advertising-for-love by Rakhibul hasan (fb2 epub reader .TXT) 📖

her hand. Tizzy, you fool, she told herself. Why have you gone and fallen in love with him? In love! She repeated her words again. She still was not sure when that had happened. Could she have always felt something for him? Then why hadn’t she ever felt jealousy before? She had always valued his appreciation of her work but she never set out to seek his attention. She knew she had been grateful that he had given her a place in his company, despite her looks and drawbacks. She had always known about the condition Becky had made on her behalf too, but Grant had only agreed on seeing her work. She remembered the joy she had felt when she had overheard him refer to her work as ‘brilliant’. Her work was her one and only concern. No, she told herself. These feelings will end up giving her more pain. ‘Until you can let go of the past, the future must remain as you have decreed’ she told herself. She got up and went upstairs. There she looked around the room. It was perfect. She could set up her little office here. Make it her studio too. With the help of the internet and the phone, she would not have to meet her clients. Technology had provided her with the escape from her handicap. Yes, she thought, it was time to hand in her resignation. As soon as Becky was better, she would give Grant her notice. Becky would be leaving after the baby was born anyway and that would have made things difficult for everyone. The sooner she herself left, the better. She knew she would always dread the meetings and presentations. Without Becky, that task would inevitably fall on her. The precedent had been set. And she could not do that again for anybody, not Becky and not even Grant.

She was jolted out of her deep thoughts when the doorbell rang and the dogs barked their way to the front door. She ran down the steps and looked through the keyhole. At first she could not believe her eyes, then, she debated if she should open the door. Finally pulling the dogs back she unlocked it.

Peter Branson had seen her drive into her garage from the coffee shop across the park. He had given her a few moments to settle in and then he had walked over. He therefore not only knew that she was in, but also that Tizzy had been at the door debating whether to open it or not. He prayed that she would. He was thrilled when his prayers were answered.

“I was wondering if you would join me for dinner. I would have rung you during the day, but I feared you might invent another excuse.” Peter was gentle but direct

“I aaa”, Tizzy wished Branson would leave her alone. She liked him as a person but she did not want the attention he was giving.

“Tizzy, please, it’s going to be a very innocent meal.” Branson found himself clearing any doubts but the way she stood blocking the doorway, told him clearly that she did not believe him.

“For heaven’s sake, Tizzy, you are much younger than what even my daughter would have been. I am not into cradle snatching. Gosh child, I am 64 years old. I only want your friendship, nothing more, and I swear it.”

Tizzy, absorbed what he said, then asked “Why me Peter? I don’t talk much, I don’t like going out and I have no r.real interest outside of my work. It all adds up to rotten company”

“The truth?” he asked raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, only the truth” she replied.

“When I saw you having your panic attack, something about the way you looked, the way you spoke, reminded me of my daughter. I lost her a long time ago, but seeing you, was like seeing my dead child again. We parted on bad terms. Maybe I am hoping our friendship will ease the guilt and loss I feel. Give me some sort of comfort”

Tizzy too had lost so much. She was an orphan in every sense of the word now. Those were the unfortunate cards that destiny had dealt her. And to complete destiny’s pack she had herself dealt the ace card, by secluding herself from everyone. Becky was the only friend she had allowed herself. Then she had let Grant into her car and since then her life was turning upside down. She was not sure if she wanted Peter entering her home and creating more chaos.

She was about to refuse, when she saw his eyes tear up again. “Tizzy, one dinner and after that if you don’t want to socialise, I promise, no more meetings outside of work.” Peter implored.

Tizzy relented. She let the door open fully. Her dogs gave Peter a friendly reception, and then they walked into the lounge. She offered to make something at home, but he insisted on taking

her out. “You are tired, and this was an invitation to go out. If there is a next time, you can be the hostess.” he promised

Tizzy gave the dogs their food, locked the back door and pulled the strap of her handbag over her shoulder. It was Peter’s suggestion that they drive in his car to save themselves from the problem of finding two parking spots and they did just that. Peter noted that even now, she had not bothered to put any make up on or change herself out of her drab outfit. But it did not bother him at all. He was just glad that she had agreed to go out with him.

They drove to a quaint little Italian restaurant by the harbour. As soon as Tizzy stepped into the foyer, she regretted her decision to come. She not only looked out of place, she felt it too. Everyone was dressed in glamorous clothes. The women looked beautiful while the men with them looked elegant. Several diners sitting at the first few tables were openly staring at her. She could sense some were looking down their noses at her and as soon as they saw her partner, the frowns would crease up their foreheads. Tizzy knew what they were thinking. What the hell was Peter Branson doing with a ‘nobody’ like her? She felt her eyes prick with tears. Then she felt Peter’s supporting hand upon her elbow as he led her to the table. As they passed, she noticed everyone turn and look at her, then the whispering would start. ‘I should never have agreed to come.’ she said angrily to herself.

Peter too realised what was happening. He spoke to the waiter and got his table changed to the level above. Few liked to sit up there for it was secluded from the other patrons and defeated the purpose of being seen. After spending hours on their make up and dollars on their attire, the last thing the women wanted was to be hidden from their peers.

As he had expected, all the tables were empty giving him the liberty to pick the one he wanted. Once upstairs he saw that Tizzy had begun to relax. In ten minutes he had extracted a smile. He kept to the safest topic and discussed her work and qualifications. She stuttered through her answers, but when she began asking questions as well, he knew the worst was over for both of

them. He chose the main dishes as he had firsthand knowledge of every dish. Since his wife left him, this restaurant had become like a second home.

As the meal progressed and no other patron came up, Tizzy totally relaxed. What she did not know was that Peter had organised it with the waiter so that it would remain so. Wealth and fame had their honourable uses too.

They enjoyed their delicious meal and occasionally Tizzy was brave enough to look down towards the other patrons. It was a pretty restaurant, where apart from her, every other woman was as lovely as the surrounding. Then she told herself not to be silly. She was lucky to look the way she did. Lucky and safe! At this moment in time, she was quite happy. And she had Peter to thank. Without his invitation, she would have been at home, thinking of Grant. ‘Stop it Tizzy, stop it, there you go again’ she scolded herself ‘Grant belongs to another world and its best they stay far away from each other’.

But Grant was really not that far. And worse still, he had seen her enter with Branson. Seated at one of the corner tables, he was deeply engaged in his conversation with Trisha. She had rung him at 5 p.m. just after her flight landed at Mascot airport. He had sensed the tension. She seemed nervous and elated at the same time. And he had been curious to find out what was behind the urgency. Now he knew. She had just asked him how he truly felt about the news. He had been about to tell her that he was thrilled, when he felt a strange pull, making him look up towards the entrance. There he saw Branson and with him, Tizzy.

At first he could not believe his eyes. He looked away and then looked back. Tizzy was definitely there, as was Peter. He picked up on Tizzy’s nervousness and noticed the reaction the other patrons were giving her. A couple of insensitive remarks almost made him rush over to her side. Then he saw Branson come to her rescue with a reassuring hand on her elbow. He watched them move in one direction, then retreat their steps and walk up the stairs. ‘How the hell had Branson got Tizzy to come’, he thought. ‘God help him if he used his connections with T&G

Mallaby to force her into coming with him.’

Trisha was waiting for Grant’s answer when she noticed that his attention has been transferred to the couple who had just entered. She looked at Tizzy, then at Branson. Grant must know Branson, she thought. But Grant’s eyes had softened as they rested on the woman, and then hardened as they transferred to the man. When he transferred his look back to the lady, his expression became unfathomable, almost cold. This was a new side to Grant that she was seeing.

“Are you OK Grant?” her voice broke through his thoughts “Who are they?”

“He is a client of mine. I am sorry Trisha it’s been a hard day. What were we saying?” Grant asked, but Trisha realised he had not waited for her answer. Once again Grant had returned his attention to the couple.

Grant looked up several times. He saw Tizzy deep in conversation with Branson. He no longer asked himself as to that bothered him. He knew. But he also knew that Tizzy felt nothing for him. He tried to concentrate on Trisha but found it impossible. His eyes kept drifting to Branson’s table, and Trisha found her own eyes following his.

She also noticed that he had become considerably quieter. Nor was he listening to a word she was saying. But she had come a long way to find out his reaction. And she had to find that out this evening. She was flying back on the midnight flight.

“If there is anyone else at this table, can they please respond” she tried once more

“Trisha I am sorry. You have just given me such wonderful news and instead of expressing my happiness, I have got lost in my work again. I am thrilled, overjoyed is the word.” Grant was truly apologetic.

Trisha was relieved by his words. She reached out and covered his hand with hers. “Thank you, I was so worried,