YES, another chapter - managed to get the keyboard and settee to myself for a while by plying all the animals away with food - little bit of a twist in this one - hope you like - please comment if poss good or bad... thanx peeps...
disclaimer as usual
ANGEL ZOE
It was just past 10am when Lightman came storming into the office.
Ignoring all attempts by various members of staff to catch his attention, he made his way straight to the reception.
"I will be in my office – I DO NOT WANT to be disturbed by anyone, or anything for ANY reason.
Is that CLEARLY understood?"
His eyes were almost black with unconcealed anger as he spat out his directions to a slightly shocked, and visibly unnerved member of staff that was 'holding the fort' temporarily.
Ignoring the out held hand with his post Lightman had already turned away.
"Oh, but Dr Lightman..theres..DR…"
"I AM NOT INTERESTED"
Cal slammed his door on the stuttering woman.
Dragging his coat off he launched it on to the floor, his thoughts were x- rated, racing through his mind.
Stupid, bloody woman. –Ridiculous, irrational, overly emotional, bloody irritating, MADDENING woman.
Still facing the closed door, he slammed his fist into the wooden structure before turning towards his desk ….How the HELL could she just…….
"Oh Bloody marvellous, just when I thought my day couldn't get any bloody worse…"
"And it's lovely to see you too Cal sweetheart. Beautiful morning isn't it"
Zoë's long legs were crossed as she lounged back, swinging slightly in Cals leather desk chair.
"What?"
"I'm sorry, did you say something Cal?" Her voice was artificially sweet, her expression was fake cheerfulness.
"Don't go there today Zo, I MEAN it, I am not in the bloody…"
"Mood?" She finished his sentence for him, knowing how much he hated her doing that.
"Oh I think I had already worked that one out Cal – I think the whole office has worked that one out"
Cal started to move menacingly toward her.
"Unless you are here regarding a life or death situation involving our daughter, then you had better get outta my chair, outta my office and out of the building – remember, you don't own any part of it any more"
"You know, I'd almost forgotten how sweet and adorable you can be in the mornings"
Zoe knew she was pushing an already volatile situation, but it seemed sometimes that this was the only she and Cal ever communicated.
Cal ignored her provocative remark and started to head for his library, his sanctuary.
"You had better be gone when I come back in here, because we do have security for people like you"
After a few moments Zoë swung her legs round and recklessly followed him into his hideaway.
As her eyes met his back her already formulated verbal retort died on her lips.
Staring at him, she suddenly realised just how angry and, in so much pain her ex-husband was.
The urge to do battle dropped away from her, slowly she moved toward him.
Hesitating briefly she placed her hand on his back.
"Sweetheart" her normally strident voice was now low and soft.
"What's wrong Cal? This is not just another one of your 'bad mood mornings' is it?"
No response was forthcoming.
Letting her hand drop down to his waist she took a gentle, but definite hold. Very slowly she started to pull him round and over to the couch that he so loved to sleep on.
"Cum on Sweetie, come here"
Cal eventually allowed himself to be manoeuvred into the cushions next to her.
At first there was no attempt at speech. Cal sat, with his head in his hands, Zoe with one hand rubbing circles on his back.
She suddenly caught the smell of whisky on his breath and fought to control the shock.
It had been a long time since he had turned to alcohol this early in the morning, it worried her.
"Cal, you have successfully terrified everyone out there enough that there is NO WAY they are going to come in here. You need to talk sweetheart, and as much as you will probably HATE this, I am the only one here right now, and I am not taking NO for an answer"
Not really knowing why, but completely unable to stop himself, Cal started to tell his ex-wife everything.
The party, the toy, the events that followed – and – the letter. It all came flooding out.
The pair sat in silence for quite some time, both in a state of semi shock.
Zoë's was born out of the fact that Her Ex-husband had finally made a move on Foster. She had always known it would happen, but faced with the actuality of it she was cursing how much she allowed it to hurt her.
Cal, on the other hand was still in disbelief that he had just 'spilled his guts' to his Ex-Wife, a thing that he had not done even when they were married – let alone since they had been divorced.
"Why the silence Zo?"
The peace shattered as Cal's sarcastic snide cut through the air.
"I fully expected you to be rolling around on the floor laughing by now – don't tell me you aren't appreciating the utter irony here"
Still the silent treatment, Cal groaned inwardly.
"Just get out of here Zoe – go on – PISS OFF"
Zoe made no attempt to move.
"So what Cal – so you can hit the whiskey bottle again? Indulge yourself in a binge of drunken self pity? You are PATHETIC when it comes to that woman!"
Cal felt the bile of anger begin to rise again and wondered what the hell had induced him to open up to this – she devil!
"GET OUT ZOE – I am not going to give you any more warnings"
Zoe let out a short laugh – it was her special laugh, one that she had perfected through years of her marriage to Cal, laced with contempt and poison.
"Don't try the scare tactics with me sweetheart. You might be able to terrorise every other living person you come across, but not me. Not now"
Standing, Zoe snaked her way to the small bar cal kept. Pouring two glasses she skilfully placed one in Cals hand before returning to her previous seat.
"Besides, you may not know it yet, and you sure as hell are not going to like it – but you need my help right now"
It was Cals turn to let out a contemptuous laugh, "Oh yeah, like a bullet in the head"
"Really!, so tell me then darling, what do you intend to do now? "
Silence.
"What, no ingenious plan, not a single clue in that, oh so intellectual brain of yours? - No, I didn't think so. You always were a total arse when it comes to relationship problems weren't you"
"Oh yeah, and you have suddenly become a professional couples councillor have you?" The bitter sarcasm continued to ooze from Cals mouth.
Zoë's laugh just became almost a snort this time.
"You know, as much as I find these….verbal scuffles of ours very stimulating, this is getting us no-where" Zoe softened her posture and her voice " Go to her Cal, I don't care what she wrote in that letter, I'm a woman and I know, she needs you"
Slamming his now empty glass on the table Cal almost erupted
"BRILLIENT – Totally staggering conclusion Zoe, I am just in total awe at your grasp of the situation! God, why didn't I think of that – oh – wait a minute – I know – Because I don't BLOODY well know where she is"
"Oh calm down Cal, The only person you are hurting here is yourself. I think I might….know where she may have run off to I mean"
Cal let out a long, defeated sigh and threw himself down next to Zoe.
"How, how could you possible know what would be in the mind of Gillian Foster Zo?"
"Because, as I said, I am a woman Cal, and whilst I admit I am in no way trying to compare myself to the 'sainted Gillian' When woman get themselves into a blind panic like this, we all basically react in the same way" Zoe had felt him wince at her description of Foster, but he remained silent.
"So, let me see. She's panicking, wants to run as far away as she can. I doubt however that she would be prepared, or organised enough for a flight, so we are looking at driving. She will instinctively feel the need to go to a place that she knows, it's only men that just set off and drive without any clue as to where they are going to end up, no, woman need that bit more security. So, she would use a hotel she knows, but as far away as possible."
Cal sat in stunned silence not quite believing what he was hearing. Gradually he realized that Zoe was actually making sense. So he kept silent, not wanting her to lose her train of thought.
"Let me see now. If I remember rightly, didn't she, and that darling man she married stop at some posh hotel for a few nights before they flew off to their honeymoon hideaway? Where was that place? I know it was quite a few hours drive from here and quite secluded……"
Zoe deliberately let her voice trail off almost like she had lost interest in the whole affair.
"Christ yeah, I remember that now, Shit where was that place, what was the name… No…honestly Zo, do you really think she would go THERE?"
Zoe knew she had done her bit now. It had been hard, leading Cal out of his shell shock and directing him back towardsa course of action that could take him back to the arms of THAT woman.
She had not however, been able to stand the sight of him being in so much pain.
As much as she tried to ignore it, she still loved this man.
"Well I have to be going, as much as this has been fun I need to pick up our Daughter soon, and I have enough of my own problems to deal with, I don't need to start taking on yours as well"
"Zo…"
There was no way she was going to stand there and listen to him mumble his way thru a thank you…
"Just one last thing. No more drinking Cal because if you do work it out you will be straight on the trail. It will be a long drive and I have no intention of becoming a single parent. And… if you find her… don't push it sweetheart..Just let her know you are there, then back off and give her time…"
The last section of her parting sentence was delivered in a much lower, softer almost sad tone. The door closed and she was gone.
