Working Relationship

Sarah was impressed when they reached the restaurant. It was quite a small place, obviously designed to appeal to clients who wanted a more personal dining experience than the usual, more open layout of most restaurants. David parked the car and came round to open her door. As she turned in her seat to swing her legs over the sill, he looked down at the anklet which Sarah had mentioned in the lay-by. She lifted her leg so that he could read the engraving.

“Oh my goodness,” said David, “He chose this for you to wear? This really does make a statement about what he wants, doesn’t it. When did he give it to you?”

“The chain he bought for me last summer, while we were on holiday. I didn’t know the significance of an ankle chain then. It was only when I was approached by a man the first time I wore it, that I made John tell me about the meanings, then when we got home, looked ankle chains up on the internet. That was another little thing which didn’t seem to make any sense, but I suppose I should have been warned then about his desires. Tonight is the first time I have seen that engraved tag.”

“If you are uncomfortable wearing it, shall I take it off?” asked David, “I don’t think anyone here will notice it, but if you would prefer not to have it showing … ”

Sarah smiled, “As long as it doesn’t bother you, I will leave it on,” she said. “John put it there as a reminder that he wants me to be ‘available’.” She stood up and put her arms around his neck. “As if any reminder is necessary, with my breasts on show to anyone who cares to look, and me having no knickers on.” She kissed him beside his ear and whispered, “Actually I quite like the thought that it says I am available. Who knows, I might even get another offer tonight,” and she giggled.

David kissed her, then said, “I rather like it too, and although I don’t mind if you get other offers, I am not so sure about you considering them, after all, I saw you first.”

Sarah giggled, “Actually, with everything that has happened today, I really am feeling quite naughty tonight. Today has been one exciting thing after another and is so far from any other experience in my life that my head is still spinning. When I sent the email to John, option 3 was, in my mind, not an option. I put it there to shock him into telling me what really had gone on last night. When he chose it, I decided to call his bluff, and then I made every effort to get him to change his mind that I could think of. I tried so hard, that it began to turn my thinking around instead of his, so that by the time we left the house, you may have noticed I was actually shaking with nerves. Since stopping in the lay-by, things have been getting more intense.” She was still holding David’s handkerchief and, after a quick look round to see they were not observed, she lifted her skirt and wiped her pussy with it, then dropped her skirt back down. She held the hanky up to his nose; he sniffed, then ran his tongue over the smear of ‘juice’ she had wiped up. “Just a little sample of what, if you are a very good boy, might be available later,” she said.

“I think we should go and eat,” said David, “Before you get me so worked up I disgrace myself and cum in my pants.”

“You mean like John did, just before you arrived,” said Sarah. “I had to send him back upstairs to get changed. Come on then, let’s have that drink you promised me.” Reaching into the back, Sarah collected her jacket and slipped it on, before taking David’s arm and allowing him to escort her into the building.

The tables in the restaurant were laid out with quality cutlery and glasses, and mostly set into individual booths, open to the main area, but giving a feeling of privacy. They were welcomed by a very stylish lady, who was waiting for them.

“Good evening Mr Branson,” she said, “I have your table ready, if you would follow me.” She led the way to a booth near the rear. “I hope this is satisfactory.” She said, “May I take your coat madam?” Sarah glanced at David, and he gave a very slight nod. She undid the buttons and the lady took it from her shoulders, taking a hangar from a place behind her seat, she hung it on a small rail above where she had taken the hangar from. “Can I get you any drinks?” she asked. David looked at Sarah, and she said, “Just a glass of white wine please.” David said, “I will have the same, and a bottle of mineral water, with two glasses, please Jennifer.”

When she had gone, Sarah said, “You seem to be well known here. She certainly remembers you. An old girlfriend I presume?”

David laughed. “Not exactly.” He looked at Sarah critically for a moment, and then said, “Jennifer is very sweet, but… he.. is not exactly my type.”

Sarah’s jaw dropped. “He! You mean ………?”

David was enjoying her surprise, “Don’t be upset, I didn’t know myself until I was told. It takes a very practiced eye to spot, but yes, according to his birth certificate, Jennifer is a boy. She is what we call ‘a trans-gender’. He was born and lived until his, I suppose you could call them, ‘pre-teens’, as a boy. Although he says he always felt he was different from other boys somehow. When he was about 10 or 11, he started to develop breasts. His parents, who incidentally own this restaurant, were concerned, obviously, but showed a lot more consideration than most parents do, and after talking to him about what was happening and what he wanted, they took him to a private specialist who dealt with ‘gender problems’. Jennifer is, according to a DNA test, over 80% female, so from that day on she has lived as a girl. She changed schools; her passport shows her as a girl, although on her birth certificate, she is still registered as male. She says she is much happier now than ever she was as a boy. She is also a very good restaurant manager. On your first visit she will pick up on your name, and then, if you come back, even if is after six months, you will be greeted by name. I have never known her to get it wrong.”

Just then Jennifer returned with the drinks. Seeing the look on Sarah’s face, she smiled at her, “Oh dear,” she said, “David has been telling my secrets, hasn’t he? I can always tell.” She looked at Sarah, “If it bothers you my dear, I can send one of the other girls to wait on your table.”

Sarah glared at David, then smiled at her, “Not at all Jennifer, he really must learn to keep his mouth shut. I will try to have him better trained by the time we come again. I have only just agreed to accept him for training, but I promise you, he will improve.”

Jennifer laughed, “I am very pleased to hear it. I wanted to take him under my wing, but for the last year he has held me off because he said he had a ‘thing’ about someone else. I presume that was you, because heneverbrings anyone here. Love the top, by the way, it suits you.”

Sarah blushed, “Thank you, I was concerned it might be a little too revealing.”

“Perhaps, for some places, but it is fine for here,” Jennifer said, “we do pride ourselves on having a more open mind and being more accepting of people’s choice of … dress?” She winked at David, and returned to the desk to greet another couple.

Sarah didn’t know what to say, but David took her hand, “Don’t worry about it, Jennifer is, as I said, very sweet. She is known for her discretion and absolutely nothing throws her. She may look delicate and very feminine, but she can be more than most can handle. Someone mentioned to a group of new guests that she used to be a boy and one idiot tried to put his hand up her skirt to check what was there. She hit him once, then dragged him from his seat and, quite literally, threw him out. She doesn’t need a bouncer here, she is very capable. When the guy turned to come back in, there were six of us standing between him and the door. He took the hint, and has never been back.

Sarah was astounded, “You were here that night?” she asked.

“Oh yes,” said David, with a grin, “All six of us actually got a free drink from Jennifer that night, for helping out. I can tell you,thatis what made the night so memorable. Jennifer is a lovely girl, but she doesn’t give out free drinks very often.

Sarah just had to ask, “Does she still have …… Umm, you know ……?”

David chuckled, “Her ‘Boy Bits’ …? Oh yes! And a very impressive set of ‘Boy Bits’ they are too, I believe.”

“But …… Umm … which way does she … you know, go?”

“Difficult to say,” said David, “You could say she is Bi-sexual, except both ways, for her, are straight. She is mostly girl, so if she is with a boy, she is straight, but then, if she is with a girl, with those ‘Boy Bits’, she is straight then too, as you would almost certainly find out if you went out with her, she has a bit of a reputation with the ladies. You could say she is the straightest Boy/Girl, or Girl/Boy, you are ever likely to meet.”

Sarah was now laughing. “You come here a lot, don’t you?” she said.

“Not all that often,” he replied, “Wednesday is quite a good evening here. There are a group of us ‘regulars’ who come in on a Wednesday.” He hesitated, wondering how much he should say.

Sarah caught the hesitation, putting it together with Jennifer’s wink when she said about people’s ‘choice of dress’, the photo’s on his camera and a ‘group of regulars’. “It must be nice, being in a group, is it ‘all girls together’?”

Now it was David’s turn to blush. He nodded, “It can be” he said.

“How come Jenny recognised me as the one you had a ‘thing’ for? Had you shown her my picture on one of your ‘Wednesday nights’.”

He looked crushed, “Yes I did, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have, but I never expected to ever be able to bring you here. She kept on about this woman I wanted, and that I must have a picture of her somewhere, until I showed her the only one I had. But please, don’t call her Jenny; she likes to be called Jennifer. She says not many people get to choose their own Christian names, and if she had wanted to be called ‘Jenny’ she would have chosen Jenny. She is Jennifer.

“Understood,” said Sarah, “Has anyone else seen that photo of me?”

“No one” said David.

Jennifer returned to take their order and Sarah realised she hadn’t even looked at the menu. “I know what you are having David,” Jennifer said. “He is a creature of habit, he always orders the same. Have you decided yet? Its Sarah isn’t it.”

Sarah looked surprised, but said, “Yes it is, but how …” David chipped in, “Jennifer misses nothing that goes on in her restaurant. I have known someone hiccup on the other side of the room and within seconds she walked past and put a glass of water down in front of him. Believe me, this place is not your average restaurant. It is special and one of the reasons it is so special, is because of Jennifer. You will find out the other reason when the food arrives. The chef is … not ‘good’ … He is a long way better than just good.”

Jennifer smiled, and did a little curtsey, “Good of you to say so, sir,” she said, “Like the sign in the ‘Gents’ says, ‘We aim to please – You aim too, Please’.”

Sarah burst out laughing. I can see you have got the measure of him, she said, “I think I will go with the same as David is having. He seems to know what he likes.”

“Oh yes, he knows what he likes all right,” said Jennifer, “Although I haven’t got his measure yet, but I will keep trying. One day, maybe he will let me put my ruler along it. I think it’s possible you might get there before me, so you will tell me what you find, won’t you?”

Sarah almost doubled up with laughter. “If he ever gets that lucky, I will let you know,” she chuckled.

As Jennifer walked away, Sarah said, “David, she is priceless. However did you find this place? It’s a bit off the beaten track, but already well worth the drive to get here, and I haven’t tasted the food yet. Is the chef really that good?”

He looked at her in surprise, “Would I lie to you? I was first brought here by a very good friend. I have eaten in restaurants with Michelin Star ratings, that can’t hold a candle to the food here. That’s why I asked you to come here tonight. As you can see, the place is discreet, well away from anywhere anyone who knows us might see us. My thought when I invited you out, was ‘you deserve the best’ and this is the best there is. Although Jennifer misses nothing, she also has an incredible intuition about when her guests would like a little privacy. That’s what we are, not customers, other restaurants have customers, she has guests. If you look around us, you will see that we are a little away from anyone else, the nearby tables are empty. I mentioned on the phone we had something private to discuss. She will only use those tables if she really needs them, and then she will come by and let me know it is possible that we could be overheard. You put your finger on it when you said she is priceless. She is.”

Sarah decided it was about time they talked about the real reason they had come out tonight. The sooner they sorted that out, the sooner they could settle down and enjoy the evening. “David,” she said, “can we see if we can sort this out about ‘us’ in the office. You now know it looks extremely likely thereisgoing to be an ‘us’ outside work, but for many reasons, in work, absolutely nobody must know. The reasons, as I see them are:

1. Company policy is ‘No personal relationships between colleagues’. If it becomes known we are having a relationship, one of us would have to leave. It is possible, because it would have been in secret, we could both loose our jobs. We both know why this rule is in place.

2. The rumour mill at work is very efficient. If one person finds out, the whole place will know within hours.

3. Quite apart from losing my job, there are people at work who know John, and although this is his idea, neither he nor I would wish to have to explain this relationship, even if I could, to anyone outside. It would only take one ‘Mrs Smith’ to know and the whole town would know. Then we would have to move away.

4. Even though you are a very good legal advisor, this would destroy your reputation as well. This could ruin your career.

Now! Have you anything you want to add to what I have said?”

David thought for a moment, then said, “Nothing really, except I am sorry. I never wanted to put you in this position. I knew, when that camera dropped out of my briefcase, everything had gone ‘pear shaped’ on me. I honestly thought, whoever had picked it up would either hand it to H.R, in which case I was finished, or realising what it held, could blackmail me. They could have bled me dry. That was why, this morning when you came in, I had already started clearing my desk. I intended to resign before I was fired. I couldn’t believe it when you had the camera, had seen the pictures and were being so nice about it. When you started asking those questions, I hoped you wouldn’t ask why I had taken it. I knew you would, anyone would, but I hoped. You were entitled to an honest and truthful reply, which I thought would mean, at the very least, I would have to find a new P.A. I am now completely in your hands. I have been thinking about this all day. I will try very hard, not to make a mistake in the office. If I slip up, I will accept full responsibility. I will swear on a stack of bibles that you know nothing about how I feel about you, and I will resign and leave the firm, and the district. I love you Sarah and I will never do anything which causes you distress if I can avoid it. I want you to take tomorrow off, and then when you come back on Monday, I promise I will be just as I have been for the last year. No-one, including you, had any idea about my feelings for you in all that time. If I hadn’t dropped that camera, you still wouldn’t have, so I can be discreet.”

Sarah nodded, “My problem really is while I have had some feelings for you for some time, which I have so far kept under control. Now I know you are in love with me, and we are about to enter a sexual relationship, even though it is with my husband’s consent, keeping everything as it was before is not going to be easy. You have been thinking about how this might work, all day. Believe me, between this ‘John’ thing, and my feelings for you, my mind has been going round in circles since last night. John’s problem from last night has been sorted. A friend and I went round to the man’s home and had a word with his wife. He won’t bother us again, she gave me her word. Now, this may sound a bit extreme, but I have thought about this and it is what I am going to do. You asked earlier, “What was all that about with Janet?” I told you my thinking, and you agreed it could be a help. I intend to actually become quite close friends with Janet. Before you say anything, Yes! I am aware that this could involve me in, to speak plainly, a lesbian relationship, with her.

Before you get on your high horse, you may as well know that many girls have ‘close friendships’ with other girls. Sometimes, probably more often than you think, there is a physical side to their ‘friendships’. Not all lesbian relationships involve the ‘butch, crew-cut, bovver boots and dungarees brigade’ you know. Most take place between married ladies, quietly going about their lives, bringing up families, and looking after their husbands. They just need a little ‘feminine friendship’ occasionally. I have so far, never actually gone along that road and found a ‘friend’, but that doesn’t mean I have never considered it.

Sarah broke off as the first course arrived. “Wow!” she exclaimed, “This looks fantastic. I feel really guilty now about John with only a microwave meal at home.”

David laughed. “It’s his own fault,” he said, “Us being here tonight is because of his desire that you take a lover. It is all part of the ‘angst’ he will be feeling, knowing we are having a meal in a restaurant, with you dressed to entice me to be that lover. Not that I am going to need very much ‘enticing’.”

As they ate, Sarah continued, “The rule about ‘relationships’, obviously cannot apply to ‘friendships’, and while you and I would be considered a ‘relationship’, Janet and I would be a ‘friendship’, so us sitting together in the canteen at lunchtime, chatting and sometimes, giggling at a shared joke, no one can really say anything about it. After all, I am a married woman, with a loving husband, within the male understanding of relationships, we are just friends, no one would even suggest we were lovers. Among the ladies, the understanding might be, slightly different, but some of them may have similar ‘friendships’, which is what I will be counting on. Now before you start to object, because you feel I am offering to sacrifice myself to protect you, let me finish.

Janet is a very attractive lady, but the rumour is already going the rounds that she prefers other ladies to men.

I have had a feeling for some time that, shall we say, she doesn’t find me too repulsive. I certainly don’t find her repulsive, I actually quite like her, although I have never considered her as a possible lover – well, not until now anyway.

When she came in and found you with your arms round me, I knew that one word of that and the gossip machine would go into top gear. There are a couple of ladies who are still jealous of me getting the job as your P.A. They would have had a field day.

When I realised it was her who had come to help, I saw a chance to, let’s say, protect us both from that gossip. So I kissed her. As I hoped she would, she responded. I then went into the ‘sorry, sorry, I didn’t know what I was doing’ routine. She said it was ok, she understood, it was shock, but while she was hugging me she whispered that she had liked it. When you went into your office, I apologised again, and again, she said she had enjoyed it. I told her I had rather liked it as well, so she kissed me again. That was when you almost caught us. She then whispered that if I needed to talk, no strings attached, where we didn’t have an audience, to call her.

If she gets that job with Peter, and we are seen working together, me showing her the ropes, becoming friends, it will give substance to any convenient rumour that Janet and I are now ‘very close friends’.

If the gossips connect me and Janet and suspect we are ‘an item’ outside work, they are not going to accuse me of … a bit crude, but …… of ‘spreading my legs’ for you, as well.

I know this all sounds a bit complicated, but I know the ‘jungle telegraph’ in that place. It will seize onto something as juicy as an affair in an instant. Between two girls is juicier than with another man, but they would have to be able to prove it, and as I said, other ladies may have similar ‘friendships’ and so would not want to ‘cast the first stone’. Just because we are friends doesn’t prove anything, every girl has other girl friends, whether in a physical relationship or not.

Between a P.A and her Boss? That’s different …… ‘There’s no smoke without fire’, is there? Off again in a couple of weeks, for another conference! You know, I thought it was a bit funny that she always booked connecting rooms? How many times has they been away together now? I heard they were sleeping together at the last one, probably that wasn’t the first time! Did you see that love bite on her neck when she came back? Of course it’s faded now, and she covered it with foundation to hide it. The dirty bastard, he knows she is married, of course it’s her husband I feel sorry for! She only got the job as his P.A by spreading her legs! I always knew she was a slut, you can always tell, another one who thinks she can fuck her way to the top! ……………”

“Now do you see what I am getting at.?”

David looked shocked, “Is it really that bad, the gossip I mean?”

“I have heard worse than that,” said Sarah, “Once started it’s impossible to stop. Every time it is told, something new is added. The new bit, when it’s re-told, is now a definite fact, “so and so told me, and she was told by her friend who actually saw them kissing in the car park.” So now the rumour is a fact. When it gets to James’s secretary’s ears, and believe me it will, Christine knows all the gossip. She, of course will feel it’s her duty to tell James. Now you are summoned to his office and asked to explain what is going on. What are you going to say? More important, how are you going to prove it didn’t happen and all this isn’t true?”

David looked completely shell shocked. Sarah looked across the restaurant and saw Jennifer looking their way. Sarah signalled to her that David needed a drink. Within seconds a stiff whisky arrived at the table. Jennifer looked concerned, and slipped into the seat beside him.

“Are you all right David,” she asked. “I could see there was an intense conversation going on so I stayed away. Can I get you anything else?”

David took a drink of the whisky and, with the colour returning to his cheeks, said, “It’s ok, Jennifer, it was just a dose of reality that I wasn’t quite prepared for.” He saw how Jennifer was looking at Sarah, “It wasn’t Sarah’s fault, she only told me how this problem could play out unless we tread very carefully. I didn’t quite understand it before, but I think I do now.

Jennifer looked at Sarah’s left hand, where it lay on the table. Sarah was wearing her wedding ring. “I think I understand the problem, you work together, and now you want to play together, but work doesn’t allow it. Was it the office gossips that Sarah was talking about?”

David nodded, taking another, smaller, sip of the whisky.

“I don’t know what she has told you, but it is probably worse than whatever she said. Think of the ‘worst case scenario’ then double it and that’s office gossip. Listen to Sarah and whatever she says; go with it, she knows it better than you do, that’s my advice.” She looked straight at Sarah, “Does your husband know about you and David?”

Sarah gulped, and then, taking the whisky from David, took a drink herself, putting the remaining drink back down in front of him. “There isn’t actually a ‘Me and David’ as yet, but it looks as if there might be, and yes, he does know,” said Sarah.

“I thought so,” said Jennifer, “The anklet rather gives it away. Right leg – he knows, on top of stocking – no condom required. Rather nice little charm attached, can I see the inscription? Oh nice! ‘Married, but…’ Husband’s idea I suppose Sarah.” Sarah just nodded. “It usually is. Turns him on, knowing you are with another man does it?” Another nod! “Your choice of partner I hope?” Sarah nodded again. “Don’t let it worry you then sweetheart, I know of four other couples for definite, who are treading this same path. As long as you get to pick your own ‘friend’ and everyone is discreet, it can work out fine. In fact, do you see that couple at the table by the emergency exit?” Sarah looked and said “yes.” “His wife doesn’t know he has a girlfriend, so they can’t go there, she has children almost in their teens, so they can’t go back to her place either. Her husband books and pays for the hotel room for them. She always takes hubby home a nice cream pie, as a thank you. These things happen more often than you might think. Just one thing, take my advice and don’t ever let your hubby pick your date, that way lies disaster. Is tonight your first night out together?” Sarah nodded. “Thought so, you looked quite nervous when you came in. Hubby picked your outfit?” Sarah nodded again. Jennifer squeezed her hand across the table. “I can usually tell. Just a tip, before you go home, take your bra off, if you are feeling really brave, slip your panties off as well. Smudge your lipstick a little, and undo a couple of buttons on your blouse, better still, button a couple of them up in the wrong buttonholes. Put your jacket back on to cover yourself so the neighbours don’t see. Even if nothing has happened between you and David tonight, he will think it has. It keeps him happy. Excuse me I think I am needed. Play safely now children.” With that Jennifer moved away towards another table she had noticed required her special brand of attention.

David looked at the stunned expression on Sarah’s face and he chuckled. “I told you, she misses nothing. But everything is secure, she sees all, hears all, and she says nothing.”

Sarah looked puzzled and said “She takes him home a cream pie? What does taking him a cake ha …………? She stopped in mid sentence because David was laughing at her. “It’s not a cake.” He said, “Oh you are an innocent! A cream pie is when the lover has unprotected sex with the woman and finishes inside her. She goes home to her husband, who licks the ‘cream’ he left inside her, from between the lips of her pussy, as if it was a cream donut. It’s also referred to as ‘cleaning up’.”

Sarah blushed, “So he is actually licking ……… Oh! Now I do feel stupid. I read about the husband cleaning up after the lover had left, I thought it meant he tidied up, changed the sheets and such like, something like that.”

David was serious for a moment. “No you are not stupid, it’s just not something you have encountered before. But, back to what we were talking about. What if Janet actually wants to have an affair with you? How will you manage to get out of that?”

Sarah looked at him with a smile on her face. “Now who is being stupid? I might not want to get out of it. If the price of her silence is a kiss and a cuddle, with a lady I rather like anyway, I don’t think that’s too bad. I have thought several times lately I wouldn’t mind having a special friend, and yes, I do mean another woman. Sometimes it would be nice to curl up with someone, have a gossip and just hug each other and see where it takes us. Don’t look so shocked, like Jennifer said, these things happen.”

“I am going to tell you something, but this is a secret! John and I went into a bar while on holiday on the south coast. It was a few years ago. We didn’t know it when we went in, but it seems it was the local gay bar. As soon as John realised, he saw two men kissing, he was frightened to death. He was quite safe, they could see we were a couple so not ‘on the scene’, but the sight really seemed to scare him. Anyway we drank up and left. A couple of nights later, he was in the hotel bar watching a football match. I told him I fancied a walk, although I knew he wouldn’t want to miss the football. I went for my walk, but for some reason I just couldn’t get that bar out of my mind, so I hopped in a taxi, and went there. If you go in a place like that alone, someone will usually talk to you to see if you are interested. Less than five minutes I was in there, before a girl put her hand on my shoulder and said “I had a feeling you would come back, I hoped it would be without your husband”. We didn’t even go outside, it was quite dim in the bar and we started kissing against the back wall. Her hand went up my skirt, her jeans were undone and my hand was inside her panties. I came twice and I think she came once. I told her I had to leave before I was missed, and she said “Yes, you’d best get back, the football will be finished soon”, kissed me once more, and said “It was lovely to meet you.” And went back to sit at the bar. I never even asked her name and she didn’t ask mine. I got a taxi back to the hotel, John was outside, and saw me arrive. I told him I had got tired of walking, so when I spotted a taxi I hailed it and came back. To this day he doesn’t know, and don’t you dare tell him. It’s the only time, apart from this morning, I have been unfaithful to him, and they do say that if it’s with another woman it doesn’t count.”

Sarah finished her glass of wine, saw Jennifer across the restaurant, and held up her glass, Jennifer nodded, and a waitress arrived with another glass of white wine within a minute. “My God David, you are not joking about the service in here, are you.”

David grinned, “It’s quiet tonight, last night it took a little longer to get a drink.”

“Ah, the famous Wednesday night club,” said Sarah. “Tell me, the comment Jennifer made about your ‘dress’, is this where you come when you are dressed as a woman?”

He looked uncomfortable, “Umm …… well, yes, one of them. It’s accepted that Wednesday night here, is for less conventional people. I never asked you, how do you feel about me dressing? Does it bother you?”

“Not at all, in fact I think it’s very sexy,” she said, “from the pictures I saw, you look very convincing,” she leaned forward, “I spent quite some time studying the one of you in the red bra, it was nice, although studying it in the flesh this morning was better.”

“You,” said David, “Are a tease. You are doing this deliberately because you know I can’t touch you in here.”

Sarah giggled, “I’m sorry, but honestly, I thought you did look very sexy. But back to what we are supposed to be sorting out. I need to give a plausible reason for me going haywire this morning. I have an idea, but tell me what you think.

What I haven’t told anyone at work is that for about seven years, John and I were trying for a baby. Because we were not having any luck, we had tests, lots of tests, and they came back saying that while John is quite capable of fathering a child, I am not able to give him one. Up to last year, we had been through so many tests, you just wouldn’t believe, but no one could do anything. It was about 18 months ago when we decided that we were just throwing money away on all these private clinics and more tests, so we stopped doing it. That was why we didn’t have the money to buy a decent car, it had all been spent on I.V.F, private hospitals, clinics and tests. We have accepted now that I will never have children. No one at work knows about this, it is personal. I kept it to myself because I don’t want to get dragged into ‘sympathetic chats’ with the other girls, about it.”

David wondered where she was going with this, but just listened.

“Now,” said Sarah, “If I come in tomorrow, just before lunch, ostensibly to let you know I will be back on Monday. Janet will be there, so if I ask you to call her into your office, I can make it look like I am explaining what happened to both of you because you were both involved this morning, but because it’s so personal, I will ask you both to keep it to yourselves. I am not going to go into details, because I want you to genuinely look shocked when I say it, but keep in your mind, while the situation is true, the timescale, when I knew and how I was told will be, frankly, a load of rubbish. The object is, to give Janet a plausible reason for me going haywire, like I did. It will make her feel sorry for me and might even make her feel protective towards me. That will make others who notice us, even more certain there is something going on between Janet and I.”

“If I can make this convincing, with the rest of it, we might just be able to get away with working together with no one suspecting we are sleeping together as well. After all, if John and I are still trying for a baby, it’s hardly likely I would be ‘playing around’ with another man, is it?”

“What are you going to say?” David asked, “Can’t you at least give me a clue?”

“I haven’t worked it out properly yet, but I thought, If I had gone for another test, and got the result in a text, confirming I was unable to ever have a child, It would explain why I was so upset. If I spin it out a bit, without going too much over the top, I will probably have Janet crying. I don’t expect you to understand, but it is a big blow to any woman, being told you cannot have children. I am over it now, but no one at work knows anything about it. I can’t see any clinic sending that kind of message as a text, but if they did it would have definitely caused any woman to flip out. It will leak out, something like that is bound to, and, there you are, the reason I was hysterical this morning. You, being seen with your arms around me, if that got out, obviously you were a concerned boss, trying to comfort me. I know it’s all very involved, but I really can’t see us getting away with this unless our story is bullet proof. If, when I come in, in front of Janet I also give you my new mobile number. I will say I have changed my phone because after that text I couldn’t bear to look at the other phone, ever again, it will all add to the picture I am painting.”

Just then the food arrived, and once again Sarah was astounded by the presentation. As soon as she started to eat, she knew David had not exaggerated. Everything was cooked to perfection, the meat, it was a lamb shank, fell off the bone as her knife touched it. The sauce it had been cooked in was so good Sarah could have transferred it to a glass and drunk it as wine.

As they ate, David was thinking about the story Sarah was concocting. “I can’t see any clinic sending such sensitive results in a text,” he said. “Other than that I think it could work, but that is definitely the weak part of the story. How about keeping your real timeline, but now you have come to terms with not being able to have children, you got a text message from an expensive private clinic, one that had made promises when you had some tests done there before, then told you they couldn’t help you. This morning you got a text from them, with the same promises, asking you to come back and keep trying. Wouldn’t that have a similar effect? The less you have to bend the truth, the less chance of making mistakes.”

Sarah thought about it and replied, “It could do, especially if I made out that this clinic had promised they could do something, took all of our money and then did the ‘sorry we can’t help’ bit, when the money ran out. If they then tried to get us to pay out for more tests, thinking maybe we might have saved up some more, using the same set of promises as before. That would certainly explain me being so upset.” Yes. That would be better, I will work on it tomorrow, before I come in.”

“It might also be nice if you dropped in to see James too, just to say thank you,” said David, “I left a message with Christine, to tell him I had taken you home and I was back and ten minutes later he phoned me, to see how you were. If she loves a juicy bit of gossip, like you said she does, it’s likely, if you drop something within her hearing, she will pick up on your story and start it running around the grape vine for you. Anyway, that’s for tomorrow, what do you think of the food?” The look on her face told David all he needed to know, “Not too bad for my local ‘greasy spoon’ is it?” He said with a big smile on his face.

Jennifer was passing as he said it, “I will tell Graham you referred to his cooking as ‘a greasy spoon’,” she said smiling. “You know that is going to cost you as a minimum, a double brandy to placate him.” She looked at Sarah, “Graham is my chef and he gets very touchy if he thinks he is not being appreciated. He chased one person who made jokes about his cooking out of the car park with his meat cleaver. He wouldn’t have really chopped him up though, it might have spoiled the edge on the cleaver, and he is very particular about his knives.” She leaned close and ‘stage whispered’, “A nice guy though, hung like a horse if you are interested.”

Sarah, taken by surprise, almost choked on a piece of potato, as Jennifer calmly walked away, saying “I would take something for that cough, if I were you.”

David was grinning all over his face, as Sarah drank half a glass of water to clear her throat. “I am sorry; I should have checked Jennifer was out of earshot before I said that. She doesn’t have a 10% service charge, but not many of us get out of here without leaving a tip. The bill just went up by the price of a double brandy, on top of my usual tip. Mind you, she is fair about it. Graham can take it as a double brandy, a single and the difference in cash, or all of the ’till price’ of a double brandy in cash. It’s his choice. I don’t get that choice. The drink will be added to the bill whether I like it or not. Among the regulars, that’s anyone who has been here more than twice, the rule is that you don’t make jokes about Graham’s cooking. Anyway, what do you think of the food? It’s ok she is across the other side, you can say what you like.”

Sarah was laughing too, “What can I say? I have never tasted lamb like that. Does this Graham give lessons? He could make a fortune if he ran a cookery school. Maybe if I offer to wash up I could pick up some hints. I never got to look at the prices, but I bet they are a bit steep.”

“Not the cheapest in the area, I admit. A bit more than a ‘Big Mac and Fries’, but not the most expensive either. Jennifer says she likes people to come back and they won’t come back if they feel they have been overcharged. Would you like a dessert, or another drink?”

“No thank you,” she said, “Anything else would spoil the memory of what I have just eaten. I will go to the ‘ladies’ though, and then I think we should make a move. It’s almost 9:15 and I don’t want to be late.” She grinned at him, “I don’t want John to be worried about me, seeing as how he knows I am out with this predatory man who has designs on my virtue.”

While David sorted out the check, Sarah took her jacket and went to the toilets. She took off her blouse and her bra, and then she put her blouse back on, but didn’t tuck it into her skirt like it was before. She put on her jacket and carefully folding her bra she slipped it into her bag. Fastening her jacket, she returned to the table, where David was ready to go. At the door Jennifer was there to say goodnight, and she winked at Sarah. “That’s the idea, but when you do up the blouse again, remember, just a couple of buttons in the wrong buttonholes. If your panties are poking out of the clasp of your bag, it adds to the excitement for him too.”

Sarah leaned close and did her own ‘stage whisper’, “Let you in on a secret, I’m not wearing any.” Jennifer did a double take. “And thanks for the tip about Graham, it’s worth knowing about, that.” She burst out laughing at the look on Jennifer’s face. “Hmmm! Take something for that cough indeed …! Jennifer, it has really been a pleasure meeting you. Thank you for a lovely evening, I can’t remember when I have enjoyed myself so much.”