Chapter 2
The morning passed quickly enough, plenty of phone calls and paperwork to do. The lady from the Guatemalan Art History Department arrived and was shown to a small table where she could give out leaflets and information on the artists work displayed and to take orders.
Ever watchful of the time, the slight clenching of William’s stomach wasn’t so much he was hungry, it was that he would see Her soon. He’d tried to name her but couldn’t. What if he found out her real name and didn’t like it, then by accident he called her by the name he’d given her, and she’d think he was thinking of somebody else! Which was ridiculous…doubly ridiculous as he couldn’t even pluck up the courage to go over and talk to her, let alone call her by the wrong name.
“Oh no!” William muttered as looked outside towards the bench for the umpteenth time that morning.
“What’s wrong?”
“Huh – oh nothing, I um, I forgot to make a phone call is all” William lied, turning away from the window, rubbing the back of his neck.
Looking outside, Xander could immediately see the problem, a very pregnant lady had sat herself down on THE bench, she also had a toddler in tow, who had clambered up beside her. Xander looked at the clock, it was 12.03.
“I’ve told Mrs Gonzales that I’d man her table for her if she wanted to pop out for lunch” Xander said
William muttered that that was okay.
He looked up out of the window again and saw Her walking down the alley way and he immediately began to relax he reached for his sketchpad and sat down. After exchanging a few words with the woman, the blonde sat herself down, she was smiling. The toddler held something up in his hand for her to see and she said something to him that made them all laugh – she was so beautiful when she laughed William thought. She was so beautiful at any given time, but when she laughed, her whole body came alive…
The toddler wriggled beside his mother and squirmed his way off the bench seat. His mother sat up and leaned over to her bag on the floor and fished out a small carton of drink, which she pierced with a straw and held for her son to drink. He sucked lustily at the straw and laughed as some pigeons pecked around his feet. Laughing he ran through them, arms waving in the air causing them to flutter and raise like a grey and white cloud. The blonde flinched slightly and turned her head to the side, she covered her food box with her hand. Checking her watch the pregnant woman stood and again she exchanged words with the blonde. She waved to the little boy who waved back.
Having finished eating, the girl threw the crusts to the birds and cracked open her can of soda. William’s fingers were as fast as lightening, flying over the page trying to get the light and shade right, the angle of her head, the way she held the can, the way she sat back, tilting her face upwards slightly to catch a few rays of the sun on her golden skin.
William was suddenly aware that it had gone dark. He looked up to see his view blocked by continental coach.
“What – you stupid…stupid move will you!” he muttered as he looked at his watch, it had just gone ten to one – she would be gone soon. The coach didn’t move. In fact it opened its doors and people began to spill out.
“No, no…this isn’t a stopping zone, can’t you read – f’goodness sake!” Several horns began to blow, and William put down his sketchpad on the seat next to him and stood up, going to the door of the gallery. He called across the sidewalk,
“Excuse…ex….EXCUSE ME – you can’t stop…oh for god’s sake listen! He marched up to the coach, and standing in the doorway he said
“You’ll have to move, you can’t stop here!” he was pushed unceremoniously out of the way by a large smiling woman nodding to him
“Um, escusi – pliss?” The driver half smiled half frowned at him
“GO! Um no stopping…you must go – go!” William tried to make a pushing forward motion with his hands the driver shook his head as if he didn’t understand. He began to mutter, trying to recall what tiny bit of Spanish he knew
“NO STOP…GO! um…no detener………parar…er prohibir!” William tried hopefully. The coach driver still frown/smiling nodded and did nothing. More car horns had joined in bibbing now and William heard the whoop-whoop of a police car siren in the distance………
As soon as everybody had been disgorged onto the sidewalk, the driver slammed the coach door shut and roared off. William immediately looked at the bench, but she’d gone. He felt deflated and raw, he turned to go into the gallery, and much to his annoyance, so had half the people from the coach………
ooOOoo
By 3.30, the last of the Peruvian coach travellers had left the gallery, having practically cleaned them out of postcards, information booklets and catalogues.
Suddenly, William remembered his sketchbook, and looked across to where he’d been sitting. It was no where to be seen.
Xander saw this and decided not to play with the boss’ emotions.
“This what your looking for?” Xander took out the sketchpad from the reception desk drawer. William let out a sigh of relief – not that he’d admit it though!
“What – no, but thanks anyway” William could feel the colour creeping up his neck as he spoke; he took the pad and went to put it away in his leather portfolio case.
“They’re really rather good you know”
“What?” William asked frowning, pretending to sort through some papers.
“The sketches of that girl, they’re really good!”
William muttered something that Xander didn’t quite catch, but he smiled. Any other time, about anybody else and Xander would have risked a little gentle ribbing of his boss, but he had a care that there was something serious in William’s feelings for the blonde, he was obsessed with her, like he only lived for the 50 minutes each weekday he saw her. God knows what it was going to be like if she ever stopped taking her lunch on that bench………
The telephone rang and William was glad of the distraction.
“Giles’ Fine Art Gallery………speaking, I’m William Giles the proprietor of the establishment, how may I help you?”
Xander made himself look at the computer, he’d re-order some more catalogues and such from the printers as they were nearly out.
“Yes, we do put of exhibitions of other people’s work………well, usually we work on a percentage basis on either how many pieces we sell or the final sale amount, which ever is greater…………yes that is the usual practice with most galleries………………no, I doubt that very much…I mean just rental space, no, sorry it wouldn’t be financially viable……………yes, we have a 1000 square yards of displaying walls and or cases on the first floor, and there is a further 750 square yards of space on the second floor galleria………sure, I could pop you one of our catalogues in the post, there is a floor plan on the back page of the main gallery and the galleria, I’ll just take you details……………”
William began to write
“So I’ll just read that back to you, For the Attention of Miss Cordelia Chase, 1177 Madison Heights, Merrydale, CA 82321..okay got that Miss Chase, I’ll pop one in the post for you tonight, goodbye” William put the phone down
“You’d better get onto the printers Xander, order some more – oh good” Xander tapped the computer monitor and William saw that he was already onto it.
“Send one to her would you….want a coffee?” William handed Xander the piece of paper with the name and address on it and made his way to the back of the gallery to the kitchenette.
“Yeah, love some” Xander replied.
ooOOoo
William lay looking at his bedroom ceiling. Today, he thought, today…I will pluck up the courage and go and speak to her. We could chat about the weather – which is a typical British thing to do…hopefully she will comment on me being British…or English as I prefer to be referred to…I could ask her where she worked…what she did… has she got anybody special in her life…another thought suddenly seized him and he frowned – sat up and said out loud
“Oh no, dear god no!” What if………what if she was…was already married! He bounded out of bed and into the shower, as if to cleanse himself of such thoughts.
While cleaning his teeth William looked in the mirror, mouth foaming, he pointed his toothbrush at the mirror and said out loud,
“You mate, have got to get a grip! You don’t know the girl, most likely never bloody will know her unless you grab the bull by the horns and go and bloody well talk to her! What was it his old Professor Brewer used to say to them in prep school – Carpe Deum! Seize the Day!” He rinsed and spat, and then rinsed the sink.
He heard the 8am news headlines begin on the radio…He switched it off and made for the door.
Carrying his latte and blueberry muffins, William made his way to the Gallery back entrance and let himself in. He sorted the alarm code and opened up the double locks.
He was early, silly really, it meant time would drag until lunchtime………but then he had some time to think, what to say to Her,
“Hi – mind if I sit here? – No, what if she said yes, she DID mind, she wanted her lunch in peace? – Right…Hi, I see you here every day, well every weekday that is, eating your lunch…I can’t say that - I sound like a bloody stalker! – Afternoon…lovely weather – oh GOD! – Bloody weather hardly changes…Hello! – I
“Hello!” William nearly jumped out of his skin
“Who are you talking to? Xander asked closing the door behind him.
“Nobody, well myself, I mean I was practicing for…you know”
Xander hung up his jacket and turned and faced his rather flush-faced boss
“No, tell me”
“You know…for when we have the um, the media here for that exhibition”
“Which one is that then…oh is that a spare muffin?”
William slid the bag across to Xander and stood
“Got to check some emails!” William left the kitchenette and made his way to the office.
Xander smiled to himself, he’d been standing out side for a good minute listening to his boss ramble, boy had he got it bad for that girl. He also knew the agonies William was going through, when he’d first met Anya, his now wife she’d been with somebody else, he’d been totally smitten by her and thought that she was well out of his league, but eventually one night, and three bottles of Coors inside him for Dutch courage, he’d managed to ask her to the Spring Dance. As soon as she’d said yes, he had to run to the gents and thrown up, his stomach had been so knotted!
Wanting to ‘help’ without being intrusive, Xander had spoken to Anya and told her of William’s plight. He’d sworn her to secrecy of course, sometimes they used to invite William for Sunday lunch, and Anya always used to go on about how he should get himself a girlfriend………
“Why doesn’t he just go over and say, you sit here everyday, why not come into the gallery and spend some money!”
Anya suggested, in her usual, forthright manner
“He can’t do that!” Xander said exasperated
“Why not, seems simple enough to me!” Anya said
“He wants to be subtle, do things right…you know…” Xander held his arms out and shrugged. His wife gave him a withering look, she believed that subtlety was for wimps – come out and say what you mean, and mean what you say!
Anya despaired of these men!
ooOOoo
“Good morning, Giles’ Fine Art Weather – Gallery, sorry Fine Art Gallery!” William closed his eyes and shook his head. It was clear to Xander where his boss’ mind was…
“Here, shall I?” Xander held out his hand and William gratefully put the receiver into it.
“Hi darling!”
“Anya!”
“Was that…”
“Yup”
“Oh dear………for goodness sake tell him not to talk about the weather!!”
“N-no? Oh…why not?” Xander asked quietly
“Because it’s boring – look, I’m coming over!”
“NO! I mean what for – is it really necessary – I don’t want you to do anything………”
“Well, do you want my help or not?” Anya asked forthrightly
“Well, remember what I said about subtlety?”
“And do you remember what I said about wimp-ish men being a turn off?” Anya reminded him
“Um...uh huh…but we’re not talking about me, he’s…he’s a sensitive soul!” Xander pleaded
”Oh poor widdle Willy, can get a date!” Anya sing-songed
“Anyway, you can’t come – I just remembered!” Xander said, thinking on his feet.
“Why not?”
“You’ve got to wait in for the delivery guy”
“Why – what delivery guy?”
“Because I’ve um…I’ve got a part coming for the er…the um”
“Spit it out will you, the um what?”
“Computer!!” Xander said
“You never said at breakfast!”
“I forgot!”
“Hmm…Xander Harris, if I stop in and nothing comes, you’re in so much trouble – if all you’re doing is stopping me coming to sort this thing out with the girl, I’ll - !”
“I’m not! (he lied!) I won’t be – they’ll come, they promised”
“Anyway, what’s wrong with the computer, I’ve been doing the accounts on it this morning and it’s fine!”
“There’s nothing wrong with it! It’s just an add on bit”
“Hmm okay…but remember what I’ve said!”
“I know, I know! If nothing comes, I’m in trouble”
“Okay Pookey…bye”
“Bye honey-lamb” Xander put the phone down
“Er, mind if I make a personal call Will?”
“Help yourself”
Xander phoned Computers Inc, and ordered a dongle. It was $9.95 in the catalogue and he asked for it to be couriered to his address.
“But sir, that’s $3 a mile charge within a ten mile radius…it means it’ll cost you $24 for the four mile round courier trip”
“Yes, I can do the math, thank you!”
“But it’s more than double the cost of the item!”
“I know – but I want it this afternoon, and I’m willing to pay – now it has to be signed for, doesn’t it?”
“No sir…items under $20 are insurance free, and it’s small enough to put through the letter box”
“No, no, no, I WANT it to be signed for, I NEED it to be signed for, can’t you put it in a big box!”
“Is this a wind-up?”
“Look…forget it okay just forget it!” Xander slammed the phone down.
“God….can’t GIVE money away to some people…”
He picked up the phone thinking that one day he and William would laugh over this, his trying to keep Anya out of the equation for now…but how much it was going to cost him…
“Hello, Forget-Me-Nots?”
“That’s us, how can I help you?”
“Um…how much does it cost for a bunch of flowers to be delivered?”
“Well sir, that depends on what flowers………………”
Xander came out of the office five minutes later having spent $40 on a bouquet of flowers for his lady wife on a spurious and made up ‘anniversary’ – he’d tell Anya it was the first time they’d made out or something………boy this non-existent ‘romance’ of William’s certainly cost him!
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Again, this is for Tammy
Chapter End Notes:
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