Double Standards
Chapter 1
"I left those papers on your desk, Florence; all you need to do is sign them."
"Thanks, Cass,"
"Also, there is a wedding invitation…"
Florence Ginger Tusany shot her head up to look at her assistant, "I beg your pardon?"
"A wedding invitation. It's addressed to you," Cass grinned as Flo began to pale slightly.
"I don't like weddings," Flo muttered under her breath.
Cass burst out laughing, "You fucking plan them!"
"I plan them…doesn't mean I actually like them," she dismissed the language…she used it often enough at work anyway.
"Are you going?"
Flo sighed and collapsed in her office chair. Cass took a seat in one of the two other available seats on the other side of her computer, still grinning.
"Are you?"
Flo picked up the invitation, her eyes scanning along until she saw who was actually 'tying the knot', "I'll go,"
"Who is it?" Cass actually seemed more interested in this wedding than Flo did.
"Just some old friends, that's all,"
"Like who? Please tell me, Floreeeence," Cass began to whine.
Sighing, Flo passed him the piece of paper, "It's somebody called Norman Hansen, and he's marrying somebody I don't even know. Happy now?"
"Who is Norman Hansen? You have never mentioned him before?" Cass scanned the paper in hopes of finding out just exactly who this person was to Flo.
"He's an old childhood friend," Flo dismissed.
"Why won't you tell me anything?"
"Because I don't want to,"
Cass sighed and stood up, slowly walking around the side of the desk towards Flo, "you can tell me, you know, I'm not some office gossip. What you tell me stays between us,"
Flo smiled as she looked at her long term assistant, "Whatever would I do without you, Cass,"
"Die…probably quite slowly and painfully,"
"No, really, I mean it. You are wonderful. I don't know how you do it, but you keep me on track. Any mistake I make, you have already got the solution. You're like a brother, best friend and boyfriend all rolled into one,"
Cass grinned at his boss, "Well, there is no way I can be that first one, I already thought I was the second…and it's not like I haven't tried to be the third,"
Flo felt herself warming to his smile. He really was the best person she knew. His dark brown hair was slightly longer than what was normally allowed in the office, but because she loved it…he could keep it. Flo knew from first-hand experience just what he kept under his shirt. They went to the gym together four days a week after work. He preferred more physical work, martial arts and boxing…she like Tai Chi and Yoga. They did do the same classes though. If he had a class, Flo went, if she had a class, Cass went.
"The invitation is late," Flo muttered after re-reading it.
"Why?"
"The wedding is this Friday,"
Cass laughed, "Looks like we'll be missing Jujitsu and Body Balance."
Flo smiled slightly, "we?"
"Well, it is a +1 invite, and unless you suddenly found a man, I'm always your +1,"
Florence burst out laughing as she stood up and wrapped her arms around her assistants body, "you have no idea what you just signed up for,"
Returning her hug, Cass mumbled, "What do you mean?"
"The Hansen's. It's complicated. Let's just say, you are going to be very tired," Flo couldn't stop grinning as different looks came over Cass' face.
"You need to sign those papers," Cass finally stammered out, passing Flo a pen.
Flo grabbed the pen and began to scribble her signature across the line on each piece, scanning the page before doing so. Flower orders, venue hire dates, alcohol deliveries…"Done!"
Cass grabbed the papers with another smile before remembering the invite, "it's a little late to send an RSVP. How are you going to tell him you're going?"
Flo suddenly realised he was right and began to ponder, "I could always ring him, but then he might be busy with the wedding. I'll ring Sig, his older brother, and tell him, that will do it."
"Okay. Remember to tell them about the +1," Cass smirked as he left the room. One day, soon, he decided Florence Ginger Tusany would be his. One day, she would see that whoever she was holding onto was never coming back. What better place to make somebody fall in love with you than at a wedding.
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Florence sat in her office and stared at the phone buttons. She knew Sig's number by hand, but if she picked up the phone and agreed to go…she would have to see him again. Somebody she had fought so hard to forget. Sighing, she dialled the number. She would have Cass there…she was better now, stronger. Edgar Hansen would not bother her anymore.
"Hello?" She heard a male voice say down the phone.
"Sig, its Florence Tusany?" She asked with a question. It had been a long time since she had seen any of them. She left to go study business, so she could set up her own business. It was a shame school started while they were at sea and she 'accidently' forgot to leave them any details of anything.
"Hey!" He boomed down the phone while laughing slightly, "What's the occasion? I've not heard a peep from you for a good ten years,"
"Yeah, sorry about that, stuff, you know. Anyway, I just literally got Norman's wedding invite,"
"Ahh yes. Little man finally tying the knot, to Kathy Woodmill none the less. Odd world. You're coming, yes?"
"Of course. It seemed a little late to send back an RSVP, thus I'm ringing you to confirm,"
"Always practical, Flo. So, is it just you, or have you finally got yourself +1 that isn't my youngest brother?"
Flo had heard the playfulness in his voice, but his words had struck a nerve. How dare he!
"Who you on the phone to, Sig?" Another voice came over the conversation.
Flo's words stuck in her throat. She knew that voice. It followed her everywhere she went. Wedding
Venue's, picking flowers…it was all with her big day in mind. Her magical fairy tale…which would never happen. She snapped herself back into reality, "Hey, Edgar."
She heard the pause before his words, "Flo? Is that you?"
"Is indeed, Mr man. Just got Norman's invite. Such a shame, he should have come to me, I'm a wedding planner…I own and run Seasonal Happiness,"
"Wow. I heard Kathy tried to go there, but you were packed."
Flo grinned slightly, she couldn't help it. Kathy Woodmill would never get her help, no matter what. "Shame, things are very busy here. We really are quite amazing at what we do. We're actually branching out soon to plan Honeymoon's."
"That sounds great, Flo," Sig interrupted mine and Edgar's soon to be competition; like he always did.
"Anyway, yes, please put me and +1 down on the guest list," Flo smiled.
"Oh, a +1 hey. Who is it? Assistant?" Edgar teased.
"Oh no, much more than that. Cass is not just my assistant…he's my best friend and my husband,"
Flo listened to the silence on the other ends of the telephone.
"We will see you at 11am on Friday at the wedding. Good day,"
Flo slammed the phone down on the hook before she gave the game away. Why the fuck did she claim she was married….to Cass as well! Oh dear god what had she done! A slight smile came to her face as she remembered the silence.
"CASS!" Flo shouted from her office.
Within seconds a very frazzled looking Cass came running through her doors, "What's wrong? What's the matter? Are you ill?"
"Possibly very ill. We're going shopping," Flo stood up and gathered her purse and coat.
"Oh okay. What do we need? Are we missing something for one of the weddings?" He asked while grabbing his own belongings.
"Yes, we are missing something for one of the weddings. Norman's wedding. Cass, from the second we get there, I'm not Florence Ginger Tusany…I'm Florence Ginger Bournemonthe,"
Cass looked at her in disbelief, "But I'm Brendon Caspian Bournemonthe?"
"I know you are, and we are going shopping for wedding rings…as when we land, I'm your wife."
Cass looked at her and chuckled, "Whatever you say, boss," he wrapped an arm around her as they walked out the building and she smacked his ass playfully. After working together for seven years, and knowing each other for ten, they might just pull this off. As long as Edgar Hansen left her alone and didn't pick her life apart. Or her, for that matter.