Friends Or Lovers Part 14

He rang off before saying goodbye.

I was not impressed. The conservation was not as friendly or as pleasant as I had come to expect. I wondered if he resented me asking him for a professional opinion. I could not understand why he had been curt with me.

Still, his comments were interesting and useful. He confirmed that it was unlikely Elona would have made the s.e.xual advance, but could have done so if Nathan had not been responding to her. Phil told me that all the lads had flirted with her. If Nathan had started flirting, from what John says, it is unlikely that Elona would have felt any need to make an advance. No, I think I have enough here to read the riot act to Nathan tomorrow if I dont get answers.

Chapter 21.

My sister has just called. She says she has news. Big news. I imagine that shes pregnant again and wants to celebrate in style. I still cant get used to being an aunty, but if another sprog is going to come along I guess Ill just have to accept it fully. Every time she does something grown up like this it makes me feel a little bit older.

While I wait for her to come around, I tidy up the house. There is not much to do. When I go around to Caroles, it always looks like a bomb has. .h.i.t it. Young Toby, Caroles boy, has progressed from sitting up to rolling around. She called me a few nights ago almost wetting herself with laughter.

"I just wish you could see him," she said trying to contain guffaws.

"Tell me what you see...." I dutifully command.

"Well. Hes on his back with a rattle in his hand. Wait.........here he goes. Over onto his front now. Come on baby, do your stuff!"

As I wait, trying to sound enthusiastic, she roars with laughter as he manages to s.h.i.+ft his weight again and roll onto his back.

"Hes on his back, feet in the air, cooing and laughing. This is just brill! I wish you could see this."

Try as I might to understand how watching a baby roll over and over can make her giggle like a schoolgirl, I just cant fathom it out. Still, shes happy and thats what matters.

I tidy round the kitchen, put the few plates Ive used in the dishwasher wondering just how lazy I can be. My windowsill is adorned with an a.s.sortment of stones and rocks that Ive picked up over the years, along with holders for utensils and instruments for practising my Nigella Lawson recipes. Decadence! Just what the moment needs and I rustle around the cupboard seeing if I have the ingredients for a calorie busting meal. Just as the boredom is banished, the front doorbell rings. I flick the switch on the kettle and amble back into the living room.

"Come on in!" I shout. "The doors open...."

And in she walks looking groomed and beaming.

"Has someone given you a happy pill?" I ask "No need," she says.

I look her up and down to try to understand what is different. I cannot put my finger on it but something has definitely changed in her appearance.

"All right you. What is it?"

"Keep looking," she says mysteriously.

I walk right up to her and put my hand on her stomach. It is firm and flat. Absolutely no sign of a baby there, I think.

"Am I getting warm?" I ask.

She smiles, playing with me.

"Try a bit higher," she says.

I give her a puzzled look and start to move my hand upwards. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s look quite firm today so I cup one in each hand.

"Dont tell me youve had these done?"

"Better than that!" she jokes and with one swift move she places her left hand on top of my right hand.

"See anything now?" she asks, with her smile getting wider all the time.

I look carefully, tracing a line from her shoulder to her elbow. Nothing special there, I think. I continue tracing a line from the elbow to her hand. Her hand is different.

As I look at the image before me, I felt something in my sides coa.r.s.e up through my body. My mouth dropped open and I barely heard myself speak as a wave of emotion moved through my neck and my head started to tingle.

"When?" was the only word that came out. I could feel the moisture start to fill my eyes.

"July 31st?"

"Oh, Carole!" I still felt in shock. "When did he ask?"

"Last night. He came home and told me that hed got another promotion and had a present for me."

"Some present!" I shouted and suddenly the tears were there. I dont know why I was crying but the drops started to roll down my face as I grabbed her with both my arms and squeezed her as if my life depended on it.

"Be my 'best woman?" she asked.

I took a step back and held both her arms, one with each hand.

"Your what?"

"My 'best woman. I want a 'best woman!"

I just looked at her unsure what to say. What do you say when your younger sister displays a dazzling engagement ring and asks you to be her 'best woman? I pulled her to me and held her tight. The tears just kept rolling down my cheeks.

"Careful sis," she gasped, "I want to make it to the alter without crushed ribs."

"I dont know what to say. How many women have ever been asked that question?"

"Yes will do nicely."

I just closed my eyes and nodded. It is so hard to describe how Im feeling. It isnt happiness. It is, of course, what she has been dreaming of for the last few years, but now the moment is here, I feel worried, ecstatic, concerned, shocked every emotion I have in me just crashes down and I feel giddy with the intensity of it all.

"Of course. Of course," I manage to get out before I completely give the game away.

"Sis? Are you alright?"

"I feel a bit woozy....."

And then it happened. I cant explain why. My legs just gave way as if they simply could not hold me up any more, and I tumbled onto the floor and nearly hit my head on the table. For a few moments, I cant get up.

"Jeez sis," says Carole almost falling to the floor with me, "Whats happened?"

"You think I know?" I ask.

"Here. Put your arm around me!"

She levers me towards the sofa and finally I think I can make it to my feet.

"I never thought of you as heavy!" she joked as she hauls me up. "If I knew my news would have this effect on you, I would have got you to sit down first....!"

Instead of feeling wild with excitement and happiness, I feel cold and sweaty, like the room is spinning. My little sister is getting married. My little sister. My little sister is getting married. I am pleased for her, but I realise that I did not expect to feel like this. I did not expect her to marry before me. When we were young, we would play 'weddings and I was always the bride and she the bridesmaid. We would write all the words of the ceremony out and act the whole thing for hours and hours. We never took it in turns, she was always the bridesmaid and I was the bride.

I looked up at her and felt ashamed. This should be one the happiest moments in our life. My little sister is getting married, and yet I feel totally hollow inside, totally useless, totally alone, totally old. How can I feel like this? I bury my head in my hands as more tears emerge. How can I possibly tell her?

Whatever she was expecting it was not this, but she took it in her stride. It pains me to say it, but she is the mature one, not me. I feel like taking a dagger and stabbing myself for not thinking of her, for not thinking of how happy she must be feeling, not being able to feel the excitement she feels. But the truth is that my little sisters announcement makes me realise that I have not grown up yet. She is not my little sister any more. She is my big sister.

"Right!" I shout, "down the pub we go, get smashed, talk dirty and then.......you tell me exactly what is expected of a 'best woman....."

"Thats simple!" she says without a moments hesitation. "You make us all laugh with a funny speech and then you get drunk and try to s.h.a.g the 'best man!"

My moment of despair is over as quickly as it started. When I hear her wicked suggestion the grin returns to my face. A few seconds later, my lips part and my teeth are showing. I playfully punch her on the arm.

"Okay! Okay!" I say, my confidence returning. As I go to get my coat, I quickly turn and give her a sly look. "I think I can manage that."

"Okay sis lead the way!" and with that remark we went to the pub, drank all evening, got thrown out when we started to sing rude songs and staggered back to my place.

We flopped on my bed in fits of giggles.

"Do.....do you....." Laced with liquor, my words just will not come out properly.

"I do!" she shouts hysterically.

"No. No. No!" I exclaim. "Stop a moment. Be serious!" I demand as we lie there trying not to giggle.

"Do you want to hear something funny? Do you want to know what I thought?"

"Thought about what?" Carole asks.

"Thought your 'big news was going to be...."

"Tell me!" she asks.

"I thought you were going to say that you were pregnant again," I laugh.

Carole dissolves into fits of giggles and starts kicking her feet in the air.

"Do you want to hear something funny?" she retorts busting her sides and unable to contain her hilarity.

"Yeah, come on! Spill it to sis" I tell her.

"I am!" she says. "Its due in November and her name is going to be Penny Anne after you and mum!"

Chapter 22.

My plans for Elona were thwarted the next morning. Nathan phoned in sick. I called Mikes department and his colleague said that he had also not arrived at work yet. I switched on my PC and opened the personnel database system and searched for their details.

I called Nathan first and heard an answer phone message. I left a message asking him to call me. Next I called Mikes home number and a woman replied.

"Leamington 397333. Can I help you?"

"h.e.l.lo. Is Mike there?" I asked.

"Can I ask who is calling?"

"My name is Penny Im the Head of Personnel at IC," I answered.

"Hang on a minute, Ill see if hes still here. I think hes already gone."

There was a long pause and in the distance I thought I could hear some voices. Eventually, the woman returned to the phone.

"h.e.l.lo?" she said.

"Im still here," I replied.

"Hes already gone to work. Can I take a message?"

I thought for a moment because the issue was sensitive.

"Its nothing really. We had a disciplinary meeting this morning but Mikes not turned up for work. Well have to rearrange. Can you get him to call me?"

"Sure," she said, "if I see him before you do."

The tone in her voice was strange, almost mocking, but I thanked her and spent a few moments considering what to do next. I had a full schedule until the end of the following week. I really wanted this resolved now and did not want it to drag on. I called Phil into my office and asked him to check later that day whether Nathan or Mike made it into work. We found a slot free at 3pm the following Wednesday week I would meet them after Id had lunch with John. Phil agreed to inform all the parties concerned.

I retrieved my e-mails and my mood improved when I received a note.

Hi s.e.xy, Just to let you know that Ill be arriving in Leamington about 10.30am. Im stopping overnight with friends so we could either have our meeting late morning or make an evening of it. Will it damage your street cred if you are seen out on the town with an oldie like me?

I was glad that his sense of humour had returned, and I felt my emotions stir a bit when I read his greeting. I checked my diary and found that I had to go to an evening event with Dave a launch event for a new product. I was to chaperone the young entrepreneur who would be speaking while Dave was acting as host. With a tinge of regret I declined Johns offer of an evening meal.