CHAPTER 47: Office Surprise

 

"I'll see you later, darling" said Jeremy Saint, kissing Barbara Dubois on the cheek before she headed for work. She was staying over at Jeremy's house more and more these days and he loved it. She was such a sweet, joyful girl who brought out so much more of him when they were together. He felt less uptight, more confident and, well, the woohoo was incredible.

As he waved Barbara goodbye, he noticed a woman...a policewoman no less judging by her prominently displayed SCPD badge on her belt...hanging around at the end of the road he lived on. He'd seen her a couple of times before, usually here to meet John Action before their work shift. Jeremy grabbed his briefcase and headed off to work but along the way he stopped and chatted with the policewoman.

"Are you here for Action?" said Jeremy.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" said the lady with a scowl.

"Oh, sorry, I meant are you here to meet John Action? I assume you're a colleague" said Jeremy, correcting himself.

"Ah, I see, yes, I'm here to meet John Action"

"Well he's running a bit late this morning you see he didn't get in from his date until late last night and...well....she's still there with him so...."

"OK, buddy, spare me the details" she said, putting up her hand to stop him from saying more.

Jeremy looked back towards Action's house and he saw the front door open and out stepped Action, in uniform, and his girlfriend. They too kissed and walked off in separate directions. Yes, Jeremy thought, love was in the air around Foundry Cove these days.

Jeremy made it in to Dewey, Cheathem & Howe's offices on time and he went to his desk, where his colleagues were gathered having a conspiratorial chat.

"Hey, Jeremy" said one of them. "Have you checked out J.J. Gotcha's new secretary yet?"

"No I haven't...is she nice?" Jeremy replied.

"Oh man.....nice doesn't begin to describe her. She's F.A.B. hot!" said his colleague, enthusiastically.

"What I wouldn't give to go on a date with her!" said another.

"Hubba hubba!" said a third. "You should DEFINITELY check her out!"

"Alright, alright...settle down guys! She's probably nearly 60, weighing 250lbs and eats junior staff for breakfast and you're setting me up for a joke. Now I've got to get these reports to Gotcha so, ha, I'll be prepared for anything his new secretary has got." Jeremy picked up the files and shook his head in disbelief at how his workmates had tried to fool him about Gotcha's secretary.

But he wasn't prepared for what happened next.

"Bianca?" said an incredulous Jeremy.

"Yes Jeremy...or should I say, Mr Saint?" she replied. She was wearing a blue skirt suit which hugged the contours of her body...no wonder his colleagues were all ga-ga for her.

"Erm...what? Do you work here now?"

"Yes. I responded to an ad I saw in the newspaper and landed the job" she replied matter of factly.

"But you knew I worked here?"

"Yes. Is that a problem? I thought we were both level with each other now...unless?" she asked, probing him.

"No unless....I'm just surprised at seeing you here, that's all. You made it clear how you felt about me and I told you I'd moved on"

"And are you still seeing her? This new woman?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact...we're doing great, thank you" he said, a little defensively.

"I'm glad. But I want to let you know I'm approaching things here strictly professionally. So there should be no awkwardness from either of us."

"Agreed. Erm...this is for Mr Gotcha" he said, indicating the file. She walked to him to take the file...her perfume wafted intoxicatingly towards him and her hands brushed against his as she took the file. Jeremy cursed under his breath...she said she was being "strictly professional" but he suspected she was acting provocatively towards him.

He went back to his office where his friends were all having a laugh. "So" said one of them. "250lbs and nearing 60, eh?"

"You're welcome to her" said Jeremy, sitting down at his desk.

"C'mon man, you can't turn your nose up on that goddess upstairs, can you?"

"I can...remember, I've got a steady girlfriend who...incidentally...is way, way hotter than Bianca"

"Wooo, you're on first name terms with her now?" said his colleague, teasing him. Damn...why did Bianca have to come and work here?

He put Bianca out of his head for the rest of his work day and was relieved when it was time to leave. He had a date with Barbara at one of their favourite events...the Spice Festival. He raced to San Myshuno as he wanted to spend as much time with her as he could.

"Hmmm so good to see you!" said Barbara, giving him a big hug. She didn't want to let go.

"You too" he said, grateful to be in her arms. "Let's get some food!" he said, enthusiastically.

They headed off to the festival and tried out various dishes. "How was work?" asked Barbara.

Jeremy froze for a moment...he'd forgotten about Bianca's presence at the office until now but he didn't want to bring her name up at this point.

"Oh, same old stuff...and you?"

"Busy...we had a kid's party to cater for today....oh boy, the cleaning up we had to do afterwards but the kids were so happy and joyous so I didn't mind that much" she said, smiling. Jeremy looked at Barbara and thought "there's no contest here....Barbara is the best!"

They ate, talked and laughed...then Jeremy said, "hey, let's have a sing-song! I've been practicing..."

"Oh no, what is it now?" said Barbara, then she yawned. "It's been a long day and I don't think my voice is up to it tonight but you go ahead...I'll watch and cheer you on"

Jeremy belted out the song with gusto, but he was no Frank Sinatra. "I thank you" he said at the end and he looked to Barbara...who had fallen asleep.

He looked at her laid out on the couch, looking so peaceful there, that he didn't resent her falling asleep during his performance. As a matter of fact, he wasn't great but he didn't appreciate how tired she was. He sat down next to her and stroked her hair as she dozed until a couple burst in to the room.

"Oh sorry, man" said a trendily dressed young man in the company of his hippie girlfriend. "Are you using this room as we'd like to have a sing?"

"Oh sure, go ahead, we were just resting and need to get going....Darling" he said to Barbara "we need to go. These people want to sing now"

"What? Wait...oh no, I missed you singing!" said a disappointed Barbara as she woke up.

"No matter...let's get you home" said Jeremy.

"No....I feel so bad! Let me make it up to you" she insisted.

"But you're tired"

"I feel better now I've had a little rest....in fact, good enough for this night not to end....yet" she said, coquettishly.

"Did you have anything in mind?" said Jeremy, taking the bait.

"Well....I think I left my earrings at your place last night...maybe we could go and look for them?"

"I think I saw them next to our bed...." he stopped himself. He'd said "our" bed. His mind was projecting. Barbara picked up on this.

"Oh it's our bed, is it?" she said, putting her arms around him.

"Let's go look for your earrings" he said, taking her by the hand and taking her back home with him.