Hey folks. Here is a well overdue update. You know the deal by now – characters are not mine, thanks to Sally W, etc etc.
How to Tango a Patient Out of your Office
Sarah waved Edward off as he got into his grandparents car and tried to ignore the loneliness that appeared in her heart.
She had not heard from Caroline for two days and was confused about what to do.
'Well good evening,' Finella waltzed into the living room dressed to kill. 'Get your glad rags on because we are going out!'
'No,' Sarah said firmly. 'We're not.'
'Listen to me,' Finella said. 'I cannot have you moping around the house waiting for that blonde to call so…' her eyes glinted mischievously. 'I have arranged a double date.'
'No way!'
'Just listen,' Finella's voice was high pitched as she tried to placate Sarah. 'My date is to be a rather fantastic Human Rights Lawyer by the name of Eliza Moggach who I have been trying to meet for eons.'
'Right.'
'And you will be there to entertain her assistant,' Finella finished. 'Now get upstairs and put a dress on and let's get going.'
'I'm not going,' Sarah said emphatically. 'You can go on a date on your own.'
'But that's no fun,' Finella pouted.
'All I want to do is sit in and have a glass of red wine and watch television while wearing my dressing gown and slippers,' Sarah rubbed her eyes tiredly.
'And mope about that woman,' Finella finished. 'Good Lord what has happened to you?'
'Life,' Sarah muttered.
'Get your clothes on,' Finella said again. 'Otherwise I am going to tip all of Edward's jigsaws on to the carpet.'
Sarah gasped. 'You wouldn't dare.'
'Try me,' Finella stood up and went to the bookshelf where the jigsaws were neatly piled up.
'You wouldn't,' Sarah said but looked uncertain.
'I don't know that the lesbian version of a 'cock block,' is,' Finella snapped. 'But you are it so get upstairs and get bloody dressed.'
000
The champagne bar was virtually empty except for a couple in their sixties and the awkward quartet that Sarah now found herself belonging to.
'So,' the woman called Vina tried to make conversation. 'What do you do?'
'Um,' Sarah glanced away, 'I'm a lecturer,' she replied.
She hated telling people she was a therapist, that conversation only went one of two ways and she was not in the mood to listen to anyone's problems tonight.
'What do you lecture in?' Vina tried again.
'Psychology.'
'That must be interesting.'
'Not really,' Sarah's eyes were fixed on the window.
Vina sat back and took her phone out of her handbag and Sarah felt no guilt about being rude.
'What's wrong with you?' Finella scolded.
'I didn't want to be here anyway,' Sarah retorted.
'At least be civil,' Finella pleaded.
Sarah looked at the two women opposite and felt bad that she was indeed being the female version of a cock block, as Finella had so pleasantly put it. Somebody had obviously been watching too many reality television shows again to come out with a phrase like that.
'Vina,' Sarah said pleasantly. 'Would you like to come up to the counter and help me order some food?'
That idea seemed to please Vina and she popped her phone into her bag and stood up.
They picked up a menu and poured over it together at the bar.
'I'm sorry that I'm not much fun,' Sarah apologised quietly.
'Oh I don't know,' Vina smiled mischievously. 'I have a feeling that you could be lots of fun given the right circumstances.'
Sarah watched the dark woman pop a complimentary olive into her mouth.
'Is it woman trouble?' Vina asked sympathetically.
Sarah hesitated. 'Sort of.'
Loud laughter forced Sarah's attention back to their table and Finella was rubbing her paramour's knee suggestively.
'I have a feeling I will be getting a taxi for one,' Vina said.
'Yep.'
'I think I might just head out now,' Vina looked at her watch.
'Oh – not because of me, please,' Sarah said.
'Not at all,' was the gracious reply. 'My brother's band are playing at another pub so I said I would try to go along.'
'I like bands,' Sarah said quickly and immediately wanted to slap herself.
'Well come along,' Vina said. 'Those two are going to be at it soon anyway.'
Sarah glanced at the table.
They were. Finella was tossing her hair over her shoulder, which meant that full seduction was taking place.
'Let's go,' Sarah said.
They swept by the table and collected their coats but there was no complaint as the two of them left the bar and Vina pulled Sarah in the direction of their destination.
'How old is your brother?' Sarah asked.
'Nineteen.'
'How old are you?'
Vina laughed. 'Twenty five,' she replied.
'I'm going to kill Fin,' Sarah said quietly. 'Bloody twenty-five.'
'How old are you?' Vina asked.
'Too bloody old for you,' Sarah said tartly.
Vina laughed. 'Oh – I don't think so.'
Sarah could not deny that the woman was attractive. She had a short fashionable haircut and some tattoos on her long elegant fingers and even the red lipstick was not entirely off putting but none of that mattered when all that was on Sarah's mind was the creamy skin of a blue eyed blonde that held her heart.
'Hey Brucey!' Vina greeted the bouncer on the door.
'Hey gorgeous,' he picked Vina up with one arm and ogled Sarah. 'Another beauty on your arm,' he said.
'She's just a friend,' but Vina giggled in such a way that Sarah knew she wanted to make her more than a friend.
'Tyler should be on in five minutes,' Brucey placed her on the ground.
'Great,' Vina tugged Sarah inside by her hand. 'Enough time to get a drink.'
Vina was able to weave easily through the crowd and effortlessly got served at the bar and led Sarah to the side of the stage.
'That's my brother,' she pointed at the drummer.
Sarah drank her wine and nodded as Vina chatted on about the songs that they would sing. All covers but with a twist, was the phrase she used.
The crowd were all different ages and walks of life. A group of women that looked like they had come from Bingo were huddled over a table all drinking pints of cider, next to them was a group of men in their twilight years watching sports results on a muted television. The atmosphere was nice and Sarah found she was enjoying herself.
Her eyes strayed around the room and then she spotted Demonic Daisy Dillon and did a double take.
Daisy had 'stalked' Sarah when they first met. She was a yummy mummy that always had something to say and had annoyed Sarah immensely when they first encountered each other.
'What are you looking at?' Vina asked with the vibrancy and curiosity of youth.
'Just someone that… oh my God!'
Standing next to Daisy Dillon was Caroline.
As if sensing someone looking at her Caroline looked across at Sarah and her eyes clouded over with surprise.
'What's going on?' Vina asked slowly, witnessing the exchange.
'Nothing,' Sarah said quickly. 'Nothing at all.'
