“I’m fine,” Victoria muttered through gritted teeth.
“Let me see,” Holly insisted. She took Victoria’s clenched hand and inspected the bloody wound. She pulled Victoria over to the sink and put the cold tap on.
“It doesn’t look too deep,” Holly said as she put Victoria’s hand under the stream of water. “Where’s the first aid kit?”
“It’s fine,” Victoria repeated.
Holly glared at her.
“The cupboard in the hallway bathroom, second door on the left.”
Holly vanished in search of the first aid kit, and Victoria looked at her damaged palm in disgust.
“That wine glass just shattered,” Holly said as she returned.
“Yes, it was old. The dishwasher must have cracked it,” Victoria lied. “Anyway, you were saying you had news?”
Holly pulled Victoria’s hand out from under the tap. She gently dabbed a towel around the wound and started to wrap a bandage around her hand.
“Oh, yes, I have a date. Tomorrow evening,” Holly explained with a wide grin.
“Wow,” Victoria said with forced enthusiasm to try to match Holly’s glee. “That’s soon, isn’t it?”
Holly shrugged. “I suppose so. But you only live once, so why not? You know what I mean?” She tightened the bandage.
“Not really,” Victoria muttered.
“Sorry, what?” Holly asked.
“Thank you,” Victoria said louder. “For the bandage. Who… is your date?” She gave her best faux smile.
“Someone I met in Michael’s office, he’s one of the junior partners, David. He was really nice, and we hit it off.” Holly cleaned her hands. “That is okay, isn’t it? You didn’t have plans, did you?”
Victoria shook her head. “No. No plans. I… I thought you dated women?”
Holly considered the question and then shrugged her shoulders. “I never thought about it. I suppose I’m bisexual.” She turned around and continued with the meal preparation.
“Excuse me, I have to change into my eating outfit,” Victoria deadpanned.
She walked out of the kitchen, eager to get some space. She couldn’t believe that Holly was already dating. She tried to recall a David at Michael’s office, but all the young men just blurred into one poorly-suited stereotype. She wondered if her power of attorney gave her authority to cancel the date. Surely it was too soon?
She’d barely approached the stairs when the doorbell rang. Suddenly she remembered the other reason she was home early that evening.
She turned and walked towards the front door, at the same time Holly appeared from the kitchen.
“I’m sorry, I completely forgot about this,” Victoria confessed.
She opened the door, and a large Newfoundland came bounding into the house. She thanked the dog sitter and closed the front door again. When she turned around the dog was already barking happily at Holly.
“Down, girl!” Holly instructed with a smile. “That’s enough, Izzy, quiet now.”
Izzy sat down obediently, her large tail wagging loudly on the floor.
Victoria stared at Holly in stunned silence.
Holly’s eyes widened as she realised what she had said. She stared in shock at the dog and whispered, “Izzy…”
Izzy panted with excitement, looking from one silent woman to the other.
Victoria finally broke the silence. “Y-you… You. Remember. The. Dog?” she asked in disbelief.
“I don’t choose what I remember!” Holly defended.
Victoria stared at her for a few more moments before she shook her head. She turned and walked up the stairs.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Holly leaned over the bannister rail and looked up the stairway towards the third floor of the townhouse. It had been a couple of hours since Victoria had left, and there was no sign that she intended to return.
Holly had never been upstairs. It seemed like a private space for the family. Somewhere she might not be welcome, especially if the look on Victoria’s face was anything to go by.
She’d tried calling up the stairs and even sent text messages, but she was met with stony silence.
Since Victoria had stormed off, Holly had finished preparing the meal and placed it in containers in the fridge. She’d then cleaned the kitchen and returned everything to the exact way she had found it.
Now she wondered what course of action to take. Going up the stairs seemed like a very bad idea. She’d just have to wait for Victoria to come down. Surely, she must be hungry? Or maybe she had a kitchen up there on one of the hundred floors? Or maybe her children had chocolate stashed away in their rooms? Holly grinned at the thought of Victoria raiding a child’s chocolate supply rather than coming downstairs.
Holly couldn’t imagine Victoria giving up easily. Deciding that she’d wasted enough time, she turned the lights off and started to head down to her basement guest area.
As she was halfway down the stairs, she heard a key in the front door. She stood still and listened to the noises in the darkness. She wondered if Victoria had somehow managed to evade her and left the house.
She crept up the stairs so she could hear if it was Victoria returning to the house or a murderer who happened to have a key.
She heard the door creak open and then close again with a small click.
Heels clacked across the hardwood floor towards Victoria’s study at the back of the house. Holly pressed herself against the bannister and held her breath as the person passed. She crept a little higher up the stairs and peeked through the spindles.
The streetlight filtered through the glass of the front door and cast a light on a young woman, dressed in a long coat. The woman placed something on the telephone table just outside of Victoria’s office. She straightened the flowers in the vase on the table and took a step back to evaluate the scene. She stepped forward again and moved a single bloom half a centimetre and then straightened whatever she had placed on the table top.
She nodded to herself and quickly turned around, glancing up the stairwell with much the same terror that Holly felt.
A few moments later, she was gone.
Holly climbed the stairs and walked over to the table. A large ring-bound book with ARRIVAL written in large letters across the front sat on the table.
She immediately recognised it as the famous Book, a mock-up of the next issue of Arrival. Apparently one of her jobs had been to wait late in the office for the final copy of the Book and then deliver it to Victoria at home. Victoria would then work on it overnight and return it the next morning with changes.
Holly picked up the Book, looked towards the stairs, and smiled a large, evil smile.
Holly felt herself being pulled back into consciousness. Despite her sleep-riddled mind, she clutched her precious cargo tighter to her chest.
She opened her eyes and saw Victoria standing over her, trying to pull the Book out from under her folded arms. Distractedly she wondered how much time had gone by since she sat in the comfortable armchair in Victoria’s office, holding the Book. Clearly a while if she had managed to fall into a deep sleep.
“Give me the Book,” Victoria mumbled. “You’re impossible.”
“Yep, I don’t remember much, but I do remember that much about me,” Holly agreed.
Victoria was leaning over her, using her height over the seated Holly as an advantage as she pulled on the Book. Holly held the Book in a full-body bear hug to prevent it from being taken.
“I need to work,” Victoria grunted in frustration.
“We need to talk,” Holly countered.
“There’s nothing to say.” Victoria released her grip on the Book and stood with her hands on her hips, glaring down at Holly.
“Yes, there is,” Holly argued. “I’ve upset you, and I want to apologise.”
“The best apology would be to give me the Book.” Victoria dived forward to grab it.
“I’m sorry that I remembered Izzy and not you,” Holly said. She g
ripped the Book with all her might. “It just came out. I don’t remember anything specific. Just in the heat of the moment, I knew her name.”
Victoria let go of the Book. She took a step back and sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Yes, I know,” she whispered.
Holly let out a small sigh of relief.
Finally, the editor was caving in. Willing to talk. Kind of.
“Although my memories aren’t flooding back, I am getting… sensations, feelings about things,” Holly explained. “I can’t explain, but I have this very strong feeling about you. I know you. I know you were important in my life.”
Victoria gave a derisive laugh but looked somewhat pleased to hear the admission.
“Remembering Izzy’s name means those memories must be in there somewhere, right? A part of the memory centre must still be functioning.” Holly smiled. “I’ll remember you, I promise.”
“No, no…” Victoria shook her head sadly. “You shouldn’t make such promises. You may not be able to do so. Yes, remembering Izzy’s name is positive news, but you have to take it one step at a time.”
“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” Holly said softly.
“It’s been a trying day,” Victoria confessed.
Holly assumed that was as much of an apology as she’d ever get from the woman. Victoria looked tired and emotionally worn out.
“Would you like something to eat?” Holly asked, hoping to snag a few more minutes with her.
Victoria shook her head. She was clearly not ready to commit to full forgiveness just yet.
“No, thank you. I think I will have a look at the Book and then have an early night.”
Holly smiled sadly. She held the Book up, and Victoria accepted it with a grateful nod. She turned around and headed for the stairs.
“Good night, Victoria,” Holly whispered after her.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Gideon glanced up to see Victoria open the glass door to his office. She glided into the room and took her customary place on the stool. He could tell something was wrong, by the solemn look on her face.
“Good morning,” Gideon greeted. He continued to focus on his work, hand-drawing the feature page layout with a mechanical pencil.
“I just came in to say that dinner is… delayed,” Victoria said in a soft tone.
There was clearly more on her mind. Gideon knew he wouldn’t have to wait long before she spilled whatever it was. Until that time, he intended to continue working to meet the ridiculous deadline she’d imposed upon him.
Victoria was known for handing out stacks of work to be completed in impossibly short amounts of time. That was fine if you were one of the ninety-nine percent of people Victoria didn’t give a second glance to. But as the closest thing she had to a friend, Gideon had to also balance Victoria’s occasional desire to confess what was on her mind.
Not that he made it easy. One of the reasons Victoria opened up to him was because he rarely asked any direct questions. He held back and waited for her to tell him whatever was on her mind.
“Oh, well, let me know when it’s back on,” he said without looking up.
Victoria sat in silence for a few moments before speaking again.
“Holly has made other plans.”
“Ah,” Gideon said. “Well, another night then.”
“She has a date, Gideon. A date!”
He sighed and put the pencil in the pot on his desk.
“I see.” He removed his glasses and started to clean the lenses.
“What? What do you see?” Victoria glared at him, seeming to be spoiling for a fight.
“That Holly has a date,” he replied with a placating smile.
“Why on earth are you smiling, Gideon? Dinner is cancelled.” Victoria used the same tone Gideon imagined she’d use to announce the end of days.
“Well, ours is. It seems someone will still be having dinner,” he pointed out.
“She doesn’t even know him, of course. And she remembers the damn dog.”
He frowned. “He has a dog?”
“No, Gideon.” She sighed with exasperation. “Try to keep up. She remembers Izzy.”
“So, she remembers your dog? That’s wonderful news.” Gideon smiled, but the expression soon slipped from his face when he saw Victoria’s was still thundery. “Or, apparently not?”
“I’m afraid I don’t see what’s so wonderful about it.” She shook her head in dismay.
“Well, the fact that she has managed to recover any memories at all is a good thing. And the fact that she remembered your dog, which is a direct connection to you.” He held his glasses up to the light to check they were spotlessly clean.
“Why would that matter?” Victoria sniffed.
“I don’t know, I just thought I’d mention it.” He couldn’t believe how deep-down Victoria had buried her emotions.
“She doesn’t even know him,” she repeated.
“We’re back to the date again, yes?”
Victoria replied with another glare, and he chuckled.
“I fail to see what is so amusing,” Victoria said icily.
“Nothing,” Gideon continued to smile. “Let me know when our dinner is rearranged.” He picked up his pencil and returned to his sketch.
“You clearly have something to say. Out with it,” she ordered.
He looked up at her. “For some reason, and I’ll allow you to come to your own conclusion on this, you are jealous.”
Victoria looked shocked before she blurted out, “Preposterous!”
“If you say so.” He turned away and focused on his work.
“Never have I ever heard anything so ridiculous,” Victoria grumbled. She slid off the stool and stalked over to his desk. She angrily pointed at the design. “That needs to change. I told you before, no more wind machines. Blowing the models around like that. They’ll snap like twigs. Really, Gideon.”
He felt the draft of the door as she left and heard her heels disappearing down the corridor. He let out a long sigh.
Victoria prowled the corridors of Arrival. She delivered piercing glares to anyone who dared to look up at her. She couldn’t get the thought of Holly’s date out of her mind. She knew Gideon was right, but she’d be damned if she’d admit it to anyone, even to herself.
She turned on her heel and stalked back towards her own office. As she walked along the carpeted hallway, she heard Louise and Claudia in conversation. She could tell from their hushed tones that it was something juicy. Probably about her. She slowed her pace and waited around the corner to listen.
“It’s disgusting,” Louise whispered.
“It isn’t right,” Claudia agreed.
Victoria crept a little closer. If her two assistants were talking about her, then she wanted to catch them in the act.
“He’s fifty for God’s sake,” Louise said, despair clear in her voice.
“And she’s how old?” Claudia asked.
“Thirty,” Louise spat. “It’s disgusting. Twenty years between them. They can’t have anything in common. No, it’s just an old person wanting to have a young person as a trophy.”
“It makes me feel queasy,” Claudia said.
“It makes you feel queasy?” Louise snorted a bitter laugh. “Imagine how I feel. I have to sit across from them at a restaurant and watch them… together.”
Victoria swallowed. She took a step backwards and pressed up against the wall, her legs shaking slightly.
“Why do old people do it?” Claudia asked.
“Don’t ask me,” Louise replied. “Surely they must know that they are laughingstocks? Drooling over someone half their age.”
Victoria felt her cheeks flush. She had heard enough. She pushed herself away from the wall and walked away.
Gideon approached Victoria’s office with every intention of begging on bended knee because, dammit, he really needed that wind machine. As he approached the outer office, he could see she wasn’t there.
He looked at Louise with a raised eyebrow and gestured towards Victoria’s office.
“Where?” he questioned.
“No idea. We’re enjoying the peace,” Louise said. Her phone chirped and she sighed. “Well, almost peace. Parents!”
“What’s wrong?” Gideon asked.
Louise ignored him and started to type out a response on her phone. He turned to Claudia and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Her dad is dating a new woman,” Claudia replied, typing without looking up. “She is much younger than him, and Louise’s mom has flipped.”
“They’ve been divorced for six years,” Louise explained. “But Mom is being awful. I just don’t want to know. I mean, he’s dating someone who is only three years older than me. I don’t want to hear about it.”
“It is gross, though,” Claudia said. “He’s fifty and she’s thirty.”
The young girls shuddered.
“Well, sometimes an age gap works. Depends on the personality types,” Gideon said.
Claudia looked at him curiously.
“It’s true,” he defended his statement. “Not that I’m dating anyone younger than me. Dating is a distant memory, anyway.”
“You think it’s okay for someone to date someone half their age?” Claudia questioned.
“I think it’s up to the individuals. Who are we to judge?” he replied. “Sometimes people just click, and age has nothing to do with it. Let me ask you a question, would you rather be in a relationship with someone twice your age that you absolutely adored, who was perfect for you in every way, or someone your own age who didn’t share any of your interests and treated you badly?”
“Well, of course I’d want the person I loved,” Claudia replied.
“Of course you would. That’s all any of us want. Age is a number. No two twenty-year-olds are the same. No two fifty-year-olds are the same. It’s one of those ridiculous social constructs that tell us what we should and shouldn’t do. I would have expected young women like you two to know better.”
The tips of Claudia’s ears turned red. She nodded her head, clearly ashamed by her judgemental attitude.
Bring Holly Home Page 10