Thanks for the comments. To clarify, in my mind, Caroline is around fifty years old, Ariana is around fifty one or two years old and Joscelyn is around thirty-six-ish. But let's not worry about the specifics, because age is just a number. Hope this helps.
Flora sniffed and coughed and cuddled closer to Caroline's chest.
'Not long now darling,' Caroline soothed and stroked her daughter's hair from her hot little forehead.
They were waiting for Flora's prescription to be filled from the chemist at the supermarket. Flora had been sick for a couple of days and both she and Caroline were extremely tired and grumpy from lack of sleep and as is the way, when you're tired and grumpy, everything feels like it takes longer and feels more impossible than it would usually.
Her mobile began ringing and she whipped it out of her coat pocket.
It was work.
'Hi,' Caroline attempted to sound enthusiastic.
'Caroline,' the dulcet tones of her ever faithful secretary flooded her ears. 'There has been a delivery for you.'
'A delivery of what?' Caroline watched the pharmacist wandering around behind the counter.
'Flowers,' Beverley said simply. 'The biggest bunch I've ever seen.'
'Who are they from?' Caroline stood up as the pharmacist waved her over.
'I didn't read the card,' Beverley sounded shocked.
'Well, read it,' Caroline said and mouthed a grateful thank you to the pharmacist and headed away from the crowded counter, carrying Flora in her arms.
As she dodged an elderly gentleman and his trolley, Beverley ripped the envelope open loudly and cleared her throat.
'It says…'
Caroline held her breath in anticipation that they might be from Ariana.
Beverley continued… 'Caroline, please reconsider my dinner invitation, and there's a telephone number and signed Josh, no, Joss.'
Beverley laughed. 'Josh, that would have been a turn up.'
'Wouldn't it just,' Caroline reached the car and began strapping Flora into her car seat.
'Do you want me to bring them round after work?' Beverley asked breezily.
'If you don't mind,' Caroline was distracted and she was curious to see the biggest bunch of flowers that Beverley had ever seen.
'How's Flora?' Beverley asked.
'Hopefully on the mend soon,' Caroline said.
She stood looking at her daughter through the car window and her heart swelled with love.
'You sound tired,' Beverley said.
'I am,' Caroline admitted. 'I need to go shopping and a few other bits and pieces but I haven't had time. I felt guilty having to take her out of the house and to the doctors but they don't want to do home visits these days.'
'I'll pick up a few things,' Beverley said kindly. 'Email me a list.'
'Thank you,' Caroline wanted to sob with gratitude but held back. 'See you later,' she said.
After Beverley hung up Caroline allowed herself to think about Joss.
Perhaps she should go out with her. Ariana had said that she did not want to get involved. Well, that was not exactly what she had said but it amounted to the same thing and Caroline could not change the circumstances so perhaps she should try to work within them.
All the way home her mind worked overtime. This was an impossible situation and good sense told her not to get involved. She had told Joss that she was not interested but it seemed that had not put her off. And what did Caroline have to lose? The woman was smart, attractive and willing. That was more than Caroline had been confronted with for a long time. Well- two years, which was a long time but it had been necessary to grieve and readjust to her new way of life. Now that Caroline felt more sorted perhaps she should not look a gift horse in the mouth and go out with Joss. She had been on dates before, they all ended in nothing but she had gone.
But the fly in the ointment was Ariana. And she was far from a fly, more like a beautiful, unreachable butterfly. It wasn't fair on anyone and Caroline had no idea how to pick her way through this situation.
She wanted to mumble a curse word but with Flora in the car, resisted the urge and pulled on to their driveway.
0
Finally, Flora settled into a comfortable sleep and Caroline closed her eyes for five minutes.
She fell instantly into a restful slumber and only woke up when the doorbell rang. Sitting upright with a start she leapt into action and went to let Beverley in.
The woman was hidden beneath an enormous vase of flowers.
'This Joss is pretty serious,' came a muffled voice from beneath the decorative leaves.
'Bloody hell!' Caroline took the vase.
'I waited for your email but it didn't come through,' Beverley said.
'Oh, sorry,' Caroline carried the flowers to the kitchen. 'I fell asleep.'
Beverley looked over at Flora sleeping on the sofa and smiled affectionately.
'Why don't you pop out while Flora's sleeping?' she suggested. 'I can take care of her.'
'Oh, no!' Caroline exclaimed. 'I couldn't possibly.'
'Caroline,' Beverley put her hands on her boss's shoulders. 'Go to the shops and take a little break. I will be fine here with Flora.'
'What if she wakes up?' Caroline rubbed her eyes wearily.
'Then I will call you and you can be back here in ten minutes,' Beverley gently encouraged Caroline towards the door with a light push.
Offering up no more complaint Caroline picked up her purse and car keys.
'I won't be long,' she promised.
'Fine,' Beverley smiled confidently. 'See you soon.'
For whatever reason, when Caroline got into the car she had one place in mind to go and that was to see Ariana.
'Bad idea,' she muttered to herself and started the engine of her Jeep.
The Gods must have been smiling on her because Caroline was able to park directly outside of Ariana's shop. After a desperate attempt to make herself look human and fluffing her hair back to life she slipped inside the store to the always present jangling of the bell.
'Can I help… you,' Ariana trailed off when she saw her customer.
'I doubt it,' Caroline forced a smile.
Ariana tucked her hands into the pockets of her linen trousers and smiled.
'What's going on?' she asked.
'Well…' Caroline fidgeted with her car key. 'Joss, sent me the largest bunch of flowers on Earth. I'm pretty sure they can be seen in outer space.'
'How nice,' Ariana said evenly.
'She wants me to go to dinner with her, did you know?'
'Yes.'
'What do you think about it?'
Ariana was cautious. 'If you want to go then you should do it.'
Caroline sighed.
'Is that the wrong answer?' Ariana asked.
Caroline wanted to say – yes! But she held back.
'Hey Caroline!' the vibrant presence of Joss bowled into the space and the smile on her face lit up the room.
'Hi,' Caroline said awkwardly. 'I stopped by to thank you for the flowers.'
That was not strictly true, she had wanted to see Ariana.
'Oh, my pleasure,' Joss stood next to her mother and the similarity was striking.
Caroline took a deep breath and Ariana turned away and went out to the office in the back.
'So,' Joss ambled closer. 'Did you think about my offer?'
'Yes,' Caroline said confidently. 'And yes I would like to go for dinner with you,' she said it loudly so that she knew Ariana would be able to hear. 'Except my daughter is not very well at the moment so it will have to be when she's feeling better.'
'Daughter?' Joss made a poor show of hiding her surprise. 'How old is she?'
'She's two.'
Caroline wondered if she had not mentioned Flora at all during their previous meeting. She must have done, perhaps Joss was not present at that time.
'Oh,' something flitted across Joss's face that did not go unnoticed.
'Is… is that a problem?' Caroline asked.
There was only a slight hesitation. 'No,' Joss said brightly. 'Of course not.'
'Good!'
'Great! Then give me a call when she's better and I hope she feels better soon,' Joss said sincerely.
'I will,' Caroline nodded, she glanced past Joss to where Ariana had disappeared but the woman was nowhere to be seen. 'I have to go and do some shopping,' Caroline flicked her car key nervously in her hand.
'OK! Mum, Caroline is leaving!' Joss called.
Ariana made a brief appearance in the doorway. 'Bye Caroline,' she said politely and was gone again.
'Bye!' Caroline called and could not shift the sadness in her gut.