Swap With Me

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE.  

It was evening and Emily walked into the wine bar, and spotted a vacant spot by the window. She dropped her bag on the table and sunk into the seat to admire the view. It was like a postcard of London, with Tower Bridge, lit up in the dark with lights glittering along the supporting cables, and along the bridge itself. 

Another bag was dumped on the tabletop. 'Hi, Em. Sorry I'm late.'

Best friend Jessica took her coat off and drew her chair closer to Emily.

Just then the waiter arrived. 'What can I get you ladies?' He looked from Emily to Jessica. 'Oh myyy,' he said in a camp manner of speaking. 'Oh myyy,' he repeated, as he scanned his eyes from girl to girl. This caused Emily to smile on the brink of laughter. She could see that Jessica was doing exactly the same, copy-cat style. The same grin, the same twist of the head, Jessica copied Emily. A double act.

'What am I to say?' he said, not knowing who to look at. 'You're twins, right? Must be, unless I'm a dingo.' The tone of his voice went higher to match the upward lift of his eyebrows.

'Then I'm afraid you're a dingo.' laughed Emily.

'No wayyy.'

'We just look the same,' said Jessica.

'You two sound the same as well. Oh I bet you kids get up to some naughty tricks.' He nodded his head in approval and brought out his pad and pen. 'What can I get you?'

-O-

Scott pointed his iPad at the next nurse in line. 'Okay?' he called. 'Ready, go.'

The nurse did a cartwheel across the surgeon's locker room and nearly collided with two chairs to everyone's amusement. 

Scott took the photo. 'Got it.' He laughed with the other nurses. 'Next.'

Scott was always at the heart of the high jinks, which he deemed as essential to keep the surgical theatre team motivated. They all worked long hours and deserved their play time.

'Who's next?' he said, as he positioned himself ready.

The youngest nurse jumped forward. Her uniform of a light blue dress with white trim on the collar and cuffs, black tights and black shoes was not the most flattering set of clothes. The nurse kicked off her shoes. Balanced and poised, she then did the most graceful cartwheel, slower than the previous girl, as she landed on both feet in complete control. They all clapped and gathered round Scott.

He held his tablet so everyone could see as he ran through the photos. The last one showed the youngest nurse did not wear tights. The skirt had fallen down at precisely the point at which she was upside down, legs in the air, and revealed stockings. Everyone gasped, giggled and clapped at the embarrassment of the nurse.

As Scott flicked through the images, he felt a hand behind him slide under his suit jacket, up his back and then down, to cup his bum. Not that he minded. Not that he wanted to know who it was. If he put his mind to it, Scott knew he could have any one of those four nurses. But Scott also knew to screw anyone in his team would unbalance the others, would lead to problems, and he was too ambitious to let that happen. 

-O-

Emily and Jessica were into their second glass of wine before they decided to eat. Emily had chosen fish and chips with mushy pees, and Jessica fancied the chilli con carne. Both meals were under £10 each which suited them fine.