The day sped by like a rollercoaster and the day of David's party' dawned all too soon.
Sharon woke that morning with a headache, a dull pain throbbing her temples.
She hadn't slept well, a nervous anxiety in her stomach, keeping her tossing and turning all night, but after a shower, a cup of black coffee and two aspirins, she felt a little more human.
She looked in on her child and she was still sleeping. She had not allowed her have a room of her own, so they shared the bed.
She would read her bed time stories and she would listen to them till she fell asleep and then Sharon would go and do anything she had to do before returning to sleep beside her daughter.
It was a miracle that her tossing and turning had not woken her child during the night. She was normally a quiet person when sleeping. No snoring and no turning.
She dressed in tight demon jeans and a thick baggy pink sweater, still clutching her cup of coffee as she wondered into the lounge.
It was a high ceilinged room, the walls ragged cream. An old Persian carpet __ a present from Gabriel lay on the polished wooden floorboards and between the two high windows with their wooden shutters stood her two work desks cluttered with books, drawings and pens.
It was a perfect room for working in because the window faced the north, their cold demanding light suitable for the colours she had to match in her designs.
She sipped her coffee slowly, the pike of work on the desk somehow accusing her. She had hardly done a thing since returning from Corfu and Oliver was already making noise concerning the new collection. She was going to be very busy during the next week or so. As well as the new designs, Oliver had already made a number of appointments for her. When it came to business, he was as hard as nails and he wouldn't take any excuses. She had never been a victim of his harsh tongue but she had heard him tearing into other people who had dared to be insufficient and it had scared the living daylights out of her. David had never been as forceful as that and neither had Bryan for that matter. She really would have to get in with some work, perhaps it would even take her mind off Bryan.
The doorbell rang as she moved towards the cluttered desk and she smiled realising that she was glad of the diversion.
Gabriel couldn't be up yet, it was far too early and besides, she had heard him come in last night. He had sounded pretty drunk, kicking the empty milk bottles down the steps as he staggered through the front door. Sharon had given him two cups of strong black coffee and left him to it, exasperated and a little saddened by his helplessness.
She ran downstairs as the door bell rang again. Outside stood a delivery man with an armful of deep red roses, their heavy fragrance mingling with the cold morning air.
Mrs. Sharon Alexandria?' The young man smiled. Sharon nodded, staring and the flowers were thrust into her hands. It seemed as though there were hundreds of them, transporting her back to the summer. She knew who they were from without reading the attached card although she tried to tell herself that it might be from Oliver or some unknown admirer.
She was pushing the front door shut with her foot when Beatrice arrived. Still stunned by the flowers, the older woman was in the hall before Sharon could say a word.
'My, you must be popular And a rich man too, by the look of it --- hit house roses at this time of the year', Beatrice remarked, raising her delicate eyebrows as she watched Sharon struggling with the flowers.
'You'd think so, wouldn't you?' Sharon said, her voice was dry. Popular was not a word she would have chosen herself she thought as she surveyed the other woman.
As always, Beatrice looked fantastic, her dark hair gleaming in a smooth chignon, her pale face flawlessly made up. Her long boots were light leather, matching her woolen skirt and fur trimmed wollen coat.
'Is Gabriel around?' Beatrice moved towards the internal front door.
'I don't think he is up yet', Sharon stepped forward worried.
'I will wake him up then', Beatrice smiled, shutting the door behind her as she stepped inside, leaving Sharon alone in the hall.
Gabriel might be angry but it was his own fault, she decided as she climbed the stairs.. Beneath that cool beauty, Beatrice hid a quick determined mind. If she wanted Ga riel, he would have to sort it out himself. There was nothing Sharon could do.
Back in her flat, she carefully put down the roses and picked up the attached envelope. Inside, a small card had one word scrawled across it in strong black handwriting. Bryan.
She stared at it, feeling his presence again, his strength. Why had he sent her flowers? Why had he asked her to have dinner with him?
The hairs st the back of her neck prickled with worry. She couldn't begin to fathom his motives.
The loud rapping at the door made her jump. It was Gabriel, pale and bleary, hastily dressed, his feet bate.
'Have you got any coffee?' he demanded, walking in.
Sharon frowned at him. 'In the kitchen.
He padded towards the door, re- emerging moments later with a bowl full of coffee beans.
'Very neat. I can't find a bloody thing in my kitchen's.
'Too many empty bottles? Sharon enquired sarcastically, still staring at the flowers.
Gabriel pulled a face. 'Very witty. What's wrong with you this morning?'
Beneath his drowsy pallor, Sharon could see that he was excited,elated.
It was Beatrice who had brought him back to life. Sharon knew how his mind worked. Beatrice had come to see him, she had actually made the effort to come to the flat. And to Gabriel trapped in a love he could not fight, that seemed to prove some sort of caring.
'There's nothing the matter with me', she said, smiling at him because she couldn't bear to spoil that elation.
'You look worn out', Gabriel told her bluntly, only noticing the flowers as he walked towards the door. 'Who are these rises from?'
'It's none of your business and besides, Beatrice will be waiting for you', she said sweetly.
'Okay, Okay. You will tell me in your good time', Gabriel sounded confident. 'See you later. Has my sweetie pie woken yet?'
'No. And it is a marvel considering the noise you have been making since this morning and about telling you at my own good time, I won't be counting on it,' she said.
Gabriel shook his head and walked out of her flat. As she shut the door behind him, she heard him laughing as he ran downstairs.
Refusing to think deeply, she scouted around for vases and finally filled five with the rises. Their scent and colour filled the flat, vivid, redolent if sunny afternoons.
She made herself more coffee and stood by the window, all thought if work forgotten. She sipped her coffee slowly, enjoying the bitter flavour and watched two sparrows fighting in the opposite garden.
She was trying to think about work but all she could think about was Bryan as though her daughter was not already a constant reminder of the only man she had ever loved and a reckless night in Rome.He had exploded back into her life again, leaving her breathless and confused.
And there was the party to face before she started avoiding him again. She could hardly believe that she was the same person who had become his liver on that night in Rome about three years ago.
After that night --- that most memorable night which she could not seem to forget and may never forget as long as she lived, things had not been the same. He had become cold, remote and arrogant. He had used every insulting word in the English dictionary on her and she had regretted the night that had meant so much to her. If he had shown a little interest or been humane, they would have had many such nights and may still have been together till now whether they ended up getting married or not.
She recalled that her daughter would soon be awake and she would need her breakfast and she went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her. She planned on keeping it in the microwave until she was ready to have it.
While she made breakfast for her daughter and herself, she thought how men could not be trusted. Bryan had had that accident with a beautiful actress but she had not been able to allow any other man touch her. The thought of it abhorred her as for marrying Gerhard,there had been a reason behind that but Bryan obviously had no such scruples.
She recalled Amanda, her friend at the bank and some if the experiences of hers she had shared with her and why she sympathized with her that a fool of a man got her pregnant and a abandoned her.
Her story had been very touching and she had thought that it was even worse than what she thought that Bryan had put her through.