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My heart leaps a mile. Where’s my calming crystal and my good karma body spray? I will begin my manic getting-ready-to-confront-Oliver spree with a little aura cleanse.
* * *
A short while later, my meditation is broken with the sound of the girls arguing. I walk into the reception to see Oliver standing with them.
‘Sorry,’ he says. ‘I just came by to apologise for the short text I sent earlier. I should have phoned you days ago from Madrid to explain properly.’
He looks very tired.
‘It should be me apologising to you,’ I say, playing along with the charade. ‘I got you suspended from work. From the ICF?’
The girls are quick to stand by my side, arms folded in a hostile manner. We wait for him to deny or confirm. Either way, he has some explaining to do.
He shrugs. ‘I don’t care. I need a break from them.’
‘Oh, that’s funny,’ I say. ‘Because when I spoke to them two days ago they hadn’t heard of you.’
‘Ah,’ he says, looking guilty. ‘There’s something I need to clear up. I just haven’t had the chance to discuss it with you yet.’
‘Look at his shirt,’ yells Ava.
We look at Oliver. He looks mighty fine. His shirt is stretched tight across his chest, giving his pecs incredible definition.
‘Very… snug,’ I say, ripping my eyes from his biceps.
For a traitor.
She tuts. ‘Look at the logo.’
I switch my gaze to the letters printed on the shirt pocket.
‘See? It’s him,’ Ava yells, pointing at Oliver. ‘I knew I recognised the ICF logo from somewhere. He’s the one. The prick from the transformation company I told you about.’
Oliver immediately looks backfooted.
‘He made us all redundant. His company.’
I turn to Ava. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘He’s not from your ICF. He’s from the International Corporate Finance company that Karen brought in to streamline the business. And by streamline, I mean put us all out of jobs.’
We all take a beat. Even Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen takes a step away from him. ‘I preferred when he was a spy.’
It is suddenly very hot in here and my head is starting to swim.
‘She’s right,’ Oliver says. ‘There have been some crossed wires. It’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, but you haven’t been answering my calls. Then I had to fly to Madrid to face the board. I’m from the other ICF. I’m sorry.’
His eyes are full of regret.
‘That’s why you’ve been so interested in helping me? Guilt?’
Pieces of the puzzle suddenly fall into place. We were on the same flight. He seemed to know a lot about losing jobs. He seemed so keen to know how I was doing. No wonder the life coaching ICF had never heard of him.
‘Wait. You’ve known who we were since the beginning?’ Ava shouts at him.
Oliver gulps. His face says it all.
I have never felt so gutted in my life.
