“Oh, for God’s sake Rachel. How busy can you be? Every evening, seriously? I thought we were going to celebrate.”
“Well, there’s a lot to do. I’ve been working late and I’m just a bit stressed out with it all. I’d enjoy it more if we could get together when things are back to normal. I’ll be back in three weeks.”
It sounded pathetic even to her. The fact was, she didn’t have a good excuse, she just couldn’t face something else to fit in before she left.
“Still too busy even if it’s an all-expenses-paid evening out at an up-and-coming bar on Wednesday night?”
Rachel could feel her resolve disappearing because she loved nothing more than going out with Anna when she was checking out a venue for a new client or attending a celebrity launch of something or other. And Anna knew that was her weakness.
“I suppose I could fit it in.”
“Christ Rachel, you caved in quickly even for you! Don’t worry. I know I’m not enough by myself to tempt you to come out but I always know what will.”
“I amnotthat predictable,” Rachel protested.
‘Yes, you are but I’m used to it.”
They made arrangements to meet each other on Wednesday evening.
“Alright, see you then. And sorry I sounded like I didn’t want to see you, I’m looking forward to it. Honestly.”
“Oh, God it’s fine! I know how you get when you’ve got a lot on your plate. Even more reason to fit it in. Bye Rach.”
As she ended the call, Rachel realised that Anna had picked up on exactly how she’d been feeling over the past few days. She didn’t consider herself to be the sort of person who would get stressed out or overwhelmed. Her life, in general, was stress-free but speaking to Anna made her realise how uptight she was feeling. It was because of the time pressure. There were lots of things happening all at the same time but if Anna hadn’t insisted on meeting up, all she would be doing for the rest of the week would be working and sleeping and that was not where her life was headed anymore. She was about to embark on a huge adventure and it was about time she started embracing every opportunity that came her way.
5
RACHEL WAS ON the tube with two complete strangers pressed against her more intimately than Adam ever was, and for once she didn’t mind. It was insanely crowded on the rush hour Piccadilly line train, but Rachel was on her way to meet Anna for their night out and to finally have a proper celebration and she was feeling elated again, for almost the first time since she’d been offered the new job.
She had spent the day finalising her fixtures and fittings list and had pored over the drawings for the new store enough to feel happy that she wouldn’t be winging anything in Iceland. Adam was out at a client dinner and wouldn’t be in until late and as she marched through the crowds towards Seven Dials, she was glad she’d made time to see her friend.
Rachel could see Anna waiting, enveloped in a very shaggy cream faux fur coat. She was never late which made a nice change for Rachel who spent more time than she cared to think about waiting around for Adam.
“Hi, sorry I’m late,” she said as they hugged. “I love your coat!”
“Thanks, I got it at the weekend. Couldn’t resist it. And you’re not late. Chill.”
Anna looked down at Rachel’s feet. She was wearing her favourite black patent brogues in sharp contrast to Anna’s high heeled knee-high boots.
“I knew you’d wear those clod-hoppers. Hello? We’re going to a cool bar, not a student dive.”
“They’re fine,” said Rachel, used to Anna trying to push a more polished look onto her. “They’re comfortable and I did have to get the tube over here and walk to work this morning. So where are we heading?”
Anna rolled her eyes. “At least the rest is passable,” she said casting her eye over Rachel’s floral midi dress and black opaque tights which were visible underneath her coat. “It’s not far, just along here. The guy who owns it is being bankrolled by his father and basically, he wants us to put it on the map with the celebrities,” Anna explained, as they walked along with their arms linked.
“Who do you think will be there?”
“Nobody.” She elaborated when she saw Rachel look crestfallen. “Hello? That’s why I’m going tonight. To see if there is any chance we can make it into the placeeveryonewill want to go to. Then maybe next time you’ll see someone exciting. Although they won’t let you in once that’s happened.” She gave Rachel a friendly shove and grinned at her.
Anna knew she loved the world of celebrities and found Rachel’s interest in it an amusing contrast from her own natural cynicism but it didn’t stop her from constantly trying to explain the reality to Rachel; that it was all a big PR illusion.
The bar had all the makings of being very exclusive. There was a doorman to open the heavy wood-panelled door for them and it was clearly hoping to rely on word-of-celebrity-mouth because there was no signage at all, just a brass plaque next to the door with the name engraved on it. The windows were glazed with etched Victorian glass so you could see hints of people moving around inside and the lighting was intimately low.
Anna introduced herself to the hostess and they were shown to a couple of stools at one corner of the wide, highly polished bar that dominated the room. Normally they wouldn’t have wanted to sit at the bar, but here it seemed that they were the premium seats. There was a barman in attendance immediately, offering to make them the house cocktail. Once he had finished doing a brilliant impression of Tom Cruise in ‘Cocktail’, he left them with their drinks as well as a bottle of Prosecco in an ice bucket and attended to his next customer.
“Let’s have a toast,” said Anna. “To you, Rach.” She clinked her glass against Rachel’s. “It’s about bloody time! Cheers!”
They both took a sip of their cocktails.
