"Christmas is All Around"
Chapter 4


Monday evening…

-

"Hello?" Karen answered the phone.

"Oh, 'ello there, lovely!" Clementine greeted sarcastically.

"Clem? Hi! How was the first day? My brother didn't give you a hard time did he?"

"No… but you're going to get it hard though."

"What'd I do?" Karen asked innocently.

"You know perfectly well what you did!" Clementine exclaimed.

"Come now, Clem, you're being silly. There was no ulterior motive here. It's not like you're taken by him or anything like that."

There was silence on the other line, Clementine obviously having been cornered.

"Of course not! That's absolute bull honky!" Clementine scoffed, laughing uneasily.

"Bull honky?" Karen sounded puzzled.

"It's American slang," Clementine said hastily. "I've got to go now! Goodbye," and with that, she promptly hung up.

Karen set the phone back down on the receiver, though having to pick it right back up as it rang again.

"Hello?" she answered again.

"It's David," her brother's voice came through the earpiece.

"Oh! How are you, David?" she said with a smile.

"Fine. Listen, I've got to talk to you," he began.

"Yes? Oh! And how's your new secretary? I heard she started today," she tried to divert the subject.

"Just fine. In fact, she's the one I wanted to talk about," he said.

"What's wrong? She didn't cause any trouble did she?"

"No, no. She's perfect… I mean, the work she does is perfect! Yes, well… I specifically told you I wanted someone older," he fumbled with his words, trying to hide his uneasiness.

"She is older. Two years senior to that last girl I believe," she said thoughtfully.

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Well it's a little too late to take back the job from her, isn't it? Unless you want to be an arse about it and fire her anyway…" she pretended to ponder.

"No! Um, I mean… no, I suppose I'll just have to make due with this girl. She is highly qualified and everything you said she was," he chuckled nervously. "Well, I best be off. Papers to sign, people to see. Goodbye and love, sis," he said hurriedly, quickly hanging up his end of the line.

She hung up as well, pausing for a moment before walking away from it. A sneaky smile then spread across her face.

"What are you so happy about?" Harry asked her, having just walked into the room.

"Oh nothing," she said, still smiling.

"You're up to something, aren't you?" he gave her a suspicious stare.

"Me? Of course not! What ever gave you that idea?"

"Oh never mind. I'm off for the office," he said, giving her a kiss as he passed by to head out the door. "Just don't ruin anyone's lives, darling," he called back before shutting the door behind him.


"Damn her!" Clementine threw herself onto her bed, rubbing her temples as she slowly began to gather her thoughts. "Ok, so your boss is a bit of a looker. Whoop-di-fucking-do! You can handle this! You're a grown woman, aren't you?" she told herself. "But then again… he did have such nice blue eyes… No! Stop it! Don't think like that!" she scolded, smacking the sides of her head. "Don't make a fool of yourself, Warwick! Be a woman, and pull yourself together."

"Who're ya talking to, angel?" a voice came from behind the door. It was her father.

"Myself?" she answered stupidly.

"Well, when ya finish the conversation, come on down for some lunch. Vivi made beef and noodle soup, yer favourite," Cleavon said, the sound of his footsteps retreating back down the hall following next.

She groaned with embarrassment, rolling onto her stomach and mumbling out some form of speech.


Tuesday morning, December 21.

-

"Biscuits ahoy, sir," Clementine plopped the silver tray onto the desk, giving a cheesy toothy smile. "Is there anything else I can get you, oh English Master?" she asked, muttering the last three words under her breath.

"No, no. That'll be all, Clementine," David smiled. "And thank you for the 'Master' bit. Quite nice, I suppose," he winked.

She froze in mid turnaround, slowly looking back at him.

"You welcome," she answered. "Pissant," she muttered even quieter.

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"Nothing, sir. Nothing," she hissed through her teeth.

"Clementine," he called after her. "I'd like to ask you something," he said.

"Yes?"

"Well, it is a bit awkward working so close to one another day in and day out. And I think we should get to know one another."

She gave him a suspicious look, trying to figure out what he was up to.

"All right. What do you want to know?" she asked, closing the door and taking a seat on the desk. They looked back at one another, silent for about one moment.

"Well, um… where do you live?"

"You're not going to send a team of assassins after me, are you?" she crossed her arms.

"No, no. Of course not," he chuckled nervously, holding up his hands in defense. "Just a wonder."

"I would prefer not to tell you," she said.

"Please?"

She heaved a sigh, putting one leg over the other, and subsequently he averted his eyes downward.

"I still would rather not."

"All right, then when's your birthday?"

"This Friday, Christmas eve."

"Oh, that's got to be a lovely time," he said. She looked to be think this over for a moment, before letting a smile appear.

"Yes. I suppose it is," she agreed.

There was a pause in the air before another question was put forth.

"Um… well, what music do you like?"

"Joni Mitchell, and—"

"Oh! Joni Mitchell, my sister's a fan of her as well."

"I know," she nodded. "— and George Harrison, as in I like him too… but best of course," she said, unable to hold back a smile.

"Really?" he smiled, pleased he had gotten some information out of her.

"Yeah. I'm a real sucker for his song 'Beautiful Girl'. Like, just hearing the first thirty seconds, I'm all lovey-dovey and all that silly shit," she said, becoming a little uneasy for telling him all this. "It's a shame I don't own the album though," she added.

"It's not silly. He's a very accomplished artist, and I suppose he has that effect on a lot of people."

"Too right. You're just saying that," she rolled her eyes. "You don't have to be nice to me just because I'm a friend of your sister's."

"I know, but I'd like to," he said. "And- it's only suitable you feel that way with that song- because you are…" he trailed off.

She looked at him with a smug expression on her face, a little intrigued as to what he had to say.

"I'm what?" she asked.

"Hmm?" he glanced back at her, pretending that he hadn't heard her. "Well, it was nice talking with you, and I'm sorry but I do need to discuss some things with, um… yes," he stumbled with his words.

"Right, sir," she said, getting up and crossing over to the door.

As soon as she shut the door, he clapped his hands over his eyes and let out a frustrated groan.

"Pathetic," he muttered, following with a small string of curses at for the stupid way he'd handle himself.


Author's Note : Hi-diddley-ho, neighborinos! - Liking it so far? Hope so. And isn't Karen just too wonderful? She's one of my favourite characters in the movie, besides the obvious… 3 Anywho, I kinda took from David's and Natalie's little talk in the movie and used it in my story. But it's not exactly like it of course, 'cuz Clem didn't tell him where she lived. I don't live in England (oh how I wish otherwise!), so I didn't want to get any of the places wrong. Wouldn't want any British folks angry with me. They're crafty… in the good way by all means shifty eyes Okie-day, on with the normal routine: Read/Review/Flame (optional). Cheers! :D