Episode 3 Part 1:
Meredith sat at her desk practically buried under mountains of paper, letters and colour charts, running her hands though her long dark locks she tried to focus on the words in front of her but they began to swim in front of her eyes. Damn she had been at this too long already, where was her edge? Angry at herself Meredith grabbed the pages and threw them up in the air, leaning back into her leather recliner as they slowly fell around her.
"Well that's a novel method of filing!" A cheeky American voice filled the air, causing Meredith to glance up a
broad smile spreading over her face.
"Giles!" She exclaimed jumping from her seat and dashing across to pull one of her oldest friends into a bone-
crunching hug. "What are you doing here? You told me you wouldn't be able to fly in till the weekend!" She
admonished.
"Ah well I managed to twist Marcus's arm, so he's looking after my baby for me!" Giles teased kissing her on
both cheeks. "But look at you gorgeous, truth be told I don't think you've ever looked better, what is it that
new man you mentioned on your last visit?"
"Oh no, we broke up!" Meredith replied cagily.
"I'm sorry there I go putting my big Yankee foot in it again!" Marcus replied sadly, hugging her once more.
"Well you know what they say plenty more fish in the sea..."
"Yeah but both you and Marcus are taken, with each other! So who does that leave....?"
"Nelson Mandela, I hear he's a nice bloke or perhaps that nice Italian fella, wears all the white robes and
drives around in a glass domed car.." Giles joked
"Oh Giles be serious!" Meredith giggled. "But I am so glad you are here this is a nightmare!" She exclaimed
waving around at her untidy office. "My manager walked out to go work for the competition and I have yet to
find anyone I like to replace him, so that means I'm having to do everything myself!"
"Yes but despite everything you look fantastic, positively radiant, if only I knew your secret!"
"Get pregnant!" Meredith scoffed enjoying the look of pure shock on Giles's face.
"You...." Giles gasped. "Your....Really...Really Pregnant....I can't believe it!" Giles added.
"Well this is a poor beginning if even you don't believe me!" Meredith replied sighing deeply. "Yes I am
pregnant, I'm having a baby, that's what it means to be pregnant."
"Oh I know, I'm sorry its just I never thought to hear you say those words, honestly I'm delighted for you and
well that gives us yet another thing to celebrate!" Giles added mysteriously
"Celebrate! We haven't the time for that, look at the work we have to get done..."
"No I've made reservations, one of my old friends has opened a new restaurant and I promised to sample it
the first time I was in London." Giles cut in insistently. "So Cinderella off we go, home first to change...I
trust the spare room is made up for my arrival already?"
"Oh I certainly hope so!" Meredith retorted accepting the arm that was offered to her and heading out of the
door, determined that tonight of all nights she would put Gavin Cochrane out of her mind.
It took surprisingly little time for Meredith to shower and change and Giles to shower and unpack, and within
a couple of hours Meredith's car pulled up outside the restaurant Giles had been raving about.
"Now I know it may not look much from the outside but that's the point, he wanted to keep the exterior low
key so that when people actually came in they went wow..." Giles trailed off as they climbed the spiral
staircase reaching the tope where a doorman nodded before opening the door to the restaurant.
For a moment neither spoke taking in the large glass dome that encased London's largest rooftop restaurant,
the different areas divided by large tropical plants and cascading water. "It's beautiful!" Meredith gasped. "I
want the name of the decorator who did this!" She added locking her poker face on Giles. "Can you ask your
friend for me!" She wheedled.
"Of course!" Giles replied smiling knowingly. "Having one of your ideas?" He asked knowingly as their waiter
ushered them to their table.
"Perhaps!" Meredith grinned. "But enough of that...Lets just hope that the food is as good as the décor!"
- - - -
An hour later just as Meredith was finally beginning to relax and forget about a certain Gavin Cochrane,
listening delighted as Giles prattled on about New York, Marcus and ridiculous things that his completely
uncultured yet adorable other half keep spouting, when the atmosphere in the restaurant suddenly changed.
Sitting with her back to the door Meredith only realised something was up when Giles stopped in the middle
of a sentence, his eyes widening as he beheld the party who had just arrived, and other diners in her line of
view all turned in their seats gossiping behind their napkins.
"What is it?" Meredith asked excitedly. "Or more to the point who is it?"
"Don't ask me sweeting." Giles replied puzzled. "Although if I didn't know better I'd say they'd just stepped
off the set of a godfather remake!" He whispered conspiratorially. "Oh but my oh my that tall one is a sight for
sore eyes, don't bother telling me the deserts honey I'll have me some of that!" He added in his best over the
top camp accent.
Laughing broadly Meredith tried to peek over her shoulder at the new arrivals but turned too late only
catching a glimpse of the hangers on, several beautiful but scantily clad woman, or girls to be more precise who
were being shooed along like cattle by a couple of heavies dressed in Armani and still sporting shades despite
the time being nearer midnight than noon.
"Damn." She hissed. "My luck is rotten, first I have to sit here and watch you drink my favourite champagne
and now I miss the floor show!"
"Oh well the show is over, but madam can I tempt you with a glance at desert menu?" Giles sniggered, doing
his best imitation of a waiter. "I trust you're still allowed that!"
"You better believe it!" Meredith chuckled. "Gimme!"
- - - -
Sighing deeply Gavin Cochran settled back into the comfortable leather of the corner booth, it had been Danny'
s cajoling that had dragged him out tonight, just when he had resolved to put a stop to this new lifestyle of
his here he was again. Forcing a smile of his face he politely nodded at the waiter ordering him to bring several
bottles of champagne and make it snappy, he wasn't in the mood to wait and there was no way he was going
to make it through this evening sober; the inane prattling of his so called companion for the evening had
already meant he had downed a few tots of whiskey before leaving the club and now he felt the need for
additional alcohol to block out her incessant twittering. For one moment he considering turning round to
Shelley or Kelly or whatever her stupid name was and telling her to shut up, that if she wanted to impress
him perhaps she could try and go an entire minute without uttering a single syllable. But then again these
girls weren't here for their conversation, they were here to look fantastic and later on make him feel the same
and there was no denying they managed to serve their purpose well and that alone kept his temper in check.
For a moment Gavin allowed his mind to wonder, to rake over his brunette companion, and imagine another
woman filled not only her place but her dress as well, a smile pulling at his lips when automatically he heard
Meredith's voice in his head quickly informing him she would never be seen dead in such a number and
certainly not out in public where people who knew her might see; no if it wasn't a classic designer then she
wasn't interested and for once Gavin found himself agreeing with her, the dress Shelley wore whilst
emphasising her assets was hardly beautiful or flattering.
What he wouldn't have given to close his eyes and open them again to find this lot of hangers on and crawlers
had disappeared and the woman he had been dreaming of had magically appeared in their place, however
when this didn't happen Gavin reached out and poured himself a glass of champagne downing it quickly and
topping it up once more; he was going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning.
Meredith sat at her desk practically buried under mountains of paper, letters and colour charts, running her hands though her long dark locks she tried to focus on the words in front of her but they began to swim in front of her eyes. Damn she had been at this too long already, where was her edge? Angry at herself Meredith grabbed the pages and threw them up in the air, leaning back into her leather recliner as they slowly fell around her.
"Well that's a novel method of filing!" A cheeky American voice filled the air, causing Meredith to glance up a
broad smile spreading over her face.
"Giles!" She exclaimed jumping from her seat and dashing across to pull one of her oldest friends into a bone-
crunching hug. "What are you doing here? You told me you wouldn't be able to fly in till the weekend!" She
admonished.
"Ah well I managed to twist Marcus's arm, so he's looking after my baby for me!" Giles teased kissing her on
both cheeks. "But look at you gorgeous, truth be told I don't think you've ever looked better, what is it that
new man you mentioned on your last visit?"
"Oh no, we broke up!" Meredith replied cagily.
"I'm sorry there I go putting my big Yankee foot in it again!" Marcus replied sadly, hugging her once more.
"Well you know what they say plenty more fish in the sea..."
"Yeah but both you and Marcus are taken, with each other! So who does that leave....?"
"Nelson Mandela, I hear he's a nice bloke or perhaps that nice Italian fella, wears all the white robes and
drives around in a glass domed car.." Giles joked
"Oh Giles be serious!" Meredith giggled. "But I am so glad you are here this is a nightmare!" She exclaimed
waving around at her untidy office. "My manager walked out to go work for the competition and I have yet to
find anyone I like to replace him, so that means I'm having to do everything myself!"
"Yes but despite everything you look fantastic, positively radiant, if only I knew your secret!"
"Get pregnant!" Meredith scoffed enjoying the look of pure shock on Giles's face.
"You...." Giles gasped. "Your....Really...Really Pregnant....I can't believe it!" Giles added.
"Well this is a poor beginning if even you don't believe me!" Meredith replied sighing deeply. "Yes I am
pregnant, I'm having a baby, that's what it means to be pregnant."
"Oh I know, I'm sorry its just I never thought to hear you say those words, honestly I'm delighted for you and
well that gives us yet another thing to celebrate!" Giles added mysteriously
"Celebrate! We haven't the time for that, look at the work we have to get done..."
"No I've made reservations, one of my old friends has opened a new restaurant and I promised to sample it
the first time I was in London." Giles cut in insistently. "So Cinderella off we go, home first to change...I
trust the spare room is made up for my arrival already?"
"Oh I certainly hope so!" Meredith retorted accepting the arm that was offered to her and heading out of the
door, determined that tonight of all nights she would put Gavin Cochrane out of her mind.
It took surprisingly little time for Meredith to shower and change and Giles to shower and unpack, and within
a couple of hours Meredith's car pulled up outside the restaurant Giles had been raving about.
"Now I know it may not look much from the outside but that's the point, he wanted to keep the exterior low
key so that when people actually came in they went wow..." Giles trailed off as they climbed the spiral
staircase reaching the tope where a doorman nodded before opening the door to the restaurant.
For a moment neither spoke taking in the large glass dome that encased London's largest rooftop restaurant,
the different areas divided by large tropical plants and cascading water. "It's beautiful!" Meredith gasped. "I
want the name of the decorator who did this!" She added locking her poker face on Giles. "Can you ask your
friend for me!" She wheedled.
"Of course!" Giles replied smiling knowingly. "Having one of your ideas?" He asked knowingly as their waiter
ushered them to their table.
"Perhaps!" Meredith grinned. "But enough of that...Lets just hope that the food is as good as the décor!"
- - - -
An hour later just as Meredith was finally beginning to relax and forget about a certain Gavin Cochrane,
listening delighted as Giles prattled on about New York, Marcus and ridiculous things that his completely
uncultured yet adorable other half keep spouting, when the atmosphere in the restaurant suddenly changed.
Sitting with her back to the door Meredith only realised something was up when Giles stopped in the middle
of a sentence, his eyes widening as he beheld the party who had just arrived, and other diners in her line of
view all turned in their seats gossiping behind their napkins.
"What is it?" Meredith asked excitedly. "Or more to the point who is it?"
"Don't ask me sweeting." Giles replied puzzled. "Although if I didn't know better I'd say they'd just stepped
off the set of a godfather remake!" He whispered conspiratorially. "Oh but my oh my that tall one is a sight for
sore eyes, don't bother telling me the deserts honey I'll have me some of that!" He added in his best over the
top camp accent.
Laughing broadly Meredith tried to peek over her shoulder at the new arrivals but turned too late only
catching a glimpse of the hangers on, several beautiful but scantily clad woman, or girls to be more precise who
were being shooed along like cattle by a couple of heavies dressed in Armani and still sporting shades despite
the time being nearer midnight than noon.
"Damn." She hissed. "My luck is rotten, first I have to sit here and watch you drink my favourite champagne
and now I miss the floor show!"
"Oh well the show is over, but madam can I tempt you with a glance at desert menu?" Giles sniggered, doing
his best imitation of a waiter. "I trust you're still allowed that!"
"You better believe it!" Meredith chuckled. "Gimme!"
- - - -
Sighing deeply Gavin Cochran settled back into the comfortable leather of the corner booth, it had been Danny'
s cajoling that had dragged him out tonight, just when he had resolved to put a stop to this new lifestyle of
his here he was again. Forcing a smile of his face he politely nodded at the waiter ordering him to bring several
bottles of champagne and make it snappy, he wasn't in the mood to wait and there was no way he was going
to make it through this evening sober; the inane prattling of his so called companion for the evening had
already meant he had downed a few tots of whiskey before leaving the club and now he felt the need for
additional alcohol to block out her incessant twittering. For one moment he considering turning round to
Shelley or Kelly or whatever her stupid name was and telling her to shut up, that if she wanted to impress
him perhaps she could try and go an entire minute without uttering a single syllable. But then again these
girls weren't here for their conversation, they were here to look fantastic and later on make him feel the same
and there was no denying they managed to serve their purpose well and that alone kept his temper in check.
For a moment Gavin allowed his mind to wonder, to rake over his brunette companion, and imagine another
woman filled not only her place but her dress as well, a smile pulling at his lips when automatically he heard
Meredith's voice in his head quickly informing him she would never be seen dead in such a number and
certainly not out in public where people who knew her might see; no if it wasn't a classic designer then she
wasn't interested and for once Gavin found himself agreeing with her, the dress Shelley wore whilst
emphasising her assets was hardly beautiful or flattering.
What he wouldn't have given to close his eyes and open them again to find this lot of hangers on and crawlers
had disappeared and the woman he had been dreaming of had magically appeared in their place, however
when this didn't happen Gavin reached out and poured himself a glass of champagne downing it quickly and
topping it up once more; he was going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning.
