Relief was the first thing she felt when she escaped the claustrophobic heat of the underground during rush hour but her relief quickly turned to nervousness and anxiety that sat heavily in her stomach. Glancing down at her phone she saw the messages she had managed to ignore all afternoon and was no nearer to deciding how she was going to respond to them.
What do you fancy for dinner? Jon
Dinner? Remember? We’re going to dinner tonight. Jon
I’m beginning to feel paranoid. Are you avoiding me? You know that won’t work, well it might but only until Friday afternoon when you’ll be in my building. Jon
Would you please respond, even if it’s to tell me you don’t want dinner, that you want professional only. Jon
Stephanie, this is silly darling! Jon
The last one made her feel slightly ridiculous because he was right it was silly. She was silly to think she could ignore him. He wasn’t pressuring her or using his position to coerce her into anything. He wanted her to agree to an affair and the truth was she didn’t think she’d be able to resist him much longer, she’d barely managed it last night.
Hi, sorry. Just on my way home. Dinner would be nice…we need to put this to bed once and for all…no pun. I’m not a fussy eater really…no sea food though. Steph
Do I detect a decision has been made? Sorry, not trying to pressure you, but you are right. A decision needs to be agreed and then we move on, one way or another. Jon
I get that. Have no clue what I’ve decided. Steph
Where shall I pick you up from? Jon
She considered protesting and insisting on meeting him somewhere, but what was the point really?
Ok. 74B Lincoln Street. See you at 7. Steph
I look forward to it. Jon
Steph had changed several times and had eventually decided on a sleeveless, mint green, mesh pleated dress with a dip back hem sweeping below the knees, while the hem at the front finished about four inches above the knee. The round neckline that was fairly high gave an air of modesty, while the sheer nature of it added a slight edge. She completed the look with silver accessories; a thin belt, earrings, high heels and a clip thatheld her ponytail in place. She stood looking at herself in the mirror and decided that the high, tight ponytail fastened with a silver, metallic clip was the right look. She had kept make up to a minimum and hoped her overall appearance wasn’t too slutty, but then she was meeting a man to discuss becoming his mistress, so maybe not slutty enough.
The knock at the door made her jump. She rushed to answer and took a deep breath before opening it and was horrified to find Simon on the doorstep.
“Hi, Steph, you look great,” he slurred.
“What do you want Simon?” She made no attempt to hide her impatience.
“You. I miss you.” He attempted to lean forward to touch her.
“Tough,” she said bluntly, angry at him turning up here at all but especially when she was waiting for Jon. Simon’s timing was as poor as ever.
“Don’t be a bitch babe, we were good together.” He grinned at her.
Steph could barely believe the words leaving her ex-boyfriend’s mouth. Surely he couldn’t really think the words he said were true, and yet he sounded entirely sincere in them. Either way, she knew they were many things together and she was struggling to think of anything good in this moment but didn’t want to antagonise him so aimed for something resembling compromise. “Maybe for a time, but the last year we were together you made me miserable to the point that I thought it was all my fault and that I was a horrible person,” she told him.
“That’s not true. Let’s go to bed.” He stepped forward to enter her flat.
“No,” she protested. “I am going out and we are over.”
“Are you seeing someone else?” The anger in his voice was clear and all too familiar.
Steph stared at the man before her, unsure whether to be irritated or just laugh at his misplaced anger, especially after all he’d done to her. Sensing his intention to enter the property with or without her permission saw her spring into action. “It’s none of your business, now you need to go,” she said firmly and closed the door.
Sagging against the back of it, the fear she’d felt a few minutes before was replaced with relief while the soundtrack of Simon shouting to her through the letterbox while he banged on the door continued for several long minutes, Steph felt a sense of liberation that they were no longer a couple and this was no longer her life. Lost in her thoughts, she realised it had gone quiet, then a single rap of the door sounded around her. Running through to the lounge window, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders at the sight of Jon on her doorstep. Rushing back to the door that she swung open, she greeted him with a hug that might have been a little too tight, too warm and a little too long.
“Are you okay?” he asked with no attempt to move from her hold.
“Yes.” She hoped she sounded convincing to him if not herself as she looked over Jon’s shoulder and was grateful not to find Simon there.
“You’re lying.” Clearly she wasn’t convincing anyone but he at least reassured her as he held her against him tightly.
