CHAPTER FOUR

“Nikki hang on” Karen shouted while running over the quad to reach Nikki who was walking back from the executive dining room and her lunch. Stopping to wait for her to catch up Nikki smiled greetings to those who were having to walk around her.

“I know, I know I have to leave early so that I’m there when Bob arrives” Nikki said as way of welcoming Karen when she reached her side.

“Actually I was just wandering if you could come round to my office in about half an hour, so I can introduce you to the woman who replaced you when you moved up above the glass ceiling” Karen joked.

“Replaced so easily hey? Alright yeah I’ll be with you soon” Nikki said before turning and carrying on to her office.

Ha ha ha “So you had a good time then?” Karen asked while laughing at an anecdote her companion was regaling her, about their night out at Edgar's.

“Yes very much so. Was nice to get to know a few people who I’ll be working with. Amazing really that I only moved across town for this job and yet there are so many people here that I didn’t ever know worked for the company”

“Mmmm I suppose that’s the same for any office really. Although you know that other people work for the same company as you, quite possibly in the same town, you only really socialise with those that work with you each and every day.” Karen agreed “You’ll find we’re a friendly bunch. Especially the group you’ll be working with, very much a family atmosphere down in Guest Relations. Nikki’s worked hard to get a good group of people in her team. She was sorry by the way that she was unable to attend your interview, bit of a family crisis.”

“Och that’s all right. I’m sure I’ll get to know her soon enough”

“Yes” Karen replied. “That’ll be her now” she added while getting up to answer the knock on her office door. “Glad you could make it Nikki” Karen greeted. “Come in and meet Helen”

“Sorry I’m late Karen, got intercepted by the Julies, I swear those two were trained by the CIA, they could get blood out of a stone.” Nikki joked as way of a greeting as she made her way into the office. Noticing someone standing to her left she turned with a hand stretched out ready for shaking. “Hi I’m Nikki Wade .....” She said while clasping the hand of the woman Karen had called Helen. It took her a second to remember where she had seen her before and she carried on. “We meet again?”

“Hello” Helen replied shaking the proffered hand. “Yes, somewhere a bit more ... um ... civilised this time” she added with a little smile.

“Yes” Nikki answered with a little smile of her own.

Karen stayed back watching the little interplay in front of her before she decided to break the small silence that had befallen them. “You two know each other?”

“We met last night at Edgar's” Nikki was the first to reply. “I guess I should have known. You did say you were celebrating a promotion and you were there with the group from Larkhall.” she said smiling. Suddenly she realised she still had a hold of Helen’s hand so let go of it before placing her own hands behind her back for safety.

“Well let me formally introduce you then. Nikki Wade, Head of the Customer Services Department meet Helen Stewart, Guest Relations Manager and your replacement. Nikki is your direct supervisor so if you have any problems you go to her.“ Karen said, smiling over at her friend. “Could you do me a favour Nikki and show Helen around only I have to see the old man .... that’s Simon Stubberfield” she clarified for Helen “in twenty minutes and I have to get some things ready?” She said already turning to her desk, and shuffling papers together.

“Sure thing Karen” Nikki said “Shall we go?” she asked while opening the office door to escort Helen around.

“It was nice meeting you” Helen said to Karen as she walked out of the door and onto her tour with Nikki.

An hour later and Nikki was just sitting down at the canteen table in the quad, placing a mug of tea in front of Helen, having given her the tour of Larkhall’s Head Office. “So that’s the offices then. Any questions?” she asked while reaching into her jacket pocket for her cigarettes and lighter. “Do you mind if I ....?” indicating her fags she lifted her eyebrow in question.

“No not at all.” Helen agreed “and no ... no questions at the moment, but I’ll ask if I think of any” she added with a little smile.

Nikki, who had just placed her cigarette between her lips had to quickly make a grab for it as it fell at the sight of the smile touching Helen’s lips. It was something she had noticed the other night in Edgar's, her smile, she remembered.

“Well I’m sorry it was so short. I’d of introduced you to everyone but I’d forgotten that they were all leaving early today. It’s Lorna Rose’s birthday and I’d said they could all have a half day to celebrate. They’ve all worked so hard over the last couple of months, that I thought they deserved it. Nothing like the launching of a new product to get the phone lines ringing” Nikki added ruefully. “Not that the office is empty mind you ....” Nikki added for some reason feeling that she had to explain herself.

“Nikki it’s alright you don’t need to explain it to me.” Helen said gently touching Nikki hand in understanding “You take time off when you can, and besides if you had half the calls we had when the SK3 was launched then the team definitely need the time off” she added smiling.

“Was a bit of nightmare launch wasn’t it?” Nikki smiled, feeling the warmth of Helens hand on her own, not wanting to draw attention to it lest she remove it.

“Tell me about it. We had 300 calls the first morning alone. I’m just glad that it all seems to have sorted itself out” Realising she still had her hand on Nikki’s Helen moved it and reached for her mug, hoping Nikki hadn’t noticed how long it had been there and not really knowing why she had left it there in the first place. “Just glad that the next product launch isn’t for another 6 months, so I shall be able to get to know what’s going on around here” she added behind her mug.

“True” Nikki added while taking a drag on her cigarette and moving her hand to her lap, missing the warmth of Helen’s on top of it. ‘What was the matter with her at the moment?’ she thought, she had met this women twice and on both occasions she had felt something. What she just didn’t know.

Nikki was just about to say something more when her beeper went off. Giving a small smile of apology she reached for her left hip and brought it up so she could read it. The message was from Karen.

“Your supposed to be letting Bob the Builder in not flirting with your new Guest Relations Manager”

it read. Unfortunately Nikki had just taken a slurp of her tea and reading the message resulted in it going down the wrong way. Suddenly she was coughing and spluttering as she choked on it.

“Oh Jesus” Helen said rushing from her seat to tap her bosses back while she continued coughing.

After a while the coughing subsided and Helen’s thumping hand turned to soothing circles. “Thanks” she coughed, looking around the quad for Karen, not seeing her and wandering how she knew. She could still feel Helen’s hand circling her back slower now. “Thanks Helen. I don’t know how that happened.”

“You sure your all right? Would you like a glass of water?”

“No no it’s fine. Look I’m sorry about that and I’m sorry to cut this short but I’m running late for my next appointment. Can we continue this another time?” She asked wiping the tears from her eyes that had been caused by the coughing spree.

“Yeah sure” Helen agreed removing her hand and going back to her seat to pick up her purse. “Tomorrow then?”

“Sure. If you could come in for 8.30, I’ll introduce you to the team” Nikki said watching Helen across the table, disappointed that she had so readily agreed to finishing their time together, but a little relieved. She needed some space to breath and think about what had just happened.

“OK” Helen smiled before giving a little wave and walking away, back to her offices.

Nikki sat there watching her walk away thinking what a sexy walk Helen had before mentally shaking her head and getting up to pay the tab and heading for her car and home to let Bob the Builder in.

Helen walked along the quad to the door she knew led to her offices. ‘Well that was an experience’ she thought back thinking back to the woman who was to be her boss. Slowing at the door she turned to where she had left Nikki and saw that she was walking in the opposite direction to her. She certainly wasn’t what she had expected, and she certainly hadn’t expected it to be the woman she had found hiding out in the toilets last night in Edgar’s. Smiling to herself she opened the door and walked in and up to where her office was, thinking it was certainly going to be interesting working around here with Nikki as a boss and hoping that she wouldn’t be a disappointment to her. There was just something about her that inspired Helen to be the best that she could be.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Yes?” Nikki said opening the door after the door bell had gone for the second time and catching the retreating back just before it went out the gate.

“Hi” the intruder said while reaching into a pocket and producing a business card that Nikki took with a frown.

‘Roberta Builder

Quality Construction Work’

Chuckling Nikki opened the door wider to let ‘Bob’ in. “With a name like that you could hardly go into any other profession really.”

“Amazing foresight of my parents” Bob laughed back while entering the hall.

“Yes” Nikki laughed back. “Well I best show you this wall then” she added before leading the way into the dining room first and then into the kitchen to show the other side of it.

Nikki made her way over to the kettle while Bob did her stuff checking the wall. Turning she stared openly at the woman in front of her from the auburn curls that bounded down her back to the caterpillar boots on her feet and smiled in appreciation. When Bob turned around and caught her staring she just smiled, “Tea would be nice” she said before walking over to the kitchen table and starting on her notes.

“Well thank you Bob, I’ll let Karen know your quote but it seems reasonable to me so I don’t see a problem. When can you start if Karen agrees?” Nikki said while escorting the builder through to the front door.

“I have a job on till the end of the week but I could fit you in next week if you like” she said as she reached the door and turned.

“Great well then I have your number so I’ll let you know tonight eh?”

“Great. Thanks for the tea Nikki, speak to you soon” and then she was gone.

Smiling ruefully she walked into kitchen and picked up her mobile texting Karen. “You B*tch :-)” and washing the mugs that she and Bob had just used. It wasn’t long before she got a text back. “Whatttttt?????” she could almost hear Karen saying it with feigned innocence.

After putting the mugs away she went into the study and turned her computer on and initialised logging onto AOL. Sitting in her chair she stared at Bob’s business card while flicking the edge of it, thinking about the woman who had just left here. She was brought out of her reverie by the dulcet tones of Joanna Lumley “You have email.”. Sitting up she placed the card on the side of her desk and opened up the email folder immediately seeing the email from her “secret admirer” no time like the present to deal with that she thought and started to reply to it.

She had just sent it when she heard the front door open and Karen shout “Honey I’m hommmeeeee” in an awful American accent and made her way into the study.

“Hi” Nikki replied “Good day at the office dear?” she continued in an, if possible, even worse American accent.

“Yeah.” Karen sighed while taking her shoes off. “Meeting ran over as they invariably do” Spotting Bob’s business card on the edge of the desk she reached for it. “So what did you think?” she added with a mischievous grin.

“Quote seems reasonable and she can do the job next week” Nikki answered.

“I meant what did you think of Roberta?” Karen said knowing full well Nikki had understood her original query.

“She seems very competent to do the job. I think we should go with her” still winding her up

“Nikki!”

“Just tell me you didn’t pick her as our builder because you think I need a girlfriend?” Nikki asked her best friend.

“Hell no” Karen asked and seeing that Nikki relaxed a little pushed it further. “I picked her because you need to get laid” The look on Nikki’s face was enough to send her into fits of laughter. Eventually she managed to choke out “Oh relax Nikki she came highly recommended. So what did you think of Helen?” It was a question she had been dieing to ask her friend since she had introduced them in her office earlier.

“Oh no, please don’t tell me she got the job because your trying to get me a girlfriend?” Nikki asked incredulously.

“No no” Karen sobered up becoming the ever professional executive Nikki knew her to be at work. “She got it because she was the best” before adding as she made her way out of the room “.... but if anything else should come about well that’s just an added bonus”

Smiling at her friend’s departing back Nikki reached for her mobile and rang Bob.

Helen sat up and rubbed her neck where it had gotten sore from lying against the sofa’s arm while watching Eastenders. It was times like this that she missed Shaun or rather his massages. Closing her eyes she imagined Shaun giving her one of his amazing neck massages but when she turned to smile up at him in her minds eye it wasn’t Shaun stood there but Nikki. Opening her eyes she sprang off the chair thinking that was odd, but put it down to the fact that she had only met Nikki today and that there was something interesting about her. ‘It was only natural that she should think about someone new in her life wasn’t it?’ she thought to herself as she turned off the TV and made her way over to her computer and booting it up. She may as well check her emails, before going for a soak in the bath and then bed early, after all she had to go in early tomorrow for her meeting with Nikki.

Opening her emails she got rid of the junk and the porn adverts, leaving her with 3. The first was from Shaun begging for forgiveness that went the way of the junk mails. The next was from her father that she spent 20 minutes replying to - why was it so much harder to talk to him now since her mother had died?. The third Helen didn’t recognise the senders address, but there was something about it that made Helen not throw it straight into the deleted pile.

Opening it she read it through but was still none the wiser at the end of it. She was about to get rid of it when she noticed that whoever had sent it had also included another with it and that one had come from her. Reading through that one she was even more confused till she read the last line and something about Teletubbies clicked a memory within. Reaching for her mobile she rang Yvonne, cursing that this better not be what she thought it was.

Yvonne answered on the fourth ring, without waiting Helen said “Never knew what people saw in the Teletubbies, always preferred Bob The Builder, but I’m sure you can fix it!”. The silence on the other end of the line was deafening. After a few seconds Helen asked “Tell me you didn’t”.

“I cannot lie to you Helen I did. I thought it would be fun. So what did she say?” Yvonne continued after her explanation as if nothing was wrong with what she had done.

“Yvonne if al you wanted was a little fun why didn’t you just email it from your address?”

“I didn’t want to get inundated with emails from her, whoever she is. NO it was more fun this way. So what did she say?” Yvonne asked once again.

Moving back to the top of the page Helen read it again before chuckling. “It basically says that she is sorry for any inconvenience caused but she has a meddling friend who thought it would be nice to help her get a girlfriend. Wonder if she wants another one?” Helen mused.

“Another what?” Yvonne asked a little disappointed at the turnout.

“Another meddling friend I could give her your email address”

“Don’t you dare Helen, that wouldn’t be wise, I’ll send Charlie ...”

“Goodnight Yvonne” Helen said hanging up on her friends hollow threats, she knew Yvonne would never follow through on them the same way Yvonne knew that Helen wouldn’t send her email address to this person called .... looking at the bottom of the email she noticed that she hadn’t signed it and the email address gave nothing away. “Oh well” she muttered. moving the mouse arrow to the delete icon she was about to get rid of the email when she decided that as the sender had been nice enough to return “her” email she should really reciprocate and so she pressed the reply icon instead.

Reading it through Helen decided not to sign her name to it and pressed the send icon. “Too late to have second thoughts now” she said to herself before logging off and turning the computer off.

Nikki was just about to log off when she heard “You’ve got email” resonate from the tinny speakers. Opening it she saw that it was from her secret admirer and decided to see what it was, albeit a little apprehensively about it.

Chuckling Nikki typed back a reply. “Oh no please don’t tell me there are two Karen’s in the world I don’t think it could survive! How true your poem is, so too though I find is this little saying - `Friendship buds and blossoms like summer in full dress, friendship brings a harvest of joy and happiness, Friendship is sustaining through winter wind and snow” Where would we be without our friends?” Sending it Nikki logged off and went to bed.

CHAPTER SIX

“Helen” Nikki shouted as she rushed to catch up with Helen the next morning in the car park. “Good morning”

“Morning Nikki, trust you made your appointment yesterday” Helen greeted.

“What? oh yeah I got there in time” Nikki said mesmerised by the way the sun caught the different colours of Helen’s hair.

They both turned and walked companionably into the offices and up to the Helen’s office to await the team. While they waited Nikki told Helen a bit about the people that she would be working with, mostly she told her about the two Julies who were two of the zaniest and kindest women she had ever met. “Talk of the devils” Nikki said loudly and Helen turned to watch as two women, both dressed in mini shirts, one with a leopard print top and another with a crimson tank top, walked into the room, talking to each other nine to a dozen. Helen just sat there in awe as the two woman carried on a conversation talking over the other, but still seemingly making sense of it. Seeing Nikki they suddenly stopped and walked over to them.

“Hiya Nikki ...”

“... Nikki” they said, before looking at Helen expectantly.

“Julies, I’d like to introduce you to your new supervisor Helen Stewart. I’d be grateful if you could make her feel as welcome as I know only you two can.” Smilingly Nikki made the introductions.

“Course Nikki” said first one....

... then the other “Course”

Nikki smiled at the bemused expression on Helens face and was about to say something more when the telephone rang and so she reached over to answer it leaving Helen to the mercy of the two Julies.

“You’ll like ...”

“.... it here. It‘s a good....”

“....bunch. Well all except .....”

“.... Maxi Purvis.”

“Yeah Maxi Purvis.”

“But I’m sure you’ll be able to handle her.”

“Yeah I’m sure you’ll be able to handle her.”

Helen was starting to get neck ache from bobbing back and forth between the two women, but she could tell straight away that she was going to like them.

Nikki hung up the phone and turned to the three women with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry Helen, something has come up and I have to go. Can I leave you in the Julies care? Julies can you do me a favour and help Helen today with anything she may need and also introduce her to everyone. Thanks.” And without waiting for a response Nikki strode to the door, her thoughts already on the next task. She missed the Julies adding.

“Nice lady is Nikki”

“yeah very nice”

Helen chuckled at this before gazing over to the door that Nikki had just left by. ‘Things were going to get very interesting around here it would seem’ she thought, saying out loud to the two Julies who seemed to be waiting for a response from her, “What? ... oh yes very nice.”

“Boy what a day” Helen muttered slumping into her sofa and pushing her heels off. Things had been a bit hectic after Nikki had left. First the birthday girl Lorna Rose had arrived followed by Denny Blood, Shaz Wiley, Buki Lester, Cassie Tyler and Roisin O’Connor. They had seemed like a good bunch, very friendly and Helen was looking forward to working with them. They had spent a leisurely morning, getting to know one another in between answering any calls that had come through. Half way through the morning the, by then, infamous Maxi Purvis, her sister Tina and Al McKenzie had arrived, Maxi and Al raucously chatting while Tina meekly followed them. Not wanting them to think she was a push over Helen had stood and ordered them into her office straight away, giving the three a piece of her mind, accepting Tina’s apologies and being a little perturbed that Maxi and Al didn’t seem to be too bothered by it. Not wanting to give out a written warning on her first day she had let them leave with just a dressing down. The mood in the office had been downcast after that and Helen had been relieved when home time had come around.

Getting up Helen made her way into the kitchen to make herself a coffee. After switching the kettle on she noticed that the light was flickering on her answering machine, so pressed the button to hear the message.

“Helen, it’s ... um .... Nikki Wade here. Just wanted to say I’m sorry for running off this morning and leaving you to the jackals, I heard everything went well though, well except for your first meeting with Purvis. She had her nose put out of joint when you got the job, for some reason she thought she was going to get it, but don’t worry about her she’ll be alright once she knows whose boss, and I have no doubt that you will show her. Well I best go, just wanted to make sure you were alright but seen as I got one of these machines I take it that ...”

Helen cursed when the tape ran out ending Nikki’s message abruptly. Smiling she thought it was nice that Nikki had wanted to check on her but then she remembered what Nikki had said about Purvis and the smile turned into a frown. Great just what she needed someone who wanted to be boss and hadn’t yet accepted that she wasn’t. Well she wasn’t going to let the likes of Purvis ruin the chance she had been given, and besides the rest of the team seemed nice and she wanted to work with them. Deciding then and there not to take any sh1t from Max and her friend Al, Helen poured milk into her coffee and went into the lounge to channel surf.

After twenty minutes of not finding anything worthy of her time she looked over at her computer sitting in the corner and decided now was as good a time as any to sort out her banking online before going to get ready for meeting Yvonne later.

Logging on she heard that she had email so she decided to open them first before getting to her banking, they were probably all junk anyway. Deleting any that didn’t interest her, which included another from Shaun, she found that she was left with just one from the personal lady. Curious as to what she could have written Helen opened the mail and read it. Agreeing that the little prose was indeed true, Helen considered replying again but found that, although they had hardly exchange mails for some unknown reason she felt compelled to reply to these emails with the mystery person and so pressed the reply button.

Nikki finished the email and sent it off. She had been surprised when she had turned the internet on and found another email from her secret admirer, although pleasantly surprised. She had felt an overwhelming urge to reply and so had done so.

Hearing Karen walking down the stairs she quickly turned the computer off not wanting to incur the wrath of her friend if she found her on it again. Moving quickly to the couch in the corner that she kept their for when she wanting quietness to read she grabbed the book from the side table and pretended to read as Karen came in.

Smiling Karen asked, “Good book?”

“Yeah not bad” Nikki said looking up at her friend as she stood in the door.

“It’s upside down Nikki” Karen pointed out.

Looking at the cover Nikki righted it mumbling “Oh yeah”.

“So you ready?”

“Yeah” Nikki said and put the book down as she got up and followed Karen out.

Nikki stopped on her walk to the cinema, Karen who was beside her carried on not realising that Nikki had stopped, she had seen Dom and she was homing in on him with a huge smile on her face. Shaking her head ruefully Nikki muttered “I should of known” before continuing on the same path Karen had taken. Catching up with them just as Karen threw her arms around her boyfriend and kissed him soundly. Nikki just stood there beside them looking at the passers by waiting patiently.

She was looking over at the billboards for what was on at the moment when she heard Dominic softly say “Hiya Nikki”

“Hello Dominic“ she greeted before turning to Karen and saying pointedly “fancy meeting you here”. But Karen wasn’t listening she was looking around as if searching someone out. Smiling when she spotted whoever she was looking for Nikki followed her gaze to see Bob walking towards them, waving when she saw that they were looking at her.

Responding with a little smile of her own Nikki turned to Karen before Bob came into hearing distance. “Tell me you didn’t Karen” but she knew already that Karen had and so didn’t really need the confirmation.

“Hello Bob, glad you could make it” Karen said to the newcomer.

“Thanks for inviting me Karen. Hello Nikki” Bob replied “So what are we seeing?”

Helen opened the door to Edgar’s for Yvonne to enter before following her in. “Get us a Vodka Tonic would you Yvonne I just need to go to the toilet” she asked her friend then made her way over to the toilets. The memory of the last time she had been in these toilets sprang to mind as she remembered meeting who she know knew to be Nikki in here the other week . Smiling at how things turned out she pushed the door open to find the woman in her mind standing in virtually the same position as she had been that night.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Nikki!” Helen said recovering from the jolt of surprise she had felt at seeing her in the same spot after just thinking about her.

“Hi Helen. Bit of Deja vu eh?” Nikki asked equally surprised to see Helen there in the doorway. “Uh are you going to come in or stand there all night?”

“What? Oh come in” Helen asked self consciously as she moved into the toilets from her stance at the door. “Um ... what are you doing in here Nikki?” Helen asked before leaning against the wall besides her.

Nikki grimaced. “Hiding. Karen and I were going to the cinema only when I got there I found out that her boyfriend was joining us, which is alright because Dom is alright. You’ll meet him soon he works for the company” Nikki added during her explanation. “But then I found that Karen had invited someone else as well, Bob, who she is trying to set me up with. Anyway to cut a long story short after the cinema, Karen suggested a drink here then she and Dom left me here with Bob!”

Helen started chuckling at Nikki’s indignant expression until Nikki swatted her on her arm with a hurt “oi”. “Sorry Nikki. So what so wrong with Bob then?”

“Nothing” Nikki said sullenly

“Well? What’s the problem then?”

“There’s just nothing there, we’ve been sat there for over an hour now and nothing” Nikki said throwing her hands in the air in astonishment. “Finally I couldn’t take it anymore and I escaped into here.”

Helen started to chuckle again at the forlorn look that came over Nikki. “What’s this Bob look like anyway? Is he ugly?” she asked with a twist of her lips trying to make light of the situation.

Nikki whole being stopped at the word of he. “Um come here I’ll show you” she said ushering Helen to the door, opening it a only enough so that she could point out Bob who was sat at the bar. As Helen looked out Bob turned around and looked quizzically towards the door and Helen couldn’t help the little gasp that came from her.

“Oh. Your gay?” Helen asked.

“So?” Nikki charged back. It really got on her nerves when people reacted as if she was a mass murderer when she told them she was gay and truth be told she hadn’t expected that reaction from Helen.

“It’s just that ....”

“Just what” Nikki added getting angrier by the second. She had really liked Helen but it looked like she was just the same as her parents were when she had told them at sixteen, bigoted and homophobic.

“Well your not .... seven foot tall, with green skin and a foot long nose” Helen said smiling at Nikki as she went from angry to incredulous as if she hadn’t heard her right. “Relax Nikki, I have no problem with you being gay I just wasn’t expecting it that’s all.”

Turning back to look out the door at where Bob was still sat, she turned back to Nikki who was still looking at her as if she had shot up to seven feet, turned green and sprouted a foot long nose. Smiling Helen walked back to her. “So what are you going to do, you know you have to go back out there soon otherwise she is going to come in here looking for you.”

“I know” Nikki moaned leaning back against the wall.

“Look I really need the toilet, why don’t you go back out there and when I get there just play along ok.” Helen said making her way over to a cubicle. “Ok?”.

“What have you got planned?” Nikki asked a bit wary at where this was going to go.

“You’ll see .... now go” Helen finished before walking into the cubicle and locking the door.

Nikki just shook her head and walked out over to where Bob was sat waiting for her.

‘What did she think she was going to do’ Helen thought to herself as she washed her hands, she had no idea unless she went out there and played the jealous lover. That was it she thought as the idea popped into her head. She’d just go out there and lay claim to Nikki as her own. Smiling at this thought she wiped her hands on some paper towels and opened the door to “rescue” Nikki.

Seeing her sat at the bar, you couldn’t tell that she wasn’t anywhere that she wouldn’t want to be. ‘How did she get herself into this?’. She thought, not really knowing if she meant Nikki or herself, and walked over to her, forgetting all about Yvonne who was sat on the other side of the bar watching her, wondering what the hell she was doing.

“So this is why you couldn’t come around tonight is it?” she charged as she reached Nikki’s side.

Totally not expecting that Nikki looked at her, surprised at her outburst, before looking around to see if anyone else had heard her and if they were attracting a crowd with this scene. The only person watching them was a blonde at the far end of the bar and Bob sat besides her. “Helen?” she asked meekly before remembering that she was supposed to be playing along. “Umm...”

“I can’t believe this. I thought better of you. I can’t believe that you would cheat on me, especially after last night. I have never told anyone I love them before and you... you’ve just trampled on it ... you’ve thrown it on the ground and stomped all over my heart. How could you Nikki!” Helen’s voice had been rising with each sentence and Nikki was stunned into silence.

“I should of believed Angie when she said that you were just out for good time and would throw me away once you had had your fun. I can’t believe I have been such a fool” Helen bawled, tiny tears slipping from the corner of her eyes.

Nikki watched the tears and they affected her so much that the look on her face must have had a tinge of guilt about it because suddenly Bob was collecting her things together, making feeble excuses and walking away from them. Nikki watched her leave before turning in awe to Helen, whose tears had miraculously dried and was now smiling at her. “Wow” she added “Thanks”.

“No worries. Don’t think you’ll have any more advances from her though” Helen said looking out the door where Bob had just left, feeling a little sorry for her really.

“For the best. Can I get you a drink?” Nikki said turning to get the bar tenders attention.

“No need darling, she already has one” Yvonne said appearing at Helen’s shoulder, while Nikki turned back around with a confused look.

“Yvonne! I’d completely forgotten about you.” Helen said while taking her drink from Yvonne’s hands.

“Obviously” she replied while looking Nikki up and down. “Shouldn’t you introduce me to your friend”

“Oh of course. Yvonne this is Nikki, she works at Larkhall head offices with me and Nikki this is Yvonne.” Helen introduced, before adding “Just been helping her out of a little situation”

“I saw” Yvonne said dryly, before turning to Nikki. “So what do you do at Larkhall Nikki?” Yvonne asked.

The next hour was spent in friendly conversation, before time was called at the bar and the three of them made their way out to the taxi rank and their way home. Nikki was the first dropped off and once again thanked Helen profusely for her help earlier, said goodnight to them both and that she would see Helen the next day at work.