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Real life – normal and What if – italics
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Arthur took Gwen to a nearby Subway where they ordered ice cream sundaes. Gwen barely touched hers, she was thinking of Jerry and Vivian. Finally she turned to Arthur and said, "I'm sorry I'm not great company."
"It's alright," he replied. "I'm happy to do it."
"You won't believe it, but I'm usually great company," Gwen replied, "my friend Morgana thinks you're cute."
"Your friend Morgana thinks I'm cute," he picked up the menu and added, "I just blew 2.95 on the wrong girl."
Gwen sighed in reply, she thought he was really good looking but he wasn't Jerry and she wasn't ready for this.
"It's just that I feel that when a person is going through a rough time like you are right now, there's always someone chosen to cheer them up and in your case it's me." Arthur said, smiling, "the fact that you're reasonably attractive just makes the job easier."
"Reasonably attractive, uh?"
"I knew that would get your attention," Arthur said. "Listen, some friends and I are going rowing on the Thames on Saturday and I wondered you might like to come."
"Rowing?"
"It's this thing you do in a small …," Arthur began and was interrupted by Gwen's, "I know what rowing is."
"So will you come?"
"Saturday?" she replied, "I'll check my schedule."
"Fair enough."
000
"So Jerry still went off to Dorset without you?" Morgana asked Gwen. They were crossing the bridge and below they could see some people rowing in the Thames.
"Yes," Gwen replied. "What do you think?" she gestured at the people in the boats.
"Probably some competition of sorts," Morgana replied.
000
"Who are calling now?" Vivian asked Jerry.
"Gwen," he replied, "I have to tell her I arrived safely. She'll be expecting it."
Vivian rolled her eyes at him and picked up her toiletries and went to the bathroom.
"…so anyway," Gwen was saying, "I was really tired and I must have zoned out for a bit and the next thing I realized - ."
"Arrggggggggggh."
"What was that?" Gwen asked; the noise had interrupted her conversation.
Jerry put the phone down and turned to glare at Vivian who was hopping around the room. He covered the mouthpiece and whispered, "What are you doing? You know I'm on the phone with Gwen."
Vivian pointed at her feet, one was her toes was bleeding. "I hurt myself." She sat down.
"The walls are really thin here," Jerry told Gwen. "And the couple next door has these crazy sex rituals. Maybe I should go and ask them for tips; you never know when we might need them."
"Okay," Gwen said, laughing, "As I was saying I zoned out and the next thing I knew I was on the gr-." She was interrupted by the sound of knocking.
"I'm sorry," Jerry said, "I really have to take care of something. Talk to you soon."
000
Gwen put down the phone and looked out the window. This relationship isn't working; she thought to herself, I should end it now.
000
Jerry turned to Vivian, angry. "What was that about?"
'I thought the whole point of going away for the week," Vivian replied, "was to get away from her."
"It is."
"So why were you calling her?" Vivian asked.
"I told you," Jerry replied, "She thinks we're in a normal relationship."
"I see," Vivian said. "Are you ever going to tell her that you're not?"
"Babe," Jerry wheedled, "these things take time, and I'll tell her when the time is right."
Vivian nodded and then picked up her shoe and threw it at Jerry who ducked in time. "What's wrong with you?" he asked her.
"You are what's wrong with me," Vivian told him. "Do you honestly think I like being the other woman?"
"Vivian, I don't need to remind you that you are one who left me."
"But I came back," she replied, "I'm here now."
"You left and I needed someone to take care of me," Jerry told him, "she thinks she's in love with me and it's actually kind of nice."
"Nice? You want nice? Fine." Vivian picked up her bags and stormed out of the room. "It's over." She told Jerry over her shoulder.
Jerry lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling, he would stay and enjoy his week and return to London as planned; thankfully Vivian had given the hotel her credit card, the whole week had been paid for. He now had a chance to make things work out with Gwen, she loved him, and she took care of him maybe that was all he needed. He didn't need all the craziness and drama he had with Vivian, he could live a simple calm life. He could do it.
000
Gwen entered the flat and looked at the flowers. Jerry walked towards her with a glass of champagne. She took it without thinking and asked dumbly, "what is this?"
"Flowers."
She remembered a conversation she had overheard at the restaurant. The woman had been arguing with the man about his having bought her flowers. The man insisted that he had bought her flowers on a whim, that he was being romantic. The woman had pointed out that he never did anything romantic even when he was supposed to, which meant that he bought her those flowers because he was guilty of doing something, that he was probably having an affair. The man had had no reply to that.
Gwen remembered that conversation as she looked at the flowers and Jerry's smiling face. He was probably having an affair, she'd suspected as much for months now. She decided to take the bull by the horns.
"Jerry, are you having an affair?"
"What? No." He sounded affronted. Technically, he had been having an affair until a few days ago, but he wasn't having one now.
"Okay." Gwen let it go; she wasn't in the mood for an argument.
"By the way what was it you were telling me on the phone the other day?" Jerry asked.
"It wasn't important," Gwen replied, she had been too tired at the restaurant and had zoned out for a bit and had a minor accident. "Just a job interview with a new firm that just moved to London, said that they had heard about my work."
"That's not nothing," Jerry said, "it's great."
"Yes," Gwen replied, "it's actually tomorrow at 6pm, the VP wants to meet me at her home."
"We should celebrate," Jerry said. He went to get the champagne bottle from the kitchen and was surprised to see Vivian standing outside their kitchen window. He screamed.
Gwen rushed into the room. "What's the matter?" she asked him.
Jerry had been trying to close the kitchen binds but hadn't succeeded, he shut his eyes and opened them slowly hoping against hope that Vivian wasn't still standing outside.
"I had a fright," he told Gwen, thankfully Vivian had disappeared. His phone rang.
000
"This is the third date you've had in any many days," Morgana pointed out, "I'd definitely say you're dating."
Gwen smiled; she couldn't believe how much fun she was having with Arthur.
"By the way," Morgana said," this came for you today." She handed Gwen a letter.
Gwen opened it and smiled, her loan application had been approved.
"This Arthur has certainly been a great influence on you, hasn't he?" Morgana teased. A few days ago while Arthur had been walking Gwen home he had asked her why she didn't go into business on her own. Gwen had replied that it was because she was afraid of failing and Arthur had replied, 'then you have nothing to fear.' 'What about the money?' Gwen asked Arthur. 'That's what banks are for.' So Gwen had decided to take the plunge, she had applied for a loan to start her own PR company.
"I can't wait to tell Arthur," Gwen told Morgana.
000
"I can't believe it," a woman said.
"I told you," another voice replied, "All men are the same."
"But he and Elena seem so happy," the first woman said.
"Too happy to be real you mean," the second woman laughed.
"You're right," the first woman said, "Elena couldn't have thought she'd be enough for Arthur Pendragon."
Gwen had been about to get out of the stall but now she remained there. She couldn't believe her ears. Arthur was married. She had told him all about her bad relationship, they'd talked about their first loves, what they wanted from life and he was married.
She had had enough bad relationships for the year. It was time to end it.
000
Morgana opened the door and glared at Arthur.
"Where is she?" Arthur asked, "I've been sitting at the restaurant for hours."
"Why?" Morgana asked him. "Shouldn't you be sitting at home with your wife? You know; the one with the wedding ring?"
Arthur stepped back from the door. He couldn't believe this was happening to him.
000
Gwen walked to the VP's flat, she was running late and she hoped the woman would understand and not hold it against her; it hadn't been easy to get someone to cover her shift at the restaurant.
She finally saw it, 4312; she rang the doorbell and waited.
Jerry opened the door.
000