18

After almost an hour of a number of people taking to the stage and giving presentations, River felt as though she could fall asleep. Celeste tried several times to initiate hushed conversations, but River could only give a half-hearted replies. She had heard Celeste say that she had used the conference to be with River, but she still felt a little put-out by the subterfuge.

If Celeste had said, in the beginning, that the trip to Scotland had two objectives, River doubted she would have thought any less of Celeste. That she had not even mentioned the coinciding conference felt like a deliberate misdirection. It made River realise that she didn't know Celeste at all and yet she had agreed to this weekend away, hundreds of miles from home.

The last presentation ended with the same, forced applause as all the others. The speaker leaving the stage, greeted by the same people, shaking the same hands and giving the same rictus smiles. Nothing River had heard had interested her at all and now the announcer proclaimed the presentation of awards. Were she not in mixed company, River could imagine thumping her head upon the table in frustration. She didn't even want to eat the upcoming meal. Only wanting to return to her room.

After a number of people made their way to the stage, collecting whatever award they had coming to them, mumbling prolonged acceptance speeches, giving calls out to their companies and making tired jokes, the announcer came to the final award and River almost cheered. Franchise management, it seemed, did not pander to brevity.

"And now to tonight's final award. An award that has seen the best and brightest within the franchise community receive it and go on to far greater achievements. Some of those winners, I can see out there in the audience." The announcer waved and pointed in several directions, where people gave self-deprecating shrugs, waved hands and smiled. "The award for Outstanding Achievement is given to those individuals that have gone above and beyond for their clients and this year's winner is no different. This individual has fostered over a dozen franchises to multi-million revenues, expanding presences beyond the United Kingdom into areas franchises have rarely entered."

"I think, once this is done, I'm going to bed." River had rested her elbow on the table, her head upon her fist and crossed her legs. Now, she prepared to leave, sitting up and adjusting her dress. "I'm sorry, Celeste, but this is not for me. None of it."

"If that's what you want." The disappointment in Celeste's face almost made River reconsider.

The announcer had gone on to mention many more things that recipient of the award had achieved and River had to admit, it did sound impressive to someone who had nothing to do with franchises. She wondered which talented individual was about to get dragged up to the stage.

"Therefore, without further ado, I'd like to invite the winner of this year's Outstanding Achievement award to the stage. And just because they are back on the market, doesn't mean you can headhunt them tonight. Leave that until the morning." The announcer laughed, along with several members of the audience. "So, welcome to the stage, our winner, late of CFM Services, now a free agent, Celeste DuBois! Ladies and gentleman, applause, please."

The audience erupted into furious clapping and it took River several seconds before it dawned upon her that Celeste had won. Even as she began to add her own applause to that travelling around the room, she saw Celeste stand, looking a little embarrassed. Lifting the front of her dress out of the way of her feet, Celeste made her way to the stage.

The applause continued as Celeste navigated around tables, shaking hands as she went, kissing cheeks. River even heard a few loud, shrill whistles. Taking care, in her high heels, Celeste climbed the short steps to the stage, accepting a handshake and a kiss from the announcer and then the odd-shaped perspex award. Celeste turned it in her hands, giving it an exaggerated look of appreciation before leaning in to the microphone.

"Well, what can I say, other than I totally deserve this." Much like the announcer, Celeste laughed at her own joke, accompanied by many in the crowd. "There isn't really much to say, except thanks. And I'm not done yet. I already have my eye on my next challenge. I'd just like to say one thing, to River ..."

At that, River began to slide down in her chair. She didn't see anyone looking her way, but the feeling of self-consciousness almost overwhelmed her. Why Celeste had mentioned her in her acceptance speech, River did not know, but that mention had made River want to shrivel up and hide beneath the table.

"Oh, god." She gulped, reaching for the wine glass that the servers had refilled several times already.

"I did tell you about all this, but it was in the middle of the night and you did sound a little drowsy, talking about dolphins, or something." Looking down at the award in her hand, Celeste ran her fingers along the edges. "And, just so you know, I already knew what you told me. I just thought we'd talk about it over that lovely tea you're so obsessed with. Maybe later, eh? But, yeah, thank you all for this award!"

The award raised above her head, Celeste grinned out towards the crowd, basking in the attention and the applause. It seemed to River that everyone in attendance felt Celeste deserved the award. But then, Celeste had said she would have no trouble finding another job if she wanted to. River could see why.

A large number of people had left their seats, congregating in front of the stage, waiting for Celeste to descend. She ran a gauntlet of well-wishers and, every other second, River could see Celeste glancing her way as she tried to extricate herself from the throng. River didn't know where to look. The glass in her hand had emptied, somehow, and she reached across for Celeste's glass, pouring the contents into her own.

It took several minutes before Celeste managed to fight her way back to the table and, by that time, River had finished that glass and had called over the server to refill both glasses. Even now, she had drank almost half of that refilled glass as Celeste dropped back into her seat, letting out a dramatic sigh. She placed the award on the table and picked up her wine, taking a long drink.

"Congratulations." With a buzz in her head, River wondered if she had drunk too much already. She waited for a straggling well-wisher to leave before continuing. "I'd rather you hadn't mentioned me up there. That was a bit embarrassing. I drank your wine, by the way, but there's more. Apparently, it's free. I like 'free'. Free drinks are good."

Holding up her glass, she waggled it towards the nearest kilted server and waited for them to refill her glass. Once filled, River wondered if the servers truly wore nothing beneath those kilts, or whether it was a myth. Even in a state bordering on drunk, if not actually drunk, she managed to stop herself from ducking her head down to look. Though it felt quite tempting. She tried to focus her eyes back on Celeste. She drank the wine in one, long gulp.

"Sorry about that. I kind of got carried away." Celeste did have an apologetic look on her face. "I got up there and could only think about what you said, earlier today and this evening. I needed to say something."

"You totally did! I mean, yeah, I don't know, but I bet you do deserve it. Totally." River raised her empty glass, tapping the base against the rim of Celeste's glass. A little too hard. "So, this is what you do? Did? Will do? Whatever. This? A franchiserer. A franchiser? Beware her power, Celeste, the Franchiser! Pow, pow, pew, pew! And an award winnerer! Is there anything about you that isn't amazing? I mean, that dress, covering that body? Amazing!"

River performed a Chef's Kiss with a half-wink towards Celeste and now she felt certain she had had too much to drink. She talked too much, at the best of times, but this seemed different. Even drunk, she could hear an edge to her voice, a little accusation mixed in with the hyperbolic compliments. She could even see Celeste raising an eyebrow at her words and actions. Somehow, Celeste's, now refilled glass, appeared in River's hand.

"I meant about knowing about what you said to me." With remarkable skill, Celeste managed to take the glass from River without it feeling as a reproach. "I knew you were gay and, after a fashion, I knew you liked me."

"Oh, that? That!" Somehow, River had managed to pick up Celeste's glass once more, turning away to take a drink before Celeste could take it from her. "Pfft. Don't worry about that. I'm not worried about it. I'm fine. More than fine. I'm over it. Totally over it. Beyond over it. Forget I said anything, I have. Whoosh! Gone. Forgotten."

"I don't think I can forget it. And I don't think you are over it. I ..." It looked as though Celeste had started to frown. At least, the weaving vision of Celeste's face looked decidedly frown-y. "Are you alright? How many glasses of wine have you had?"

River didn't know how many glasses she had drunk. Somewhere between 'a few' and 'a lot'. She didn't feel at all well. In fact, she felt more than a little sick. She tried to stand, only to catch the hem of her dress beneath a foot, forcing her to fall back to the chair. She tried to stand again, kicking the edge of the dress out of the way, but regretted standing so fast, or at all.

As the ground started to rise up to greet her, she felt arms surrounding her, holding her close. She looked up into Celeste's face, reached up to touch her cheek and laughed before everything turned murky and dark.