Chapter 5
“Will he want me to help out at the exhibition as usual?” Anya asked her husband. She was ironing, Xander was watching TV, or rather trying to!
“I suppose so, he hasn’t said any different” Xander said without looking away from the screen.
“And the books, does he still want me to audit them as usual?”
“Yeah, well he hasn’t said anything different…why?” He dipped into his snacks packet again
“Because I was thinking, I should have a raise” Anya said, folding a tee shirt.
This made Xander look at his wife.
“Raise? – He pays you the going rate – and he’s very generous with me as regards a percentage if I make a sale, like that Seascape the other day, he did the sale really but he still gave me 2% bonus”
“That’s you, this is me. I hostess, and I audit the books. A proper accountant would charge him far more than- “
“Okay, okay…but if he says no, then “
“Then I won’t help him with this girl trouble he’s got!”
“OH! About her!” Xander put his bag of snacks down and turned sideways on the sofa
“Go on?”
“She came in and he spoke to her!”
“Good………so?” Anya looked at her husband expectantly
“What?” Xander asked
“What did he say, where are they going where’s he going to take her, hmm?”
“Take her? - I don’t follow”
“The date, I presume he asked her out, on a date, you know where two people go out to a movie or dinner or something, so where’s is he-“ Anya attacked another shirt with a cloud of steam from the iron.
“Oh he didn’t ask her out”
“Why not?”
“Because the time was kinda not right…he was on the floor, under the desk, I had to kick him several times to get his attention, and then when I DID get it, he banged his head on the desk”
Anya frowned
“He was on the, huh?”
“Floor” Xander crunched a snack
“What was he doing on the floor?”
“It was…sorry (he brushed the crumbs from his front) the phone, the thingy had come out of the back of the phone and cut me off, so he got down to look at it and she walked in, wanting to know the opening times of the gallery…then he banged his head, but then, get this, she goes into her bag and gets out some Advil for him, I fetch him some water and he takes the tablets and she shakes his hand exchange names and then she leaves”
“He let her leave, after she – he just – oh god, you men – hopeless!”
“It wasn’t his fault!” Xander said spraying crumbs everywhere
“Do you mind, I’ve already vacuumed in here once today!”
“Sorry!” Xander looked sheepish and Anya rolled her eyes
“Like I said…useless! – So what’s he going to do tomorrow hmm, what’s he going to say, what’s he got planned?”
“Say? – Planned? I um…I don’t…I already told you, we don’t discuss her!”
Anya put her iron down, it was belching steam
“What did I say – useless the pair of you!” she picked up her iron and again attacked the shirt with it.
“Okay then, see as you know it all, what would you do?” She propped up the iron and stood there thoughtfully for a few seconds and then she said,
“Well, I’d go over with a bunch of flowers and say thank you for the tablets yesterday, and would you have dinner with me of Friday night, I know this fantastic little restaurant, does great Italian food – or whatever”
Xander looked at his wife and blinked. She made it all sound SO simple…
“God you make it sound so easy!”
“It IS easy!...........Honestly, useless men!!”
ooOOoo
“Good morning, good morning, good morning! And what a fine morning it is too!” William greeted his assistant with a big grin as they met at the elevator.
Xander grinned, looked like his boss was still on a high from yesterday’s development.
“Oh, before I forget, Will Anya help with the exhibition? The Pre-public opening press night and then the actual opening day, will that be alright?”
“Yeah – fine, um, oh, she said…”
“And tell her rather than the $9.50, I’ll pay her $12 an hour, she deserves a rise”
Xander was pleased he didn’t have to ask!
“So we’re going ahead with it then, this Stebson’s exhibition” Xander asked as William sorted the burglar alarm.
“Well, I’ve been thinking, why not – doesn’t reflect on the gallery his behaviour does it?”
Xander nodded sagely as they went into the office
William continued,
“And like you say, at $10,000 a day, well - can’t say that won’t be useful!!”
“Yeah – okay boss…I’ll sort the mail”
“Good, I’ll put the kettle on…coffee?”
Xander went to the door and opened up the letter cage and took out all the mail.
ooOOoo
“Hi Pookey…yes he does, and yes he does, and before you ask, he volunteered a raise for you before I even asked………he said $12 an hour………no…NO - Anya, I TOLD you, we don’t discuss –yes honey bun he wants you to do the hostessing and the books………………………he just bought me coffee that’s why………okay bye then!”
The morning was busy. Three enquiries over some of William’s pictures, and an invite to exhibit at a gallery renown for land and seascapes.
At 11 o’clock, Xander thought he should speak up – time was ticking away. So taking the bull by the horns, Xander ventured…
“William” Will looked up from reading the fax from the gallery who wanted some of his pictures to exhibit.
“Xander?”
“I was thinking, well An… um I mean er…what are you going to do now?” Xander decided to bite his tongue on mentioning he’d discussed then girl with Anya…
“Do? Do about what – I’m going to let them have a dozen of my pictures”
“No…I don’t mean – look – there’s this ‘big elephant’ in the room that we never talk about, you and that girl, right, and I thought that today you have a golden opportunity to talk to her”
William put the fax down, leant against the desk and said quietly,
“Go on”
“Well…why don’t you go out and buy a bunch of flowers, and take them to her, as a thank you for the tablets she gave you yesterday, and then you could ask her out to dinner………or um some, something”
Is that what you’d do?”
“Hell yes!”
“Then I wish I had your courage…it’s a great idea, - heck brilliant even…but I can’t! I’m hopeless with women, always have been – I’d get to within a yard of her and fall over or stutter and mumble and she’d just confirm what she already knows, and that’s I’m a moron!”
“Huh…me too”
“Don’t talk wet, you’re married, and that idea you just came up with!”
Xander stood up and said,
“Truthfully – the first time I plucked up the courage to ask Anya out I had to drink three bottles of lager first.…..when she said yes I…I - well I had to run and throw up my stomach was so knotted – I was expecting Anya to cancel thinking what an idiot I was!”
“But she didn’t”
“No…and um…that flower idea – it was Anya’s”
William looked down at his soft comfortable Gucci loafers and smiled
The gallery door opened , and in bustled Anya, with two shopping bags, and a beautiful hand tied bouquet of mixed cut blooms, carnations, roses, gardenias, sweet peas, and star gazer lilies.
“Where did you get – I mean, um who are they-“ Xander started
“Not too late am I?” Anya said, making for the back of the gallery
“Too late for what, where did you get those from?” Xander asked looking alarmed rapidly following his wife.
Not bothering to answer her husband Anya looked over his shoulder and called William
“Anya – what are you – oh god!”
“Shut up Xander. Now, there you are…come here, is that shirt clean (sniff) hmm okay now I knew if it was left up to you, you’d let a golden opportunity pass you by – so here, all you have to do is to go and sit on that bench seat until she arrives, and then give her the flowers and ask her out to dinner – see simple – these are for you , as a thank you for yesterday, would you come out to dinner with me on Friday – now how simple is that, hmm, hmm?” Anya looked from William to her husband and back. William hadn’t moved, Xander was mortified
“I’m sorry Anya…I can’t, I just can’t!” William began to back away
“Oh shut up with the can’t; grow some balls will you!” Anya said. Xander closed his eyes expecting for them both to be unceremoniously bundled out the shop, him sacked………
“Anya, I know it’s a brilliant idea but – she already thinks I’m a moron!”
“Tell you that did she?”
“No but-“
“But nothing…do you want me to do it for you, bit childish I know but I could-“
“NO!! er no, no it’s um…oh god”
“Anya…what do you think you’re playing at?!” Xander hissed at her
Totally unperturbed she looked at the clock, it was just gone twelve…
“Well look, even if you don’t ask her out, just give her the flowers, she’ll think you’re sweet and when you have grown some balls, and want to date her, this gesture will be in your favour”
Xander whined and slid down the wall. William kept on swallowing, he had too much saliva in his mouth, his palms felt hot and he was shaking
William looked at the flowers, and then at Anya
“What do I say again?”
“There you go! You say, these are for you, for your kindness yesterday”
“These are for you for your kindness yesterday………” William repeated
Shakily William took the bouquet
“These are for you, for your kindness yesterday …Hi Buffy, um these are for you – for your kindness yesterday!
Buffy – lovely day, these are for you –“
“No talking weather” Anya said sternly
“Okay – Hi Buffy, um these are for yesterday I mean kindness, for the bump, no I mean the tablets – you were kind – oh god Anya I can’t do –“
“Told you, don’t want to hear can’t!”
“I’m going to be sick!” William felt his tummy back flip
“For goodness sake don’t be such a wuss!
William was now at the front door of the shop, Anya behind him.
“Hmm, is that her? Pretty little thing she is…now go on, and remember what I said!”
She could hear William mumbling what he’d got to say as she pushed him out of the door. For good measure she put the snick up so he couldn’t bolt back inside.
An ashen looking Xander came and stood next to his beaming wife.
“You realise we’re both sacked now, don’t you?”
“Rubbish, look!” Anya nodded to the bench and saw to his amazement the beaming blonde standing, putting down her lunchbox and then taking the proffered flowers, then she put her arm around William’s neck and kissed his cheek, all the time beaming and talking to him. William slid onto the bench next to her and they were both grinning
The blonde girl buried her nose into the flowers, she obviously loved them.
“See – told you…go put the kettle on Xander I want a cup of tea!” Anya said, not taking her eyes off the couple on the bench.
Xander felt limp – Anya could be a real force to be reckoned with sometimes – very forthright and sometimes very bossy – but he had to hand it to her, never in a million years would his boss have done that today without a great big push. Xander made two mugs of tea and took them out into the main gallery
Anya sat at the reception desk reading some leaflets, from time to time she glanced out at the bench seat and smiled, they seemed to be getting on like a house on fire………
At five to one, William came in, and a bigger, soppier sillier grin you wouldn’t find!
“Well?” was all she asked
“Friday night, we’re going to Four Season’s Waterside Inn” William said as if in a dream. Anya looked suitably impressed and said with surprise,
“Really I thought you had to book a place like that months in advance”
“I know the boss…sold him a picture, he said a table for two was mine anytime – I’ll ring him now, where’s Xander?”
“I sent him out for some decent cookies, chocolate ones…oh, and you owe me $50 for the flowers”
William took out his wallet and handed Anya TWO fifty dollar notes
“There you go, get yourself one of those bouquets too”
Anya reached up and kissed his cheek
“Thankyou – it wasn’t so hard now was it?”
“Once I saw her reaction to the flowers, it was a doddle!” William said grinning
ooOOoo
Buffy checked the number on the pad she’d written down…555….5042………and dialled, it began to ring.
Eventually the answer-machine kicked in
“Hi, you reached the home of Angel Stebson, I’m not here yadda, yadda, you know the drill………BEEP!”
“Angel this is Buffy, where’s this booking confirmation for the spa, it’s been nearly a week now and-“
“BUFFY!”
“Ow, not so loud!”
“Sorry now what is it you want my little Lotus Blossom?”
Buffy frowned and said sharply,
“I’m not your little anything – I kept my side of the bargain, I went into that gallery, no it isn’t run by a ‘fro-haired geek with glasses, actually, he’s quite cute, got these amazing blue –“
“Um what was it you said you wanted again?”
“The spa booking confirmation” Buffy said tight lipped
“Oh that…um I haven’t booked it yet”
“ANGEL! No wonder the woman had never heard of me when I phoned…she must think I’m a basket case…okay so book it NOW!”
“On one condition”
“No, done my bit”
“Do this for me, and I’ll make it for a week at the spa”
“We already agreed on a week for what I’ve already done Angel, don’t try and renege on me now, else you’ll be sorry”
Angel rolled his eyes, he really REALLY must have pissed her off at some stage, but he couldn’t for the life of him think what it could possibly be…
“Uh, hello, you still there?” Buffy asked
“Hmm – oh yeah…sorry I was just thinking…”
“Well look, don’t put too much pressure on that one little brain-cell of yours”
Angel frowned…just why DID he want her to go to the opening with him? – She looked good, very good that was it!”
“Come to the opening of the exhibition with me”
“No”
“Please?”
Buffy’s brows rose – Angel saying please?
“Why should-“
“I’ll make it a month pass at the spa, with the new hydro beauty spa treatments”
Buffy opened her mouth to tell him to take a hike when his words got through to her…
“A month…okay, phone me back when you’ve booked it” And with that the phone went dead.
“Atta gir-huh…why do I let her treat me like this?”
He menu’ed Cordelia’s number on his mobile and pressed
“Stebson Art, Cordelia Chase speaking, how may I help you?”
“Cordy, it’s me, book a month pass at the Spa club please”
“The Houghton court?”
“Where are you calling from, I thought you were in?” Cordy asked confused
“I am, I’m downstairs, well was I’m coming up to you now” He took the stairs tree at a time was breathless at the top! He bowled in the room they called ‘The Office’.
Cordelia sighed and rolled her eyes
I see…so, Houghton court, is it?
“Good god no, she’d skin me alive, the Tudor Grange one – name of Buffy Summers”
Cordelia looked up sharply at the name – now there was a blast from the past…it ended badly last time, and Cordelia wondered why he was bothering with her again………
“Buffy Summers” she repeated. Angel turned from looking out of the window to looking at her
“That’s what I said…you sound surprised”
“M-me – no, no of course not!” Cordelia began the booking over the net.
“Yes you do, why?”
“I’m not surprised!” Cordelia insisted, but she could feel the colour creeping up her neck.
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