Part Fifteen
The next morning when Karen went in to work, she felt happier than she had in weeks. When she went in to
her office, she found a large bouquet of flowers on her desk. The card simply said,
"I thought these might brighten up your day." On her way downstairs to hunt for a vase, she encountered
Jim. He stared at the flowers and then looked at Karen.
"Someone buying you flowers?"
"That's what it looks like," Said Karen.
"Who would that be then?"
"That's for me to know, and you to find out." Karen couldn't resist doing this to him. She knew it might be
hard for Jim to accept that Mike and her were seeing each other, but that was his problem not hers. Karen
left Jim staring after her with ill-concealed fury. who was sleeping with his Karen. How could she just move
on to someone else so quickly. He conveniently forgot that Karen had ended their relationship, because
he'd been having affairs with Shell Dockley and Rachel Hicks. His last thought before he made his way to
the office was that getting Karen back was what he was going to do. At all costs, she was going to be his
again and no one else's.
Karen walked up to where the Julies were again talking to Crystal at reception.
"Do either of you know where I can find a vase in this place?" They all turned round and looked at the
flowers and then at Karen.
"Oh, they're lovely," Said Julie J.
"Get them off Mr. Barrett, did you?" Asked Julie s. Karen grinned.
"News travels fast in this place, doesn't it." To Karen's surprise, Julie J gave her a quick hug.
"You'll be all right with him. He's the best there is round here."
Having found a vase and arranged the flowers, Karen made her way back upstairs. She had to pass through
the open plan office of the reporters and several heads turned to look.
"Someone's birthday is it?" Asked Jasmine. A snort of sarcastic laughter came from Jim before Karen had a
chance to reply.
"It seems that our news editor has a new beau." He couldn't hide the jealousy in his tone and as Karen
passed him she said,
"Get used to it."
Back in the reporters' office, everyone's attention had shifted from Karen to Nikki. When she'd appeared a
little before nine, she hadn't spoken to anyone. Those who knew Nikki well recognized the look of pure
grief mixed with anger. Something had obviously happened with Tash. Nikki went to her desk, turned on
her computer and didn't say a word. Everyone's thoughts were confirmed a little later when Tash appeared
followed by Kirstie. Tash looked a little wary but Kirstie, who was on her way upstairs, touched Tash's
cheek before she left. Victoria had been watching this little scene and Kirstie's clear, unabashed disregard
for Nikki's feelings made her see red. Victoria swiftly rose and stood in front of Kirstie.
"You have absolutely no feeling in you, do you!" Kirstie looked down her nose at Victoria but didn't reply.
"There is no need whatsoever for you to even be in here, never mind displaying your irrepressible lust as if
you hadn't hurt anyone in the process."
"Leave it, Victoria," Said Nikki gently. Victoria moved forward and gripped Kirstie's shoulders. She looked
straight in to her eyes.
"Do you have any idea what you've done to Nikki?" She turned an encompassed Tash with her glare. "The
pair of you. I've never seen someone as cut up as Nikki's been this weekend." At the same moment, Cassie
and Jasmine moved to Victoria and gently pulled her away from Kirstie. Kirstie simply gave Victoria a hard
look and left. Tash walked to her desk clearly unnerved by the altercation. Cassie and Jasmine still had hold
of Victoria and they realised she was crying. Gently Jasmine took her arm and led her downstairs to the
coffee lounge. They were alone as this room was generally empty at nine in the morning. Jasmine made
Victoria a strong cup of coffee and Victoria lit a cigarette. Jasmine sat down opposite Victoria and took her
hand.
"It sounds like this has affected you more than it has Nikki."
"I'm sorry," Said Victoria struggling to bring her tears under control. "Nikki's just managing to keep a hold
on her anger, that's all. I've seen how hurt she's been by this and I think it's just getting to me." Jasmine
looked at Victoria closely.
"You don't look all that good," She said, concerned.
"I haven't slept much this weekend."
"What exactly happened?" As Victoria began to describe how Nikki had appeared on Friday and how she
was or wasn't dealing with what Tash had done to her, Jasmine began to wonder if there wasn't more to
Victoria's outburst than met the eye.
A little while later, Nikki appeared and put a hand on Victoria's shoulder.
"Hey, I thought I'd come and see if you felt like accompanying me to court. All the cases from the weekend
will be put before the magistrates this morning."
"That doesn't need two of us, does it," Victoria said, stating the obvious.
"It does today," Said Nikki. "I think we could both do with being out of the office for a little while." Victoria
was grateful for Nikki's intervention. She couldn't believe how she'd let her guard down in front of the
entire office. She blushed at the thought of it. When they were driving through the center of town, Nikki
took her hand.
"Thank you for saying what you did. It meant a lot to me." Victoria stared at her.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I probably shouldn't have said any of it. Kirstie just made me so angry."
"You're not unlike I used to be," Said Nikki thoughtfully.
"How?" Asked Victoria curiously.
"I always used to say what I thought, whether it was appropriate or not. My feelings always overruled my
head. But don't be sorry. I think Kirstie needed to hear it."
When Jasmine returned to her desk, Nick Jordan asked,
"What's happened there then?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Jasmine said incredulously. Then she spied Tash looking at her and lowered her voice.
"Nikki came home from the pub on Friday night to find her," She gestured at Tash's back. "in bed with
Kirstie." At first Nick grinned.
"Wow!" He said in awe. "A Menage-A-trois." Jasmine glared at him.
"No, you ignorant tosser, Tash was cheating on Nikki with Kirstie." Nick's face darkened.
"That explains a lot," He said. "Looks like Victoria's a bit too touchy about it for just a friendly interest."
Jasmine privately thought he was right but didn't say so. Then Julie J appeared and came over to Jasmine.
"Want some gossip?" She asked with a gleam in her eye.
"I think we've had about a week's worth this morning," said Jasmine with a smile but Julie's looked to be a
very different kind of gossip.
"Guess who Karen Betts got flowers off this morning?" Jim heard Karen's name and turned to listen.
"Who?" Jasmine was intrigued to say the least.
"Mike Barrett," Julie said this as if it had been a state secret.
"You what?" Came Jim's curt response. Julie turned to him.
"Yeah," She said with a sly little grin. "It seems that Karen Betts has moved up in the world. At least he
won't treat her like a toy, to be ignored and thrown away when he gets bored of her." Julie said this with an
entirely straight face with only a hint of malice in her voice, but all who heard her knew she meant what
she'd said. Jim forgot where he was and immediately lit up a cigarette.
"Get that out of here," Came Tash's reproving tones. Jim stalked out of the office and down the stairs. He
was blistering with rage. Mike Barrett, screwing his Karen. What the hell was the world coming too! How
could she? How could she kick him in the groin like this. But it was Cassie's lilting taunt which caught him
half way down the stairs.
"Oh dear. Someone's clearly losing his touch."
The next morning when Karen went in to work, she felt happier than she had in weeks. When she went in to
her office, she found a large bouquet of flowers on her desk. The card simply said,
"I thought these might brighten up your day." On her way downstairs to hunt for a vase, she encountered
Jim. He stared at the flowers and then looked at Karen.
"Someone buying you flowers?"
"That's what it looks like," Said Karen.
"Who would that be then?"
"That's for me to know, and you to find out." Karen couldn't resist doing this to him. She knew it might be
hard for Jim to accept that Mike and her were seeing each other, but that was his problem not hers. Karen
left Jim staring after her with ill-concealed fury. who was sleeping with his Karen. How could she just move
on to someone else so quickly. He conveniently forgot that Karen had ended their relationship, because
he'd been having affairs with Shell Dockley and Rachel Hicks. His last thought before he made his way to
the office was that getting Karen back was what he was going to do. At all costs, she was going to be his
again and no one else's.
Karen walked up to where the Julies were again talking to Crystal at reception.
"Do either of you know where I can find a vase in this place?" They all turned round and looked at the
flowers and then at Karen.
"Oh, they're lovely," Said Julie J.
"Get them off Mr. Barrett, did you?" Asked Julie s. Karen grinned.
"News travels fast in this place, doesn't it." To Karen's surprise, Julie J gave her a quick hug.
"You'll be all right with him. He's the best there is round here."
Having found a vase and arranged the flowers, Karen made her way back upstairs. She had to pass through
the open plan office of the reporters and several heads turned to look.
"Someone's birthday is it?" Asked Jasmine. A snort of sarcastic laughter came from Jim before Karen had a
chance to reply.
"It seems that our news editor has a new beau." He couldn't hide the jealousy in his tone and as Karen
passed him she said,
"Get used to it."
Back in the reporters' office, everyone's attention had shifted from Karen to Nikki. When she'd appeared a
little before nine, she hadn't spoken to anyone. Those who knew Nikki well recognized the look of pure
grief mixed with anger. Something had obviously happened with Tash. Nikki went to her desk, turned on
her computer and didn't say a word. Everyone's thoughts were confirmed a little later when Tash appeared
followed by Kirstie. Tash looked a little wary but Kirstie, who was on her way upstairs, touched Tash's
cheek before she left. Victoria had been watching this little scene and Kirstie's clear, unabashed disregard
for Nikki's feelings made her see red. Victoria swiftly rose and stood in front of Kirstie.
"You have absolutely no feeling in you, do you!" Kirstie looked down her nose at Victoria but didn't reply.
"There is no need whatsoever for you to even be in here, never mind displaying your irrepressible lust as if
you hadn't hurt anyone in the process."
"Leave it, Victoria," Said Nikki gently. Victoria moved forward and gripped Kirstie's shoulders. She looked
straight in to her eyes.
"Do you have any idea what you've done to Nikki?" She turned an encompassed Tash with her glare. "The
pair of you. I've never seen someone as cut up as Nikki's been this weekend." At the same moment, Cassie
and Jasmine moved to Victoria and gently pulled her away from Kirstie. Kirstie simply gave Victoria a hard
look and left. Tash walked to her desk clearly unnerved by the altercation. Cassie and Jasmine still had hold
of Victoria and they realised she was crying. Gently Jasmine took her arm and led her downstairs to the
coffee lounge. They were alone as this room was generally empty at nine in the morning. Jasmine made
Victoria a strong cup of coffee and Victoria lit a cigarette. Jasmine sat down opposite Victoria and took her
hand.
"It sounds like this has affected you more than it has Nikki."
"I'm sorry," Said Victoria struggling to bring her tears under control. "Nikki's just managing to keep a hold
on her anger, that's all. I've seen how hurt she's been by this and I think it's just getting to me." Jasmine
looked at Victoria closely.
"You don't look all that good," She said, concerned.
"I haven't slept much this weekend."
"What exactly happened?" As Victoria began to describe how Nikki had appeared on Friday and how she
was or wasn't dealing with what Tash had done to her, Jasmine began to wonder if there wasn't more to
Victoria's outburst than met the eye.
A little while later, Nikki appeared and put a hand on Victoria's shoulder.
"Hey, I thought I'd come and see if you felt like accompanying me to court. All the cases from the weekend
will be put before the magistrates this morning."
"That doesn't need two of us, does it," Victoria said, stating the obvious.
"It does today," Said Nikki. "I think we could both do with being out of the office for a little while." Victoria
was grateful for Nikki's intervention. She couldn't believe how she'd let her guard down in front of the
entire office. She blushed at the thought of it. When they were driving through the center of town, Nikki
took her hand.
"Thank you for saying what you did. It meant a lot to me." Victoria stared at her.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I probably shouldn't have said any of it. Kirstie just made me so angry."
"You're not unlike I used to be," Said Nikki thoughtfully.
"How?" Asked Victoria curiously.
"I always used to say what I thought, whether it was appropriate or not. My feelings always overruled my
head. But don't be sorry. I think Kirstie needed to hear it."
When Jasmine returned to her desk, Nick Jordan asked,
"What's happened there then?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Jasmine said incredulously. Then she spied Tash looking at her and lowered her voice.
"Nikki came home from the pub on Friday night to find her," She gestured at Tash's back. "in bed with
Kirstie." At first Nick grinned.
"Wow!" He said in awe. "A Menage-A-trois." Jasmine glared at him.
"No, you ignorant tosser, Tash was cheating on Nikki with Kirstie." Nick's face darkened.
"That explains a lot," He said. "Looks like Victoria's a bit too touchy about it for just a friendly interest."
Jasmine privately thought he was right but didn't say so. Then Julie J appeared and came over to Jasmine.
"Want some gossip?" She asked with a gleam in her eye.
"I think we've had about a week's worth this morning," said Jasmine with a smile but Julie's looked to be a
very different kind of gossip.
"Guess who Karen Betts got flowers off this morning?" Jim heard Karen's name and turned to listen.
"Who?" Jasmine was intrigued to say the least.
"Mike Barrett," Julie said this as if it had been a state secret.
"You what?" Came Jim's curt response. Julie turned to him.
"Yeah," She said with a sly little grin. "It seems that Karen Betts has moved up in the world. At least he
won't treat her like a toy, to be ignored and thrown away when he gets bored of her." Julie said this with an
entirely straight face with only a hint of malice in her voice, but all who heard her knew she meant what
she'd said. Jim forgot where he was and immediately lit up a cigarette.
"Get that out of here," Came Tash's reproving tones. Jim stalked out of the office and down the stairs. He
was blistering with rage. Mike Barrett, screwing his Karen. What the hell was the world coming too! How
could she? How could she kick him in the groin like this. But it was Cassie's lilting taunt which caught him
half way down the stairs.
"Oh dear. Someone's clearly losing his touch."