Manhattan Chapter 1

Hi everyone. Thanks for taking time off to read my work. This is a work in progress, so if the ending doesn't quite seem to mesh up then its probably not the ending. I hope you enjoy my story.




Manhattan

Chapter 1


She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so sad. How could this happen to her? Her darling Jo gone in a second, while she alive without a scratch. And what are the chances of that? I mean, she was sitting right next to him in that car. Not even a speck of glass fell onto her lap. Just his blood.

‘Ely? Eleanore?’

‘What?’ Eleanore replied, coming out of her daydream.

‘Are you okay?’ Her best friend was standing over her.

‘Of course I’m okay Tina. Why wouldn’t I be?’ She said looking up at her.

‘Well because you’re as white as a ghost,’ Tina commented. ‘Plus, you weren’t listening all through that meeting. You were asked 5 questions, and you didn’t even blink. I had to cover for you. Also when they said that the meeting was over, while everyone else was running out, you just sat there. Come on Ely, I’m worried about you.’

‘I’m sorry Tina, I’ve just been tired lately.’ Ely gave her a small smile.

‘That’s bullshit Ely and you know it.’ Then she squatted down in front of Eleanore, looking worriedly at her face. ‘Is it Jo?’

‘Yes,’ Ely replied, sighing. ‘I just can’t stop thinking about him. I know it’s been a year, but it was this week last year that – that…’ she swallowed hard, trying not to cry.

‘I know Ely, I know,’ her friend said, standing up and putting her arm around her. ‘But if it’ll help, we can go out tonight and get pissed as all hell, then take some hotties back home.’

Ely smiled. ‘That’d be great,’ she said, patting her friend’s hand. ‘But we better not say that you’re spoken for.’

‘Not anymore,’ Tina grinned at her. ‘Todd and I broke up this morning.’

‘Why?’ Ely questioned her, surprised. ‘What happened?’

‘Oh nothing much. I just went over to his house early this morning to surprise him, but he ended up surprising me.’

‘What’d he do?’ Ely said, intrigued.

‘Oh I went into his room to wake him up but he was already awake,’ she replied, smiling cheekily.

‘And?’

‘And he was going at it like a rabbit with Wendy.’

‘Wendy? The Wendy? As in his ex girlfriend Wendy?’

‘The one and the same.’

‘Well aren’t you the least bit sad?’ Ely asked.

‘Nope. I was only with him cause he was good at what he was doing.’ Tina joked.

‘I can’t believe you. How can you just get over someone like that?’

‘I dunno,’ she said with a quizzical look on her face. ‘I just can.’

‘You know what I think?’ Eleanore said as a response. ‘I think you have absolutely no felling at all. None. Zero. Zilch on the feeling factor my friend.’

‘Yeah maybe, but at least I know what Todd’s missing!’

They both laugh hysterically, and when they finally calm down, Ely gave Tina a hug and told her that she’d see her after work.

‘Cool. We can get dressed for tonight at my place.’ Tina said walking out of your office.

When she’d gone Ely reflected on what they both said in that conversation. God, she thought, Tina sure is good at making people fell better. Maybe she should become a psychiatrist.

Ely shook her head and got back to work.




Later that afternoon, someone knocked on her office door.

‘Come in,’ she said, not looking up.

‘Ms Brasca?’ a male voice asked.

‘Yes,’ she said, still not looking up. ‘And it’s pronounced Brass-ka, not Braz-ka.’

‘Sorry ma’am,’ the voice replied. ‘Um, I was wondering if I could have a word.’

‘Of course,’ she said finally looking up. ‘What can I do for you?’ God Almighty! She thought, he sure is cute. Wavy dark brown hair and dark eyes, with a tanned face. She quickly ran her eyes over his body. Thin but muscular. The shirt her was wearing showed of his muscles perfectly.

‘I’m Craig Daiven, from Daiven Incorporated.’ He said, extending a tanned hand. Ely shook it. ‘I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.’

‘Of course,’ she replied, shutting her sketch folder. ‘Sit down.’

‘Well as you know, I’m from Daiven Incorporated and I was wondering, would you like to join us?’ he said, sitting down.

‘Join you?’ she said looking at him. ‘How do you mean?’

‘Well, we were looking at some applicant lists and we found your’s to be rather interesting.’

‘Applicant list?’ Ely asked, surprised. ‘What applicant list?’

‘The applicant list that you filled out and sent to us, about a week ago.’

‘And what was this application for?’ she asked, starting to figure it out.

‘Why, the new top designer job.’ He said smiling.

‘Top designer?’ She said incredulous. ‘Why wouldn’t you just promote one of the other designers?’

‘Well you see, we thought we would try and get other people in to fill up more spaces. We’re expanding you see, and it helps to get designers to apply if you say it’s for the top designer job.’

‘Do you have a copy of my application with you by any chance?’ Eleanore asked.

‘As a matter of fact I do.’ Craig answered, opening his briefcase and rummaging around. ‘Ah, here it is.’ He said placing it on the desk.

She picked it up and read it, recognising the handwriting as Tina’s. Ooh, she’s in trouble now! Ely placed it back on the desk. ‘Would you like a coffee?’ she asked Craig, thinking of an excuse to leave the room.

‘Yes please, if it’s not too much to ask.’

‘Not at all, Mr Daiven,’ she told him standing up. ‘How do you like it?’

‘Oh, um, strong black with no sugar.’

‘Just a minute then, Mr Daiven,’

‘Just call me Craig,’ Craig replied. ‘Mr Daiven sounds so old.’

Ely smiled, picked up the application and left the room, heading for Tina’s office across the hall.




She knocked on the door and entered.

‘What the Hell is this?’ She said, waving the application in her hand.

‘What’s what?’ Tina asked he, an innocent look on her face.

‘This!’ Ely said, shoving the paper under her nose.

‘Oh, that,’ She replied, after glancing at the page.

‘How dare you Tina?’ Ely yelled. ‘How dare you?’

‘Hey, keep it down. I was only trying to help you.’ Tina said, glancing around nervously, as if there were other people in the room.

‘Help me? Help me?’ Ely screamed. ‘How can you possibly think that this would help me?’

‘Well I thought you could use a little change,’ Tina yelled back. ‘I thought a change might help you get over Jo!’

‘You – you did this to help me get over Jo?’ Ely said, swallowing back tears.

‘Yes,’ Tina replied, talking normally again. ‘You were so sad, and lagging behind at work. They were thinking of firing you Ely, did you know that? The only reason they didn’t was because I told them about the accident.’

‘You would really do that, just so I could keep my job? You would face up to those dickheads upstairs just to keep me employed?’ Ely asked her, tears threatening to escape.

‘Of course I would silly. What are best friends for huh?’

At this she broke down, tears flowing freely from her eyes. Tina came around her desk and hugged her. Ely hugged her back, hard. ‘How could I have ever doubted you?’ She said to her, her head on Tina’s shoulder. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘I should have told you Ely, I’m the one that should be sorry.’

‘Yeah well that’s true,’ Ely commented, breaking the hug.

‘Hey!’ Tina said laughing. Ely joined her laughter and then remembered about Mr Daiven.

‘Oh crap!’ She said, wiping tears from her face. ‘I have to go. I’ll see you later.’

‘Bye,’ Tina waved and walked back around her desk to resume her work. ‘Don’t forget about tonight!’

‘I won’t,’ Ely replied walking out the door. ‘Bye.’




All that time Craig was sitting in the office, listening to the two women fight about the application. A small smile crept onto his face at the novelty of it all. But it quickly faded when he heard the other woman yell about some guy called Jo.

‘Hmm, I wonder what happened with him,’ he said aloud. ‘Oh well.’




Eleanore ran quickly down the hall to the canteen area and made two very quick coffees. ‘I hope Mr Daiven didn’t hear all that,’ she said to herself. She finished putting milk in her coffee and took both cups back to her office.

‘Sorry about that Mr Daiven,’ Eleanore said, handing him his coffee.

‘That’s perfectly alright,’ Craig smiled, taking a sip of coffee. ‘Just how I like it.’

Ely smiled back at him, taking a sip of her own.

‘Do tell me,’ Craig started, still smiling. ‘What happened with your friend?’

‘Oh,’ Ely replied, going red. ‘Um… Well, she filled out my application for me and didn’t tell me about it.’

‘Really?’ He said smiling even more. ‘I never would have guessed, if it weren’t for those two young ladies yelling at each other in the office across the hall.’

‘Oh,’ Ely said, going even redder. ‘About that I’m sorry, it just came as a shock, that’s all.’

‘It often happens. If you don’t want the job just say so.’

‘Well can you tell me a bit more about it please?’ Ely asked him.

‘What do you want to know?’ Craig asked.

‘Um location, hours and holidays. That sort of thing,’ Ely told him.

‘Okay. Um, well the office building is on 42nd Street across the road from Bryant Park, but the factory is on the corner of Beekman and South Street.’

‘Will I be situated in the office or in the factory Mr Daiven?’

‘Craig, and you’ll be situated in the office mostly.’

‘Okay,’ Ely replied. ‘I can deal with that. Please, go on.’

‘Alright. Um the hours are ten to four and the holidays are three weeks a year, one week sick leave and four months maternity leave with pay.’ Craig continued. ‘Also the pay is $450,000 per year.’

Ely nearly choked on her coffee when he told her about how much the pay was. ‘$450,000 per year?’ She asked him weakly, her hand clasping the bottom of her throat.

‘Yep.’

‘Holy crap,’ she put her cup down. ‘That’s a lot of money.’

‘Well if you’re as good as your friend says you are then you’re worth it.’ Craig said taking a sip of his own coffee.

‘What?’

‘You’re friend. We had to get some proof of how good you are, so I came in the other day and your friend showed me some of your work. I have to say, you’re very good.’

‘Thank you,’ Ely took a sip of her coffee. ‘When did you come in?’

‘Does it matter?’ Craig asked smiling.

‘I suppose not.’ She finished off her coffee. ‘How long to I have to decide?’

‘A week,’ he said also finishing his coffee, and placing the cup on her desk. ‘But it would be better if you told me now.’

‘I think I’m going to need that week Mr Daiven,’ she said smiling. ‘If I took the job, when would I have to start?’

‘If you took the job you would have to start as soon as possible.’

‘Right. Well do you have a card or something?’

‘Yep,’ Craig replied standing up and placing his card on her desk. ‘I hope to hear from you soon.’

‘Thankyou Mr Daiven,’ Ely said, picking up the card. ‘I’ll call as soon as I’ve decided.’

‘Okay. But on the phone you had better call me Craig, not Mr Daiven.’ Craig told her, picking up his briefcase and extending his hand.

‘Sorry,’ Ely replied, standing up and taking his hand. ‘I’ll try to remember that, Mr Craig.’

‘That’ll have to do I suppose.’ Craig said releasing her hand and walking out of the office.




It was nearly eight o’clock when she finished work and she couldn’t wait to get home. As she walked down to the car park under the office building, Ely thought about taking the Daiven Designs job. She supposed that she could take it. A pay rise and better holidays. Why not? She got to her car, a silver porshe, and unlocked the boot. It had taken her four years to save up enough money to buy her car. But if she took the Daiven Designs job she could get another one in two years. She put her folders in, and then closed the boot. Ely walked to the front of the car and got in. She started the car and pulled out of the parking space.

She was nearly home when she remembered about Tina. ‘Shit!’ she said and turned right, heading towards Tina’s apartment block. At the next intersection she turned right again, then left. It took another five minutes to get to Tina’s apartment. She pulled into the car park under the building and found a park quickly. She raced to the stairs and ran up to the lobby.

She then took that elevator up to the top floor and got out. There were only to apartments on this floor. One on the left of the hall and one on the right. Tina’s apartment was on the left before her neighbours moved out and she moved across the hall for a better view. Now she had a man living across from her, and they had found out by surveillance that he was a bit of a playboy. He had even tried to crack onto Ely but she had reclined his offer. His name was Mark Sutton. She walked past Marks door and knocked on Tina’s door.

‘Just a minute!’ She heard her friend yell before the door was pulled open. ‘Hey Ely. Come in.’ her friend moved out of the doorway to let Ely past. Ely took in what Tina was wearing. Which was a red tartan mini skirt and her work top.

‘Nice outfit,’ Ely said smiling. ‘But that top is so last year.’

‘I know,’ Tina replied smiling back. ‘I couldn’t find the right top. Come and help me.’

‘Okay,’ Ely said walking through Tina’s bedroom, to her walk in wardrobe. She shifted through her tops and found a beautiful pale yellow silk top. She held it against Tina and nodded her head. ‘Perfect,’ she said and handed the top to Tina to change into. Then she went back to looking at Tina’s clothes for something to wear herself. She pulled out some tight white jeans and a red halter neck top with a very low neck line. She held them up to Tina. ‘What do you think?’

‘The tops great, but the jeans… I think you should go for this,’ Tina replied pulling out a white mini skirt. ‘The jeans are a huge Stay Away sign.’

‘I know,’ Ely said, taking the mini skirt out of her friend’s hands and putting it back on the rack. ‘That’s why I’m going to wear them.’

‘Oh come on Ely, have a little fun once in a while.’

‘I’ll have fun when I want to have fun. Alright?’

‘Alright,’ Tina said defeated. ‘Hurry up and get changed. The clubs will all be closed by the time we get there at this rate.’

Ely shook her head in exasperation and walked to the bathroom to get changed. She came out a couple of minutes later carrying her work clothes on one arm, and a brush in the other. Her sun bleached hair was out of its usual workday bun and was now curling softly to the middle of her back.

‘Okay,’ Ely said, ‘How do you want you hair?’

‘In a low plait if it’s not too much to ask.’

‘Fine,’ Ely replied laying her clothes over the back of the couch. ‘Sit down.’

It took her about a minute to do Tina’s hair, which was not as long as her own.

‘There we go,’ Ely said triumphantly when she finished Tina’s hair. ‘All done.’

‘Thanks Ely,’ Tina said getting up off the couch. Do you want a drink before we go?’

‘No thanks. I think that we should just get going.’

‘Okay.’ Tina said grabbing her purse and keys off the table near the door. ‘Grab your stuff and let’s go.’

‘Great,’ Ely said picking up her car keys. ‘I’m driving.’

‘Fine by me. ‘Tina said opening the door and walking through. ‘I hate driving.’

Ely followed Tina out of the apartment and walked to the elevator, while Tina closed and locked the door. She hit the elevator button and waited or it to come up. Tina came to stand next to Ely just as the elevator arrived, and who should get off but Mark.

‘Hello ladies,’ He said walking past them.

‘Hi Mark,’ they both said dryly in unison, getting into the elevator. Tina hit the number one button and the doors closed. Getting off at the lobby they then crossed to the other side, and went down the stairs to the car park. They walked to Ely’s car and got in. Ely reversed the car out of the space and drove to the door. She turned left at the driveway and then switched on her CD player.

‘I love this song,’ Tina said when the song started. She then started to sing along.

‘Oh come on Tina, I’m trying to concentrate.’ Ely said laughing.




It took them about fifteen minutes to get to their favourite club. Ely quickly found a park and swung into the space. She slammed on the brakes and turned the car off. She grabbed her handbag and climbed out of the car, closing the door behind her. Tina got out of the car more slowly then shut the door. Ely locked it, and walked around to the back of the car, meeting up with Tina on the other side.

‘Let’s go,’ Tina said walking towards the club. They showed their ID’s to the bouncer and went inside.

Once inside they went to the locker room and received a key for their own locker and but their handbags in there, after taking out some money for drinks. When they had locked their lockers again, they went straight to the bar. Finding a stool each they sat down and ordered a drink. Tina got a Rum and Coke, where as Ely got a beer. And while Tina was chatting up the barman, whom Ely had to admit was pretty cute; Ely turned her attention to the dance floor. After a few minutes, Tina finally got the number of the barman and turned her attention also to the dance floor. They both finished their drinks and made their way to the dance floor. After dancing to a couple of songs, with different guys each time, Ely made her was back to the bar. She sat down, not noticing the man beside her, and ordered another beer. She turned around to look about her as the barman got her drink and thought she recognised the man sitting next to her. She looked more closely, and realised who it was.

‘Craig, how are you?’ She asked.

Craig looked up surprised. ‘Oh Ms Brasca, I didn’t recognise you with your hair like that.’

‘Oh please if I have to call you Craig, then you have to call me Ely.’ Ely said paying the barman and taking her drink. ‘Thanks,’ She said, as he walked off to serve someone else. He glanced back and waved a ‘Your welcome’.

‘Ely? Is that really what your parents named you?’ Craig asked looking at her and taking a sip of his own beer.

‘No they called me Eleanore. Eleanore Jane Brasca,’ Ely said, turning on her stool to face the dance floor.

‘Nice name.’ Craig said, holding his beer to his lips then taking a swig.

‘No its not,’ Ely replied having some of her own drink. ‘It’s horrible.’

‘Well it’s better than my name. I swear my mother was wasted when she named me,’ Craig said glancing at Eleanore.

‘What did your mother name you then?’
‘You don’t want to know.’ Craig said, smiling at her.

‘If I didn’t want to know I wouldn’t have asked would I?’ Ely said, smiling back. ‘Now are you going to tell me?’

Craig sighed. ‘Craig Benjamin Daiven,’ he murmured.

‘Pardon?’ Ely said.

‘Craig Benjamin Daiven,’ He repeated louder.

Ely tried not to laugh, but couldn’t hold back. She burst into laughter but quickly stopped. ‘I’m sorry, Craig.’ She said, an apologetic look on her face.

‘That’s okay,’ Craig said finishing his beer and putting the bottle on the bar counter. ‘I get that a lot.’

‘Oh,’ Ely said. ‘Let me buy you a drink to compensate.’ She called the barman over and ordered two more beers.

‘Are you trying to get me drunk?’ Craig asked Ely.

‘Oh of course not,’ Ely said, handing Craig his beer. ‘Do you think that I would do that?’

‘Is that a trick question?’ Craig asked taking the beer.

‘Hey,’ Ely replied, hitting him playfully on the arm. ‘That’s not fair.’

‘Hey,’ Craig said, smiling and cradling his arm protectively.




They talked on for a while longer and went through three more beers each before Tina came over from the dance floor with a guy and said, with a wink, that she’d see Ely tomorrow. Ely smiled cheekily and nodded.

‘Have fun,’ Ely said.

‘I plan to,’ Tina replied, grabbing the guy’s hand and walking away.

‘Well then,’ Craig said calling the barman over again. ‘I think we should toast to your friends good luck.’

‘Okay. I’ll toast to that.’

‘Two beers thanks,’ Craig said to the barman, placing the money on the counter. The barman brought back the two beers and took the money.

‘Here’s to Tina and her new guy,’ Ely said, raising her beer.

‘To Tina and her new guy,’ Craig said, raising his beer and tapping Ely’s with it. Then they both took a swig and kept on chatting, mostly about family, and friends, how they got into the fashion industry and so on. After another half hour, and more beers, Craig invited Ely for a dance. Ely glanced at her watch. One am. Oh well, she thought, I’m not working tomorrow. She got off the stool and followed Craig onto the floor. They danced close together for a few dances but finally Ely had to leave the floor to go to the toilet.

‘I’ll meet you at the bar,’ Craig yelled, only just being heard over the loud music.

‘Alright,’ Ely yelled back and made her way towards the bathroom. Once she got into a cubicle, she threw up. The mixture of alcohol and that much dancing straight afterwards, was not a good idea. She flushed the toilet and then went to the sink to wash her hands and face. She dried her hands and face with some paper towel then made her way to the locker room. She opened her locker with a little difficulty then retrieved her handbag. Ely opened her handbag and took out a breath mint, before closing the locker door and returning the locker key to the man behind the desk.

‘Thanks,’ she said and walked out of the room.

She by the time she got to the bar and found Craig, she was very dizzy.

‘I think I’m going to go home, Craig.’ Ely said, holding the counter for support.

‘Are you alright?’ Craig asked, looking at her worriedly.

‘Yeah I’m fine,’ she said. ‘I just drank a little too much I think.’

‘Let me take you home,’ Craig said.

‘No I’m fine, really.’ Ely said, releasing the counter.

‘Well at least let me walk you out.’

‘Okay,’ Ely said walking towards the door. Craig quickly followed after her.

They got outside with no hiccups, but Craig thought it best to walk her to her car. They got there safely, Ely tripping only once on a stick.

‘Nice car,’ Craig said, looking appreciably at the porshe.

‘Thanks,’ Ely said. She looked like she was about to say more but she passed out instead. Craig caught her before she hit the ground and picked her, and her purse, up carefully. He carried her to his car and unlocked it. He opened the passenger door with a little difficulty, and then placed Ely carefully inside. He shut the door and then walked around to the driver’s side. He opened his door and climbed in, shutting the door behind him. He made sure Ely was safely tucked in with a seatbelt, put on his own, and started the car. Seeing as he didn’t know where she lived he decided to take her back to his place. He pulled out of the parking lot and drove home.




Ten minutes later and he was pulling into the car park underneath the building and driving towards his reserved parking spot. He got out of the car then went around to Ely’s side. He got her out of the car, shut the door with his foot and locked the car. He made his way to the express elevator and pressed the button. Once it got to his level the doors opened and he got in, still carrying Ely, and pressed the button for floor twenty. The elevator rose, without stopping, and finally they got to level twenty. The doors opened and he got out, walking towards his apartment door. He unlocked it and went inside. Once inside he shut the door, again with his foot, and carried Ely into his bedroom. He placed her on his bed and took off her shoes. And placed her purse on the bedside table. Then he pulled up the covers and grabbed an extra pillow. He then went to the laundry cupboard, opening it and getting out a blanket and taking both the pillow and blanket to the couch. Where he arranged both items and then took off his shoes. Then he went to the medicine cabinet and got four Panadol out, and took them to the kitchen where he got a glass of water and swallowed two of the pills. Craig then filled up another glass of water and took it, with the other two pills, into the bedroom and laced them on the table next to the bed. He left the room and went to the couch, where he laid down and went to sleep.




Chapter 2

When Ely woke up the next morning she had a killer headache. She looked up and didn’t recognise the roof or the walls. ‘Oh crap,’ she said out loud, thinking of all the possibilities of what could have happened last night. She sat up quickly and felt dizzy for a few seconds. She looked around her now and saw her handbag, a glass of water and two Panadol on the bedside table. She grabbed the glass and one of the Panadol’s and took it, and then she picked up the other Panadol and took that one as well.

Slowly she pulled the bed covers off herself and got up. Then she made the bed and walked towards the bedroom door. In the next room she found Craig making breakfast. Suddenly memories of last night at the club flashed before her eyes. Craig looked up when he heard her come out of the bedroom.

‘Hey,’ he said, looking at her. ‘Did you sleep well?’

‘Hi,’ Ely said walking over to the kitchen table and sat down on a chair. ‘Yeah I suppose. What about you?’

‘I slept alright,’ Craig said finishing cooking the eggs and bacon, and started placing them onto two plates. Just then the kettle clicked to say that it was boiled. Craig brought over the two plates with knives and forks, placing one in front of Ely and one across from her, then went back over to the kettle and poured water into two cups. ‘Black or white?’ he asked Ely, walking to the fridge.

‘White thanks Craig,’ Ely said.

‘One white coffee coming right up,’ Craig said, grabbing the milk and pouring some into the coffee cups and returning it to the fridge.

‘Thanks,’ Ely said as Craig brought over the coffees, placing one in front of her.

‘Well are you going to eat it?’ Craig asked Ely, pointing at the bacon and eggs and starting his own.

‘Oh yeah,’ Ely said, picking up her knife and fork. She cut some bacon and put it in her mouth. Instantly the flavours erupted on her tastebuds. ‘Yum,’ Ely said chewing that piece, ‘This is delicious,’

‘Thanks,’ Craig said eating some of his egg.

They eat in silence for a few minutes before Ely blurted out, ‘We didn’t have sex last night, did we?’

Craig nearly choked on his bacon. He took a sip of coffee to help it down. ‘Um, no we didn’t,’ He said, putting down his cup.

‘Oh thank God!’ Ely said, and then went instantly red. ‘I didn’t mean…’

‘No its okay,’ Craig said holding up his hand to stop her. ‘I understand.’

‘I’m glad,’ Ely said sipping her own coffee. ‘So what did happen last night?’

‘You can’t remember?’ Craig asked eating some more bacon.

‘No.’

‘Alright,’ Craig said. ‘Well we were talking and drinking beer, a lot might I add, and Tina came over and…’

‘Yes I remember that bit, but not much after that.’ Ely said interrupting Craig.

‘Oh okay, well after Tina came over we toasted to her and talked on for a while longer. Then I asked you if you wanted to dance, so we danced for a few songs. And then you said you needed to go to the toilet and I said I’d met you back at the bar, so off you went and returned a few minutes later with your purse and not looking so well.’ Craig said eating a bit of bacon. ‘You said that you wanted to go home and I offered to take you, but you declined so I walked you out to your car instead. And once we got there, you passed out so I brought you home, and you know the rest.’

‘Oh,’ Ely said. ‘Well thank you for that Craig.’

‘Your welcome,’ Craig replied finishing off his breakfast.

Ely finished off her won and stood up, collecting both plates. Craig protested. ‘Hey,’ he said standing up, ‘That’s my job.’

‘Not today it isn’t, Ely said walking towards the kitchen and placing the plates and cutlery in the sink. ‘Do you mind if I have a shower?’

‘Go right ahead,’ Craig said walking towards the bedroom. ‘It’s this way.’

Ely quickly followed Craig into the bathroom and he got her some clean towels out of the sink cupboard.

‘Do you have any clean clothes that I could borrow?’ Ely asked as Craig handed her the towels.

Craig looked startled for a second and then nodded. ‘T-shirt and jeans?’ he asked Ely, leaving the room.

‘Yes please,’ Ely said, following him to the door.

‘Okay,’ Craig said walking towards the wardrobe. He opened the door and walked in. Then he stuck his head out of the door. ‘Well come and choose.’

‘Oh,’ Ely said quickly putting down the towels and going into the wardrobe. She looked at a couple of t-shirts before finding one that she liked, and then looked at his jeans and track pants. She decided to go for a pair of grey track pants. Then taking both the t-shirt and the track pants she went back to the bathroom.




While Ely was in the shower Craig took the elevator down to the lobby to get his mail. Once he got it he went back up to his apartment. He sat down on the couch and glanced through it. He recognised his sister Susie’s handwriting on one of the envelopes at opened it straight away, thinking it was her usual weekly letter telling him how fun life was in France. But he was wrong, instead he read:

Dear brother,
How are you? I hope your business is doing well. I just received a letter from mom and she sounds worried. Dad has had an accident and it’s serious. I’m not sure whether or not mom sent you a letter so I’m sending you one anyway. I have to go. I will talk to you later.
Love Susie

Craig read the letter again before putting it back in the envelope. His dad had an accident? That wasn’t like him. His dad was always so careful. But knowing his mother he just decided that she was exaggerating when she wrote to Susie. He shrugged and continued to glance through his mail. The rest were all bills. He threw them on the kitchen bench and went into the bedroom to change. He got out of his jeans and into another pair. He just got off his shirt and was about to put on another one when Ely walked out of the bathroom.

‘Thanks for that,’ Ely said looking up, and quickly looking away. ‘Sorry.’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ Craig said slipping the shirt over his head. He watched her as she walked over to her handbag. She looked good in his clothes, both the shirt and track pants too big for her slim frame. The pale green top matched perfectly with the grey light grey pants, she really was a fashion designer. Her hair though was a little messy from not being brushed.

‘Thanks for letting me stay here last night,’ Ely said pulling out a brush from her handbag and brushing down her hair, so it fell softly down her back and starting already to curl.

‘That’s okay,’ Craig said, going into the bathroom. ‘It’s not like I know where you live.’

‘Good point,’ Ely said continuing to brush her hair.

‘I know,’ Craig said grabbing his toothbrush and putting toothpaste on it. ‘So tell me about yourself.’

‘What do you want to know?’ Ely asked sitting down on the bed.

‘The basics, family, where you grew up, you know stuff,’ Craig said brushing his teeth.

‘Well,’ Ely started, putting down her brush, reaching for her handbag and pulling out a hair band. ‘My mother was French and my dad was English. I lived in Lyon, France till I was eight then we moved to Oxford, England and lived there till my mother died when I was fifteen. Then my father and I moved to Long Beach California, where I lost the English slash French accent and became a proper American talking American citizen.’

‘Sorry about your mother,’ Craig said coming out of the bathroom with nice clean teeth and fresh breath. ‘How’d she die?’

‘She died having my little brother. The doctors don’t really know what happened though,’ Ely said starting to do her hair in a low plait. ‘They couldn’t decide whether it was to much stress or it was the haemorrhage.’

‘Oh. How olds your brother?’

‘He died a few weeks after being born. He had a hole in his heart.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Craig said.

‘Don’t be,’ Ely replied finishing off her plait and tying it off with the hair band. ‘There’s nothing you can do about it.’

‘What about your dad?’ Craig asked, trying to change the subject. ‘Does he still live in Long Beach?’

‘Nope,’ Ely said, putting her hairbrush back in her handbag. ‘He died in a car accident when I was nineteen.’

‘Oh,’ Craig said defeated. ‘Bummer.’

‘Sort of,’ Ely said. ‘Bummer that he died but he’d been really depressed since my mother died, so I guess he’s happy now. And besides I got the house.’

‘Why don’t you live there then?’

‘Because my work brought my here and I’ve been renting the house out for extra money.’