"Christmas is All Around"
Chapter 7
Thursday morning, December 23.
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"— And that's not the half of it!"
"He's just like all other men. Out chasing every bit of tail that comes even remotely their way."
"Too right! I'm surprised we didn't catch them snogging off in a corner someplace one day. Did you see the way he looked at her? It was obvious what his intensions were!"
"You know what I heard?"
"What?"
"I heard from Mary that she caught him and that new catering girl making eyes at one another."
"No!"
"Yes! The day she walked into his office, she looked as if she'd seen a ghost! I swear, they should watch themselves."
"At least she's not as big as that last girl, no real offense meant, but at least this one has normal thighs. But she's as flat as a board, she could pass for a man if she had a mind to."
"She does have lovely brown hair though, the straight style suites her."
"Yes it does… but why can't he fancy a girl with a normal body? This one's got no tits, and the other had tree-trunk thighs."
"Well, he can't go and redistribute this one, now can he? He's probably going to want to be quiet about this. He really has no choice about the matter."
"But think about the poor girl's feelings! The dear thing would be crushed. That Natalie girl looked like she was about to cry once the news about her relocation had gotten to her. And this new one isn't exactly the proper lady type who would take things lying down. Am I right?"
The female employees rattled on with their nonsense conversation, another rumor being spun every minute. And just outside the door Clementine was pressed against the wall, listening to every they were saying.
He's in love with another girl? This the only thing from their conversation that stuck. Her mind began leaping to different conclusions, not entirely caring how irrational they were. But– how? No… it can't be true, she tried to convince herself. "No!" she said to herself, then dashing off down the hall to get away from the women's hurtful words.
She would have to avoid him whenever going anywhere near his office and all contact with him. She especially couldn't look him in those eyes of his, those sweet blue eyes. He'd been lying to her, and stabbing another in the back. Why had he lead her on like that when he was already emotionally involved with another girl? In her book, this was wrong. It may have not seemed that way to others, but she had her values and stuck by them.
Thursday afternoon.
-
What on Earth am I going to do? she wondered to herself.
As luck would have it, partly due to the fact she wasn't at all paying attention to where she was going, she ran right into David.
While mumbling obscene curses under her breath, she kept herself from looking up at him.
"Are you all right there, Clementine?" he asked politely. Oh, how she hated him right then. How dare her give such pleasantries with what he's doing to her!
"Don't call me that," she said, almost too quiet for him to hear.
"I'm sorry?" he said as he leaned in closer. She turned her head, catching the wafting scent of his aftershave. Was this all some horrible plot against her?
"I said… don't call me that," she repeated.
"Well, then what shall I call you?"
"Miss Warwick, if you don't mind," she paused. "I know about Natalie. All about the two of you," she said, biting down hard on her bottom lip in effort to keep herself from crying.
David looked down at her, a little embarrassed, and a little ashamed.
"Clementine, it's not what you think. Allow me to—"
"I said do not call me that!" she yelled, unable to fully control the volume of her voice.
Before she or David knew what had happened, he found himself flattened against the opposite wall with great pain over the region of his right eye. She just stared at him, her bottom lip bleeding, and small tears beginning to form on the corners of her eyes.
"I'm giving you my two-weeks notice, as of two-weeks ago," she said calmly, as if the preceding event hadn't happened. "Goodbye, David," she said, desperately fighting back her tears, then turning on her heels and continuing down the hall. She had to get out of there.
Thursday evening.
-
"You quit! But why, my poppit!" Vivi asked Clementine.
"Creative differences," Clementine offered up, not at all wanting to continue the conversation.
"Oh come now, tell me, won't you?" Vivi begged.
"No, Auntie!"
"What's with all the ruckus?" Cleavon asked, stepping into the foyer from the sitting room.
"M'ya! We can't hear ourselves think!" Rollo piped in.
"What's with all your bellowing?" Nigel added.
"Oh why don't you two little buggers fuck off!" Clementine shouted, running up the stairs, half in tears, and slammed the door to her bedroom.
"Hello?" there came a knock at her door.
"I thought I told you two to go and—" she stomped over to the door and threw it open, only to reveal her father.
"I could go if you'd like, Angel. Just say the word," he smiled at her. How could she turn him away now?
Before she could stop herself in effort to preserve her strong appearance, she leapt forth and wrapped her around his neck. She sobbed into his shoulder, her begs for help muffled by the plain cotton fabric of his shirt.
"It's gonna be all right now, honey. Just let it out, shhh… I'm here," he hushed her, gently patting her back to calm her.
After about a few minutes of this, Clementine and Cleavon went over to the bed and sat down for a talk.
"Now, would you tell Daddy what's the matter?" he asked. She said nothing. "Does it have to do with work?" he guessed. She nodded a yes. They were both quite for a moment before she spoke up, taking in a breath before going ahead.
"Did you ever doubt that Mum wasn't the one?"
"Are you kiddin' me? Not for one second! And if she'd objected, I'd of clubbed her on the head and dragged her on back ta America," he joked.
"I'm being serious, Dad."
"So am I!" he said in defense. She just rolled her eyes at him.
"What I meant was… I– I really think that this one man is the one for me. But—"
"— But there's another girl, am I right?" he cut her off. She nodded sadly, trying to fight back the urge to cry again. "Well, if you think this feller's the one, you've gotta do somethin' instead of just sittin' here cryin'!"
"But I think he's in love with the other girl!"
"Really? Now this puts a little damper on my plan… but not enough to stop yer Ol' Man. No sir!" he said almost defiantly. "What's this girl like?"
"Well, I overheard some of the other girls say she was careless, but still quite pretty…" she said.
"Ha! You could beat that! You care a lot 'bout lots of things, and yer gorgeous! What kind of doubts would ya have?"
She smiled weakly at him, thankful he'd said what he'd said.
"You can't ever change the mind of someone in love," she mumbled, audible enough for him to hear.
"That's true," he admitted, then heaved a sigh as he looked over at her. "Then there's only one thing you can do now," he said.
"What?" she asked.
"Go and tell this palooka ya love him, that's what!" he exclaimed.
She didn't answer, instead leaning over and putting an arm around his waist for a hug. He held her back, putting his head against her as she rested it on his shoulder.
"Why can't everyone else be as wonderful as you, Dad?" she said softly.
"Not everyone can be a God among mortal men, princess," he smiled.
"Hello, I am very busy and important, how may I help you?"
"And who says you're important, you big idiot?" Karen laughed, always enjoying teasing her big brother. But something in his voice seemed off to her. "Are you all right?" she asked.
"Of course, why?"
"Nothing really. You just sounded a little off just then."
"Oh. So what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" he went on.
"I called because I wanted to know if you would somehow be able to come see the kids in their school play tomorrow night. If you can get away, that would be grand," she said.
"I don't know. Everything's so busy, and I'd have to get a car, then—"
"All right! You don't have to come. A simple 'I'm sorry, Karen, but I am unable to' would have sufficed just fine."
"Sorry, you know how I am."
"Oh how well I do, David," she giggled. There was a pause, Karen then sensing that something was indeed nagging at her brother. "Are you sure you're doing OK? You can tell me if there is anything, you know this," she offered.
"Why do you keep asking me that? I've told you I'm perfectly fine, excluding the normal stress a Prime Minister must deal with. Nothing out of the ordinary is wrong with me," he said, trying extra hard to hide the truth.
"It's a girl isn't it?" she hit the nail on the head.
"I've got to go now. I'll call you right back, I promise!" he said quickly, subsequently hanging up the phone. Why does she have to be so smart? he wondered.
Karen had nailed his problem, almost. His troubles happened to concern two girls. Why were things choosing to be so difficult? Firstly, there was Natalie who was a breath of fresh air into the office and a darling to talk to. And then there was Clementine, foully sharp-tongued but with a sweet side that he'd only briefly experienced. How he wished he were in another man's shoes at this point. He felt obliged to choose one of them, but he didn't want to hurt either of them. But who would he have to leave?
What am I going to do about Clementine? he thought. He reached up, putting his fingers tips near his right eye and flinched a little. She could really pack a wallop. She's quit on me now, and she is dead set in thinking– well… what she thinks… he went over in his mind. "How can I make her know I care about her?" he wondered. Then, an idea hit!
He picked up the phone and dialed up Karen's number.
"Karen? … It's David… Yes, yes, now listen. I need a favor…" he began.
