Sixes and Sevens Pt. 09

Aidan now saw what he was missing. "And how did she 'know' I was with Julie? In October she was spending the odd night at my place, but there was no commitment."

There was a pause. Then Vicky muttered, "Shit! I think I know."

"Go on!"

"Who was house sitting for you while you were in London for that fortnight? I'll bet Sam went to the flat and Julie told her where you were."

"I asked her if anyone had been, and she said no one."

"Well, she would, wouldn't she? Sam is one hell of a threat to her ambition to get you back."

"And I've just invited her to live with me for a six month trial!" Aidan said despondently.

Suddenly, Vicky sat up. "Aidan, go and see Sam."

Aidan was uncertain. "She's with someone else now Vicky. She says she's dating this Lawrence bloke."

"Aidan, she came here to see you, even though you told her not to contact you, and by the way, there's something you don't know about that as well."

Aidan's head jerked up.

"She never had a boyfriend in Vancouver, her mother made a mistake." Vicky told him.

"So why didn't she tell me?"

"What did you do with her emails, Aidan?"

His spirits dropped.

"Yes, Aidan. After you told her not to contact you, and when you didn't write back, she told her mother not to ring you. She said it was better for you to believe she had a boyfriend and had deceived you: it would help you to get over her faster, She was right: it did."

Aidan sagged in despair.

"You knew?" he accused her.

"She asked me to keep the confidence and I kept it. She was in Vancouver and you were here."

"But you knew she was working in London. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I only knew last night. That email was the first I knew about it. I thought she was in Vancouver, and asked for her address to send her a wedding invitation. I got the shock of my life when she sent the London address. I've told you now as soon as I knew. Now will you get off your backside and get a train to London and see her. Go on!"

"But the office?"

"Aidan, we can cope! Go!"

He leaned over and kissed her soundly, and drove back to the flat, collected enough clothes and toiletries for an overnight stay, and wrote a note for Julie. He was tempted to berate her for what she'd done, but wiser counsels prevailed.

Urgent appointment in London. Back tomorrow afternoon. Aidan.

The note was terse and devoid of affection. It was how he felt. He could not believe Julie would have deceived him like that. He called a taxi and was on his way.

It was four o'clock when he arrived at Euston, and he lost no time in taking a taxi to the block of flats where Sam lived. It was an uninspiring building, he thought, but he knew about the price of property in the capital.

There was an intercom at the front door, but someone had left the door open and so he walked in, up the stairs and arrived at the top of the building opposite Flat 12. He rang the bell, but there was no reply.

Of course, he thought, it was Friday, she would be at work. He wondered what to do, and decided to wait it out. He took a novel out of his rucksack, sat on the top step of the stairs and began to read.

His reading was interrupted by a thought. What had he actually come for? What reason could he adduce for being there? He had to admit that he didn't know, except that he wanted to see Sam more than anything in the world. She had come to see him the previous October, so she must want to see him, or at least did want to until she met her new boyfriend. This could be very awkward if Sam and the man came home together.

He began to see the whole thing of him coming to London as a very bad idea, and he was about to get up and go home, when there were steps on the stairs, and a small thin girl rose into view.

"Hello?" she said. "Were you waiting for someone?"

"I was hoping to see Sam Grogan," he replied, standing up so that she could pass.

"Oh, I'm sorry, she's out for the night with Lawrence. I think they're celebrating becoming an item, as they say."

"Oh." He must have looked woebegone, for she looked sadly at him.

"Are you from her works?" she asked. "Do you know Lawrence? Didn't you know they were going out?"

"No, I'm not from her office. We met some time ago, and she gave me to understand by her behaviour that she wanted to see me. I'll be off back home now. I don't want to interfere in her life."

"Whom shall I say called?"

"It doesn't matter," and he began to descend the stairs.

"Yes, it does," she called after him. "If missing her means so much to you, it might mean as much to her. Come on, give me a name for her."

Aidan sighed. "OK, tell her I didn't know she was in England until this morning, and until today I didn't know she'd been to see me in October and missed me. The message she left was not passed on. Tell her Aidan called to see her. Aidan Redmond."

With that he clattered on down the stairs as he heard her shout, "Wait, you're her Aidan from Manchester. Her Edinburgh Aidan!"

"That's right!" he shouted back and left the building.

She ran down the stairs after him, but by the time she reached the outer door, he was getting into a taxi and it drove away.

"Shit!" she swore. "Fucking bloody shit! No wonder he was so miserable knowing about Lawrence. Well, I won't be going out tonight. She needs to know."

She tried Sam's mobile, but there was no answer and it went to voice mail. She texted.

Aidan Redmond came looking for you tonight. You've missed him. Come home. Megan.

--

Aidan felt numb while in the taxi, idly watching bits of London pass by. Then he was busy finding a train and a reasonably priced ticket. His train was to leave at nine, and so he had time for a meal in the restaurant. He was hungry, and realised he had not eaten a meal since breakfast.

Once on the train, he sat in the quiet coach, turning off his mobile. He did not want to have to talk to anyone. His feelings were bleak, and the thought that Sam was now definitely with someone else was more upsetting than he expected. Yes, he was jealous. He berated himself for rushing down to London like an infatuated schoolboy, only to have all his hopes wrenched away, and that only added to his melancholy and gloom.

He only had himself to blame, he thought, hadn't Sam's email to Vicky said she was dating a new boyfriend whom she would bring to Vicky's wedding? What a fool he'd been! What was Vicky thinking, pushing him to go to find her?

Then his thoughts turned to Julie. She had betrayed him again, and this time there was certainly no way back. The treachery of keeping Sam's visit from him, especially since he suspected Sam was single in October, rankled, According to Vicky Sam had been free ever since she left these shores. Julie had deprived him of any possibility of making some sort of relationship with Sam, and now he was sure Julie had deprived herself of any future with him. He felt pure cold anger.

Then he remembered she was supposed to be moving in with him the next day. That would not happen, he thought grimly. He saw then that he had taken the easy way out of his loneliness by allowing her back into his life. He should have known that she was trouble. She might be his sister-in-law, but now she was out of his life for good. No more chances, no more sob stories from his brother about her.

The emptiness returned, and a depression settled on him. He closed the novel and his eyes, and within seconds was sleeping the light semi-sleep of the rail traveller. The train's only stop after Milton Keynes, Stoke on Trent, woke him, and the sadness returned with consciousness.

After the quiet train, the raucous cheerfulness of some of the passengers on the late bus home did nothing for his spirits, and he was in a foul mood when he arrived at the flat. It was empty, for which he was very grateful. Julie must have gone back to her place, probably to pack.

He felt exhausted, and having locked the flat, went straight to bed and fell instantly asleep.

--

Earlier that Friday afternoon, Lawrence called in at Sam's office ready for them to join the others at the pub for a Valentine's Eve gathering. She asked him to wait a moment, and paid a visit to the General Manager. Then she returned and as they walked, she squeezed Lawrence's arm.

"Lawrence, d'you want to come back to my place tonight?"

"Coffee?" he smiled knowingly at her - it had always been coffee and only coffee, then a kiss goodbye. The kisses had been getting more and more passionate and Lawrence was getting proportionately more and more frustrated.

"I think I'm ready to take another step," she said, "I'd like you to stay tonight. Would you like that?"

"Would I?" he laughed. "You really mean all night?"

"I really mean all night."

He stopped and his arms went round her and he kissed her full on her lips as she pressed herself against him, there on the pavement outside the pub. They smiled at each other and joined the party in the lounge bar.

After the hour, he took her to his favourite restaurant and they had a relaxed dinner, and at eleven o'clock they were climbing the stairs to her flat, stopping many times on the way there to kiss and hold each other. They were laughing as she let them into the apartment.

"Coffee?" she asked archly, putting on the radio.

"I think we may forego coffee tonight, don't you?" he said, taking her in his arms again and forestalling her reply with another steaming kiss. She gave herself up to him, pressing herself against him so he could feel her breasts, and she could feel his erection pushing against her. She moaned into the kiss and he took that as an invitation.

She felt the zip on her dress being slid down, and the front of the garment coming loose. There was a fleeting memory of Jerry, but this time there was no reluctance on her part. She broke the embrace to allow it to slip down and off her. She stepped out of it and pushed off his jacket, loosened his tie and pulled it from him, and began undoing his shirt button by button, then stripping it off and revealing exactly how toned his torso was.

She ran her hands over his chest and over his taut stomach, undoing his button and sliding down his zip. She slid her hands to the sides of his pants and underpants and pushed them down.

His hands were at her bra strap, she felt it loosen and fall off her breasts, leaving her in her lacy boy shorts. Lawrence gazed and gazed at her flawless beauty before they fell into another kiss, running their lips over each other's and pushing tongues inside. They were breathing heavily, full of lust and desire.

"Bed," she said, taking a step back from him and slipping her delicate panties down, and standing nude before him. At that precise moment there was an urgent knocking at the door.

"Ignore it," he urged, his hands running over her exposed flesh, cupping her sex. She nodded and pulled him towards the bed.

"The knocking continued, doubling in intensity, and they heard Megan's voice.

"Please Sam, open the door! This is urgent!"

She sagged against his arms, and with a sinking feeling he realised she would answer her neighbour's request. She reached for her housecoat, and went to the door.

"Megan, this had better be-"

"Sam, didn't you get my text? Don't you care?"

Sam was annoyed and frustrated. "My phone's dead, it needs charging. What text?"

"When I got here after work, there was someone waiting for you at the top of the stairs. It was Aidan Redmond."

"What? Who? Aidan? Are you sure?"

"I told him you and Lawrence were going to do the deed tonight and he said he wouldn't bother you, but he found out you had wanted to talk to him but he only found it out this morning and he took the train down here straightaway. Straightaway, Sam!"

She paused for a breath. "He said you'd been to see him - that would be in October wouldn't it? - but the message was not passed on. He only knew you were in London this morning. This morning Sam! He came running! He was sitting on the stairs waiting for you to come home."

Megan took another breath, panting. "Sam he was so despondent, so upset. He didn't want to get in your way now you were with someone else."

"But he's with... Oh damn, I bet he wasn't... Wait here, please?"

Sam ran into the apartment and went to her laptop, fired it up and waited, then found Vicky's phone number, writing it down on a post-it note. She snatched it up and was turning to go when Lawrence's voice arrested her.

"Sam, darling, what's the matter?" he asked from within Sam's bed.

"Oh, just a minute Lawrence, it's all so sudden. I need to make a phone call," and she ran out of the apartment.

"Can I use your phone?" she asked Megan, brandishing the note. Megan had the phone in her hand, and handed it to her with a worried smile.

Sam urgently tapped in a number.

"Vicky? It's Sam Grogan."

There was a momentary pause then Vicky said excitedly, "Sam, did Aidan find you? I hope so! He was so excited!"

"No he missed me, and now he thinks I'm with someone else."

"Aren't you? Your email-"

"Well, yes... No... I... Look Vicky will you answer me a question?"

"If I can."

"In October I went to Aidan's apartment and Julie was there. Were they living together then?"

"Good heavens, no! She was house sitting for him. They were spending some time each week together but they weren't together if you see what I mean. She still hasn't moved in."

"She told me they were together. I gave her my card and asked her to ask him if he would phone me. He obviously didn't get the card or the message. I thought he didn't want me anymore."

"Sam, I don't think he's ever got over you. Look how he rushed down to see you today."

"Thanks, Vicky. I'm coming up to Manchester by train early tomorrow, can I come to you?"

"Yes of course. Let us know when you get near Piccadilly and we'll pick you up."

"Thanks a million."

She handed the phone back to Megan. "Thanks."

"What about about Lawrence?" her friend asked.

"Oh hell," Sam said. "This is not going to be pleasant."

The two hugged and then Sam returned to the bedroom. She stood in the doorway. She did not loosen her dressing gown.

"Lawrence..." her face gave her away.

"It's not happening tonight is it?" he said, climbing nakedly out of the bed. "What is it?"

"I won't lie to you Lawrence. It's Aidan Redmond, you know who I mean? Can you understand this? He didn't know I was in London."

"But you went to see him," he said as he wandered round putting on his clothes.

"There was a girl in his apartment. Aidan was actually here in London at the time with his business partner. The girl used to be his live-in girlfriend, and she gave me to understand they were back together. I asked her to give him a message. She was lying about living with him, she was actually house sitting for him, and she did not pass on the message. I thought Aidan didn't want to know.

"You remember I told you Vicky's getting married and wanted my address to send a written invitation. She thought I was still in Vancouver. She didn't know I was in London either. She must have told him this morning, and he came running. He was waiting for me when Megan arrived this evening. I'm going to see him tomorrow. So, Lawrence, I'm sorry, but I can't do this tonight. I've got to see him and we've got to put right all the misunderstandings."

"I understand," he said, "I suppose we'll have to see how it pans out with him tomorrow."

She nodded, looking at him with compassion.

"But tell me the score as soon as you know, won't you?" he asked.

"Of course I will."

At the door he pulled her to him and they kissed softly. Then he left without looking back or a farewell. She felt guilty: she could see he was upset.

She looked at Lawrence's receding back as he began to descend the stairs. Aidan turning up was the last thing she had expected: she had firmly believed he had moved on and was settled with Julie. Julie had lied in October, or they could have...

She was standing still, shocked and unnerved at this new understanding of what they had missed, all the more so coming as it did when she was naked with Lawrence and ready to make love with him, with a possible future with him. Now all was uncertain again.

She became resolute. She would sort this out once and for all. Get an early train on Saturday morning and be at his door before he was up and about. Would he be with Julie? She turned, looking up to see Megan standing there in her doorway, still holding her phone.

She smiled sadly at Sam. "Good luck tomorrow," she said. "Get a good night's sleep." Then she turned and went back into her own flat.

--

St Valentine's Day. Strangely it was the first thing that came into Aidan's mind as he awoke at the late hour of ten o'clock. He gave himself a wry smile in the bathroom mirror, as he thought of the loss of Sam, and the impending showdown and loss of Julie. The very reverse of all that Valentine's day purports to be.

"Yad Enitnelav" he said out loud and laughed at his stupidity, as he reversed the letters of the feast day, but the cheerful moment passed instantly, as moments do, and his spirits fell back into their own slough of despond.

He finished preparing his body for the day, and wished he did not have to face it at all. He contented himself with grapefruit and muesli for breakfast and washed it down with two mugs of tea.

Outside his kitchen window the wind had risen, the clouds were dark and grey and were scudding across the sky, and the first spots of rain were hitting the glass. It did nothing for his mood, and as if further to add to his discouragement, it was no time at all before the rain was hammering against the windows as if demanding admittance, the better to dampen his spirits entirely.

Julie preoccupied his mind. He had felt anger at her deception the day before, now he merely felt disappointed in her, and a certainty that he could never trust her: time and again she had let him down, and the odds were that she would do the same thing again. It was finally and irrevocably over.

He would normally have gone shopping for the week as his first task on Saturday, then clean the flat throughout and change the bedding. Then he would do his washing. This time he did not want to leave the flat: he wanted to be there when Julie arrived. The last thing he wanted was for her to have arrived with her stuff and be installing herself when he returned with the shopping.

Instead, he changed the bedding, washed his clothes from the week and began to clean the flat.

He had finished the living room and the kitchen, and had begun amass the ingredients to brew some coffee as a break, when the doorbell rang. That's strange, he thought, Julie has a key. He shambled to the door, wondering if he had forgotten to unlock it after the night. He opened the door and his mouth dropped open in amazement.

--

Sam arrived at Piccadilly Station, Manchester, at just after eleven and was met by Vicky, who hugged her, and looked up into her face.

"You OK?" she asked her visitor.

"I don't know," said Sam with a smile. "This is all happening a bit fast for me, but I've got to get things sorted out with Aidan. I could not believe he came all the way to London, and was sitting on the steps outside my flat waiting for me."

"But he left before you arrived?"

"Megan, she's my neighbour, told him I was with Lawrence, and that we were going to spend the night together. Aidan took off saying he didn't want to complicate my life, but he had, because Megan told me everything."

"You want to come back to ours?"

"Vicky, if you don't mind, I want to get to him early before he goes out. Can we go directly to his apartment?"

Of course she could, and in fifteen minutes Sam was ringing his doorbell somewhat damp from the rain after a run to the door from the car, with butterflies in her stomach and dreading him telling her he was not interested. She knew that was unreasonable, since Aidan had come to London to see her! It did not stop her feeling uncertain.