Chapter Seven

"I don't want you to go!" Abi had tears in her eyes as she clung on to Julia, who was equally finding the separation difficult.

"This is my time, Ab."

Her friend gave a watery smile, "I know, but you're like my sanity. You are ALWAYS there for me."

It was a lie, as friends went, Julia knew she lacked on lots of levels, whereas Abi herself was the text book definition of a best friend. Loyal, supportive, caring...she knew that she hadn't been that to her in return.

She smiled at her, "You are the most popular woman I know, and you've got so much going on, so much planning to do. You will whastapp me EVERY thing you choose for the wedding?"

It was then that Abi's bottom lip started to wobble and she realised the real source of her anxiety. For all her confidence and worldliness, she knew that as her best friend she'd be the ally, the person who helped her make the wedding based decisions on what SHE wanted, not a parent, or family friend, Julia was the only person who one hundred percent was looking out for her.

"Every decision, before you make it. You hear me?"

Abi smiled gratefully, "I'm so scared, don't know how I'm going to do this without you."

Julia stepped into the unusual position of the strong one on the relationship, "you can and you would...but you don't have to. I mean what sounds better than a little wedding shopping in the Big Apple? Could we fit that into your schedule?"

Abi's eyes lit up, "that sounds...perfect." Julia almost choked as she was pulled into her arms, "I love you, Jules. You know that?"

Julia kissed her cheek, "of course I do, girlfriend. I love you too."

Around them the bustle of Heathrow was as hectic as ever, but they were in a little cocoon. Abi was the only person that Julia was going to miss, but not enough that she couldn't do this. She had to get away. Glancing around, she smiled, "looks like I need to head in there..." She nodded to the security gate. "I hear there's a new champagne bar opened."

Abi's eyes widened, "damn. Why the hell am I not coming with you?"

She laughed, "soon?"

She nodded, "I promise. You reckon there are any wedding dress shops in New York."

Laughing Julia pretended to ponder that, "hmmm. I wonder. Maybe? I'll use my time wisely, find that out."

"So you're disappearing with your new best friend." She tied to lighten the mood as it was a little morose.

"Bogda is forty thousand years old, she has nothing on you. Promise. She hates wine, and whilst she is a good listener, but NEVER gives advice, and she has no interest in socialising. Oh, and she doesn't do hugs. She'll never replace you."

That made Abi smile, a real smile.

"You are crazy, Jules. I'll miss you."

Nodding she looked over her shoulder, "I gotta go."

It was emotional, they could barely let go of each other, hugging like teens in their first throes of love, waving until the security barriers disturbed their vision.

Julia looked at her glass of champagne and grinned. She'd buy a bottle cheaper in a supermarket, but she was celebrating...leaving the country unscathed. Her phone told her that her mother had tried to call several times, but she wasn't in the mood to discuss anything related to her family. That was all done and dusted. Whatever happened in the aftermath of the death of her uncle, she was away from it, she was free from it. Her mother couldn't get that, didn't understand, and she had no desire to labour the point further. So rather than return her call, she sent a very brief text message.

About to board plane, will text you when I land. Speak soon, x

It was impersonal, it would probably upset her mother, but she couldn't worry about that. They hadn't given her the same concern in the past, and in her own mind, her parents were consumed with guilt. That's what this was all about. They hadn't admitted, that was their prerogative.

She glugged at the champagne, this wasn't her bad.

Flicking to her email, she opened the last one she'd received from Aaron, the night before.

Hope you are set for the trip. Everything is ready for you. I'm not going to be able to meet you at JFK, work is crazy, but I will send my assistant to meet you. They'll show you where everything is. Look forward to seeing you, and as I keep repeating, this is no imposition.

He'd signed it Aaron, Coco and Cliffy, which made her heart surge, the man she'd met a few weeks earlier, had somewhere morphed from someone cold, offhand and judgemental, into a softie who was generous and understanding. Was that worse? She sighed, all that mattered was that she has a way to make in the Big Apple, all she had to do was knuckle down and avoid any conflict...and she'd survive.

The woman holding the board with Julia Curtis printed on it was a stark contrast to the suited and liveried drivers collecting the various suited travellers and business people who were appearing into the arrival hall beside her. The woman waiting for her had curly blonde hair and thick black rimmed glasses. She was wearing knitted socks to the knee, denim shorts and a t-shirt, she looked cool in a geeky way, and it made Julia smile. That smile seemed to be all that was needed for the other woman to spot her. She waved frantically.

"Julia?"

When she nodded, the other woman ducked under the barrier and rushed towards her, reaching for her suitcase, "it's so good to meet you, Aaron's told me all about you!" She beamed then grimaced, "actually that's a lie...he told me a little about you. Anyway, I'm Carrie; I'm his assistant slash PA." She demonstrated the slash in a karate style move.

Julia couldn't lose the grin, she already liked this girl, "and I'm Julia...as you know. Pleased to meet you."

Carrie nodded letting go of the case for a second to clap her hands excitedly. "It's so great to meet someone from England. Are you as funny as Aaron? He makes me laugh."

Julia shrugged, Aaron was many things in her eyes, but she'd not seen anything resembling humour in the man. Carrie seemed uncaring that she hadn't replied, instead leading her out of one of the doors, grinning herself.

"One of the company drivers is collecting us, Patrick..." she blew her breath up to her fringe and fanned herself. "He is H.O.T."

Julia nodded, an answer wasn't needed, instead she followed Carrie who was chattering away, out to the pickup zone. They'd been there a few seconds when her phone rang.

"Yup, we're in zone B. Can you see me waving?"

Her free arm thrown above her head wildly, she listened to her phone intently, then blushed as she giggled. "Yup, that's me."

Turning to Julia she was still flushed, "he's just behind these cars..."

It was no company driver, Patrick was a limo driver, and she was sat in the back seat driving through the hectic streets to, presumably Aaron's home. Carrie, the perfect host until now had blushed when the car appeared and asked quietly whether she'd mind if she rode in the front with Patrick.

Julia would have liked someone to point things out to her, it was her first trip to New York, but she could see that the rather cool Carrie was besotted with the handsome young driver. Who was she to stand in the way of true love?

The route wouldn't have been long, if it wasn't for the unremitting traffic. Every road, every turn was backed up. But then this was rush hour on a Thursday afternoon in one of the busiest cities in the world.

Eventually the car stopped outside a tall red brick building on a sloping street. Patrick turned around and smiled, "this is you Miss Curtis."

She rolled her eyes, "please, it's Julia. I am just a guest here."

He grinned as he jumped out and came around to open her door, "doesn't mean I can't over you the famous Techweb Courtesy!"

Carrie let herself out and joined her on the pavement by the time Patrick had retrieved her bags.

"I'll drive around the block?" He offered.

She nodded, "I'll just show Julia around the apartment."

Julia followed Carrie into the foyer, and waited with her for the ancient cage lift to lower to them.

"Is it safe?" Julia eyeballed the exposed chain and flimsy looking carriage as Carrie piled her bags into it.

Glancing over her shoulder she chuckled, "of course! Come on."

Nothing could prepare her for the apartment; she expected something tiny, dark and possibly run down. What Carrie let them into, was something completely different. THe building looked to be an old warehouse, possibly, so the exposed brick walls and copper pipes fitted in, but she didn't expect the huge arched windows that gave an undisturbed view of a local park. The large room had two huge sofas that faced a large wall mounted TV, but opposite that was a mezzanine floor, she presumed it held a bedroom, but a wall of opaque glass bricks blocked her view. Under that suspended floor was a modern chrome kitchen.

Her mouth must have been hanging open, as Carrie's chuckle caught her attention, "lovely isn't it? I'd love a place like this. Mr Harding sure has an eye for things; he designed most of this himself."

Julia could only nod.

"Come on, let me show you to your room," Carrie dragged the suitcases beyond the TV, then opened a door that led to a small corridor; there were two doors off it. "Bedroom," she pointed right, "then bathroom...Mr Harding's has an ensuite upstairs, so this is your private bath."

Julia nodded gratefully, as the other woman rooted around in her pocket, "this is your key. And this is the pass card to the gym...it's in the basement." With a broad smile, she reached for the handle to the third door, "you ready for this?"

Before Julia could ask what 'that' was, she opened the door and two balls of fur flew out.

"Oh! Shit!" Julia bent to catch them before they flew to of the still open front door, wrapping an arm around each of them, "so you are Cliffy and Coco, hey?"

Carrie sighed, "part of the reason I'm glad you're here...I don't have to dog sit."

Standing with one in each arm, she was smothered in kisses as she turned to the other woman, "they are adorable."

She nodded, "but I live miles away...it's hard getting here." She gestured behind them, "that's their room...beds, food...and a dog flap to a balcony. They are very precious!"

Julia rolled her eyes, "topical. Like babies, hey?"

Smiling, she reached out to scratch Cliffy's head, "but they've had a rough time, so I figure they deserve it!"

Julia nodded in agreement, she had presumed there'd been a difficult break up, maybe pets were as emotionally involved as children.

"Here's my number," Carrie handed her a card. "Aaron's away a lot, and I live in the East Village...if you need anything...call me. I insist. I like you, Julia."

It was such a nice thing to say that Julia felt overwhelmed, "that's mutual. Carrie, thank you so much. But don't let me keep you from Patrick."

Carrie blushed, "he's taking me out tonight...I'm so excited."

Her pleasure was infectious, and Julia was still smiling when the door closed behind the other woman. The dogs still in her arms.

Aaron stared at the man opposite and shook his head, "Mark, I can't help this situation anymore. You've employed a liability. There's no option other than to fire him."

Mark was the manager of his local office. He over saw several offices...make that all the offices of the business. That had increased from nine to fifteen over the past five years, hence his life being so hectic. He was struggling to control things by spending most of his time in New York, but he was already sick of living out of a suitcase. People like Mark, and the other managers under him could well be in for huge increases in their responsibility, if they were up to it. The monetary compensation would more than suffice, but it was a huge ask, and a lot, like Mark, were family men. They wouldn't want to spend three weeks in six travelling.

At the thought of firing someone, Mark paled. It wasn't a common occurrence, and his reluctant wasn't a bad thing. The ethics and the ethos of the whole company was to nurture and grow, not rip up contracts. But on some occasions, it was essential, and the man that mark employed into an executive position three months earlier had made several significant glitches, losing them both opportunity and money. Today's had seen them working on a strategy to undo his errors all day. It was too much.

He looked at the clock, eight pm. He had intended to be back at a reasonable time to greet Julia. He wasn't getting out of the office for another hour or more. Mark had three children and lived an hour out of Manhattan, tonight wasn't going to earn him any brownie points.

"This is going to become a regular thing unless we get rid of him. How many chances, Mark?"

Mark looked green as he remained noncommittal. Aaron ran a hand through his hair, then sighed, "go home to your babies. This will take me another half an hour to iron out, an hour at most. I'll see you in the morning."

Mark nodded appreciatively, then disappeared out of the office. Aaron sighed, then spun his chair so that he could look out the window. These offices were in Brooklyn, less than a mile from his Brooklyn Heights condo, that was the only relief for the whole day.

It was after ten when he crawled out of the elevator and fiddled with the key card. It was the first day with Julia staying, she'd arrived at four, Carrie had confirmed that she was at his way before six. He only hoped that she had found the take out menus, as he didn't have much in the way of food in the house.

Pushing open the door, he waited for the onslaught of his dogs, but neither was rushing at him. There was a light on, that was a good thing, because he'd be really angry if working this late meant she'd gone to bed having spent her first evening alone.

Kicking off his shoes in the hallway, and sliding out of his suit jacket, he entered the lounge, only to stop dead in his tracks.

Thereon the sofa, curled up and fast asleep was Julia, not that surprising given hertime difference and jetlag, but that wasn't what floored him, it was the sightof his two dogs, curled up either side of her neck, all three fast asleep...andsnoring.