Yours Unfaithfully (5 page)

“You... you envy Nina, the woman you’re about promote to be your assistant? I don’t get it. Ratty I think I’m missing something here. She’s your number one fan, thinks you can fly from rooftop to rooftop, arms outstretched under your cape and yet
you
envy
her
. This must be a solicitor thing because in the bank it’s much more simple. Basically everyone envies the next person up the ladder. In fact that’s exactly what a career in the bank is, a game of snakes and ladders. Every time you do well you go up the ladder until one day you balls up, sorry Rattani, I think I’ve had too much wine, until one day you make one mistake too many and then whoosh, you slide right the way down a big snake and land in the snake pit.”

Melanie swung her arm around in an exaggerated demonstration just as a woman in brown tweeds was passing. She stopped her arm in mid swing but inertia ensured that the entire contents of the glass continued their flight, landing roughly amidships of the generous bust belonging to tweed lady. With white wine disappearing down her cleavage she stood motionless, in total shock. Her face slowly turned red with anger until it resembled scorched sandpaper.

Ratty and Melanie stared at her, silence had gripped the little group as each waited for another to say something, but no one wanted to speak first. After several seconds the lady, who Melanie later discovered was Miss Highnam, a partner in Nina’s firm, exclaimed angrily, “Women who cannot hold their drink should not be permitted in decent company.” She then turned and marched off, presumably to the bathroom. Melanie recoiled at her own stupidity. She obviously worked in Ratty’s firm so he would be embarrassed by her carelessness. Before she could make an escape from this self-made mess Ratty took her by the arm and gently guided her to an alcove, which was slightly set back and a lot less prominent.

“If you will insist on throwing drinks over my esteemed colleagues,” he said, “can we at least move somewhere less conspicuous.” He looked straight into her eyes and smiled.

Melanie was in a trance, her muscles ceased to obey her commands. She was staring into the kindest eyes she had ever seen. From this distance they excited her like none before, of that she was certain. The warmth generated by Ratty’s perpetual smile was the equal of a nuclear power station. It was evident he wasn’t cross with her. They reflected on the unfortunate downfall of Miss Highnam, and, as if ignited by the same spark they were overcome by spontaneous laughter. With tears streaming down her face Melanie put her hands across her stomach to ease the pain. Ratty spoke first, “I recall you describing her bosom as a snake pit before dumping the contents of your glass into it. Brilliant,” he exclaimed, ‘absolutely brilliant. How am I ever going to take that woman seriously again?’

“I’m so sorry Ratty; I just got a bit carried away telling you about the bank. I was going to tell you what they did to my friend Jenny. I didn’t look and... well you know what happened next, sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry Mel, I haven’t enjoyed myself so much in years. I’m never going to miss a party you’re at. I’ll put a clause in Nina’s contract that forbids her having a party unless we’re both invited. In fact ... I’d like to invite you to a function of my own next week, if you wouldn’t think me too forward. Please let me explain before you say no.”

Mel wasn’t about to say no, but something told her she should.

“Next Wednesday I have to address around a hundred business leaders at the Hilton Hotel in town. Our firm will have to do more of these seminars if they want to hold on to the big corporate accounts like Stellar Haufman. I’ve been asked to talk for an hour on contract law. Now here’s the problem, I could talk to them for an hour on the origin of contract and equity. I could bleat on about tortuous liability and the classic test for establishing a duty of care, the famous formulae of Lord Atkin in Donoghue v Stevenson in the Appeal Court in 1932 but I’d have them all asleep within ten minutes. The trick is to be factual but interesting, topical and yet amusing. How will I know if I was any of these things if I’m not sitting out there listening to my speech?” He was silent, waiting for her to answer.

“I suppose you could record the whole thing and then listen to it the next day?” Melanie offered.

“Not the same as having an independent assessment ... which is why I have a huge favour to ask ... would you be my guest, sit near the front so you don’t miss any of it, and afterwards tell me how I did? I’d want you to be honest of course. By the look on your face I can see you don’t want to do it. Now it’s my turn to say sorry. I’ve put you in an embarrassing position which is quite unforgivable. Melanie, I’m sorry.”

“I wasn’t looking like anything and I do want to come, it’s just that I can’t get time off work.”

“Melanie, I can easily fix that, I will request that the bank send you. I’ll tell them I’ve heard about your business skills and that I require you to assess my seminar. They’ll be pleased to assist our firm; you know how much they’d love to handle our account. My firm can pay the bank for your time if that’s what it takes. I was told when I joined that I could hire any resources I needed and I’ve decided I need you there.”

“Is that what I am, a resource?” Melanie gulped at her wine, displeased at that label after his previous compliments. The room was still reverberating with chatter but a sudden silence separated them. Ratty was furious with himself. He’d unwittingly insulted her. He had to think quickly. That was what lawyers did all the time so why was it proving so hard at this moment?

“You’re a lovely resource. I’m almost afraid that your presence will divert my mind from contract law so I stutter over my words and end up clasping my hands together in frustration at my verbal impotence.”

“You know I would do no such thing. More likely you’ll have forgotten you invited me and I’ll sit silently between two fat businessmen who are wondering why I’m there.”

“Melanie, that’s not remotely possible ... will you do it for me?”

“Well, seeing as I tried to drown one of your staff in white wine and disgraced you by falling about laughing at her misfortune ...OK then ...yes, I’ll do it.”

“Thank you Melanie, and afterwards, it finishes at noon, will you join me in the Hilton restaurant for lunch. That way I can debrief you while it’s still fresh in your mind.”

Melanie’s inhibitions were fast disappearing along with her wine. She looked at him with a wide smile, “Sorry Ratty, You can’t debrief me, I’m a married woman!”

She was making fun of him, and that was good. He quickly mustered his words to find an equally witty response, “Please don’t apologise, some other time perhaps ...can we still have lunch?”

The beam on her face told him she was happy with his reply, joking together like old friends. Ratty figured his conversation with Mel would get more intimate as she put back more wine. Only the fact that she lived next door stopped him insisting they quit drinking. Getting her drunk wasn’t his plan, but Mel would be safe with Nina so she couldn’t come to any harm. She was enjoying herself and he wasn’t about to spoil that for her. How often, he wondered was she this happy? Mel gripped his sleeve and he gently took her weight, he could see she was finding it difficult to stand unaided.

‘Perhaps we ought to sit down, let’s bag that sofa while we can.’

They collapsed on Nina’s luxurious white leather three seater. As the cushions swallowed her up Mel relaxed and slid sideways into Ratty. He put his arm around her to avoid it digging into her side. He would have liked to caress her but it was too soon. Instinctively he pulled her closer until they were a warm mass. His arm tightened around her and he was acutely aware that she was offering no resistance. Nothing needed to be said so he let the moment take care of itself, hoping that she wouldn’t make a sudden move away from him. Silence really was golden, he mused. All around them people continued to drone on, while the music kept up a steady thump, but they were unaware of it. They were enjoying these precious moments, each believing that they alone were relishing the intimacy of their encounter.

Quite by accident, Ratty reasoned, he’d ended the evening in the arms of a beautiful woman while all around people were dancing and carrying on conversations that had little or no point. He surveyed the crowded sitting room and realised that no one was taking any notice of them. It was as if they were invisible. In the midst of so many people they were quite alone. A tingling sensation was developing deep inside his chest, one he hadn’t experienced in years, and still he knew exactly what it was. The last time had been fifteen years ago when he’d met Sharon, his wife, on a skiing holiday. Then he hadn’t been afraid to say it, ‘Love at first sight’, but was it only for teenagers? Love was a silly word anyway, only in English he reasoned, could you use the same word to describe the passion you felt for your lover as for your need for a glass of beer.

The mood was surreal. He’d only come here tonight to gain his colleagues’ approval. He’d never expected this. But that followed ‘Ratty’s Rule’ to the letter, a rule he had believed ever since he was at school. ‘Things never turn out the way you expect them to.’ Was Melanie asleep? Was she even aware that she was ensconced in his arms? If so she must be happy with the situation? He blocked that line of thought, reminding himself that she’d consumed too much wine. In a moment she would wake up, compose herself and disappear next door, and into the arms of her loving husband. Pangs of jealousy stabbed Ratty where two minutes ago he’d felt a very different emotion. Battling with his feelings he questioned himself, should I wake her? She might be horrified to find she’s been asleep in my lap in front of so many people. Go on... wake her... I will, in a minute, she looks so peaceful, so... so lovely, and she’s in my arms. God this isn’t meant to be ...but I’m loving every second of it. Melanie stirred and looked up at him, she took a few seconds to locate herself, and when she did she tried to remember how she had come to end up in Ratty’s embrace. Despite the awareness that she was deep in the arms of a man she hardly knew, a man she’d only met two hours ago, she made no attempt to move. A sense of belonging invaded her. Her limbs refused to take orders. She was powerless to move away from him, or even to sit up straight. Her mind was translating pulses from every inch of her body, subliminal messages of contentment. She wasn’t moving because she was happy where she was. Common sense was telling her that she should get up, end this interlude now before people noticed, before people pointed at her, but her heart was overruling her head. She wanted to stay fast in his arms, she wanted more! As she slowly rejoined the real world thoughts of her problems at work came flooding back. She remembered how useless she felt at work, how undervalued she was at home, that word ‘failure’ came charging back at her. Why then, was this lovely human being showering her with kindness? She thought about the things she’d told Nina. Nina, oh my God, where was Nina? I’m in her house laying on her new boss in a drunken stupor, and next door my children are playing, and my husband is due home at any moment. I’ve taken leave of my senses. With great difficulty she pushed herself away from Ratty and slowly stood up, a little wobbly at first. She looked down at the man with whom she’d spent the last two hours, two wonderful hours. She smiled tenderly.

“I must go, I had too much wine. I hope I haven’t spoilt your evening!”

He looked at her longingly. “It’s been the best evening I’ve had in a very long time. I hope we can do it again, soon.”

“Maybe” she said and, offering him a parting smile, she set off gingerly to the kitchen in search of Nina. She had some apologising to do before she left. She found Nina laughing with a small group of her friends. They looked incredibly happy, joking loudly, another story about something that had happened in the office. When Nina noticed Melanie standing behind her she turned and hugged her warmly.

Melanie smiled at her, “I’d better go, Tim’ll be back soon.”

“Tim came back ages ago Mel, they came into the kitchen but I thought it best they went no further, so I sent them round to yours for half an hour, told them we had to clear up. They’d had a few ... never even argued. They’re probably asleep in front of your TV now so if you don’t want Ben for a lodger you’d better send him back, or leave him there, I don’t care either way”

“You’re a real friend Nina. I love you.”

Melanie staggered back to her house. The short walk in the crisp night air sobered her in seconds. She packed Ben off to his own house and went up with Tim to get ready for bed.

“Did Neen tell you, we came round earlier, just as you were clearing up, a real good evening by the sound of it?” She knew Tim was probing.

“It was OK. You know what it’s like with people from work. You just talk about all the same things you’ve already talked about before.”

“Was Roddy there in his bow tie and red braces?”

“No, it was Nina’s work people not mine.”

“So you didn’t know any of them?”

“No not at the start, but by the end I’d got to know one or two.”

One actually, she thought to herself. She realised that far from feeling guilty she was already missing Ratty. Tim climbed into bed and turned towards her back. He put his arms around her and she recognised his amorous intentions.

“Sorry Tim, I’m too tired. See you in the morning.”

He let out an exaggerated sigh before turning to his side of the bed. She knew full well he was miffed but there was nothing she could do about it with her head in this state, anyway she’d made promises of great things for Saturday night. She couldn’t think about that now, rather she was grateful that sleep came quickly.

As usual Saturday passed in a haze of activity and all too soon it was evening. Standing in the kitchen, cooking what was meant to be a special meal for the two of them she reflected on last night’s party. The encounter with Nina’s ‘boss to be’ had affected her deeply. Barely a minute had passed today without her mind returning to the time they’d spent together, the things he’d said, the meeting they had planned for next week. She shouldn’t be thinking about him at all ... her husband was getting himself tarted up for a night of ... of what? What had she promised when she was anxious to end their feud! Whatever it was she would soon have to deliver ... trouble was she wasn’t feeling that way inclined and it was all because of last night and someone called Ratty! A pet rat perhaps? The voice inside her head wouldn’t stop talking; ‘I wish Tim was off out tonight, fixing someone’s car or playing pool with Ben. If only I could see Ratty again for five minutes I know I’d feel better.’ Time was ticking away. Before long they would finish the meal, drink the wine and make small talk on the settee. It was the next bit she wasn’t looking forward to. What the hell is wrong with me? She quizzed herself for answers, but none came. Two weeks ago I was willing him to take me to bed and do with me whatever he wanted. I just needed him to hold me and tell me that things were like before ...before the row. Now I can’t face going upstairs, there’s no way I can go through with this, not with my thoughts so full of last night and Ratty.