keep me in line where needed.”

  “I’ll be the politest assistant ever as long as you aren’t a dick.”

  “Don’t say that. It may encourage me to misbehave.”

  “Yeah, well it’s that which has got you in a mess before, so how about we try to be extremely professional from this point out?”

  His demeanour tightened and his voice turned ice-cold. “Yes, of course. Well, that will be all for now, thank you, Pippa. I have a meeting in ten, don’t I? Thanks to you I already read the paperwork needed. I’ll let you get back to your desk.”

  With that I was dismissed. Sitting at my desk I wondered why I felt disappointed that he’d returned to his icy self. It was better for us both that he did. Right?

  While Jude was at his meeting, I tidied the office into piles I could work my way through, clearing my desk and putting documents on the shelves behind me and into the filing cabinet. I answered the phone and took messages. Once my desk was clear, I went into my bag and pulled out the photo of Liberty and Jamie we’d had done via an offer on Groupon. In it they looked the picture of innocence, hugging each other. Jamie in his Chelsea strip and Liberty dressed as an angel, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

  When Jude walked back into the office, he had a smile back on his face.

  “Wind changed direction? Only you’re smiling.” I snarked.

  “Your revenge actually did me a favour. For once, I went into a meeting looking like I knew what I was doing. Even my father looked impressed with me, so miracles do actually happen. Who knew?” He walked over to the coffee machine. “Want one?”

  My jaw dropped open. “You’re going to make me a drink?”

  “Yes. I do have the ability to clothe and feed myself. Someone even put me in charge of a six-year-old, so you’d be surprised what I’m capable of. Straight black, right? Do you take sugar?”

  “Just regular Americano. Black, no sugar. Splash of that water in the top please to cool it down.”

  “And a cookie to go with it? Triple chocolate chip, isn’t it?” He took a packet out of his inside jacket pocket.

  “How do you…?”

  “Empty wrappers in the bin. Did you really eat a whole packet to yourself yesterday? I love a cookie.”

  “You didn’t deserve one.”

  He opened the packet and put them on my desk. “Do I deserve one today? Your call.” He stood back.

  I looked him in the eye with a cool expression schooled on my face. “You can have one and then we’ll see how it goes.”

  As he went to take a biscuit, his eyes settled on the photo of my younger siblings.

  “You have kids? My mum didn’t say.”

  I went to correct him, but he carried on talking.

  “Well, I really must apologise. I admit I was a complete arsehole to you yesterday, Pippa. I don’t know how much my mum told you, but I’ve had difficulty in retaining assistants for various reasons, not just because of my disastrous past relationship with one; although I could never regret Addy.”

  “Yeah, they all want to get in your pants. Well, don’t worry, you’re safe with me.”

  He actually looked ashamed and down at his feet for a moment.

  “Again, my apologies. Thank you for agreeing to stay. So, tell me about your family.”

  Now I could explain.

  “So there’s just my mum, me, Jamie who’s ten, and Liberty who’s six.”

  “Oh, you’re a single parent like me. Mum’s are a godsend, aren’t they? Mine picks Addy up from school every day but you probably already know that. Does your mum do the same?”

  “No, you misunderstand, my mum has MS and—”

  “Multiple Sclerosis? Crikey, Pippa. You have a lot on your plate then, looking after your mum as well as your kids.”

  “They’re not—”

  “I feel even worse about being such a shit to you now. Single parenthood is bad enough, and you’re a carer as well. How do you manage everything? Well, I’m impressed, and it goes without saying, family first. So if there’s ever any problems at home, you just let me know and I’ll manage.”

  Once again, I tried to correct him but this time my phone rang. “I’ll let you get on.” He mouthed and he went back to his office.

  I answered the call and by the time I was done, Jude had left to go to another meeting. Pondering things for the next couple of hours, I decided that maybe it was better if I did let him assume the kids were mine. It gave us some common ground to talk about and let�
�s face it, I was doing my fair share of parenting them. For now, I’d not correct him, but I’d not lie about it either. At no point would I say they were my son and daughter. I just wouldn’t say they weren’t either…

  Yes, for now, while Jude and I were actually getting along, I’d leave things be…

  9

  JUDE

  What a dipshit, fucktard idiot I was.

  I’d not given Pippa a chance, assuming she was just like the rest of them, seeing me as a possible meal ticket.

  A fact which couldn’t have been further from the truth.

  My mum had tried to tell me. Saying she had got me an assistant who was polite and hardworking. I’d not listened. That was my problem of late. Not listening and assuming I knew everything. So battered by my past I was blinkered about the present.

  Walking into the meeting with my father, he’d immediately started up again about the suspense serial idea and had I managed to come up with the goods.

  He was therefore very surprised when I handed out the first three chapters of a manuscript to everyone; one of the tasks I’d had Pippa do yesterday on the never-ending list of work I’d given her.

  Then after she’d batted the manuscript back to me last night as I needed to read the whole thing and follow up on it ASAP, I’d done exactly that when I’d got home and had put Addy to bed.

  I thought about how good I’d looked in the meeting and smiled to myself.

  “So you see, there are enough cliffhanger chapters in this lengthy novel to serialise it. And Thomas has sent me the synopsis for two potential standalone books in the series after it. If everyone could give these chapters a read through tonight. Then if all are in agreement, I could get him in to discuss moving forward. He agrees to the idea in principal, although I told him I couldn’t confirm an offer would be made at this point.”

  “Thank you, Jude. So, if everyone can do that tonight and we’ll meet again in the morning. I want this happening at the earliest opportunity before one of the bastards gets wind of it and tries to get there first.”

  The bastards was my father’s all-encompassing word for any other publishing company.

  “Are you ill, darling, because I’ve seen you smile about three times in a row now, and given you aren’t weeks old I can’t excuse it for wind.” My mother stood beside me having managed to come from behind me while I was daydreaming.

  “Just having a good day, Mum. Thanks for employing Pippa. I think you’ve played a blinder. She’s well organised, takes no shit, and also knows what it’s like to have a six-year-old, so she’ll understand any issues I have with Addison.”

  “I’ve told you the whole way through your life that you should listen to your mother. I only ever have your best interests at heart, Jude.”

  “Yes, Mum. You are right. I love you.” I kissed her cheek.

  “Okay, Jude. Enough or I’ll think you’ve taken something.”

  I flinched.

  “Oh, Jude. I’m sorry. It was a slip of the tongue.”

  “I know. Forget it. We can’t live our lives on eggshells just because of how Tillie chose to live her life. I’m sure it does seem like I’ve been brainwashed or something. It’s just that I forgot how much easier life is with an organised assistant.”

  “Well, I’m pleased to hear it’s going well. Pippa certainly needs to feel her job is stable. She gave up a job she’d done for years to come here. She took a chance because of the pay rise, but she’s no gold-digger, Jude. I can assure you. If she was, she had plenty of opportunity at Paradise to pick up a rich man. They didn’t only do female hair there.”

  Mum went off to see my father, and I considered what she’d just said. I really was an idiot. Pippa had worked around wealthy people for years. God, I must have come across as such a conceited dickhead. I needed to do what I could now to keep my new assistant, both for her and for me.

  A winning team.

  Back in my office around 4pm, Pippa called me on the intercom.

  “I have your daughter on the line. I must warn you in advance that she had a whole heap of questions for me as she said she didn’t recognise my voice and needed to know whether to be friends with me or not.”

  “And did you make the cut?” I laughed.

  “I’m not totally sure. She asked me a few things then went ‘uhmm, hmmm, I’ll speak to my daddy now’. Be sure to give me any feedback.”

  She dropped the call at her end.

  “Hey, sweetheart. How was your day?”

  “It was so basic. Is the new lady nice?”

  “She is actually.”

  “Cool, you gonna have a baby with her?”

  I choked on my own saliva.

  “Pardon?”

  “My mum was your assistant, right, and you had me. Irene was too old to have babies, she told me. She’d already had them with her husband and loved him, so she wasn’t available. So, Pippa. Is she available to have a baby because I need a brother or sister very soon because Saskia is getting one.”

  “It doesn’t work like that, sweetheart. I told you. Mummy and Daddy fell in love at work, which is not something that happens between every boss and assistant. We had you and then God took Mummy remember because he decided she needed to be an angel.”

  “God, I know all that, Daddy. You tell me all the time. But how do you get another person to fall in love with you, so I can get a brother or sister?”

  “Well, I don’t know if I’ll ever meet someone else, baby girl.”

  “I’m a big girl, and that’s not acceptable. If Saskia is having one, I’m having one.”

  I rubbed at my eye and decided to try to change the subject.

  “So what did you ask my new assistant about? She also has a girl who’s six.”

  “She does?”

  “Yep.”

  “So if you marry her, I’ll already get a sister faster than Saskia. Go ask her, Daddy. I can hold on the line.”

  “Is Grandma there?” I couldn’t understand why my mum wasn’t getting her off the phone.

  “Yes, she’s at the side of me.”

  “Well, put her on.”

  “Not until I’ve finished talking, Daddy. It’s rude to interrupt you know. Anyway, I like Pippa because she has a six-year-old like me. And she has a nice voice. So please go ask her if her six-year-old can be my sister.”

  I heard Addy say, “Oh, Grandma, I wasn’t done,” before my mum’s voice came on the line.

  “You should have rescued me earlier.”

  “It was far too amusing.”

  “I’m going to have to sit with her tonight and try to explain things.”

  “By the time you get home she’ll have forgotten all about it and be talking about the latest toy she wants. I’m putting you a roast in the oven; I haven’t cooked in forever.”

  “Thanks, Mum.”

  “See you shortly.”

  Glancing at the clock, I saw it was time to start winding down. I went through to Pippa’s office.

  “Can we go through my schedule for tomorrow?”

  “Sure, I have everything here.” She lifted up a folder. “Survived your telephone conversation then? Did I pass?”

  “Oh you passed alright. She’d like you to give her a brother or sister, so if you could put that on the agenda. She will however accept your six-year-old as an alternative.”

  Pippa burst out laughing. “Oh my. Six-year-olds are the best, right?”

  I laughed along with her. If I’d said that to anyone else, they’d have assumed I was making a pass, but Pippa knew exactly how my daughter’s mind was working.

  As I looked at my assistant’s laughing face it struck me just how beautiful she was, and the inside appeared to match the outside.

  Oh shit.

  I most definitely couldn’t let this train of thought continue.

  “Anyway, tomorrow’s agenda?” I said curtly.

  “Oh yes, sorry, Jude.” She picked it up and went through the items, passing me the papers I needed.

>   “Thanks so much. I’ll be off now. See you tomorrow, Pippa. Have a good evening.”

  “Did I say something wrong?” She asked.

  “Not at all. Just the day’s business is finished now, so I need to get home.”

  I left, not looking back to see her reaction, because if it was disappointment, I didn’t think I’d be able to handle it.

  10

  PIPPA

  Thank God, Jude had for the most part become a relatively normal human being. I did find though that if we started laughing and joking about anything, he pulled back into ‘professional’ mode. I didn’t comment because I fully understood his protective barriers. As long as I could do my job without any issues, I didn’t care.

  Then on the Friday morning, a sweating and panicking Jude rocked up to the office with a dark-haired, darked-eyed female with him.

  “I’m so sorry.” He said, standing looking lost. “She says she’s too sick for school and I have the urgent meeting with Thomas Arkell about the book serialisation. My mother’s dealing with an urgent charity issue. Can I leave her with you until after the meeting?”

  “Of course.” I stepped forward and got on my knees to Addison’s level. “Hi, Addison. I’m Pippa. Do you feel okay to stay with me while Daddy does some of his work? He won’t be long. I have a comfy sofa you can lie on?”

  She rubbed at her head. “I feel so hot. Yes, I can go lay down. You go to your meeting, Daddy.” She went to lie on the sofa.

  I turned to Jude. “Go get ready, and for God’s sake brush your hair. I’ll explain when Thomas arrives and ask him to go straight to the conference room.”

  “You’re a lifesaver. Okay.” He ran over to Addison. “Bye, Angel. I’ll be back very soon.” Looking around, he jumped up and grabbed a wastebasket and put it next to the sofa. “I put a bucket there just in case. Maybe take your coat off so you don’t get overheated.”