A Festive Affair Ch. 05-08

And then she ran her fingers through her auburn locks a few times. She made a mental note to call Brian a little later, and interrogate her cousin and find out everything he knew about Dean.

But she knew that Brian was busy until teatime since it was Sunday and he was dutybound to visit each of his divorced parents and their new families. She smiled ruefully. Oh, the complications of family!

"What do you mean you think Shelly's getting involved with Dean?" Brian demanded grumpily.

"Why? Would you have a problem with that?" Kelly asked worriedly. "Is he married? Involved... has he got some sort of reputation?"

"No, no nothing like that! To tell the truth I think that Dean is one of the best people that I've ever met... outside of family that is."

"So, what's the problem then - because obviously you think there is one?"

"Well..." he sighed down the phone. "To be quite frank with you, Kel, Dean is my boss."

"Your boss?" Kelly's eyebrows shot up under her fringe.

"Yeah, he started this place a few years ago, and I... well what if things don't work out with them? I like working there - I like working with Dean!"

"I know love!" Kelly sighed. "But I really think that Shelly likes him, and well, she's had such a rotten time of it lately - I would like to see her happy for once - truly happy."

"Yeah... me too I guess." his sigh of acceptance caused Kelly to smile with relief at the other end of the phone.

"Thanks love." she murmured. "So... other than he's your boss - there is no other reason you can see that Shelly shouldn't see Dean again?" she asked trying to be discrete.

"No; to be quite honest with you Kel, if it wasn't for that one little niggle, I would say that they were perfect for each other!"

"Oh good!"

*

Shelly kept herself busy doing some of her coursework, spreading her books and her paperwork all over her mum's kitchen table - along with a calculator and her laptop.

She did some mock bank reconciliations, and then switched to her laptop to answer some timed multiple questions on ethics for accountants, and then finished by producing a mock Financial Statement based on a list of figures provided.

By the time she was finished the room was growing dark and her back and neck felt stiff from all the studying, but she was thrilled that she had achieved so much - more than she had managed in weeks now.

She came to the conclusion that it was Dean's positive influence, his ready acceptance of her cautious ambitions, had instilled in her a new sense of determination to finish what she had started.

Malcolm had always sneered at her hopes and plans, and she had never been allowed to study in peace when he was in their home.

Even now she had to be alone, to really be able to concentrate.

She pulled the blinds in the kitchen and switched on the light.

"Now what shall I have for tea?" she murmured as she opened the freezer, then moving to the fridge, as she searched for inspiration.

Half an hour later she sat back down at the kitchen table, reading her notes, in between taking bites out of her cheesy jacket potato, complete with side salad, and washed down with a glass of white wine.

She set the kitchen to rights and stacked her study bits at the side of the table.

Then she closed the living room curtains, and after pouring herself another glass of wine, she switched off the downstairs lights and took herself upstairs for a nice relaxing bath, and then she would sit in bed and read for an hour, but she was determined to have an early night, so that she would be ready to get up fresh and alert in the morning, to be prepared to get to work on time.

He phone lit up with a text and her smile lit up her face as she read it.

"Good night my lovely and sweet dreams. Dean xx."

She was so happy right now, her mum looked like she was finally moving on from the loss of her husband, and Shelly felt like was getting over Malcolm's betrayal.

The Christmas season would be starting up, and she was thrilled that Dean had appeared into her life.

Things seemed to be improving by the day, and she was really looking forward to whatever was to come next!