Trying to Throw my Arms Around the World

A light afternoon snack

A light afternoon snack

If only it had been as easy as Alex dismissing Claire. Claire would not accept defeat after the first no, nor would she after the twentieth. I knew that and Alex knew that, Lou on the other hand, hadn’t the faintest idea who she was dealing with. As Claire deployed her strategy of adding small but significant bonuses with every new offer, I could see the pound signs flicker brighter and brighter in Lou’s eyes.

“I didn’t go into advertising for its moral values, you know. This is my chance to make some serious money.” It was a week after Claire had made her first move and Lou and I had ventured out on an evening stroll through Kensington.

“I understand the money’s alluring, but−”

“I had a lunch meeting with Claire today,” she blurted out. “I wasn’t going to say anything yet, but I have trouble grasping why everyone believes her to be such a manipulating bitch.”

“Because she’s manipulating you into thinking she’s not. She’s the underdog now. The perfect position for her to operate from.”

“She’s you ex-girlfriend and a lot has happened between the two of you. I get that. But you’re the one who told me she had genuinely changed. And you’re the one who broke up with her.”

“That’s not the point. I don’t trust her.”

“What about me? Do you trust me?”

“Well yeah, but−”

“You work with your ex every day, which makes a far more compelling case for me to have trust issues with you.”

“Please, Lucy has nothing on Claire.”

“What are you saying? That she’s going to come after me? To spite you?”

“I don’t know, OK, but I don’t want to be put into a position in which I have to entertain the possibility.”

“The reason why she invited me for lunch is because they just landed a new client, and it happens to be the one brand Alex has never had the chance to work for despite his undying love for it.”

“Shit. They’ve got Paul Smith?”

“No. K-Y.” She tugged her mouth into a smile, one I normally wouldn’t be able to resist.

“This situation is not suitable for jokes.”

“Come on, Lee. Claire is not the devil. I understand that you don’t want her in your life, but life’s just not that perfect. We all have to deal with unwanted factors, especially where work is concerned, but this is such an amazing opportunity for us. Do you know how it feels to have an agency woo you like that? It gives me such a sense of accomplishment and I believe Alex and I could do great things with them. And then there’s the money.”

“I know I’m being selfish, but put yourself in my shoes. How would you feel if I went to work with your ex, the one that really broke you, the one that hurt you like no one else on this earth ever has, every single bloody day.”

“I’ve done nothing but that. This is not an easy decision. But maybe it’s time you started forgiving her.”

“Then what happens? I forgive her, we all go for coffee together and have a threesome as a light afternoon snack?”

“Oh Lee, if only you could trust me.”

“This isn’t just about trust. It’s more like preparing for the worst case scenario. Can’t you see why this is doing my head in? Claire has absolutely no regard for who she hurts when she picks someone to sleep with. She did it with Katy, she did it with Louise.”

“Listen to me. This is an offer to work for Claire and Theresa, not to sleep with them. It’s not because these things get messed up in your head that every one else thinks like that.”

“Fuck you.” I started walking away from her. Was I really being so unreasonable? And why did she speak as if her mind was made up already?

To be continued…