I made sure the bandage was secure before going through to my room
and putting my flesh coloured tights on.
Stepping into my dress, I jumped as the phone rang,
Snatching it off the cradle I practically yelled into the phone:
"Hello?"
"Claire?"
"Eilleen?" I said zipping up my dress
"Where the hell are you, its 7.05"
"Jesus Christ, sorry 'Leeny, I'll be there as soon as I can" I hung up and started to pin my hair high atop my head.
I was going to enjoy myself tonight- without John! Maybe even get pissed.
I finished pinning my hair and splashed some make-up on; I grabbed my shoes and shawl, did a quick spin in front of the mirror and dashed downstairs.
I slipped on my shoes, adjusted my shawl, sprayed on some perfume and headed out to my car.
I arrived at seven twenty, only twenty minutes late. I parked the car at the top of Eilleen's road and walked down purely because it was a nightmare trying to get a space outside her house.
Knocking on the door I noticed I seemed to be the last to arrive.
"I'm so sorry I'm late, something came up" I said waving my bandaged arm at Eilleen
"What the hell have you done now?" Eilleen replied giving me a hug
"A loose screw attacked me" I stated simply
"Come through" Eilleen said opening the inside door for me.
I could see Kerry and Mickey mingling, so I grabbed a glass of white wine and made my way over to them,
Mickey saw me first:
I laughed as his jaw dropped.
"Never seen me in anything posh have you Mickey?"
He had to literally pick his jaw up off the floor before he could reply:
"Erm.... No Claire, I haven't... You look....... Stunning"
"Who's stunning?" Kerry turned round and saw me "Oh hiya Claire, you look very gorgeous tonight"
"Why thank you both of you"
"Whoa, Claire what the hell happened to your arm?" Kerry exclaimed
"A loose screw on the stair rail attacked me" I explained
I gasped as Eilleen grabbed my hand and dragged me over to a group of people
"Claire this is the head of Scotland Yard, Sir Stephen Moorcroft"
My eyes widened in shock as I realised that this man had ultimate control over the Metropolitan Police
"Claire Stanton Sir, DS Claire Stanton" I said extending a hand
He shook my hand, a very firm handshake; I was awestruck, boring old me talking to Sir Stephen Moorcroft
"Ah so you're Claire Stanton, I've heard a lot about you"
"All good I hope Sir"
"Drop the 'Sir' Claire, we're off duty"
"All right then.... Stephen" I used his first name cautiously as he hadn't actually said call me 'Stephen'
"Care to dance Claire?" Stephen said holding out his hand
"Of course" I replied flirting a little, Stephen was so much younger and better looking than I had imagined
"So Claire, I hear you work for CIB" Stephen said pulling me close to him as we began to Ballroom Dance
"I do, its hard leading a double life but I'm used to it" I smiled
"You're doing very well running the Beech case single handedly"
I blushed aware that he was hitting on me
Kerry strode over to the side of the room
"What the hell are you doing here?" She hissed "Having a drink?!" John replied calmly, not once taking his eyes off Claire
"Who invited you? I know for a fact Claire didn't"
"I did" Eilleen said coming up beside John "And no Claire doesn't know"
"'Leen, who's Claire dancing with?" Kerry asked curiously
"Sir Stephen Moorcroft, Head of Scotland Yard"
"Oh my god lucky cow!"
"Bastard" John muttered "Look where his hands are"
"You don't do that to some one you've just met" Kerry exclaimed
All three watched in shock as Stephen moved his hand further down Claire back and leaned in to kiss her.
Kerry gasped as Claire slapped Stephen and said loudly:
"I've just split from someone I adored, I don't need you hitting on me. Go and find yourself some other slag to sleep with!"
"Well said Claire" Eilleen said as I joined her and Kerry.
"Pig wanted me to sleep with him, and I've only just met him" I shook my head in disgust
"You might want to watch that snubbing me doesn't ruin your chances at promotion" Stephen growled as he walked past
"Screw you Sir Stephen" I shot back loudly "What use is my career if I don't have the most important thing in my life?"
"What is the most important thing?"
"John is... or at least he was" I replied sadly
Stepping into my dress, I jumped as the phone rang,
Snatching it off the cradle I practically yelled into the phone:
"Hello?"
"Claire?"
"Eilleen?" I said zipping up my dress
"Where the hell are you, its 7.05"
"Jesus Christ, sorry 'Leeny, I'll be there as soon as I can" I hung up and started to pin my hair high atop my head.
I was going to enjoy myself tonight- without John! Maybe even get pissed.
I finished pinning my hair and splashed some make-up on; I grabbed my shoes and shawl, did a quick spin in front of the mirror and dashed downstairs.
I slipped on my shoes, adjusted my shawl, sprayed on some perfume and headed out to my car.
I arrived at seven twenty, only twenty minutes late. I parked the car at the top of Eilleen's road and walked down purely because it was a nightmare trying to get a space outside her house.
Knocking on the door I noticed I seemed to be the last to arrive.
"I'm so sorry I'm late, something came up" I said waving my bandaged arm at Eilleen
"What the hell have you done now?" Eilleen replied giving me a hug
"A loose screw attacked me" I stated simply
"Come through" Eilleen said opening the inside door for me.
I could see Kerry and Mickey mingling, so I grabbed a glass of white wine and made my way over to them,
Mickey saw me first:
I laughed as his jaw dropped.
"Never seen me in anything posh have you Mickey?"
He had to literally pick his jaw up off the floor before he could reply:
"Erm.... No Claire, I haven't... You look....... Stunning"
"Who's stunning?" Kerry turned round and saw me "Oh hiya Claire, you look very gorgeous tonight"
"Why thank you both of you"
"Whoa, Claire what the hell happened to your arm?" Kerry exclaimed
"A loose screw on the stair rail attacked me" I explained
I gasped as Eilleen grabbed my hand and dragged me over to a group of people
"Claire this is the head of Scotland Yard, Sir Stephen Moorcroft"
My eyes widened in shock as I realised that this man had ultimate control over the Metropolitan Police
"Claire Stanton Sir, DS Claire Stanton" I said extending a hand
He shook my hand, a very firm handshake; I was awestruck, boring old me talking to Sir Stephen Moorcroft
"Ah so you're Claire Stanton, I've heard a lot about you"
"All good I hope Sir"
"Drop the 'Sir' Claire, we're off duty"
"All right then.... Stephen" I used his first name cautiously as he hadn't actually said call me 'Stephen'
"Care to dance Claire?" Stephen said holding out his hand
"Of course" I replied flirting a little, Stephen was so much younger and better looking than I had imagined
"So Claire, I hear you work for CIB" Stephen said pulling me close to him as we began to Ballroom Dance
"I do, its hard leading a double life but I'm used to it" I smiled
"You're doing very well running the Beech case single handedly"
I blushed aware that he was hitting on me
Kerry strode over to the side of the room
"What the hell are you doing here?" She hissed "Having a drink?!" John replied calmly, not once taking his eyes off Claire
"Who invited you? I know for a fact Claire didn't"
"I did" Eilleen said coming up beside John "And no Claire doesn't know"
"'Leen, who's Claire dancing with?" Kerry asked curiously
"Sir Stephen Moorcroft, Head of Scotland Yard"
"Oh my god lucky cow!"
"Bastard" John muttered "Look where his hands are"
"You don't do that to some one you've just met" Kerry exclaimed
All three watched in shock as Stephen moved his hand further down Claire back and leaned in to kiss her.
Kerry gasped as Claire slapped Stephen and said loudly:
"I've just split from someone I adored, I don't need you hitting on me. Go and find yourself some other slag to sleep with!"
"Well said Claire" Eilleen said as I joined her and Kerry.
"Pig wanted me to sleep with him, and I've only just met him" I shook my head in disgust
"You might want to watch that snubbing me doesn't ruin your chances at promotion" Stephen growled as he walked past
"Screw you Sir Stephen" I shot back loudly "What use is my career if I don't have the most important thing in my life?"
"What is the most important thing?"
"John is... or at least he was" I replied sadly