Freddie Flits & Dips Here & There

"Oh god, that's almost a declaration of love."

"Agreed," he grinned. "It comes very close."

"I've had the fear you'd ditch me for new blood."

"That's related to that dent in your confidence arising from your marriage break-up and is understandable. Go on, admit we are having a wonderful relationship."

"Wonderful? I'd call it near unbelievable. You have made me feel whole again my lovely man."

Freddie went from work to his own apartment to shower and dress formerly on the evening of the cocktail party. He went by cab to Kate's apartment building, calling her to say they were approaching and she was waiting in the foyer. At a glance Freddie saw her fair hair now had blonde highlights and the hair, piled high, appeared to emphasis the blue of her eyes. She wore a black coat and so was unable to see her choice of dress. It was also rare for her to have full make-up like this.

"You look very beautiful," he said, adding colour to her face as she gurgled, "Thank you kind sir."

At the coat check at the hotel Freddie watched as Kate uncloaked and drew in breath. She was in a deep blue dress and for the first time he noticed the matching shoes. It was a halter deep v-neckline dress trimmed with sequins, leaving the back bare with a shirred empire waist. Below that on the top of the flared A-line skirt were more silver sequins.

"You are a princess -- where's the tiara," he whispered, drawing a lovely smile from her.

"You needed my support tonight and so I'm attempting to perform at my best," said the 29-year-old, three months' Freddie's junior. "I'll feel a fool appearing in this outfit at the society's AGM."

"Then keep your coat on," Freddie suggested and Kate said what a very practical suggestion. It was a cold night and the meeting room would probably be inadequately heated.

Sir Athol and Lady Armstrong were at the main entrance to the lounge and greeting guest and as Freddie and Kate approached Lady Armstrong threw out her arms and shouted "Kate" and drew the young woman into her arms.

Kate pulled away after being kissed and linking arms with the hostess said, "Aunt Edith, may I present my very dear friend Freddie Fanning, who holds a senior position in the London company. Freddie has been hugely responsible for pulling me out of mild depression. Isn't he lovely?"

"Yes indeed. Good evening Freddie and thank you for attending to my dear niece. Her mother is my sister."

"Now what's this hold up -- by joves it's Kate and isn't she a pretty picture," said Sir Athol, kissing Kate. "I heard this young man being introduced. You are our deputy director of project coordination here in London for all of the UK aren't you Freddie?"

"You are very well informed Sir Athol. Indeed I am. At this point I believe it's polite to say you run a tight ship as chairman."

"Oh, grovelling to the chairman are we young man?" he chortled." No, I accept that as a well-intended compliment. Earlier I was speaking to your superior Priscilla Abercrombie who tells me she views you as a rising star. What is your ambition young man?"

"To be blooded in on international projects sir and then to come back here to London one day to be managing director."

Sir Athol laughed and said that was ambitious. "If young Freddie goes international would you go with him Kate?"

"If the location appealed and I was asked to accompany him I would consider it uncle."

At that point Sir Athol was pulled away to welcome the line of waiting guests and hadn't indicated he'd heard the reply. But Lady Armstrong had heard. Freddie heard her whisper to her niece: "Going abroad would get you well away from that dreadful ex-husband and your father who foisted him on you."

When Kate turned to check whether Freddie had heard that, he'd anticipated and was staring at a woman with an enormous bust that appeared in danger of toppling her. Kate took his arm and whispered, "I'm sorry mine are not of that more playful kind."

"What? Oh that? I was wondering had she consider breast reduction."

"Liar. Let's find if they are serving champagne."

* * *

Early one morning Freddie received an urgent call from the chairman's office. Miss Hunger said she was speaking on behalf of Sir Athol. "The international appointments board meets today and one of the candidates from the US has withdrawn suddenly because of a health scare. Sir Athol asks that you take his place at 4:00 today in the half-hour interviews for international assignments."

"You mean to join International in Singapore?"

"Sir Athol distinctly said for international assignment. We have your CV so could you arrive here with an updated work record and personal report from your head of department. You ought to think about where you'd like to be stationed because with other interviews over the next two days, being early in the process means you'll have rather a good selection of locations on offer."

"Thank you Miss Hunger I'm off to have my hair cut."

"You are very privileged young man. Ask Mrs Abercrombie right away to prepared her report on you."

Freddie arrived back with his hair trimmed and called Kate who was in her sunny kitchen painting. Her landscapes painted from photos were good enough to fetch between £80 and £125 when sold through the gallery she owned.

"What took you so long to call me with this news?"

Scratching his head, Freddie said, "What do you mean?"

"Aunt Edith called with the news not an hour after you left for work this morning."

"I have called you haven't I?"

"Yes," she sighed. "Now off you go for a haircut. This is very exciting for you."

"I've just had my hair cut."

"Good boy."

"Kate, if I make the grade in appearing before the board I will be offered location options and will impress more if I can give an immediate decision. Please give me a list of countries you'd consider accompanying me if I had the opportunity of going there."

"I've already decided. The USA, Canada perhaps, the West Indies, Australia, anywhere in Europe and Hong Kong."

"Oh great, that's a major selection. I could land something in one of those places."

"Where do you want to be located darling?"

Freddie's heart jumped. She had pet names for him but that was the first time she'd called him darling. She'd decided to go abroad with him if he were selected!

"Some parts of Russia and France or Australia."

"Well I'd have to think long and hard about Russia. I would think top choice for me would be Italy."

Freddie said he'd keep that in mind and when pushed said Australia was his first choice.

Facing the board nervously, Freddie was helped to relax by being asked what he thought about his work and his goals. His reply that his goal was to be managing director in London raised smiles.

A Canadian said he'd have to grow in statue within the organisation to achieve that goal.

"This is my next step sir, an endeavour to gain quality international experience and working hard and gaining a reputation for being an accomplished problem solver."

"Well expressed Freddie. Ambition is one of the qualities we seek in grooming the new generation of our leaders. I come from South Africa. Would you consider an assignment in my country?"

"Yes sir."

"What about the Congo?"

"No sir."

"Excellent judgement Freddie."

Sir Athol who chaired the panel sat and tapped his fingers, taking no part in the probe by the panel that lasted forty minutes.

When that concluded Sir Athol said, "Please withdraw to the anteroom Freddie whilst we have a short discussion. In this crop of applicants you are our youngest candidate by far so you received some extra grilling and I'm pleased at the way you coped. You must understand the number of candidates being assessed out-number the positions we have on offer, so some candidates will leave here empty-handed."

"I understand sir. But if I miss out this time I'll be back."

"Thank you Freddie."

When recalled, Freddie did his best to appear confident.

"The report of your superior who sees you as a rising star has interested us Freddie. You really should be blooded in serving a couple of years at HQ in Singapore. But we have just secured a small contract that means you being involved from the very start."

Freddie's heart sank. It would be a small project in Russia and he'd be working on infrastructure. It would be cold and remote and Kate would refuse to go with him. And then he heard Sir Athol say, "This project is a new four-lane highway incorporating twenty-three bridges in Western Australia and you would be based in Perth, third in seniority as project logistics coordinator. Does that have appeal?"

"Yes sir. I have been involved in logistics coordination so know what the job is about and this project is a good start for me. I was not expecting to start on assisting to build a dam or petroleum refinery. I accept."

Everyone laughed at Freddie's frankness and his obvious delight. He thanked the board and Mrs Hunger escorted him out. As the parted the elderly woman whispered, "You must have outside influence. Sir Athol had earmarked that project position for you in an endeavour to reduce resistance from some board members you were too young and inexperienced for international construction at this point."

Freddie called Kate. "I'm heading for our favourite pub. Meet me there."

She screamed with delight. "You've accepted the position in Western Australia!"

"Yes, but how did you know?"

"Aunt Edith went through the board's agenda and said she had no intention of me being sent to an uncivilized location on our first foreign assignment. She chose the motorway project, as we'd be based in Perth and that is a lovely and fairly modern city. She's been there several times as one of her best friends who came to England for her advanced university education lives there."

Freddie spluttered. "Are you saying your Aunt Edith fitted up the board?"

"No, of course not. But she told Uncle Athol what she wanted."

"So my appearance before the board was purely window dressing?"

"Oh no dear. Someone had to appraise your technical readiness, so you must have impressed. Why are we meeting at the pub? I have champagne here."

"Neutral ground darling. We need to talk seriously."

"Oh god, you've just called me darling. You want to make an honest woman of me before we go abroad."

"Ah, you're rushing it Kate. Yes, so arrive here looking pretty because I wish to begin the discussion on our future together. We both know we have been simply coasting along with no planning."

"With no planning? You've not noticed I've changed to signing my paintings KF have you?"

"What's the significance of KF?"

"The initials of my married name -- Kate Fanning. Christ and you have been placed with significant responsibility for construction of a half a billion-dollar motorway. I certainly better go with you. Freddie are you listening? Freddie?

"I'm here Kate," Freddie mumbled. "My mouth is having trouble working. Obviously there's no need for the preliminaries because you have it sorted. Get the champagne ready and prepare for a proposal of marriage. I'm in love with you Kate."

"Kate: Are you there Kate?"

"Oh god, this is so emotional," she sobbed. "Hurry to me my love."

THE END