Real life is in normal while what if is in italics
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"What you need is a pick-me-up," Jerry told Gwen. "Here's what we'll do. We'll go to Renata's and you'll eat that Italian food you love so much, drink champagne and dance the night away to Tom Jones and you'll eat the Death by Chocolate cake you've been denying yourself."
"You're so good to me," Gwen told Jerry. She was already feeling better. Yes, they would go to Renata's their favourite bar and restaurant and have fun tonight. She would worry about not having a job tomorrow. Gwen changed into a deep red super short dress that showed off her legs and they set off for a night of fun.
000
Gwen ran into the street in tears. How could she have been so stupid? She asked herself. Of course, Jerry wasn't interested in her, he had Vivian. The little blonde beauty. So many things suddenly made sense to Gwen. Jerry had just using her, for food and a place to stay and she had thought they were in love.
Morgana had never liked Jerry and she had told Gwen but Gwen had been so taken in by his drawl and his smile. Jerry had a way of looking at you like you were the only person in the room and he was a great kisser. So much for all that.
It was just three o'clock in the afternoon and Gwen knew Morgana that wouldn't be home until around six. She wasn't in the mood to see her best friend yet, so she made her way to Renata's – she loved that place – and sat at the bar. Maybe she would be able to drown her sorrows in alcohol.
000
Gwen and Jerry entered Renata's laughing. They were quickly led to a table, where Jerry ordered the food and asked that the drinks be kept flowing. Gwen stuffed herself so much, she was sure that she won't be able to walk back to the flat. The restaurant had a live band and if you were early you could request for songs. Jerry requested for Tom Jones and he and Gwen danced until late.
Gwen couldn't remember when she had last had that much fun.
000
Arthur and Merlin entered Renata's and made their way to the bar. Arthur couldn't believe his eyes; Gwen was sitting at the end of the bar crying into her beer. He made his way towards her.
"Hi, remember me," Arthur said, "Arthur, the annoying guy you met earlier on the tube."
"Ah, yes," Gwen attempted to smile.
"What's going on?" he asked her, concerned.
"Well, what can I say?" she replied, "after our meeting I went home and found my boyfriend in bed with another woman."
"What?" Arthur couldn't help himself, he reached out towards her. "What a fool."
"You didn't know," Gwen told him.
"I meant your boyfriend," Arthur replied.
Gwen nodded, hoping that Arthur would take the hint and leave her to drink in silence. Arthur continued to sit with her and then sensing that she probably wanted to be alone left her saying if she needed anything he would be at the bar.
000
Arthur and Merlin entered Renata's and as they made their way to the bar, Arthur bumped into the couple who were on their way out. "I'm sorry," he apologized and smiled at the woman. She was wearing a red knockout dress and when she smiled at him he was struck. The couple left and Arthur and Merlin made their way to the bar.
000
Merlin could feel his friend's gaze straying every so often to the woman he had talked to when they had just come in.
"Arthur, who is she anyway?" Merlin asked.
"Just a woman I met on the tube today," Arthur replied.
"I see."
Morgana walked into Renata's and looked for her friend. Gwen was sitting at the bar drinking. Morgana rushed up and hugged her friend, she would kill Jerry for hurting Gwen like this.
"Let's get you home," she told Gwen and took her arm.
When they passed by Arthur and Merlin, Arthur got up and helped Morgana with Gwen and got them into a taxi.
000
Gwen was frustrated; she had still failed to find a job. Granted it had only been a week but surely, even in this economy, someone was hiring. Morgana had been very helpful telling her that the deli next to the dance studio where she worked was looking for a delivery person. At first Gwen had refused to consider it but now looking at the bills that had come in just that morning, she figured any job was better than no job.
The man at the deli was happy to employ her and as her work was only delivering sandwiches to the nearby offices in the morning, when he told her of an opening at his brother's restaurant for a waitress who only worked nights, Gwen was happy to apply for that job as well. It would really come in handy, especially as Jerry's novel was still unfinished.
That afternoon Gwen was happy to tell Morgana went they met at Morgana's flat that she now had two jobs. Morgana wanted to point out, but she knew that it would make Gwen unhappy, that Jerry could also have gone job-hunting. After all, Gwen had supported him for a year now. But she kept her peace and hoped that Gwen would come to that realization soon enough.
000
"But don't you think it's unfair?" Gwaine asked Jerry. "The poor woman is now job hunting and you're not even writing."
"You're only saying that 'cause you're jealous," Jerry replied.
Gwaine shook his head and picked up his drink. He was ashamed of the way Jerry was treating Gwen. She didn't deserve it.
"So you're still going away for the weekend with Vivian?" Gwaine asked. "What about Gwen?"
"With any luck she'll get a job today," Jerry replied, "and then she won't be able to get free to go away in two weeks' time."
"So you've planned it all out, then?"
"That's me, master planner," Jerry laughed.
"You know," Gwaine said," one day this whole thing will backfire in your face."
"I guess that means I better enjoy it while I can, doesn't it?"
000
Gwen moved into Morgana's flat and apart from the time Morgana forced her to go on and have her hair done, she didn't venture out.
She cried herself to sleep every night and every time the phone rang or there was a knock on the door, she rushed to see if it was Jerry. But he never rang or came round to the flat.
After almost a week, Gwen asked her friend to go and get her stuff from her flat.
"This is wrong," Morgana said, "it's your flat."
"I know," Gwen replied, but she wasn't going to get into that now. She was over crying for Jerry, it was time to move on. "Was she there? Vivian?"
"No," Morgana replied.
000
Gwen watched Jerry leave the house; she had just walked in from delivering sandwiches and she was exhausted. Luckily she had a few hours before her next job.
Jerry was off to the library, or so he had heard. Somehow, Gwen didn't believe it and without meaning to she grabbed her purse and followed him.
Jerry couldn't believe it, Gwen was following him. He called Vivian and told her that he would be late because he was being followed. He entered the library and found himself a seat.
"Hello, are you looking for someone?"
Gwen turned and looked at the blond man smiling at her. He seemed familiar, and it came back to her – the lift on the day she was fired, and then at Renata's that night.
"I just like peeping," Gwen replied.
"So do I," he replied, "I'm waiting for a friend of mine. I'm Arthur, by the way."
"Guinevere, but everyone calls me Gwen."
Merlin came out of the library and joined them.
"My friend here's a landscape artist," Arthur told Gwen after introducing Merlin to her, "and we're on our way to see his latest work. Care to join us?"
Gwen hesitated. She didn't know these men from Adam; they could be thieves or worse.
"If it helps," Arthur said, "It's just round the corner from the library."
"Okay."
000
Gwen and Morgana were in the sitting room. Gwen was watching TV while Morgana was reading a newspaper.
There was a knock at the door.
The women looked at each other.
"Get the door," Gwen said, "it's probably not for me anyway."
"There's no way I'm getting the door dressed like this," Morgana replied, "and it's bound to be Jerry looking for you."
Ever since Morgana had picked up Gwen's things from the flat the day before, Gwen had given up on Jerry's coming looking for her. But now as she walked to the door she gave in to the faint hope that Jerry still cared and had finally come to his senses.
She opened the door.
"Arthur."
"I hope I haven't come at a bad time," he said.
000