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‘Yeah?’
‘Oh, great.’Sheput on her sweetest enquiry voice. ‘ThisisFrancescaMarch.Idropped off my cards lastMonday?’
‘Holdon.’Theshuffling of papers buzzed down the line. ‘Yeah,I’vegot your job bag here.’
‘Okay…well…have you managed to recover the files?’Herfingers drummed on the desk.
‘Nah.Notyet.’
Herrage simmered.Otherpeople’s incompetence made her angry, especially when it affected her.Throughgritted teeth, she managed to maintain a ghost of her over-friendly tone. ‘Well, when will you be able to look at them?’
‘Tomorrow.Maybethe day after.’
Herfingers ceased their drumming.Sheleaned forwards. ‘Youknow, calling yourself “SpeedyDan” is false advertising.Ineed those files, like,yesterday.’Herwedding contracts all stated she’d deliver a highlights reel of the event to the couple within six weeks.Thepurpose was to tide them over until she could finish the big edit, which took months.Shedidn’t like to let anyone down, and time was ticking.
‘Don’tget your knickers in a twist, love.They’rein the pile.’
Hereally shouldn’t have called her ‘love’.Ifshe were a cartoon character, the top of her head would have blown off, and she’d be emitting steam from her ears. ‘You’lldo the workTODAYorI’mgoing to come down there and personally insert those cards one by one up your incompetent anus.Doyou understand me?’
Silence.Hermother often said, ‘Youcan catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.’Butactually that was a lie.Francescahad looked it up: flies also liked vinegar.
Fora moment she thought he’d hung up on her, but then she heard his asthmatic wheeze.
Finallyhe said, ‘Iremember you.Shortgirl.Darkhair, yeah?’
‘Yes?’ she said, emphasising theS.
‘Ha.I’dlike to see you try.I’llget to them soon.’Hehung up.
Theonly thing stopping her from throwing her phone was the cost of replacing it.Shebanged it against her forehead.Somehow, the video from theBollywooddance class lastThursdaytriggered and started playing.Sighing, she watched it all the way through and realised that she hadn’t practised the routine yet.Well, no time like the present.Restlessnesshad filled her body, and a bit of movement would do her good.Shescrubbed to the beginning of the video and hit play.
Krishdidn’t wantto faceFrancescatoday.
Sohe went for a three-hour jog instead.Run,Krish,Run!Wheneverhe had a problem to mull over, running helped him gain clarity.
Whathad happened—or almost happened yesterday—didn’t mean anything.Ofcourse she'd relaxed in his arms.Shewas upset.Hewas familiar.They’donce had strong feelings for each other, and those kinds of feelings never went away completely.Deepdown in his heart, he even maintained affection for the first girlfriend he ever had, aged 14.Washe still attracted toFrancesca?Yes.Wasshe still attracted to him?Maybe.Washe going to act on it?No.
Inten days, he was takingJesstoParis.He’dbought first class tickets on theEurostarand booked a room in a 5-star hotel.Afterdinner on theSaturday, they would take a private boat tour of theSeine, and when they finished at theEiffelTower, all lit up, he would get down on one knee.Shewould say yes, and they’d plan a perfect, wonderful wedding.Connorwould be his best man.Gracewould be a flower girl.Hissister would insist on giving a speech, taking all the credit for introducing them.Krishwould give a speech, too.Everyonewould laugh the first time he referred toJessas his wife.
Inthe meantime, he just wished his traitorous brain would stop imagining a scene that never happened.WhatifJesshadn’t walked in?Whatif he’d slid his fingers underFrancesca’schin and lifted her lips towards his?
Heran faster to chase the images away, to punish himself.Hebroke out in a sweat.
Thankfully,Jesshad been oblivious to the tension.Aspenance for his non-crime, they’d spent the afternoon perusing every single craft stall inCamden.Hedidn’t realiseCamdenevenhadthat many craft stalls.He’dalways associated it more with punk rock and cheap clothes.
Hepassed a familiar birch-lined road, not far from theKnights’ house.Hehadn’t gone there intentionally, but he might as well pop by.Anyway, he needed to speak withStellaabout theBlenheimwedding, and he could take the opportunity to play with his goddaughter, despite being unsociably sweaty.HopefullyGracewouldn’t mind.
Theelectronic door bell echoed through the house, and he heard muffled movement inside.Thedoor swung open, andStellaappeared, still dressed in her matching grey cotton pyjamas and holdingGrace, who was slobbering all over a blue teething toy.
Stellalooked tired, with dark circles under her eyes, but her face brightened when she sawKrish. ‘Hey, you!Whata great surprise!Comein, come in.’Sheeagerly grabbed his hand and pulled him into the house.
‘Ifound myself in the area and thoughtI’dstop by…’
‘I’mso glad you did.Ifeel likeIhaven’t spoken to anybody in days.’Shelaughed a little manically. ‘Forgiveme ifIgabble on too much.’
‘Where’sConnor?’Hedidn’t have any shoots on.Krishstill had access toConnor’swork calendar on his phone in order to help out when needed.
‘He’sinterviewing new assistants.’
