Angel (NSC Industries) (22 page)

I
frowned at her and she smiled gently “You look a bit under the weather, Miss Adams.”

Oh!

“Yes,
I’m fine” I said and then gave her a grateful smile “Thank you, Samantha” I
added and she nodded.

Riding
the elevator and exiting on my floor, I made my way over to my desk and sat
behind it; placing my head in my hands I rested them on the desk.

I
felt a hand sweep over my back. “You okay, Sweetie?” Grace asked “I thought you
weren’t coming in today?” she said on a frown.

I
rolled my head round my neck “Just feeling a bit shitty, I’ll be fine. I had
some work I needed to finish so I thought I’d come in for a few hours” I
notified her.

“Okay
Sweetie but it’s fine if you wanna take yourself off home.” I nodded and told
her thanks as I got down to work.

An
hour later I lifted my gaze from the computer screen and stretched my arms high
above my head and spotted the envelope Samantha had given me. Picking it up I
tore it open and a key fell out.

What
the hell?

Frowning
I examined the key wondering why someone had sent it me, my heart bumped when I
wondered if it might be Nate’s house key.

 Grace
had informed me that Nate had not turned in and asked me if he was okay, to
which I replied that I had no idea and sensing my aloofness she dropped the
subject pretty damn quick.

 Tipping
my head at the key, puzzled I couldn’t quite fathom out the reason for it; then
it dawned on me and my eyes grew very, very wide and my mouth dropped open… it
was my old front door key!

“Holy
Fuck!” I exclaimed, my breath harsh.

Scrambling
for the phone I called down to main reception. “Samantha, its Olivia Adams. Did
you see who dropped the envelope off for me?” I interrogated her.

“No
sorry, Miss Adams. I took a toilet break and it was on the desk with the
internal mail when I got back. Is there a problem?” she asked and I could sense
her discomfort at the thought of being in trouble.

“No,
no thank you” I sighed and ended the call.

Why
the hell would someone have my key, apart from letting themselves into my home
and rolling around on my bed with my underwear?

I
sat contemplating it when Josh walked in with a package. “Hey, Sweetie” he
grinned and then frowned at my face. “Someone’s having a bad day. Cheer up
girl, it’s Friday” he nudged me “
And
the gift fairy has been again” he
waggled his eyebrows at me.

“Mr
Carter has it hard for you Girl!” he chuckled “although you might want to
remind him you’re not married” he scoffed.

“What?”
I asked puzzled at his bloody riddles.

“The
package! It’s addressed
MRS
Olivia Adams” he chuckled at the thought of
Nate’s mistake and how I was going to punish him.

Shaking
my head I took the heavy box from him and set it on my desk. “Come on Girl!”
Josh was jumping with excitement “Open it! I love to see what surprises he
sends you.”

I
was a bit miffed to be honest; after the things he called me and said to me he
thinks it’s all going to be okay if he sends me a gift.

Sighing,
I slowly opened the box and removed the lid and was greeted with black silk
packaging. “Ooh, maybe I don’t wanna see this after all. It looks like
lingerie” Josh giggled but still watched as I peeled back the silk.

He
still watched as I looked at the item in the box.

He
still watched as I passed out and slumped to the floor.

The
police arrived within the hour and I was sat in the 44
^th
floor
conference room with a strong cup of coffee and Grace at my side.

“I
know this is hard for you Miss Adams, but anything else you can think of,
anything that you think might seem insignificant you need to tell us” she
smiled formally. I could see the ‘God think of all the paperwork’ look on her
face as she interviewed me.

I
shook my head again “I’ve told you everything I can think of. My brain won’t
work anymore” I told her, sighing and rubbing my eyes. I just wanted to go home
and curl up in bed, sleep away the mess my life had become and get
very
drunk.

“Well,
I think that’s all for the moment” she said, standing and looking at the box in
her hand “I suggest you take extra precautions, Miss Adams. Lock and relock
every door and window in your house, don’t go out alone at night and if you
notice anything,
anything
worrying no matter how little, you make sure
you ring us. I’ve put my name, badge number and extension number on the card I
gave you.”

I
stood and thanked her as Grace showed her out and then came back in. “You want
me to ring Mr Carter for you, Olivia?” she asked softly, putting her hand on my
arm.

“
NO!”
I shot, a little too quickly. I didn’t need Nate to come running out of obligation;
I needed to handle this myself.

Grace
frowned at me. “Is everything alright between you two?” she asked, her eyes
full of sympathy.

“We
just had a disagreement” I sighed and walked towards the door. “I’m fine Grace,
honest” I tried to smile at her but just swallowed heavily.

She
put her hand back on my arm “Sweetie, you’re not fine. Who would be after they
got a… a…
that
!” she huffed.

Shaking
my head at her, I slumped my shoulders defeated. “Whose cat do you think it was
Grace? Do you think they’re out there looking for the poor creature?” I
whispered sadly.

I
heaved, bile rising, “Oh God!” I baulked, ran to the bathroom and vomited
violently; Grace running behind me and holding my hair back while I threw the
contents of my stomach into the toilet bowl.

When
I had emptied everything I had, I placed my forehead against the cool tiles of
the cubicle wall. “Please let me phone Mr Carter, Olivia?” She asked again.

“No
Grace! And if you do then our friendship will be over” I glared at her and she
nodded slightly “I mean it, Grace. Nate doesn’t need to know about this, he’ll
only worry” I told her sternly and she nodded firmly.

“Okay,
but promise me that you will take extra care, Sweetie” she begged.

“I
will Grace, I promise okay?” I pacified her and she smiled.

“I’ll
leave you to freshen up, Olivia and I’ll see you tomorrow night at the awards.
Get yourself off home” she smiled at me again and then rubbed her hand up and
down my arm and exited the restroom, leaving me still knelt on the floor with
my head propped up on the wall.

***

Three
hours later, I was laid in a bubble bath, vodka in hand and Haribos on the
edge. I had forsaken the wine for something stronger, needing it to dull my
senses. “Well Liv. You don’t half get yourself into some shit” I laughed
drunkenly, swirling my toes round the edge of the bath.

My
vision was blurred and my head was sloped to the side as a single tear slipped
down my cheek.

Two
weeks ago I had been so happy, everything was finally looking up; I had Nate,
my kids were happy and content and I had been on the verge of coming to terms
with my past, my life and my mutilated body.

Another
tear slid down to follow the other one, as if racing it down my face in an
urgency to beat it to my chin.

I
heard my phone ring somewhere in the house. “Oh Fuck off” I shouted to it, “I’m
pissed, cold and feeling sorry for myself” I told it and I laughed when it
stopped ringing.

Draining
my glass I reached over to the bottle I had placed on the toilet seat and
slipped round in the bath, the water shot over the edge of the bath in waves
and puddled on the floor. I clung to the rim of the tub and rested my chin on
my hands and a crowd of tears chased the others now.

“Why?”
I asked to no-one in particular “Why won’t you let me be happy?” I screamed.
Wiping my nose with the back of my hand, I sat back up and retried for the
nearly empty bottle.

Achieving
my goal I smiled to the vodka. “You see, there’s no escape” I told it, “You
need me as much as I need you, babe” I whispered, although I wasn’t sure if I
was still talking to the bottle. “I need you so much,” I sobbed “I always have.”

The
phone rang again, “OH BUGGER OFF!” I screamed at it. I rested my head against
the back of the tub and lifted my leg from the water to examine it, twirling
and bending it in front of me. “I do have beautiful legs, Nate! You always
liked my legs didn’t you?” I sighed, tilting my head and considering the rest
of my body.

“You
made me feel special and beautiful, Nate” I took another long mouthful of the
vodka and wiped my eyes on my hand “You said you loved me.”

I
frowned to the bottle “You said you always will.” I sucked on my lips and
debated myself; sloshed, unhappy and above all absolutely terrified as I lay in
the cold, murky bath water, alone.

***

I
woke up the next morning laid across the landing naked, with a blanket over me
and with a hangover from the pits of hell. I closed my eyes and groaned as I
prised myself off the carpet and stumbled to the bedroom to claim my robe.

 Wrapping
it round me I ventured downstairs for coffee and paracetamol, and as I walked
into the kitchen Beth was sat at the table, reading a newspaper with a mug in
her hand.

She
slowly raised her eyes to look at me from beneath her eyebrows. “Good morning!”
she said chirpily and I grunted at her, sliding past to grab a coffee from the
pot she had brewed and plonked down next to her.

“When
did you get here?” I asked, hoarsely.

“Last
night,” she stated simply “I found you flaked out on the landing and couldn’t
wake you so I covered you and left you there” she revealed, taking another
swill of her coffee.

“How?
Why? I can’t remember” I grumbled and rubbed my temples.

 “Why
didn’t you ring me, Liv?” she scolded with tears in her eyes.

“How
did you find out?” I asked her, trying to swallow past the damn dryness in my
throat.

“I
phoned you at work when you didn’t answer your phone and Grace told me” she
shook her head, her face angry, “Why the hell didn’t you ring me Liv?” she
said, way too loudly for my sore head.

“I
just wanted to get bloody pissed and forget every damn fucking thing” I gulped
trying to stop the tears from making another bloody appearance.

“Oh,
babe” she cried, sobbing with me as I wept into her and she screamed with me as
I bawled at her and then she just held me, rocking me to and fro like a mother
and a child, whispering shushes in my ear.

All
cried out and emotionally empty I sat at the table with her a little while
later. “Does Nate know?” she asked quietly as though she knew what I was going
to say.

“No
and he’s not gonna” I articulated with narrow eyes.

“But
Babe, he needs to know” she pleaded.

“No
he doesn’t, Beth. This has nothing to do with him!” I warned her.

“This
has everything to do with him Liv, he loves you” she shouted

 “Not
anymore” I said quietly, studying my freshly brewed coffee.

“Liv!
Of course he still loves you, he’s just shocked and angry that’s all but he
still loves you, babe.”

I
nodded once, not believing her but just to pacify her.

“So”
she said firmly to change the subject, “What did the police say?” I scoffed and
gave her a ‘what do you think’ look.

“Right,
nothing then” she ground out between her teeth. I smiled and shrugged “They’ve
took the…the... cat and the key to examine.” I told her.

“Key?”
she asked perplexed.

“Yeah
someone has been letting themselves in and snorting my underwear” I laughed
trying to make light of it “and anyway I got it sent back to me yesterday in an
envelope” I shrugged again “And yes before you ask I’ve changed my locks!” I
informed her.

She
frowned and wrinkled her brow “You don’t think it’s that Pervy Peterson do
you?” she voiced what I’d already thought.

I
shrugged at her “I dunno, I’ve thought about it. He was angry I’d spurned him
and lost him his job but… I dunno, it just doesn’t make sense. I got some of
the phone calls before it kicked off with him” I pondered.

“Have
the phone calls stopped now? I wondered why you changed your number” Beth asked
as she got up and went to replenish her coffee.

I
nodded and stood up; walking to the sink and looking through the window. “God,
I could go a fag.” I still had cravings even though I’d stopped smoking about
eight years ago.

Beth
scoffed and regarded me “And a fags gonna help, how?”

I
pulled a face at her and rolled my head. “Remind me never to drink again” I
groaned as I swallowed more pills.

“That
might be a problem if you’ve got that awards thingy tonight” she mocked. “Oh
fuck!” I complained, “My life is full of shit!”

***

After
hunting round the house for my red dress and favourite red shoes, I gave in and
settled for a knee length green fitted dress and my black heels and bag. I really
couldn’t be bothered so plonked my hair in a stiff bun and slapped on a bit of
gloss and mascara.

Beautiful
Liv,
I mocked myself and clambered
into the waiting taxi, dreading the night to come.

Entering
the throbbing room at the exclusive top floor ballroom of London’s most
prestigious nightclub, I scanned the room. People were already dancing and
drunk, the tables were nearly full and the bar was heaving.

There
was a platform at the back of the room, no doubt for presenting the awards and
lavishly dressed circular tables around the room ready for the seven-course
dinner. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and made my way to the bar. 

I
ordered a large wine, my drought already over and went in search of my seat,
finding it situated much to my pleasure next to the bar.

It
was a table for eight and it placed Grace and her husband, Leah and Bert, Josh
and his very camp boyfriend and me and… an empty seat.

“Olivia,”
Leah smiled, “How are you, Hun?” she asked with concern.

“I’m
good, Leah. Please nobody feel awkward round me. I don’t want to mention
anything about the incident, Okay? Can we just forget all about it, just for
tonight please?” I requested and they all nodded and relaxed.

“So
have I missed anything?” I asked perusing back around the room.

Josh
shook his head and introduced his boyfriend Daniel, “Nope” he said after Daniel
and I said our hello’s, “I don’t even think your boyfriends here yet. I haven’t
seen him” he said and then he flinched as I presumed Grace kicked him under the
table.

He
frowned at her, “What did I say?” he asked her and she grimaced at him and gave
a discreet shake of her head. Josh’s eyes widened and he looked at me, “Oh
Sweetie, have you and Mr Carter broke up?” he asked candidly.

I
chuckled at his directness as Grace moaned “Well whatever gave you that idea
Josh?” I snorted and gave Grace a lift of an eye.

We
chatted and drank more wine as we slowly ate our way through enough food to
feed the entire population of London and as we were on deserts a very drunk Josh
nudged my knee under the table and leaned into my ear, “Don’t look now but your
Mr Carter has just walked in with Eleanor St Clair” he whispered.

I
stiffened but refused to turn round. It hadn’t took him long to move on. “It
looks like he’s searching the room for you, Olivia” he carried on.

I
was hoping the severe bun I was wearing camouflaged me as it wasn’t something I
usually did with my hair. “Excuse me, bathroom” I said to the table and slipped
from my chair and hurried to the bathroom.

I
couldn’t face him at the moment; I didn’t need to see the hatred on his face
tonight of all nights, I was only just holding myself up as it was.