by C. L Stewart
At four o’clock on the dot my phone rings and the girl on reception lets me know my sister is here with Georgie. There is no one on this earth that is more punctual than Charlie. It has always been a running joke in my family that if Charlie is ever late then something terrible has happened to her. Even Georgie has followed in her footsteps since she decided to come into the world a few weeks early. The office is quiet, and everyone is busy beavering away at their computers so it’s the perfect opportunity to slip out. I make my way down to the reception area and find Charlie and Mark admiring the artwork on the walls.
“Hey guys.” They both turn in unison as I near them.
“Hey sis,” Charlie says as she hugs me.
They are both dressed up and they remind me of a couple of teenagers going out on a date. It’s so nice to see my sister so happy.
“You two look like you’re more than ready to rock out tonight. I won’t lie to you; I am extremely jealous, and I do hate you a tiny bit right now.”
Mark laughs. “This is one of those ‘in the right place at the right time’ things. I got these tickets from a friend who I wouldn’t actually have seen if I hadn’t missed my train, and the reason I missed the train was because I was buying Charlie flowers.”
“Yeah, we had a little heated discussion that morning and he was going to try grovelling with flowers. Well, for Ed Sheeran tickets I’d forgive anyone kicking my granny, so he was more than forgiven.”
Yes, my sister has a weird sense of humour.
“Oh, Charlie you are awful. Now I’ll take this little one and let you two get on. My staff are going to love meeting her. Damo is especially looking forward to it.”
“Listen to you, ‘my staff’. The girl done good and by the way it’s nice to see you with a real smile on your face. You look happy today sweetie.”
I really am happy today, so much so that I would say I feel like I’m glowing.
“Yeah I really am happy Charlie. I’m so glad I came here.”
“Yeah and not just for the job,” Charlie leans in and whispers. “Right Marky Mark lets go before she changes her mind. We’ll pick her up when the concert is done. Hopefully before midnight.” She plants a kiss on Georgie’s head.
Mark hands the pram over to me and they both disappear out the doors, giggling as they go. I look down at my niece who has decided to see how much of her fist she can fit in her mouth. Charlie has her dressed in the cutest little pair of dungarees and a marshmallow pink T-shirt. She is such a stunning little baby and I know my colleagues are going to love her.
Chapter Twenty
“Right Miss Nikki you ready?” Damo arrives at my desk, chirpy as ever. I, on the other hand, look and feel like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards. My sister seriously has a lot to answer for, and so does the clock since it feels like it has been going backwards all day.
“Oh God Damo I’m not sure this is going to be such a good idea today, I’m bloody exhausted.”
He puts his hands on his hips and gives me a suspicious look. “Well what did you get up to last night that’s got you so tired? Spill.”
“Oh not what you think, get your mind out the gutter Damien.”
“Ooh I’ve touched a nerve. What’s up my little chicken?”
I can’t help but laugh at his mother hen act. “Well you know I was babysitting Georgie last night.” I talk as I tidy up my desk.
“Mhm that sweet bundle of gorgeousness.”
“Ah not so sweet at two, three, half-three, four and five this morning. My God that girl has a set of lungs on her. I thought I was going to get arrested for anti-social behaviour at one point through the night.”
“I thought you only had her while the concert was on.”
“That was the plan, but little did I know Charlie had packed enough stuff for an overnight, so they decided they were going to a hotel for the night. ‘She’s a great baby’ she said. ‘She doesn’t really wake through the night’ she said. Well these,” I point at my eyes, “are proof that she does wake through the night. I swear I actually wanted to murder my sister at four this morning. The poor little soul just wanted her mum.”
“Oh dear, well hopefully you won’t fall asleep in this class today. I’ve heard it’s very intense.”
“Oh, I thought you’d done this before.”
“No, I’ve done normal yoga, but I had heard this Bikram Yoga is supposed to be good for inflexible people. Like me.”
“Oh God I don’t know if I’ll make it out alive.”
“Don’t be a wuss. Let’s go we need to be there fifteen minutes before it starts.” Damo swings his yoga mat over his shoulder, and I gather my stuff and follow him as he heads for the lift.
The studio we are going to is only a minute walk from the office. I love how everything is within walking distance in the city centre. Everything I need, I can find between home and work. When I lived in South Africa my office was outside the city so there wasn’t much to do before, during and after work that wasn’t a half hour drive away. The building housing the studio is much like many of the older buildings in Glasgow, made from old sandstone with ornate stone carvings on the walls and beautiful large sash windows. We make our way through the front door and stop at the reception. The girl behind the desk is slim and flawless and I wonder for a moment if she actually does this class or if they are just using her as an advert.
“Hi there, we’re booked for the next class. Damien Shaw and Nikki Olsson.” Damo takes the lead and I’m happy to let him.
The receptionist looks at her computer screen and smiles as she looks back at us. “So, you’re booked in for the introductory class. Let me just show you the full list of monthly and yearly options we have…”
Damo holds his hand up stopping advert-girl in mid sell. “Why don’t we try the class first, then we’ll look at the price list sweetie.”
“O-kay.” She looks a little perplexed. Obviously, people don’t normally argue with her. “That’ll be thirty-two pounds fifty each then.”
“Christ,” I say under my breath. That’s more than I was expecting, and this is only the introductory class. I dread to think how much a monthly membership is let alone a yearly one.
“I’ll get it honey,” Damo whispers as he pushes his card into the machine. The advert hands him his receipt and directs us towards the studio.
“Thanks for that. I’ll pay you back I promise.” I push open the door and instantly feel like I’ve been hit by the fires of hell. “Holy shit that’s hot.” I look back at Damo who is giving off a ‘what have I gotten us into’ look.
“Oh, it smells ripe in here doesn’t it?”
He is not kidding. The heat and humidity mixed with the smell of classes past are not a nice mixture and I wonder how I am going make it through ninety minutes without dying. There’s a large digital thermometer on the wall, which is reading 95oF. I was wrong; it’s hotter than the fires of hell. The class looks rather full and unfortunately the only spaces are right at the front. If this heat doesn’t kill me the embarrassment will. We take our spots and as I unroll my mat, I feel the need to shed some clothes. I strip out of my t-shirt so that I am only in my sports bra. It’s still too hot but it helps slightly. The yoga pants I’m wearing are a little too thick and I feel like I’m in an oven being cooked in foil.
“I am actually going to die in here Damo.” I look over at him and he’s standing there in a pair of really short shorts and apart from them he’s effectively naked.
“I’m fine,” he smiles, and I actually want to do him some harm.
“Why didn’t you tell me I was over dressed you little shit?”
“Hey dumbass the name hot yoga should have given it away.”
“You said it was called Bikram Yoga not hot yoga.”
He laughs, a hearty sarcastic laugh. “You can use a computer; you should have Googled it.”
I’m about to hit back with something equally cheeky when the door opens and what I can only describe as the tiniest h
ippie woman enters. Her dreadlocks reach her backside and she has a tie-dyed scarf round the top of her head. She is also in an incredibly short pair of shorts and as I scan the room it appears that everyone else is too. Now I feel like an idiot. Who the hell takes on something new like this without researching it? I just thought it was another name for a different type of yoga.
“Okay everyone, I’m Suzie, and welcome to the class. I see we have some newbies here today.” She looks right at Damo and I and the whole class turns to look at us too. I feel my face blush and right now I would gladly slink out the door and never return.
“Hi,” Damo says loudly and waves to everyone.
Rolling my eyes at him I turn and give a small smile to the forty pairs of eyes on us.
“Nice to welcome you both. Why don’t you introduce yourselves?”
Damo, who I have come to realise is something of an extrovert, goes first. “Damien Shaw, Glasgow born and bred. Call me Damo I don’t like being associated with The Omen.”
The class laughs in unison and Suzie gives him a huge smile. “Nice to meet you Damo. And you my love?”
I sigh and all at once feel my body recoil into itself, trying to make me as small and inconspicuous as possible. “Nikki Olsson.”
“Nice to meet you Nikki. Now that’s not a Scottish accent is it?”
I answer her only because I want to get on with the class and get out of this extremely uncomfortable situation. “South Africa.”
“Well it’s always great to have some fresh blood and we welcome you with open arms, both of you.” Suzie turns and addresses the class as a whole and I’m thankful for the reprieve as everyone turns their attention from us to her. As I do the same, the digital thermostat catches my attention and I notice that it shows a temperature of 98oF. Holy hell-balls, how bloody hot is this place going to get?
“Namaste,” says Suzie and the class repeats it back to her. I open my eyes as a bead of sweat drips off my nose. The class has ended on a temperature of 108oF and I think I may have lost about a stone in water. Thankfully, I brought a towel with me because there may have been some slipping and sliding on the mat if I hadn’t.
“Let’s hit the showers Miss Nikki and then we can go to the juice bar for a power smoothie.”
“Okay but I think I’d rather hit a real bar for a power G&T.”
Damo leans in close to me. “That’s what I meant,” he whispers. “I just didn’t want Suzie to think we were taking the piss. Come on we’ll get ready and head out. Let’s see where the night takes us.”
As we make our way out of the building, I’m thankful for the cool breeze coming off the river. That class was bloody hot, but I actually enjoyed it. It was nice to have an hour or so concentrating on something other than all the crap in my life.
“Did you have any plans tonight Miss Nikki?”
I shake my head. “No not especially. I was just going to go home and sit in front of the TV with a ready meal.”
“Well instead of a bar, how do you fancy coming out to dinner with me tonight. I was thinking something casual though I’m not into anything fancy after all that sweating.”
“I’d love to Damo thanks.”
Damo hooks his arm through mine and we walk and chat for the next ten minutes until we reach the doors of the little café in the same block as my apartment.
“Well it looks like you’ve basically walked me home. How do you fancy grabbing some food to go and taking it upstairs?”
“That sounds cool. Do they do takeaway?”
I smile at Damo and wink. “The manager knows me. I get my coffee here every morning before I go to work so I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“Ah I love knowing people who know people.”
I laugh at him. “You make me sound like I know a hit-man or something.”
“Well you are the daughter of a diplomat, so you do know people. I bet you could have me murdered and never bat an eyelid.” Damo elbows my arm and winks at me.
I pull a serious face and lean in close. “Yes,” I whisper, “I could, so watch it matey.”
Loaded sandwiches and a bottle of rosé in hand, Damo and I head for my apartment. Luckily, we got to the café just before it closed so we have ended up with much more food than we paid for. As we step onto the landing, we both stop and take in the red heart foil balloon tied to my door handle.
“What’s this Miss Nikki? Do you have an admirer?”
“I am getting fucking fed up with this shit now,” I shout as I stomp to the door and try to pull the damn thing off the handle. But pulling at it only makes the red ribbon knot tighter. “Arrggh,” I scream and kick the door in frustration.
“Hey honey are you ok?”
“No, I’m not ok. I think that bitch Astrid is really trying her hardest to get me to leave SecuriSoft. This is the last straw I’m telling you I’ve had about as much as I can take from her.”
Damo frowns at me. “Right let’s get in and you can fill me in.”
It’s at this moment I realise I haven’t told Damo about the roses but most of all I haven’t told him about Dan. I think now might be as good a time as any to confide in the only person I would consider a friend here. And hell do I need to have someone on my side right now.
“Good idea, I have a lot to tell you.” I get my keys out and let us both in.
“Where’s your scissors.”
I point to the cutlery drawer as I set about putting out the food and pouring some wine for us both. Damo comes back to the kitchen with the scissors in one hand and the limp deflated balloon in the other. We smile at each other, mine saying thanks, and his saying you’re welcome. He bins the balloon and we take our food and drinks through to the living room and plonk ourselves down on the sofa.
“So, spill. What the hell has been happening to you?” Damo asks taking a big sip of his wine.
“Oh God where to start.”
“The beginning is usually the best.”
I shake my head and do just that, and in the process of pouring my heart out to Damo I am hit by a sense of relief as I feel my whole body relax.
“Oh. My. God. Miss Nikki you wee dark horse.” Damo’s eyes are like saucers as he takes in everything I’ve just told him.
Everything except the theft. That needs to remain confidential, but I did tell him about Astrid and Jed’s affair.
“Please Damo you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone. I really don’t fancy Astrid getting wind of this. It would play right into her hands.”
“I will not tell a soul I promise. Why did you tell me all this anyway?”
I reach out and take his hand. “You were really nice to me on my first day and you didn’t need to be. I feel like we’ve become good friends, don’t you?”
“Oh hell of course we have.”
“Well apart from my sister’s friend Gina I literally have no other people I would call friends in this city. You’ve done nothing but be kind to me since I started at SecuriSoft and I feel like I could probably trust you with my life. I suppose it’s my way of saying thank you and showing you that I trust you.”
“Oh, come here you.” He grabs me and pulls me in to a tight hug. He sniffs on my shoulder.
“Damo?”
“Mhm,” he sniffs again.
“Are you crying?” I ask, as I break free from his hold.
“No, it’s my hay fever.” He swipes at his eyes and smiles. “Oh shit, okay I’m crying. You happy? I’ve never had someone confide in me like that before, it made me emotional.”
“Oh honey.” I pat his knee.
“I have totally become a stereotype, haven’t I? Drama Queen,” he sings as he fans his face with his hand.
“I wouldn’t have you any other way.”
Damo composes himself before he speaks again. “So, where is he taking you tomorrow then?”
“I have no clue. He said there was about an hour or so of travelling so I doubt it will be anywhere too far.”
“God Nikki I still can’t
believe this. I think Jed has gotten himself involved in something over his head. I honestly thought he was madly in love with his wife. I suppose the dick rules the heart in this one eh?”
“Nice analogy Damo but I don’t think you’re wrong. Astrid obviously knows how to get what she wants, and you have to admit she is very beautiful. It wouldn’t be hard for her to get under a man’s skin.”
“I know but she’s nasty. I just hope he sees sense before his wife finds out or he’s going to seriously regret ever meeting her.”
I shake my head. “I feel like it might be too late for him. If he even tried to break it off with Astrid, she’d only have to threaten him that she would tell his wife and he’d have no choice but to stay with her.”
Damo sighs. “Poor Jed. Makes me glad I’m a singleton.” He stands and finishes his glass of wine. “Right honey I’m going to make a move, I have work in the morning and my boss is a total dragon lady.”
“Cheeky little shit,” I throw a cushion at him. “And after I just poured my heart out to you too.”
He laughs and kisses my cheek. “You know I love you Nikki.” He drops his glass off at the breakfast bar and picks up his stuff. “Ciao,” he says as he saunters to the door Astrid style, swiping his imaginary hair over his shoulder, and leaving me in hysterics.
I smile as I close the door behind him and laugh as I hear him still chuckling to himself going down the stairs.
Chapter Twenty-One
It’s Friday. My first official date with Dan will take place in less than three hours. I’ve already been at work since eight am and in those two hours I have thought about nothing else. Even when everyone started to arrive, I couldn’t hold much of a conversation with any of them. Every time I think about Dan, I get a rush of butterflies, which is ridiculous considering what we’ve already done together. I’m still a little uncomfortable with our relationship being kept a secret but I’ve come to terms with the reason why. Dan’s whole life revolves around his daughter and I can see that he strives to be a better father than his own was.