Goes Without Saying Pt. 03

Thereafter they lay wrapped round each other, and rested.

"You know," he said. "It wasn't the sex that I missed most after Gwen passed, it was the lack of her warm embrace each night and morning in bed. That always felt like home, warm and nourishing."

She hummed her agreement. There followed a contented and peaceful silence, as they absently stroked each other's bodies. No more was said, for they both fell asleep.

David was up and making a pot of tea when Celia arrived, and looked into the kitchen.

"D'you want some tea?" David asked, making an effort to sound friendly. "It needs to brew for a few minutes."

"Thanks," she said neutrally. "I'll just go and unpack, if you'd leave it out for me."

"OK," he replied.

He got his things together for work and then poured two mugs, for himself and for Siân, leaving a third mug ready primed with a splash of milk as Celia liked it.

He woke Siân with a kiss and was pulled down onto her warm soft body for a second more extensive one. He pulled the bedclothes back and stroked her breasts, torso and slipped his hand between her legs.

She groaned "I need the loo!" and rolled out of bed, making for the en-suite bathroom, where she relieved herself in full view of David, grinning at him as he suggestively stroked his penis. She swaggered back to the bed.

"No time for nookie," she said. "Got to get up - after my tea!"

"Celia's back," he told her. "Offered her a cup of tea, and she was quite - how shall I put it? Neutral."

"Then I'd better get dressed before going down for breakfast," Siân said with a smile. "No point in rubbing salt into the wound."

She finished her tea, showered, again leaving the bathroom door open so David could see her nakedness as she washed, and then began to dress. David showered in his turn and on returning to the bedroom, was impressed by Siân's sexy underwear. She saw him staring.

"David, no one but you will see my undies. Wearing sexy stuff underneath does wonders for a girl's confidence."

"Wouldn't have thought you'd need your confidence building," he replied. "Your talent shows clearly enough, I'd have thought."

They heard the chatter of the children and the voice of Celia close by, telling Evan not to go into Daddy's room but to come downstairs.

"That was thoughtful," said Siân, as she wriggled into her skirt, having already donned her tights and blouse.

David was by now dressed and left her to finish her hair and makeup, going down to see the children, who were already having breakfast, and who greeted him with their usual enthusiasm and milky faces.

"Breakfast?" asked Celia. "Or are you waiting for Siân?"

"I'll wait," he said, with a smile, "though I think a refill of tea would be good. I'll get it."

Celia sat down with the children and helped Bethan with her breakfast. The children chattered away with her and David saw her lovely smile as she talked with them. He felt sad that that smile was no longer available for him.

"Morning!" came Siân's cheerful greeting as she entered the room. "Hi, Celia!"

Celia gave her an open smile. "Morning! My, aren't you the epitome of the efficient business woman! Like the suit!"

"Got to make a good impression, haven't I?" Siân replied. David gave her another mug of tea in exchange for her empty one, and she sat down to help herself to cereal.

"Where's the job?" asked Celia. Again David could see no hidden agenda, only a conversational inquiry.

"Well, actually, it's at David's company," she saw Celia's change of expression and hastened on. "Not that he'll have anything to do with the interviews or the decision of the panel. He's keeping himself well clear. Very ethical! He won't even tell them why. I don't even know if I'm getting a lift to work!"

"Oh, you'll get a lift, but I'll drop you well before we get there, so you can walk in on your own. I don't want anyone seeing us arrive together and favouring you because you know the boss."

Celia smiled at Siân. "Yes, I can see that. It wouldn't go down well with the other workers if the boss's sister-in-law got the job."

"David's very fair," said Siân. "I mean, fair to the other candidates."

"Yes, that's true. He is fair." However, although there was a smile on her face, she did not look in his direction.

He thought he might as well not be in the room. He finished his breakfast and went to get his briefcase and the files he had brought home, and put them in the car. When he entered the house again Siân was ready for him with Bethan in her arms.

Evan came running. "Bye, Daddy!" he shouted, with arms up to be picked up.

"Bye Son," David whispered, with a laugh, then kissed Bethen, whom Siân then put down so the tot could crawl back to her toys.

"Bye!" called David. No reply.

"Going now, Bye Celia!" called Siân.

"Oh, bye," said Celia, coming into the hallway. "Good luck with the interview."

They left the house and got into the car.

"See what I mean?" said David, as they drove off. "Minimal contact."

"Hmm," came the response. "Yes, I saw."

David dropped Siân off two hundred yards short of the offices, and round a corner from them. Then continued to work.

"Dropped your relative off on Copton Street, I noticed," said Marissa.

David started. "How...?"

"I was getting off the bus just behind you, she said with a laugh. "Don't worry, no one else saw, and I'm not telling. So what's her relation to you?"

"She's Gwen's younger sister, Siân."

"Ooh! I saw her application. Very bright girl! I'm surprised she's not had better jobs."

"Wales," said David laconically. Then, once again in awe of his PA's omniscience, "How did you know which she was?"

She laughed uproariously. "When you said she was a relative by marriage. I got up the candidates' details on the system, and looked for Welsh names. There are two - a Jones and a Price. I remembered Gwen was a Price."

David shrugged. "All right, you win. It's why you're PA to the CEO, isn't it?"

"Of course!" she giggled. "The panel will select the two successful candidates, brief them and then bring them to you. Normally, you would have interviewed them with the other short-listers already, but not this time. The panel are agog to see if they've chosen the 'right' candidate!"

They both laughed, and got on with their day.

At three, Marissa buzzed David. "The successful candidates are here, Mr Musgrave."

"Send them in Mz Halton, please."

The door opened and Marissa entered carrying two folders, followed by a tall young man and Siân.

"Mr Craig Wilkins and Mz Siân Price, Mr Musgrave," she introduced them, placing the files on his desk and shooting him a knowing grin and a wink.

David came round his desk, shook hands with both and gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. "Please, sit down." Then he returned to his own chair.

"This meeting is so you will recognise me when I walk about the offices. It'll give you a chance to change your monitor screen to something work oriented."

Both successful candidates laughed appropriately to show the boss that viewing non-work related items would never enter their heads. David appreciated that both were intelligent and diplomatic with an ironic sense of humour.

He looked at their files and chatted about their previous occupations. He couldn't resist playing with Siân.

"I see from the panel's notes that you produced a superb CV, exactly what we needed to assess your capabilities," he said with a naughty smile.

"Well, I got help from a highly intelligent friend," she answered deadpan.

"You must thank him or her properly, then. It really was very good."

"Oh, I will, have no doubt about that."

They both laughed, and Craig Wilkins looked puzzled. He was not enlightened, at least not then.

"So, I can now formally welcome you both to the company. I hope you will find the work interesting and rewarding and that you will both be happy here. You will be assigned a mentor to whom you should turn if you have any questions or problems.

"Mz Halton will escort you to HR who'll sort out your passwords, identity cards and tax and insurance details, then she will pass you on to your departments and mentors. I suspect the first week you're with us will be orientation."

He buzzed Marissa, who entered the room.

"If you would both wait in the outer office, while I discuss something with Mz Halton."

When they had left the room and shut the door, David said, "At a suitable moment, can you tell Siân to come here when everything is sorted out. She's staying with me at the moment."

"OK." she replied. "When will your relationship be revealed? Just so I'll know how long I need to keep it quiet."

"Oh, I think when she starts work, if she's living with me then. There's really no reason for secrecy, as long as it's clear I had nothing to do with the appointment. The secrecy was to ensure she did not get any advantage over the other candidates. Of course while here she'll be treated like any other employee."

"OK."

"Oh, and you can tell Philip his panel chose the right candidates." They both laughed.

On the way home, Siân enthused about the interview and the rest of the day, finding her place and meeting the others in her office.

"When do you start?" David asked.

"You don't know?" said Siân with surprise.

"Hey, I'm the CEO. This is a big company and I have departments to sort that sort of thing out."

"Second of February. Three weeks today. First week is orientation. Gives me a chance to settle things at home, and find a place to live."

"You weren't thinking of living with me?" David asked with a twinge of disappointment.

"In one way I was hoping you'd ask me, but I wasn't assuming I'd be invited."

"You know you are, Siân."

"Hmm. I can see two snags there. One, at work. I don't know how it would go down at work, me being related to you. It may cause problems - them thinking I'd be carrying tales back to the boss. I might never make any friends."

"Yes I can see that, but you know the offer's open and I hope you'll stay while you find somewhere. If you need a deposit for a flat, I'll pay it."

"David, I can't let you do that!"

"It's a deposit against breakages and damage. I'll get it back when you move."

"How d'you know? I might have a rash of wild parties and destroy the place!"

He glanced at her and saw the smile.

"As long as I'm invited to the orgies, it'll be worth the money!"

"Hmm," grin. "OK then."

At that point they arrived, and David never got to hear the second problem about Siân living there, and it had already slipped his mind.

David was mobbed as usual as he entered the house, and Siân took her turn. Celia emerged from the living room.

"Well?" she asked Siân.

"Got the job!" Siân said excitedly.

"Congratulations," Celia said, and while David noted she seemed genuine enough, he wondered if she was a little lacking in enthusiasm, then he chastised himself: there was no evidence for that.

"Dinner in twenty," she said, returning to the kitchen.

Siân smiled at him. "Think I'll take a quick shower," she said, and climbed the stairs.

David was dragged by Evan into the living room and was involved in a game of dominos with him. The game was not the usual one, but involved lining them up in interesting patterns and then knocking the first one over, so that they fell in order; yes, the domino effect! Bethan giggled each time, picked up a domino and chewed on it.

"Hey! Stop it Beth!" Evan cried, snatching it from her, at which she began to cry.

"Gently, Evan!" chided David. "Give her a toy."

Evan found a building brick and gave it to her, giving her a brotherly sloppy kiss, which stopped her crying and she giggled, putting the brick to her mouth. Celia came in to see what the crying was about, and saw Bethan chewing on the brick.

"She's teething again," Celia told David. She chews on everything she can find."

"She wasn't awake in the night; has she been niggly today?"

"A little, but a touch of Bonjella soothes it, and she's been biting on her teething ring." Celia left for the kitchen again, and David thought that they had just had the longest pleasant conversation for days. He thought that was better than nothing, and resolved he really would talk to Celia when Siân had gone back home.

Siân entered the living room in figure hugging jeans and tight sweater, David stared admiringly, and Siân gave him a mock glare, grinning immediately. Then it was time for dinner.

The conversation over dinner centred on Siân's interview. Celia seemed genuinely interested, David thought.

"The interview was tough, all the candidates said so," Siân said, "They really grilled me on why I had been without a 'proper job' for so long. I ended up explaining in words of one syllable what vacancies there are for my expertise in any part of Wales apart from Cardiff or Swansea, and they're pretty scarce there. They liked it that I'd taken any job on offer rather than simply cooling my heels. I told them I was sick of waitressing!"

Everyone laughed and David thought how pretty Celia was when she smiled openly, and realised again how much he missed that ready smile.

"So when d'you start," Celia asked her.

"Monday 3nd February, in three weeks," replied Siân with some relish, "and I can't wait! I'll probably arrive at the weekend with all my stuff, if that's all right with you, David?"

"I can come and collect you," volunteered David.

"You'll have these two to look after," said Siân. "Dad will bring me."

There the matter rested since it was the children's bedtime. Celia waved Siân out of the kitchen, suggesting that since she was leaving the next day, she might like to put the children to bed. Of course Siân had to read Evan his story, while David played with Bethan and sang her nursery rhymes after bathing her.

When they returned to the living room there was no sign of Celia.

"Does Celia usually spend the evening in here?" asked Siân.

"I assume so," said David. "With the financial crisis I've usually been confined to the study in the evenings after the kids are in bed, but later on she usually puts the house to bed and then goes to her room."

"So you've not spent any time together in the evenings after the children have gone to bed?"

"No," said David thoughtfully, "I suppose not."

"Are you avoiding each other?"

He had to think for a moment. "Perhaps we are. I do have that extra work to do in the evenings, but her attitude is so remote I simply stay in the office anyway. I have the radio and I've plenty to do, so I just work on."

Siân said nothing but looked thoughtful. Then she spoke. "Dai you really need to clear this up with her. Children do notice you know; it won't do them any good having a cold war in the house."

Then came a question which certainly disturbed David's peace.

"Do you love her?"

"Pardon? Who?"

"You know who. Please don't give an instant answer, Dai. In fact you don't need to give me an answer at all, but you definitely need to ask it of yourself."

"What brought that on?" he asked, genuinely curious. "D'you think I do?"

"Oh no, bach," she laughed and poked him in his side. "You won't catch me out that way. You work it out for yourself. All I'll say is that you have to factor in your loss of Gwen and how you felt in your compulsion to do her proud with the kids. Remember that? You nearly had a breakdown and lost the children. We were so worried at home, but couldn't do anything."

They watched a show featuring stand-up comics, having a good laugh. There was still no sign of Celia, and David realised that she loved comedy and would normally come and watch. She really was keeping out of his way, but perhaps it was because Siân was there.

The programme was drawing to a close, when Celia passed the room on her way to the kitchen. Siân immediately left to join her. John would hear them talking. Then Siân came back.

"I'm off to bed," she said, then whispered, "See you later!" and giggled.

"OK!" David replied.

Then Celia appeared. "Off to bed now, doors are locked. Good night."

"Good night," David replied, realising he was fighting the urge to tell her to sleep well, and noticing she looked miserable. This really could not go on: seeing her unhappy made him feel uncomfortable and guilty.

Yes, guilty! That came as a surprise to him, and instead of getting up and going to bed, he sat in thought, though he really just sat, not for the first time, feeling a succession of emotional memories stretching from the relief when Celia first arrived to rescue him, and that was what she had done, through that rage after which the distance between them first began, the resentment at her anger with his relationship with Siân, and his anger at Alex's deception, or was it that Alex now had Celia? Was he really jealous? Was she jealous as well, about Siân?

Then his conversation with Siân came back to him. 'Do you love her?' she had asked.

He sighed. What else was it she said? Celia loved him very much? Her excessive anger showed it. Really? What about Alex? What did Sian say? Alex provided relief for Celia's frustration in not getting David. He wondered about that.

At that time of the night it was all too confusing. There were so many mixed messages. However, the one thing that was absolutely clear was that he and Celia must talk. If only he could find the right moment.

When he reached his bedroom Siân was in his bed and fast asleep! He undressed and crawled in beside her. She did not stir.

He woke first next morning and went down to make tea. Celia was feeding Beth.

"Tea's made," she said, and returned her attention to the baby.

"Thanks," he replied, going to pour two cups, both of which Celia had put out for him.

"Sleep well?" she asked as he took the steaming mugs and was walking out of the room. He could not miss the edge to her voice. He bit his tongue to prevent an acidic reply.

"Yes thanks, Celia," he said mildly. "All night. She was fast asleep when I got to bed." And with that he left the room and climbed the stairs.

He woke Siân with a kiss and went to the bathroom to prepare for the day. He was leaving the bathroom when he met Siân coming in.

"I fell asleep," she said with a grin. "No time this morning!"

David shrugged and grinned. "At least Celia won't be so upset."

"True," she said, shutting the bathroom door on herself this time.

It was a cereal breakfast, taken without Celia, who had eaten with Evan and was now in the kitchen with the children and the door closed. Siân raised an eyebrow.

"What d'you expect?" David asked tersely. "We slept together."

"Dai, bach, you want to ask yourself why would she behave like this. I don't think it's moral outrage 'cos she knows she's bedding Alex as well!"

David nodded. "You're right, my love. I must clear the air and soon. Tonight in fact."

Siân got her bags and David his brief case, and they were ready to go. Siân went to the kitchen while David waited in the hall. Evan came running for his cuddle, and Siân brought Beth. Then she shepherded the children into the living room.

"We're going now," she shouted. "The children are in the living room."

"OK," came the reply. "Bye!"

The journey to the station was completed in silence: the traffic was very heavy at that time in the morning. On the platform, Siân turned to him.

"I told her we didn't have sex," she said with a grin. "Dai, she actually looked pleased; she gave me a smile. I said we were going, and wasn't it time the Berlin Wall came down.

" 'I don't know what you mean,' she said and looked annoyed.

" 'You know exactly what I mean!' I told her. 'The cold war in the house.'

"She said it had to come from you, whatever that means."

"No idea," David said. "If it has to come from me, I'll talk to her this evening."