Waiting on Tuesday

by Bella Settarra

  “Is Dexter happy to revoke his membership?”

  Steve sighed again. “We’ve sent him a recommendation to, but haven’t had confirmation yet. I’ll go in and speak to him later if I get the chance.”

  Dan nodded. “Thanks, buddy, I’d appreciate that. I’m going to have words with the boss myself just as soon as he’s free, though I don’t know that it’ll do any good. He hasn’t listened to a word I’ve said so far.”

  A thought occurred to Dan as he hung up. He quickly sifted through the rest of the referrals and checked the names against the list of approvals Dexter had sent him. It would appear the boss had agreed to take on every applicant, regardless of their lack of background checks, let alone any training or induction. He scooped the papers up and marched out toward the MD’s office.

  “I’m sorry, Master Dan, you can’t go in there,” Carol-Anne told him as he approached the closed door to the boss’s office.

  “Who’s he got with him?” Dan asked abruptly, his hand already on the doorknob.

  The PA looked a little sheepish. “I’m not sure.” She shook her head. “Some guy just turned up. Didn’t have an appointment or anything, but Mr. Dexter took him in straight away.”

  Raised voices could be heard from within, and Dan toyed with whether to interrupt or not—after all, he might be welcome if the guy was giving his boss a hard time. He frowned.

  “I wouldn’t if I were you, bro,” Nathan suddenly appeared by his side, reading his mind. “I tried it earlier. Got my head ripped off and spat back out for my trouble. Come on, I think there’s something you should see.”

  Dan followed his friend into the Finance Department. Cerys was talking to Summer in the main office as they went through, and they looked up and smiled at the men as they strode past. Dan nodded politely, quickly following Nathan into his large office which stood down a short corridor off the main room.

  “Something’s not right.” Nathan threw a file over the desk toward Dan.

  “You’re telling me,” Dan muttered as he flipped open the folder. “That poor girl’s in the hospital because of me not wanting to rock the boat with Dexter. She trusted me to have checked out that fucker. Heck, all the subs trusted me to check out the lot of them, and I let them down.” He shook his head.

  “Don’t beat yourself up, bro.” Nathan frowned as a look of realization spread across his handsome face. “There’s more to this than meets the eye.”

  Dan cocked a quizzical eyebrow as he peered over at his friend, and then at the figures in front of him. “Where’s the extra revenue from the memberships? Dexter told me we had to let the newbies start last night because they’d already paid.” He flipped over a couple of pages and looked back up at Nathan.

  “Exactly. There’s no record of any of it, I’ve checked everywhere. I even called up the bank to see if there were uncleared checks waiting to go through or whatever. They said everything that’s been paid in is on those statements.”

  “But there’s got to be getting on for a million bucks tied up in those applicants, and by the look of it the boss has approved everyone that applied, even the scumbags like Jenner!” Dan felt himself go hot as the grave expression on the Financial Director’s face told him that he was right. He slapped the file back on the desk in front of him.

  “Something’s wrong, buddy,” Nathan said with a nod. “Roland Dexter wouldn’t steal from his own company, I’m sure of that, but that money’s gone somewhere and there’s only him and me who had access to it.”

  “Shit!” Dan stared at him as the implication struck him. “Can you prove you didn’t have anything to do with this?”

  Nathan shook his head. “The fact that I didn’t even see a single payment come through this office in respect of the membership surge isn’t exactly going to stand up in a court of law now, is it?”

  “What about Brad?” Dan frowned.

  “No one’s seen him around here for at least a week. Dexter reckons he’s gone on vacation someplace.”

  “Just when we’ve got all these new members starting? Great timing!” Dan groaned.

  Brad Dexter, the boss’s son, wasn’t exactly indispensable, but with all the newbies descending on the club this week, they sure could use every pair of hands they could get, especially as he was already being trained up as Membership Manager.

  “Dexter’s the only one who could have sanctioned his time off, and he was the one pushing for the new members in the first place,” Nathan concurred, shaking his head.

  “It’s not just the push on getting the new members in, but he wants them all starting right away, without all the usual checks, let alone induction courses. That’s how this mess happened last night! Well, I’m not going to be party to any more of it. He’s putting all our reputations on the line here for a few extra bucks and I ain’t having it!” Dan thumped his fist on the desk and stood up.

  “What’re you planning to do?” Nathan shot around the other side of the desk and grabbed his friend’s arm before he could leave the room.

  “If Dexter isn’t going to tell us exactly what the hell he’s doing then he can have my resignation. No fucking job is worth putting innocent subs at risk for!” Dan felt himself grow even hotter as he spoke. The vision of Tuesday O’Leary in that dark closet, bound, gagged, and scared shitless had haunted him every minute since last night. He had hoped that seeing her today would have helped him feel better about the situation, but hearing her admit she had only gone with the fucker because she trusted Dan to have checked him out and gone through the induction program, had only made him feel ten times worse. The guilt was too much.

  “Now hold on a minute, buddy…”

  “No, you hold on. That little girl back there trusted me to do my job and I let her down. Now, thanks to me, she’s in that fucking hospital bed being forced to talk about stuff she doesn’t even want to think about. And why? Because I didn’t stand up to Dexter when I had the chance to. Now if you want to wait around for the cops to come and take you in on false charges of embezzlement that’s up to you, buddy, but I for one refuse to take this shit any longer! Something stinks around this place and if Dexter’s not willing to tell us what the hell it is then he can sort it out on his own—I’m outta here!” Dan pulled away from his friend and reached the door in two strides.

  “And what about the rest of the subs? What happens when the rest of those wannabe Doms get hold of them and scare the shit out of them? You gonna just walk away and let them deal with it? Knowing that they also trusted you to keep them safe? Is Tuesday O’Leary the only sub who means anything to you?” Nathan’s voice was cold and even.

  Dan stopped in his tracks. He felt his body physically slump as the truth dawned on him. Of course he cared about all the other subs. He’d known some of them for years. He sighed as he turned around, running a hand through his fair hair.

  He watched as Nathan’s lips turned up slightly in a satisfied grin.

  “OK, you got me,” Dan relented. “But we go in there right now and demand an explanation for all this, right?”

  Nathan was gathering his papers and the file as his friend spoke. “Lead on.”

  When they reached the MD’s office the door was already open.

  “I don’t like it,” Dexter muttered through gritted teeth.

  “Do you have any other choice?” A stranger was just leaving the room with a smug expression plastered over his ugly face.

  Carol-Anne physically cowered behind her desk as the guy walked past her. Dan was in no mood to cow tow to anyone.

  “Excuse me,” he called over to the guy, who turned around in surprise.

  Dan caught him up. “Dan Parker,” he said, reaching out to shake the supercilious-looking stranger’s hand. “Haven’t we met someplace?”

  The guy looked a little taken aback. “I don’t think so,” he mumbled, giving Dan’s hand a reluctant, weak shake.

  Dan peered at his face, memorizing every wrinkle and nuance. “I’m sorry, friend,” he said with a
smile. “I must have been mistaken. What did you say your name was again?”

  He stared right at the stranger, who seemed to be struggling with the answer. “John Smith,” he said at last, throwing Dan a defiant look.

  Dan didn’t flinch. “Good to meet you, John Smith,” he said with a nod.

  The guy looked as though he couldn’t leave fast enough. Dan turned and threw Carol-Anne a reassuring smile before turning back to the MD’s office. He smirked when he saw Roland Dexter standing in his doorway with a face like thunder.

  “In!”

  Nathan shot Dan a withering look and rolled his eyes as both men filed into the boss’s office like a couple of naughty schoolboys.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Tuesday huffed for the umpteenth time. She had been “talking” with Paulette for the best part of three hours and they seemed to be going around in circles. Paulette seemed to be a very nice woman, but Tuesday really didn’t want to speak about herself.

  “So when your father locked you in the closet did he say anything to you?”

  She knew it had been a mistake to tell her about the cellar and all that family stuff. Paulette was tenacious though; she had practically worn her down.

  “He told me that I was just a spoiled brat looking fer attention. He was probably right, mind you. Not about the spoiled part. I was never spoiled, none of us were. They never had the money fer that, nor the time. They worked night and day in that damn pub, so they did. Never seemed to make any money from it though.” She paused thoughtfully, toying with a loose thread on the coverlet. “And I was looking fer attention. I wanted them to notice me for a change. I wasn’t pretty or clever like the others, but I was still there. I was just me. I suppose I just became the rebellious one, you know?” Tuesday chewed her inside cheek thoughtfully. She had analyzed all of this a thousand times in her head, but had never actually admitted to it out loud.

  “Do you think you deserved their attention?”

  Paulette’s question took her by surprise.

  “Well… I… I thought I did at the time. I was young. I suppose it’s only natural to want your parent’s attention.” She shrugged.

  “And they gave you attention when you were naughty?” Paulette surmised.

  “Not exactly the sort of attention I was looking fer. That’s why he put me in there, so they could forget about me.”

  “And how did that make you feel?” Paulette poured her another glass of water as she spoke in a gentle voice.

  Tuesday took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she contemplated her reply. “I was really upset the first few times. I cried nonstop, banged on the door, shouted at the top of me voice for someone to let me out.” She took a long swig of her drink.

  Paulette nodded and gave her a go on look.

  “Well, after dat I sort of got used to it. I knew if I played up he’d put me in there, but dat didn’t stop me. I must be a glutton for punishment.” She sniggered.

  “Did you want him to shut you in the cellar?”

  Tuesday gave her an incredulous look. “No. I hated it down there. But then I started to hate him fer putting me there. And the rest of the family for letting him do it to me. No one else ever got slung in the damn cellar. It wasn’t fair.” She shook her head and suddenly realized that she was trembling.

  “Do you still hate them?”

  “I don’t know. All I do know is that I don’t want anything to do with them—any of them. They could have helped me and they chose not to. Well, now I’ve chosen not to contact them.” Tuesday stuck her chin out defiantly, angry that tears were starting to well in her eyes.

  Paulette put a soothing hand on her good arm. It didn’t help. The thoughts were back in her head and she didn’t want them there. She was annoyed that she had allowed Paulette to bring them all back to the fore. She’d said too much. If it wouldn’t have jeopardized her chances of getting out of here, she’d have jerked her arm away.

  “When’s that doctor gettin’ here? It’s been hours. I really need to go now.” She sniffed and rubbed her eyes with the back of her good hand. “And when’s this damn thing going to be taken out?” She indicated the cannula by lifting her arm, and winced at the pain in her hand.

  Paulette sighed. “I’ll go and chase him up for you now, but you must promise me you’ll come back for more counseling sessions over the next few days.”

  Tuesday gawked at her in disbelief. “But you’ve already had me life story. What more do you want?”

  Paulette sniggered. “I want everything. Now do we have a deal?”

  Tuesday huffed irritably. “As long as I can get dressed now. I’ve been waitin’ long enough. And will someone call Master Dan fer me? I haven’t got my mobile.”

  Paulette smiled, closing the small book she had been jotting down her notes in. “I’ll ask someone to call him now.”

  Tuesday slumped back against the pillows as she watched the counselor leave. She suddenly felt very alone and vulnerable. Not because she was on her own in the room, but because she had opened herself up to this strange woman and told her things she had never spoken about in her life. There was just something about Paulette which made it easy to speak to her. Possibly the questions she asked, Tuesday mused. She wasn’t sure that she felt any better for talking it through though. At the moment she just felt annoyed with herself for bringing it all back up and letting it all run through her mind once again. She had tried to bury all that stuff deep in a corner of her mind where she never needed to go.

  “The doctor’s on his way. I’ve just come to remove that cannula.” Donna, the dark-haired nurse she had seen earlier, breezed into the room holding a little kidney-shaped dish which held all manner of instruments and swabs.

  “Great. Will I get my clothes now, too?” Tuesday thought back to the outfit she had been wearing last night and swallowed hard. Somehow a skimpy top and tiny skirt was going to look really out of place here. She just hoped Dan had picked up her panties before letting them bring her in here.

  The nurse sniggered as though reading her mind. “That gorgeous guy who came in earlier left some for you behind the desk. Paulette’s gone to fetch them now.” She smiled as she set about removing the cannula from the back of Tuesday’s hand. “Is he your boyfriend?”

  Yeah, Tuesday thought as she gawked up at the nurse, she wished. “He’s um, just a good friend.”

  “You’re one lucky girl. I wish I had friends as handsome as him. Is he married?” Donna grinned as she wiped a little blood from the back of her hand and placed a small dressing on top.

  Tuesday frowned. “No, he’s not married.”

  “There’s still hope then,” Donna replied with a salacious wink. “You’re all done here. As soon as the doctor’s been through you can get dressed. I don’t think there’ll be any problem with you going now.”

  Now that she’d spilled her guts, Tuesday finished in her head.

  “Tanks.” Tuesday managed a small smile for the bubbly nurse as she headed for the door, just as Paulette returned with a large sports bag.

  “Your things. Just let the doctor see you and then we’ll set up our next appointment and you’ll be free to go.”

  Tuesday only just managed to refrain from rolling her eyes. She knew there’d be a catch.

  “Ah, Tuesday, how are you feeling now?” The doctor was a thin little man with bony fingers which stretched out to shake her hand.

  “Oh I’m just grand, thanks, doctor. Just wanting to be on me way, that’s all.” Tuesday managed her best fake smile for him, trying to convince him she was fine.

  “I’m glad to hear it. You were in a pretty poor state last night, I can tell you. Still, Paulette tells me you’ve been talking things through with her and you’re willing to attend regular counseling sessions, so that’s good.”

  He flicked through her notes and gave a satisfied nod. Then he moved closer and peered into her face. Tuesday had no idea what he was looking for, but whatever it was unnerved her.

  �
��Are you happy to be going home?” he asked slowly.

  “Yes, of course.” She felt herself blush as she spoke, but had no idea why.

  “And I understand you won’t be on your own for a few days. How do you feel about that?”

  She frowned. “I live alone but I’m real happy that way. I’ve got lots of friends at work if I fancy some company.”

  Now it was his turn to frown. “But I understand you’ll be staying with your…er…friend.”

  Tuesday gawked at the little man, wondering what in heaven he was going on about. “And what friend would that be, doc?”

  “We thought it best for you not to be alone for a while when you get home,” Paulette interjected. “In fact, it was a condition of your discharge. Mr. Parker agreed and said you would be staying with him for a few days.”

  Tuesday just stared at her. When had this been arranged? And why on earth hadn’t she been consulted?

  How dare Dan Parker assume she would want to go and stay with him? Apparently nobody had deigned her important enough to even run this by her until now. But the thought of being with him, in his house, ignited a warm glow in her stomach. She frowned, not quite sure what to make of it all.

  “That is all right, isn’t it? If not we can always arrange for you to…” The doctor seemed a little flustered.

  “Oh yes. You can always stay here if you’d rather?” Paulette offered.

  “No, no, you’re fine. I’ll go with Ma, er, Mr. Parker if that’s what he’s arranged.” Tuesday felt a little nervous at the idea of being with him round the clock, but it was a far better idea than having to stay here a moment longer than necessary. “Did you say that was my things?” She pointed to the duffle Paulette had placed by the bed.

  Paulette grinned. “Yes. And Mr. Parker’s already on his way, so you’d better get changed.”

  The doctor nodded and left the room.

  “Do you need any help?” Paulette offered.

  “No, no, you’re all right. I tink I can manage to put my clothes on, tanks,” Tuesday told her hurriedly. She jumped out of bed and grabbed the bag.