Chapter 2
“Hey there you! How are you today? Finally settled into your new place?” Gavin comes up from behind without any sound.
“I’m doing cool jazz babes. How you doing? Looking fine as ever” I say with a big smile on face. At least my colleagues are terrific.
“So we thought that since this is your first week in the virtual office, we’d take you out tonight for dinner. You need a break Mika. I know coming here to set up this new office is a challenge, but girl, you gotta eat!” He more says than asks.
“Oh, that’s so sweet. I’d love to. Where are we heading?” I ask while still staring at my screen.
“All over. You just get your party shoes on and I’ll pick you up around 8pm” he says as he walks away.
More than a month’s gone by and I still have not heard from Gabriel. It should not surprise me seeing as I was the one to contact him after 3 years.
Work was busy as usual and getting home at 6pm just made me want to curl up in bed and sleep the weekend away. Time for a change Mika.
At exactly 8pm I hear my doorbell. Gavin came.
We start off with a dinner at one of the pubs. There are lots of people. People I don’t even know but they apparently will be working with me in the new office.
We then head off to more bars and more bars.
We get to some place playing a mix of R&B and old school music; my kind of place. I grab a beer and head for the dance floor alone. As I’m standing there with my drink in hand I hear a voice “That is no way for a lady to be” I turn around and it’s Gabriel.
“Hey there stranger. How are you?” I ask with a smile.
“I’m good Mika. Fancy running into you over here.” He says eyes glazed and obviously tipsy. As he sways towards me, I smell some Corona on him.
“Yeah, some people from work decided to take me out on the town” I say. I open my mouth to say more but Gavin walks up. “Hey Mika, shots on me”
As I follow Gavin to the bar, I don’t even turn back.
1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, floor…
“No you’re not taking her home, I am.”
“Who are you to tell me what I can and can’t do?”
And then I blank out…..
Where am I and why is it so dark? Oh God, headache, go away! Where am I? Oh no….
I drift to sleep again.
I wake up what seems a lifetime later. “Mika, I’ve made coffee” as I open one eye, I see Gabriel, again. Darn Mika!! What are you doing?
I get up, trying to trip over a wire and kill myself. Why is this happening? Why do I keep waking up naked next to this man that scared me for life?
“Thanks for the coffee” I say as I stare at him over the rim of the cup. “So, then to cut a short story long, Gabe, we can’t keep doing this. For God’s sake, I do not want to repeat past mistakes. Gabe, it took me a long time to get over what happened with us and I’m not willing to go down that path again. I don’t mind being friends, but nothing like this again” I say and start walking towards the room. A minute later I hear the door close. Good, he’s gone.
Most of my Saturday is spent nursing my hangover. I don’t even try to remember the events of the night. Apparently going on a bender in London causes way more harm than a night out in Dubai ever did!
“Hello” I answer the phone half groggy. “Well if it isn’t Miss Run-off-with-strange-men. How’s the head girl?” Gavin’s voice asks from the other end.
“Oh God Gavin, I’m never drinking again!” I say for the umpteenth time. I hear Gavin’s laughter boom through from the other side.
“Well, you sure know how to liven up a party Mika. I give you that.” Gavin says with laughter in his voice. “So who’s your mystery man? Did you at least get home safely?”
“All very good questions Gav. I got home, just don’t ask me how. I assume he got me home. That’s a guy I used to date years ago. So yes, he got me back safely” I try to say it very lightly.
“Glad to hear that. Just checking in to see if you’re ok. See you on Monday, bright and early then” he says.
“Thanks Gav, you’re a sweetie pie. Enjoy the rest of your weekend”
Oh my, it’s already 6pm and I have done nothing all day but beat myself up and nurse a hangover, time to get into gear.
I look outside and it’s raining…still. Ok, I’ll go for a brisk walk around the block just to clear my mind.
But obviously I am not blessed with serenity. Instead I keep thinking back and back.
“Shirley, do you have some time to join me with in a supplier meeting later this afternoon?” I ask her as I walk up behind her at the desk.
“Sure, what do you need me to do and who are we meeting?” she asks as I hand her the brochure. “Alright, looks like I have a lunch buddy today” she says smiling at the brochure.
I head out for lunch and decide to take a walk to the mall a few blocks down. Starbucks yells out my name and I find a corner to sit in. I get my grande low fat latte and a muffin and start reviewing the brochure of the supplier again as well as the comparison report I’ve put together. Better make sure I’m doubly prepared for this meeting. London suppliers are sure to work a little bit different from Dubai ones.
Back in the virtual office at 2pm. I touch up my lipstick and head to one of the meeting rooms. I do love the convenience of these set ups. At least I don’t have to set up a new office from the comfort of my rent-a-place!
An hour later we leave the meeting room and my face is giving nothing away. I look at Shirley and she can see that I am satisfied. The fit out contractors we just met, I’d used on the last project in Dubai. One of the main reasons I chose them in Dubai was based on the fact that they were UK based and knowing the company would look at setting up an office there the following year, sealed the deal for them back then. And apparently now as well.
Thankfully my connections in Dubai pays off and suppliers that I’ve been working with for years, make setting up the new office a breeze…well as much of a breeze as setting up an office could possibly be.
Having given myself a 16 week program to set up this office, I was quite comfortable with where I was with meeting suppliers and getting the layout and designs done properly.
Eight weeks into the program, things are on schedule and I finally give myself some time to relax again. The warmth of my apartment welcomes me. I kick off my shoes and pour myself a nice glass of wine. I take out some of my old Andrea Bocelli and unwind. After a while I get up and start running a nice bubble bath. Oh the perfect way to start the weekend. I sigh as I step into the hot bath…
I must’ve drifted off because I hear the doorbell in the distance. I must be dreaming. But no, there it is again. I get up and go to the door.
“Hey there. I was no where near the neighborhood and decided to stop by” Gabe says as I open the door with a questioning look.
“What do you want Gabe? I’m tired and really not in the mood for us right now”
“Are you at least going to let me in? It’s kind of cold out here” I would think having lived in UK for a while, he’d have known to wear a jumper in March or make that all year round really. Having just moved from Dubai 3 months ago, every day feels like winter to me.
I step back and let him in.
“Mika, let me talk. Just let me talk for a minute and then you can throw me out”
“You realize that I owe you nothing. Not even the chance to talk.” I say.
“Yes Mika, I know.” He says with a sigh. As he sighs I see how he’s aged over the years. Still sexy as hell, but older.
“Mika, that night, that night I hurt you. I’m sorry. I know, it’s too late to hear this but I am. I had no idea why I said all those things. Actually I know why.” He says as he makes himself comfortable on the couch.
“You made me feel things I thought I could not feel. You made my heart beat and I was scared. I had to run and I had to hurt you in order for me to get away”
“You had to run? You had to hurt me to get away? Does that even make sense to you?” I start asking him in a very cool tone. “You wait three years to say sorry and then it’s a lame ass sorry as that? Look, I didn’t ask you to apologize, clearly that night is a sore spot for me that I hoped we would never bring up again, but here you are, making your lame excuses and expect me to believe it? You got scared? My ass, is all I’ll say. You are not scared of anything or anyone, you are Gabe.” I rake my fingers through my hair and wonder why this topic came up. I’ve been running away from this topic for so long. I’ve been running away from the night my heart was broken for good for the past three years. I turn my head to look at him and only then do I notice he’s a bit tipsy. “Look Gabe, I don’t want an apology. You see, you broke my heart that night and no apology in the world will ever change that, so I really don’t see the point. That does not mean I don’t want to be friends, but an apology for that just does not seem right.”
He shakes his head as if he understands me. I know he doesn’t understand what I mean as most people don’t but I don’t try to explain anymore. We sit in silence and hold hands for a few minutes before he gets up to leave. As we say goodbye, I know that I have finally put our past behind me.
“I’m doing cool jazz babes. How you doing? Looking fine as ever” I say with a big smile on face. At least my colleagues are terrific.
“So we thought that since this is your first week in the virtual office, we’d take you out tonight for dinner. You need a break Mika. I know coming here to set up this new office is a challenge, but girl, you gotta eat!” He more says than asks.
“Oh, that’s so sweet. I’d love to. Where are we heading?” I ask while still staring at my screen.
“All over. You just get your party shoes on and I’ll pick you up around 8pm” he says as he walks away.
More than a month’s gone by and I still have not heard from Gabriel. It should not surprise me seeing as I was the one to contact him after 3 years.
Work was busy as usual and getting home at 6pm just made me want to curl up in bed and sleep the weekend away. Time for a change Mika.
At exactly 8pm I hear my doorbell. Gavin came.
We start off with a dinner at one of the pubs. There are lots of people. People I don’t even know but they apparently will be working with me in the new office.
We then head off to more bars and more bars.
We get to some place playing a mix of R&B and old school music; my kind of place. I grab a beer and head for the dance floor alone. As I’m standing there with my drink in hand I hear a voice “That is no way for a lady to be” I turn around and it’s Gabriel.
“Hey there stranger. How are you?” I ask with a smile.
“I’m good Mika. Fancy running into you over here.” He says eyes glazed and obviously tipsy. As he sways towards me, I smell some Corona on him.
“Yeah, some people from work decided to take me out on the town” I say. I open my mouth to say more but Gavin walks up. “Hey Mika, shots on me”
As I follow Gavin to the bar, I don’t even turn back.
1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, floor…
“No you’re not taking her home, I am.”
“Who are you to tell me what I can and can’t do?”
And then I blank out…..
Where am I and why is it so dark? Oh God, headache, go away! Where am I? Oh no….
I drift to sleep again.
I wake up what seems a lifetime later. “Mika, I’ve made coffee” as I open one eye, I see Gabriel, again. Darn Mika!! What are you doing?
I get up, trying to trip over a wire and kill myself. Why is this happening? Why do I keep waking up naked next to this man that scared me for life?
“Thanks for the coffee” I say as I stare at him over the rim of the cup. “So, then to cut a short story long, Gabe, we can’t keep doing this. For God’s sake, I do not want to repeat past mistakes. Gabe, it took me a long time to get over what happened with us and I’m not willing to go down that path again. I don’t mind being friends, but nothing like this again” I say and start walking towards the room. A minute later I hear the door close. Good, he’s gone.
Most of my Saturday is spent nursing my hangover. I don’t even try to remember the events of the night. Apparently going on a bender in London causes way more harm than a night out in Dubai ever did!
“Hello” I answer the phone half groggy. “Well if it isn’t Miss Run-off-with-strange-men. How’s the head girl?” Gavin’s voice asks from the other end.
“Oh God Gavin, I’m never drinking again!” I say for the umpteenth time. I hear Gavin’s laughter boom through from the other side.
“Well, you sure know how to liven up a party Mika. I give you that.” Gavin says with laughter in his voice. “So who’s your mystery man? Did you at least get home safely?”
“All very good questions Gav. I got home, just don’t ask me how. I assume he got me home. That’s a guy I used to date years ago. So yes, he got me back safely” I try to say it very lightly.
“Glad to hear that. Just checking in to see if you’re ok. See you on Monday, bright and early then” he says.
“Thanks Gav, you’re a sweetie pie. Enjoy the rest of your weekend”
Oh my, it’s already 6pm and I have done nothing all day but beat myself up and nurse a hangover, time to get into gear.
I look outside and it’s raining…still. Ok, I’ll go for a brisk walk around the block just to clear my mind.
But obviously I am not blessed with serenity. Instead I keep thinking back and back.
“Shirley, do you have some time to join me with in a supplier meeting later this afternoon?” I ask her as I walk up behind her at the desk.
“Sure, what do you need me to do and who are we meeting?” she asks as I hand her the brochure. “Alright, looks like I have a lunch buddy today” she says smiling at the brochure.
I head out for lunch and decide to take a walk to the mall a few blocks down. Starbucks yells out my name and I find a corner to sit in. I get my grande low fat latte and a muffin and start reviewing the brochure of the supplier again as well as the comparison report I’ve put together. Better make sure I’m doubly prepared for this meeting. London suppliers are sure to work a little bit different from Dubai ones.
Back in the virtual office at 2pm. I touch up my lipstick and head to one of the meeting rooms. I do love the convenience of these set ups. At least I don’t have to set up a new office from the comfort of my rent-a-place!
An hour later we leave the meeting room and my face is giving nothing away. I look at Shirley and she can see that I am satisfied. The fit out contractors we just met, I’d used on the last project in Dubai. One of the main reasons I chose them in Dubai was based on the fact that they were UK based and knowing the company would look at setting up an office there the following year, sealed the deal for them back then. And apparently now as well.
Thankfully my connections in Dubai pays off and suppliers that I’ve been working with for years, make setting up the new office a breeze…well as much of a breeze as setting up an office could possibly be.
Having given myself a 16 week program to set up this office, I was quite comfortable with where I was with meeting suppliers and getting the layout and designs done properly.
Eight weeks into the program, things are on schedule and I finally give myself some time to relax again. The warmth of my apartment welcomes me. I kick off my shoes and pour myself a nice glass of wine. I take out some of my old Andrea Bocelli and unwind. After a while I get up and start running a nice bubble bath. Oh the perfect way to start the weekend. I sigh as I step into the hot bath…
I must’ve drifted off because I hear the doorbell in the distance. I must be dreaming. But no, there it is again. I get up and go to the door.
“Hey there. I was no where near the neighborhood and decided to stop by” Gabe says as I open the door with a questioning look.
“What do you want Gabe? I’m tired and really not in the mood for us right now”
“Are you at least going to let me in? It’s kind of cold out here” I would think having lived in UK for a while, he’d have known to wear a jumper in March or make that all year round really. Having just moved from Dubai 3 months ago, every day feels like winter to me.
I step back and let him in.
“Mika, let me talk. Just let me talk for a minute and then you can throw me out”
“You realize that I owe you nothing. Not even the chance to talk.” I say.
“Yes Mika, I know.” He says with a sigh. As he sighs I see how he’s aged over the years. Still sexy as hell, but older.
“Mika, that night, that night I hurt you. I’m sorry. I know, it’s too late to hear this but I am. I had no idea why I said all those things. Actually I know why.” He says as he makes himself comfortable on the couch.
“You made me feel things I thought I could not feel. You made my heart beat and I was scared. I had to run and I had to hurt you in order for me to get away”
“You had to run? You had to hurt me to get away? Does that even make sense to you?” I start asking him in a very cool tone. “You wait three years to say sorry and then it’s a lame ass sorry as that? Look, I didn’t ask you to apologize, clearly that night is a sore spot for me that I hoped we would never bring up again, but here you are, making your lame excuses and expect me to believe it? You got scared? My ass, is all I’ll say. You are not scared of anything or anyone, you are Gabe.” I rake my fingers through my hair and wonder why this topic came up. I’ve been running away from this topic for so long. I’ve been running away from the night my heart was broken for good for the past three years. I turn my head to look at him and only then do I notice he’s a bit tipsy. “Look Gabe, I don’t want an apology. You see, you broke my heart that night and no apology in the world will ever change that, so I really don’t see the point. That does not mean I don’t want to be friends, but an apology for that just does not seem right.”
He shakes his head as if he understands me. I know he doesn’t understand what I mean as most people don’t but I don’t try to explain anymore. We sit in silence and hold hands for a few minutes before he gets up to leave. As we say goodbye, I know that I have finally put our past behind me.
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