flirting too, and then I’d finally understood why he didn’t want me there. His kid had cramped his style. That was why I’d been packed off, so Mom could keep her perfect fake life, and he could play away.
That was when Dan and I had split up too, because he’d agreed I shouldn’t tell Mom, he’d said she was fine, she had what she wanted, a nice house and stuff… I’d told him to get lost. He’d flown back to California that night.
What I’d thought would by my own Disney tale of love with a happy ending had turned into a horror story. But it had opened my eyes. I knew the truth now. I wasn’t writing anymore fairytales.
~
Portia hadn’t looked at me all morning. She’d been staring at her screen, working.
I knew ‘cause I’d spent half my morning glancing at her, all I could see was the curve of her cheek, and the tip of her mascara coated eyelashes. Both times I’d seen her at the weekend she’d had no makeup on.
The Portia here wore makeup like a warrior; she was tougher.
I couldn’t believe I knew the person under that. They were too different people. I’d got her completely wrong.
An email appeared in my inbox at ten to twelve.
‘When are we going to lunch?’
‘Whenever you want to go.’
‘Twelve would be good, I’ve got to go out and do something for Mr. Rees after lunch.’
‘Twelve then. I’ll leave first and meet you there.’
Half an hour later we sat in the café, eating, facing each other. She was still her office self. She’d hardly spoken, just picking at her salad.
“I can’t go out tonight. I’ve got to mind my brothers but tomorrow, Mom’s not working, we could go to the cinema if you want?”
“Is that a date?” Her pitch was sarcastic and cutting.
Shit, when she was in this mood, she could be a bitch, and she was totally patronizing.
I frowned at her. “You know I said you were arrogant in the office. Well you’re being arrogant. Yes, a date. What’s so wrong with me asking you to go somewhere? Most girls would love that I’m asking you out and not just expecting sex.”
She shrugged and took a mouthful of salad, chewing it at the same time as she made a face at me.
“So, do you want to go out with me or not? ‘Cause I am quite happy with not going if you’re going to get all stiff again–like I’m not good enough for you. Believe me, there are plenty of girls who think I am, Portia.”
She swallowed her mouthful. “I didn’t say that–”
“No, but you’re acting like it.”
She shrugged again and then blew out a long breath. “Look, Mr. Rees, pissed me off.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s like my dad. He wants me to buy his wife presents to smooth over some fight they’ve had. What’s the value in me buying them anyway? It’s meant to be him saying sorry…”
I leaned back in my chair, there was an undercurrent flowing.
She looked down at her bowl of salad, looking more like the Portia of the weekend, then left her fork resting on the edge of it and looked up. “I caught Dad out. He was with a woman. Mom just overlooks the affairs. Daniel and I split up over it, because he thought it wasn’t an issue. I’m just not in the mood for a cozy chat, okay?”
I leaned forward again, and gripped her fingers before she could pull them back. “Believe me, Portia, I know what that’s like. Dad played away the whole time my parents were together. Mom was always wondering where he was… and who with. I’m never gonna be like that. It’s something I could never do. I’ve seen what it’s like at the other end, okay?…”
Her fingers slipped from mine sharply. “I wasn’t thinking of you. That isn’t what we’ve got going on anyway. I’m just pissed off with Mr. Rees.”
“You didn’t seem to care at his party?”
“I was drunk at his party. I make stupid errors when I’m drunk.”
“Including me?”
“Justin, stop putting words into my mouth–I’m pissed off with Mr. Rees, no one else. And yeah, I’ll go to
That was when Dan and I had split up too, because he’d agreed I shouldn’t tell Mom, he’d said she was fine, she had what she wanted, a nice house and stuff… I’d told him to get lost. He’d flown back to California that night.
What I’d thought would by my own Disney tale of love with a happy ending had turned into a horror story. But it had opened my eyes. I knew the truth now. I wasn’t writing anymore fairytales.
~
Portia hadn’t looked at me all morning. She’d been staring at her screen, working.
I knew ‘cause I’d spent half my morning glancing at her, all I could see was the curve of her cheek, and the tip of her mascara coated eyelashes. Both times I’d seen her at the weekend she’d had no makeup on.
The Portia here wore makeup like a warrior; she was tougher.
I couldn’t believe I knew the person under that. They were too different people. I’d got her completely wrong.
An email appeared in my inbox at ten to twelve.
‘When are we going to lunch?’
‘Whenever you want to go.’
‘Twelve would be good, I’ve got to go out and do something for Mr. Rees after lunch.’
‘Twelve then. I’ll leave first and meet you there.’
Half an hour later we sat in the café, eating, facing each other. She was still her office self. She’d hardly spoken, just picking at her salad.
“I can’t go out tonight. I’ve got to mind my brothers but tomorrow, Mom’s not working, we could go to the cinema if you want?”
“Is that a date?” Her pitch was sarcastic and cutting.
Shit, when she was in this mood, she could be a bitch, and she was totally patronizing.
I frowned at her. “You know I said you were arrogant in the office. Well you’re being arrogant. Yes, a date. What’s so wrong with me asking you to go somewhere? Most girls would love that I’m asking you out and not just expecting sex.”
She shrugged and took a mouthful of salad, chewing it at the same time as she made a face at me.
“So, do you want to go out with me or not? ‘Cause I am quite happy with not going if you’re going to get all stiff again–like I’m not good enough for you. Believe me, there are plenty of girls who think I am, Portia.”
She swallowed her mouthful. “I didn’t say that–”
“No, but you’re acting like it.”
She shrugged again and then blew out a long breath. “Look, Mr. Rees, pissed me off.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s like my dad. He wants me to buy his wife presents to smooth over some fight they’ve had. What’s the value in me buying them anyway? It’s meant to be him saying sorry…”
I leaned back in my chair, there was an undercurrent flowing.
She looked down at her bowl of salad, looking more like the Portia of the weekend, then left her fork resting on the edge of it and looked up. “I caught Dad out. He was with a woman. Mom just overlooks the affairs. Daniel and I split up over it, because he thought it wasn’t an issue. I’m just not in the mood for a cozy chat, okay?”
I leaned forward again, and gripped her fingers before she could pull them back. “Believe me, Portia, I know what that’s like. Dad played away the whole time my parents were together. Mom was always wondering where he was… and who with. I’m never gonna be like that. It’s something I could never do. I’ve seen what it’s like at the other end, okay?…”
Her fingers slipped from mine sharply. “I wasn’t thinking of you. That isn’t what we’ve got going on anyway. I’m just pissed off with Mr. Rees.”
“You didn’t seem to care at his party?”
“I was drunk at his party. I make stupid errors when I’m drunk.”
“Including me?”
“Justin, stop putting words into my mouth–I’m pissed off with Mr. Rees, no one else. And yeah, I’ll go to
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