Martha and Clive's first major argument occurred after the wedding of one of Clive's friends. Martha had always been reticent about agreeing to go, not knowing anyone else and worrying about how they would like her were her main reasons in declining, but Clive had eventually persuaded her to go. As it grew closer however, she wished she hadn't promised.
She was in the middle of a big case and she could have really done with a weekend working on her closing speech that was due to happen on the Monday morning. But she had promised Clive that she would go and it was a bit late to go back on that promise so she went along, although she warned Clive she would be leaving early on the Sunday morning.
Clive agreed with her condition. He was just happy that she was going with him and would be able to show her off to everyone. For a long time he had been the only one of his group of university friends not to have a steady partner and he was teased about it. This wedding would be different though.
The first part of the weekend went well. They met Friday evening and went to the wedding together. The ceremony and reception were ok and all Clive's friends were very welcoming. It was after the meal had finished that things had gone wrong. Clive and his mates all drifted off and started a drinking session at the bar, leaving the women who had little in common together. There was a bit of conversation between the women, but it was stilted and they soon gave up.
Martha didn't really mind, it was an excuse to get an early night. Heading to the bar on the way upstairs, she found Clive and his slightly inebriated mates sat around a table. "I'm off to bed," she told him. "Don't be too late because I'm up early,".
"I know. Won't be long," Clive replied and Martha headed up to their room.
Unfortunately however, Clive had soon lost track of time with each round of drinks that were bought. The drinking session turned into a very long one and it was nearly three am in the morning before Clive stumbled into the room. Martha had been asleep for a couple of hours but was woken during Clive's attempt at undressing in his drunken stupor. Once down to his underpants he collapsed into bed and fell asleep within minutes.
Martha was left listening to his snores and grunts, becoming more annoyed with him the more sleep evaded her. This was precisely what she had wanted to avoid with the work she had to do later that day. She must have fallen asleep at some point however as the next thing she knew it was light. Looking at the clock it was 8:30 am and time for her to be getting up. Looking at her bedfellow it was obvious he wasn't going to be awake any time soon...and frankly she didn't want him awake. She was going to leave him here and go home by herself. Let him sort his own way back to Manchester after the way he had behaved last night.
Going down to breakfast in the hotel, it was evident that all of Clive's friends had done the same thing and hadn't impressed their wives or partners either. None of the men were awake, sleeping off their hangovers instead. Martha finished her breakfast and managed to pack without waking Clive and she was on her way home by the time he woke.
The need to use the toilet was the reason for Clive waking and he clumsily made his way to the bathroom, the world spinning a bit now he was vertical. He was in dire need of water if his dry mouth and tongue were anything to go by he realised as he relieved himself. He also slowly realised that none of Martha's things were in the bathroom anymore. Finishing in the bathroom he hurried into the main room and saw all her other things had gone as well.
Looking at the clock he saw the time and realised he was in deep trouble. It was 10:30. Martha had wanted to get away by 10:00 and she had obviously done just that. Picking up his phone he rang her number but it went straight to answerphone. She was probably still driving so he left an apology and asked her to phone him when she could.
Fifty phone calls and text messages later and he realised she wouldn't be phoning him back. She was ignoring him which was probably well deserved after he had basically ignored her for most of the wedding where she didn't know anyone. He had a lot of grovelling to do to get back in her good books he began to realise.
Monday morning arrived and Clive had become very familiar with Martha's answerphone message as all his calls continued to be ignored. He decided to try something different and phoned Shoe Lane hoping it would be Bethany who answered. Martha had told him that she knew about their relationship and he was hoping she could put in a good word for him. Luck was on his side as indeed it was Bethany who took his call.
"Um, is Marth there, Bethany?" Clive asked.
"No Sir. She went straight to court this morning without coming here first, and she's still there. The jury are deliberating after closing speeches and there might be a verdict today,".
"Right. Um, can you get her to call me when she comes back," Clive asked. "I've been trying all weekend but she's not answering me,".
"Have you had a falling out?" Asked Bethany, detecting a lot of misery in the male barristers voice for the first time in a long time.
"You could say that," Clive replied. "I just want to talk to her and tell her how sorry I am, but she's not having any of it. I think I might have blown it, Bethany,".
"Think positive, sir," Bethany encouraged. "As soon as I see her I'll try and get her to phone you," she promised. "I'm sure it'll be better once you've spoken to each other,".
Martha was obviously in a bad mood when she returned to chambers in the late afternoon. It was a surprise to everyone except Bethany.
"Why is Miss Costello in such a bad mood?" Asked Jake as another door slam echoed throughout the building which had been initiated by Martha. "She won her case right?".
"PMT, Jakey boy," answered Billy confidently.
"Why is that always put down as the reason for a woman's bad mood?" Piped up Bethany. "Maybe Miss Costello is upset about something?".
"But as Jake pointed out, she won her case Beth. She has nothing to be upset about," Billy replied.
"Work is not the be all and end all of everything," Bethany argued.
"It is where Miss Costello is concerned," replied Billy again, very confidently.
Bethany so wanted to tell him he was wrong, but by doing that she would reveal all about Mr Reader and Miss Costello's relationship, so she stayed quiet.
"Tell you what though, Beth," Billy commented, "I'll let you try and prove me wrong. I nominate you to go into the lions den and try and remove the thorn from her paw which she has obviously stood on whilst making her way back from the Bailey,".
Bethany accepted his challenge and left the room. It gave her the perfect opportunity to relay Mr Reader's message so hopefully they could patch their misunderstanding up. Making a detour to the coffee room, she made the female QC a cup of tea before taking it to her room.
"Come in," barked Martha in response to Bethany's knock.
"I brought you a cup of tea, miss," said Bethany as she entered the room. "And to say congratulations on your win,".
"Thanks Bethany," Martha replied, her temper subsiding a bit.
"Um, Mr Reader also phoned," Bethany started.
"Did he?" Interrupted Martha.
"Says he's been trying to contact you but you aren't answering,". As if on cue, Martha's phone started ringing. She picked it up, looked at the caller ID and immediately put it on call divert.
"That's 110 times he's tried phoning me since yesterday afternoon," Martha informed the clerk.
"Right," replied Bethany nervously. What had Mr Reader done to piss Miss Costello off so badly? "Well he says he's really sorry about whatever it is that he's done and please can you phone him so that he can tell that to you directly,".
"I will Bethany, just not here. It might get quite heated and something might be overheard by someone I don't want hearing it,".
"Ok, miss," answered Bethany, relieved that they were going to talk. "I hope you can make it up because you are both so miserable today,".
"I am miserable," Martha agreed. "He totally ruined the weekend,".
Over the cup of tea, Martha explained her side of the story whilst Bethany listened. She had been worried that the male barrister had done something awful such as sleeping with another woman, but thankfully it sounded more forgivable than that.
"He's so worried that you are going to finish things with him," Bethany revealed.
"It's not a terminal offence. I just want to make him sweat a bit and recognise what an arse he's been," Martha answered. It definitely looked like they would make things up.
"The boys and Billy sent me in to find out what was wrong," Bethany mentioned as the conversation came to an end.
"Let me guess," Martha said. "PMT?".
"Yes," answered Bethany. "What shall I tell them?".
"Oh let them think they're right, Bethany. I don't mind. I think I'm going to head home and phone Clive,".
"Ok, miss,".
"Well?" Asked Billy when Bethany returned to the clerks room. "What was the matter with our lovely Miss Costello?".
"PMT," replied Bethany.
"I told you Beth. I am always right. Especially when it comes to my barristers," he answered smugly.
Martha got Clive's answer phone when she tried phoning Clive. It was very frustrating she realised as she received a dose of her own medicine. She left a message and started making her meal. Halfway through her cooking her front doorbell rang and she went to answer it a little mystified at who it could be.
She was met with the sight of Clive holding the biggest bouquet of flowers she had ever seen.
"What are you doing here?" She asked surprised.
"You weren't answering any of my calls so I thought I would come and see you. Force you to hear my apology,".
"I could shut the door on you," Martha threatened.
"Please don't," Clive replied, not realising she had been joking. "I really am sorry, Marth. Please forgive me," he pleaded with his puppy dog eyes working overtime.
Martha found them hard to resist and opened the door wider to let him in. "Come in," she informed him. "I tried phoning you earlier. I figured one hundred and fifty calls was enough to ignore,".
"I'll keep that in mind next time I screw up," Clive remarked as he entered the flat and handed the bouquet over. Martha led the way to the kitchen and started to put the flowers in some water whilst Clive watched. "That weekend wasn't great was it?" He observed.
"You could say that," Martha answered, her attention on arranging the flowers in the vase.
"I was an idiot,".
"Yep,".
"I really am sorry, Marth,".
"So you keep saying," she replied, her attention still on the flowers.
"Marth, I have to know, have I totally spoilt things between us?" Clive asked nervously. He had been hoping she would be slightly happier to see him than she appeared to be. She couldn't even look at him by all accounts.
"Do you want that?" Martha asked, finally looking at Clive.
"God no! I love you, Marth. I'm really sorry and I'm trying everything I can to apologise. I want us to make up and move on. Did I mention that I love you, Marth?".
"Just a couple of times," Martha smiled as she returned her attention to the flowers. "Lucky for you then that I still love you too," she admitted deciding she had kept him hanging long enough. She instantly found herself in Clive's embrace.
"I'm so glad to hear that," he told her. "I will never ever do anything like that again, I promise,".
"I know," Martha replied as she returned his hug. "Thank you for the flowers by the way, they're lovely,".
"Glad you like them. I've never really bought flowers for a woman before, except for my mother of course,".
"Never?" Asked Martha incredulously. "You've never had to say sorry to a girlfriend before?".
"Don't really have many arguments with a one night stand," Clive admitted. "Any relationship that lasted longer than that and we broke up at the first fight. This is the longest relationship I've ever been in, Marth, and I don't want to mess it up,".
"What time is your train back?" Asked Martha as she wound her arms around Clive's neck. Now he was here she was hoping they could enjoy each other's company a bit more before he had to go and make up for the weekend.
"Five am tomorrow morning. I didn't know how long it would take to win you over," Clive answered.
"Not very long by the looks of it," Martha murmured as she nuzzled his neck. "That means we've got all night for your first experience of make up sex," she purred as she led him to the bedroom.
"I've heard it's very enjoyable," he replied, willingly following.
"Very," Martha added as she closed the bedroom door behind them.