Thank you for your comments on the first couple of chapters. I have a reasonable plan of how this story is going to unfold (but always happy to hear your suggestions too!), but I haven't actually written much of it yet so I expect it may be a couple of days between updates. Stay with me and please continue with the reviews!
Charles is having a good day
As he leaves the office, heading towards the tube, Charles James reflects that he is in an exceedingly good mood.
His day started with an early but energising 10k run around Battersea Park. A love of early morning PT sessions being a hangover from his days as a Captain in the British Army. He's been out for five years since his father's untimely death from a heart attack and has been living in London, successfully managing CJ Capital Partners, his family's considerable private equity fund.
On the way to the office, he enjoyed an espresso and chat with his good friend Qaseem. He's known Qaseem since meeting him on tour in Afghanistan, when Qaseem worked as an interpreter for Charles' platoon and they had struck up a friendship over a shared love of English Literature. Charles had studied English at Bath University before joining the army and Qaseem had been a Professor of English Literature at Kabul University before the Taliban killed his wife and daughter. After drawdown, Qaseem had decided to come to England to start a new life and Charles had financially helped him set up his little café business. Although Qaseem has vowed to repay Charles for his support, Charles has no intention of ever calling-in that particular debt, preferring to stop by for an espresso or two most mornings because he's not a fully functioning human until he's had his first coffee of the day.
He's spoken to his beloved mother, who sounded much brighter than she has in weeks. Since receiving the dreaded news six months ago that her cancer is back, she has now decided against any further treatment. Despite only having a few months left, she's finally found a peace which he hasn't seen in the years since his father's death. Although his heart is filled with sadness that she will soon leave him, he's accepted her decision and is focussed on making sure her last few months are as happy and stress-free as possible.
Then, when he had eventually got to the office, the first meeting of the day saw him close a significant deal which had been dragging on for the last few weeks. He's constantly surprised just how much of a buzz he gets from his work, as he never believed in his Army days that he was cut out for sitting behind a desk. It turns out that his well-developed listening skills, natural authority and strong leadership tendencies, together with a keen tactical mind, excellent attention to detail and an ability to think quickly in stressful situations are equally useful in the boardroom as they were in the Army. Admittedly, he doesn't actually spend that much time sitting behind a desk, preferring to get out of his office and talk to the people he works with rather than hiding behind emails and reports. He has developed quite a reputation for holding "standing meetings" which are not dissimilar to the mission ops briefings from his previous life.
He's just arranged to meet up later with his best friend Elvis Harte, recently retired from the Army, who is about to venture into an equally perilous career following in his own family business' footsteps - launching a new chain of trendy Italian bistros. His friendship with Elvis dates from boarding school and although they went to different universities, they were at Sandhurst at the same time and served together on several occasions although Charles went down the infantry route with Elvis pursuing his dream of joining Special Forces. It is fair to say that they have got into a fair few scrapes together over the years and he is looking forward to hearing all about Elvis' latest exploits and his plans for the new restaurants.
He's even done his good deed for the day by picking up a dropped earring for a beautiful woman in the lift as he left the office early, having granted himself the rest of the day off for some much needed R&R.
Yes, he's in an exceedingly good mood. Lady Luck is definitely smiling down on him today.
Molly misses the train
Elvis has insisted on some sort of random pub/restaurant crawl, ostensibly to check out the local Italian competition, which has so far involved quite a few peroni's, limoncello shots and an assortment of antipasto in four different places. Charles is having a great time and is currently in stitches as Elvis is recounting his latest failed love conquest which was abruptly curtailed when the poor girl's father called the police as Elvis attempted to shimmy up the drainpipe of the family home to enter the girl's bedroom in the middle of the night.
When Elvis excuses himself to check out the facilities, Charles glances around the room and notes a loved-up couple getting rip-roaringly drunk together at the end of the bar. He briefly thinks the woman looks familiar but is distracted from further thought by Elvis coming back and announcing it is time for the next stop on their adventure. He settles the bill and they leave.
Molly catches the train
As soon as they enter the latest place on Elvis' crazy Italian pub/restaurant crawl, Charles notices Molly, the lovely but slightly offish woman from earlier, sat on her own at the end of the bar knocking back drinks at rate which would put a squaddie to shame. Actually, she doesn't look quite so lovely at this particular moment, being decidedly worse for wear.
He's finding it difficult to concentrate on what Elvis is saying and can't take his eyes off her, just like earlier on the tube. Although they only met briefly and their conversation was mostly painfully awkward, he's caught himself thinking about her quite a few times during the course of the afternoon. He's still not entirely sure what made him talk to her then, as he's never before just struck up a conversation with a random stranger, beautiful woman with gorgeous green eyes or not, on a bloody tube train.
Elvis finally realises that his latest story is falling on deaf ears, "Earth to Charlie boy. Earth to Charlie boy."
"Sorry mate. Bit distracted." He's more than a tad curious to know why she is drowning her sorrows alone. Emboldened by rather too much peroni and limoncello he decides to find out why. "Elvis mate. Can you excuse me for a minute?"
There is no denying the look of surprise on Elvis' face as he strides off.
As he approaches her, he almost loses his nerve as it occurs to him that in her current state she probably won't even recognise him, "Molly! Hello!"
She looks at him with a questioning expression as he reminds her, "Charles…. Rather annoying bloke on the tube earlier?"
He's disappointed that the look she now gives him is one of vague indifference, "Oh, yeah. Hi."
He indicates the empty glasses lined up in front of her, "You alright?"
Her reply is too quick to be truthful and has a distinctly defensive edge to it, "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
He feels a bit hurt by her hostility but pushes on, "It's only a job. You'll get another one."
She doesn't bother responding to this, just lets out a derisive snort and rolls her eyes.
Although she hasn't yet said so, her body language is telling him to fuck-off and leave her alone, but he can't seem to let it go, "Shit. It's something else, isn't it? Sometimes it helps to just say whatever it is out loud."
As quick as a shot she retorts, "It also 'elps if people mind their own business and leave you alone."
He finally admits defeat and is turning to go back to Elvis when he hears her quietly say "When I left you at the tube earlier, I went 'ome and found my boyfriend….. in bed with another woman."
He turns back towards her and feels a huge urge to wrap her in him arms, give her massive cuddle and take away the pain she is obviously feeling. Of course, he doesn't do anything of the sort, just offers her apologetic words, "She hit. I'm sorry, Molly."
She shrugs her shoulders and lets out a weary sigh, "It's ok. You weren't to know."
Frankly, he's astounded that any man would cheat on her, "What a complete and utter cockwomble."
Suddenly her entire face has lit up in an amused smirk, "Cockwomble?"
He's happy that she seems to have momentarily forgotten her sadness and he's pleased that he's been able to bring a smile onto her beautiful face. He realises that humour might be a good way to cheer her up, "Look, if it makes you feel any better, you see that bloke over there? Not only does he own a set of crocodile-skin luggage, but his favourite TV programme is Baywatch and his name is Elvis. So, you see, there is always someone sadder than you."
She's still smiling and for some inexplicable reason he feels compelled to find out more about the man who has caused her upset, "Do you love him?"
Her smile starts to fade and immediately he is cursing himself for bringing up the bloody boyfriend. He is ridiculously relieved when she giggles, "Nah, I could never love a Baywatch fan."
He laughs at her banter, "Hey, you did a joke in the midst of your turbulent emotional state. That's very positive. Listen, if you decide you want company, we're over there, ok."
She smiles and nods at him, but makes no effort to get up.
He smiles back, holding her in his gaze, "I'm really sorry Molly."
As he walks back to Elvis it is obvious that his friend has been watching this entire encounter in wonder and amusement.
"Charlie, you dark horse. Who is she? How do you know her? And mostly importantly why the hell are you back here and not still talking to her?"
He knows that his piss-taking friend is going to have a field day on this, "It's not what you think Elvis. She's Molly. I met her today, first in a lift and then again on a tube train. She's just discovered her boyfriend shagging someone else in their bed. Understandably she wants to be alone, rather than being chatted up by some random stranger."
"So you were trying to chat her up then?"
"Elvis."
"Yes Charlie."
"Shut the fuck up and get another round in."