The It-Bitch

What she had said, surprised me a little. I didn't think she would have been sent to prison for her threat. I thought the worst that could have happened would have been some hours of community service if she hadn't been given a suspended sentence in the first place. On the other hand, Felix was very influential and who knows what he could have arranged. Also, despite her intelligence, Tamara had more or less bought her way through her education, so it wasn't very surprising that she had no clue about the legal situation.

"It's been an incredible journey I've embarked on since that realisation. I couldn't thank you at that time but I am really grateful to you. In a few simple sentences, you pointed out all that was wrong in my life. I would really like to tell you all about it but I'm exhausted from a couple of very intense weeks. I'm staying here for a few days to recover, though. Would you maybe agree to meet with me for a cup of coffee?"

As if to confirm her statement, she yawned. I hadn't thought about it but presiding over such an event had to be tiring.

"Sure, I'd love to. Tell me when and where?"

I could see a glimmer of mischief in her eyes when she replied, "It's just that I remember you telling me you'd never go anywhere with me, ever."

There was humour in her eyes but just below that, I detected uncertainty or even fear. This definitely wasn't the same person I had last seen five years ago.

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is. You'll probably never understand the impact those words had on me. I could actually recite the entire encounter by the letter."

I nodded as if I understood what she meant but at the time I didn't. I wasn't yet aware of how deeply she had changed and that I had initiated that change.

"I just remember telling a Waste of Oxygen to get lost."

She laughed. A warm and bright sound that made me feel better for being the reason of it.

"That was you? It was you who came up with WOO?"

Now it my turn to show remorse. At the time, it might have been justified, but it still wasn't a nice thing to do.

"I guess. But you're not that person anymore. It's obvious for anyone to see. The woman I met today is somebody I'd like to get to know better. So, would you please do me the honour to join me for a cup of coffee tomorrow?"

She leaned closer and for a moment I thought she was about to kiss me but she just went for the hug. She held me for an almost inappropriate length of time before letting go.

"Thank you," she whispered into my ear and it took me a while to understand what she meant. She was thanking me for acknowledging the transformation she had brought upon herself.

She signed the bill to have our drinks charged to her room, waving my formal complaints aside. I accompanied her to the elevator but didn't go up to her room with her or even kiss her. We instead departed for the night with an amicable hug. I arrived back at the hotel the next morning and joined Tamara for breakfast in the hotel restaurant. While we ate, I noticed behaviourisms that couldn't have been there five years earlier. Like she never missed thanking the waitress when she cleaned something away or refilled the coffee.

Afterwards, we went for a walk. We strolled along the lakeside promenade and talked about anything and everything. She told me a lot about her conversations with her therapist. She explained how the recognition of what she had been had hit her, the struggles to understand how she had become that person, and what she did to change.

What I had said in the spur of the moment had become her mantra. Why should anyone want to be with her? For the last five years, every Sunday evening before going to bed, she had stood in front of a mirror and asked herself whether she was somebody other people would genuinely want to spend time with. Not because of her money, not because of her connections but because of herself. She reflected on what she had done during the past week and whether or not it had made a positive difference for somebody.

I found the story about her finding her place in the world of charitable work particularly fascinating. The reason she had ended up with helping orphans also had its roots in something I had said. First, she had gone through a self-finding process. Animal welfare is often the first thing coming to mind when somebody is looking for a good cause to support, but she had felt as if she could make more of a difference in other endeavours. Next, the woman in her expressed herself when she went working for the women's rights organisation. But it didn't feel like the perfect thing to her. She wholeheartedly agreed with the cause and she still supported them on occasion but it wasn't her calling.

Then she remembered when I had told her that she had grown up with all the opportunities in the world. That had made her think about those that didn't have these favourable circumstances and she decided to try and help those that had the least choices.

Her eyes lit up when she talked about the children and teenagers she had worked with on her different projects. Obviously, she wasn't just doing the charity work, she was also actively involved helping orphanages organising and supervising excursions. She also talked a lot about her own personal development. It was difficult for me to find a balance between letting her talk about her experiences and feelings but at the same time not allow her to put herself down all the time. When I felt she overdid the self-castigation, I moved the conversation towards all the good things she was doing now.

The walk along the lake extended to a light lunch, followed by a sightseeing tour through the city before we had dinner together. Saturday, we spent the day on a touristic boat trip around the lake and on Sunday, I took her up on the backyard mountain for the view, a stroll and lunch.

I had taken Friday off on short notice but on Monday we both had to return to work. Since we had met on Thursday evening at the reception until I dropped her off at the airport on Sunday evening, we had spent literally every waking minute together. For the nights, I went back home and she went to her hotel room but otherwise, we had been almost inseparable.

When I arrived at the office, I was in a buoyant mood. I wasn't known for being a mope in the first place but nevertheless, everybody around me picked up on it almost immediately. When I went for lunch, I was ambushed by Tracy, Alan's assistant.

"Who is she?"

I held out my elbow to let her hook up in an unspoken invitation to join me.

"Who is who? What are you talking about?"

Tracy's laughter could probably be heard in the entire building.

"Who is the woman that got you laid?"

Ha! She was wrong. For the first time in I don't know how many years, I had caught Tracy being wrong. I put on a face of insulted dignity.

"I didn't 'get laid', as you so crudely put it. At least not, since Anita decided I wasn't spending enough time with her."

Anita had been my girlfriend for about a year and a half in the time after I had returned from the Hallford-project but in the end, that relationship had taken a similar course as those before, even though I had adapted Felix's rule that weekend are reserved for the family and friends.

"She plastered that grin to your face without getting intimate? Rick, my boy, marry her! A woman that can make you smile like that without sex is a keeper."

Weirdly enough, I had been thinking something similar after I had got home the night before. Well, not marriage but that Tamara had become an intriguing woman. As weird as it still sounded to my ears, I had enjoyed spending time with Tamara Hallford.

"Who knows what the future holds, but you might be a tad early talking about marriage. After all, you might hate her when you get to meet her and that would be a deal-breaker for me."

"I couldn't possibly hate somebody who makes you happy, my dear."

We arrived at the little bistro just across the road and sat down to eat. We didn't usually spend a lot of time with lunch and today was no different. Tracy quickly understood that I wasn't willing to divulge a name or when I had met her, but that didn't stop her from trying. She guessed at least two dozen names but the right one was not among them. That actually surprised me a little. She knew I had gone to the charity event and that Tamara Hallford had been presiding over it. Combined with the knowledge of the close relationship between Hallford Enterprises and ALM, she should have at least considered it. On the other hand, she also knew about that calamitous evening.

Two days later, Felix Hallford called. We had remained in contact after I finished the implementation project and not only because I was responsible for our support organisation. After exchanging the usual pleasantries, he soon addressed the main reason for his call.

"Tamara came by here yesterday."

I could hear trepidation in his voice. We had developed a very strong relationship, both on a professional and a personal level but that was the first time, he had mentioned her in five years. Up to today, his daughter and the events of that day had never been discussed between us. It wasn't a taboo or something but we both regarded the issue as done and dusted.

"Did she mention that we met last week?" I asked back, trying my best to sound casual. I wasn't attempting to hide my growing attraction to his daughter from him, but I wanted to put him at ease.

The prolonged laughter which followed my question told me she had.

"She barely talked about anything else for the entire visit. She was downright delirious that you had spent so much time with her. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's a teenager with a crush."

"She told me that you and your wife were the examples she had followed. She has really become a different person compared to when I first met her."

There was a little bit of reproach in his voice when he replied.

"Don't sell yourself short, young man. You had a lot to do with her change as well. But to make myself absolutely clear, I highly appreciate her improved behaviour and to me, it doesn't really matter why she changed her ways. Nowadays, I'm really proud of her. She's doing the right things and she's doing them for the right reasons."

There was a short lull in the discussion and I somehow knew that we weren't finished with the topic, but he was uncomfortable bringing up whatever he needed to.

"I'm sorry for what I'm about to say, but Patricia insisted this morning that I ask. I wouldn't normally do that; meddle in other people's relationships."

Patricia is his wife. They had been married for almost forty years now and from what I had been able to see when I had met her during some of the corporate functions she had attended, they were still in love and totally devoted to each other.

"I may not be married, but I have both a mother and a sister who tell their respective husbands when to do what and how. You don't have to apologise to me for listening to your wife."

"Aren't we all poor men?" he chuckled, his tone communicating humour. "However. Are you planning to see Tamara again? Because, according to Patricia, Tamara would be devastated if you didn't call her. Soon."

"Actually, I was planning to call her tonight and invite her here for the weekend. I don't really know what to do yet, but there is a rather nice art exhibition in town right now."

This time, he didn't just chuckle. He laughed at me outright.

"Sure. Two successful, adult thirty-somethings don't know how to spend their time together. Boy, you're dumber than I thought."

"Hey! Show some respect. That's your daughter you're talking about!"

We shared a laugh at the reversal of the roles we had played with and continued to chat about our usual topics, like the economy, and the latest results from the European Champions League.

In the evening, as I had announced to her father, I called Tamara. When she was unable to accommodate my invitation on her agenda, she became desperate. She shortly considered cancelling her participation at the event she planned to preside over the weekend but her new sense of responsibility prevailed, even before I could stop her from doing it. It took some tinkering with our schedules to arrange something and that was three weeks out.

We then talked a bit about the last couple of days and ended the call with an agreement to chat again the next day. That set the pattern. During the day, we would occasionally exchange texts, and in the evenings, we would talk if we were both available. Quite often, we found it difficult to get in touch as she was attending some fundraising event and I had to go to bed because I had to get up early in the morning.

The two days before our date, Tamara was attending a conference. Therefore, we had to have everything organised by Wednesday evening. She would arrive at my apartment midmorning on Saturday. She turned down my offer to pick her up from the airport, saying she had already organised transportation. I was not unhappy about that as the highway between the city I lived in and the airport was notoriously congested.

We had barely hung up when Natasha, my sister, called. She would be in town on Friday to go out with some girlfriends and asked if she could stay over at my place instead of having to drive home to the suburbs late at night. Of course, I said yes. Close as we were, I always enjoyed having my sister stay over. I had even had her stay over when I wasn't even here. One of the spare bedrooms was actually reserved for her.

Pleased with having everything sorted out, I dove into work for the next two days. During these days, Tamara, or Tam as I had started to call her, and I exchanged a few silly texts and gifs but due to our professional obligations had no time for real communication. Still, I could tell I was in serious trouble when I noticed the change in my heartbeat and the uncontrollable grin every time her name flashed up on the screen of my phone.

On Friday my sister arrived at my place a little late, so we didn't have much time to talk. She just dropped her stuff in the guest room, changed, and left to meet with her friends. She came home late and rather inebriated, so again, we didn't have the opportunity to catch up.

I was up early on Saturday, eager to see Tam. Nat came out of her room around nine, shared a cup of coffee with me, and we finally found the time to talk.

"I have a new friend visiting over the weekend. Her name's Tamara. She should arrive sometime midmorning."

That announcement chased the last remains of sleep from my sister's face and instantly woke her curiosity.

"A female friend coming to visit over an entire weekend? How come I haven't heard of her yet?"

I could barely contain my amusement. She still took it as an almost personal offence that I wasn't married. From her, admittedly biased, point of view, I was 'prime husband material'. I wasn't sure I agreed with her. Most of my relationships had taken the same route and ended because of the same reason. Several of the now ex-girlfriends had even used the same words. 'You're married to your job and I don't want to be the side chick.'

"There hasn't been anything to tell so far. You have certainly heard of her by the way. I told you when we first met a few years ago but we didn't exactly hit it off then. Just the opposite. But then we met again a few weeks ago and actually had a good time."

I had told my sister what had transpired five years ago even if I never went into the more gruesome details, but until right now, she hadn't connected the dots.

"Wait! Tamara? Tamara Hallford?! You're spending the weekend with Tamara Hallford?!"

Of course, Natasha had heard of her but while she had heard about her changed ways, she wasn't aware of the extent of the overhaul. When I described the woman Tamara had become, she must have seen something in my eyes that shocked her.

"You love her! My baby brother is in love and for once it's not with the job! I've got to tell Mum!"

I don't know why I lied to her when I replied.

"I'm not in love. I barely know her. Now go and grab a shower. That might bring you to your senses."

Nat was still giggling when she turned away to go to the bathroom and to a certain extent, I understood her. Maybe, just maybe, love wasn't the right word and I was only highly intrigued by this new Tamara Hallford. Ten minutes later, I had just finished cleaning the kitchen, the doorbell rang.

"Tam," I exclaimed as I opened the door. "You look absolutely fantastic!"

That might well have been the understatement of the century. It wasn't the artificial, superficial, over-styled Instagram-look she had usually displayed five years ago. She was dressed in an alluring blue dress, sexy but not slutty, eye-catching but not lecherous, beautiful without outshining the woman that wore it. She had donned very little makeup but that just underlined her natural beauty.

"Thank you."

I spread my arms a little, inviting and offering a hug. She didn't need to be asked twice and I soon found her crushing me almost to death.

"I missed you so much, Rick. Thanks for inviting me back."

"I missed you too. I really enjoyed our long weekend together and phone calls just don't measure up to actually seeing you."

I don't think I'll ever understand how women can simultaneously beam and cry but that didn't stop Tam from doing just that. But then suddenly, everything changed. Her eyes shot wide open, her mouth fell agape, and the expression on her face turned from exhilarated to horrified as she looked past my shoulder. I looked around to see what might have caused that reaction but all I saw was my sister coming out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. When I turned back to introduce them to each other, Tam was already almost at the door. I stood there, shocked at that inexplicable turn of events.

Dumbstruck, I turned to my sister for advice.

"Follow her, dimwit. Quick. And don't you dare come back without her!"

I had told Felix a few weeks earlier that my sister wore the trousers in her marriage and it was precisely that tone she used when she was tired of her husband's ignorance. My reaction was automatic. I did what my elder sister told me.

I just saw the elevator doors close and headed for the stairs next to it. It was only by chance that I noticed that the cabin moving upwards, towards the roof. I sprinted up the stairs, taking two or three steps at a time. Fortunately, I was in a rather good shape, thanks to my regular morning or lunch runs and arrived at the top floor at the same time as the cabin. By now, my brain had processed everything and I understood what had happened. Now I needed to convince Tam.

I caught her in my arms as she tried to push past me. I forbade myself to think about why she had fled towards the roof deck instead of the exit, but under no circumstances would I let her go out there. Despite her struggles to get out of my hold, I refused to release her.

"Tam. Please. Listen to me. I know this is the most idiotic sentence ever, but maybe for the first time in the history of mankind, it's true. It's not what it looks like. Please come back down. This is nothing but a huge misunderstanding. Let me introduce you. Please!"

She didn't reply or give any indication if she had heard what I had said. She just sobbed into my shirt so I tentatively moved her back into the elevator and towards safety. The closer we got to my apartment, the more she resisted my attempts to get her back in. I understood now that Tam was probably harbouring hopes of us getting closer, maybe even becoming a couple, a sentiment I fully shared, and that she now thought that the position at my side was already taken. For me, it was easy to forget that Nat didn't look as if she could be my sister. It must have been the shock of seeing another woman almost naked in my apartment that made her run away. It took me some calm convincing to make Tam re-enter my flat. I can only imagine what she must have expected, humiliation at the hands of my supposed girlfriend, an invitation to a threesome, or anything in between.