6am comes much quicker than I anticipate and Reece has to shove me in the bathroom so I can awake. Still groggy from the painkillers, it takes a painstaking hour to shower and wash my hair before I settle for the tiniest bowl of cereal. The lawyer Reece's dad has for us is said to be on his way any moment now so it is a waiting game.
Minutes past 7am, the doorbell rings and this gentle man arrives. Tall, verging on portly with salt and pepper hair, he stumbles into my mother's home and I sit before him at the table, still with my dressing gown. Behind him is a timid, shy looking girl with a feverish demeanour and a laptop. I assume she is his PA by the way she looks at him: with an undercurrent of submission laced with fear and attention.
It is two against one so Reece joins us to make it even. My mum is in the kitchen, preparing us all hot caffeinated beverages to keep us alive but staying as far removed from the situation.
"I am Daniel Nidus, Senior Associate at Primrose LLP," he buffs proudly. "And this here is my PA – Harriet."
Reece bounds off of Daniel's energy and takes the reigns in introducing our side of the table.
"Pleasure to meet you Mr Nidus, I'm Reece Beaufort, as you know, son of Frederic Beaufort. And this is my girlfriend," he turns to me. "Karma Olson."
All eyes converge on me. My mother enters the room, places our drinks of choice in front of us and disappears upstairs.
"Mother of Karma Olson," she refers to herself. "If anyone needs me I'll be upstairs."
Daniel's eyes twinkle at the sight of me. "Pleasure to meet."
"Same to you Mr Nidus," my mother copies Reece's respectful tone. "Don't hesitate to have Karma call me if you need anything."
All of us listen as my mother escapes the room, her footsteps retreating as she walks up the stairs and into her bedroom.
"How can I help?" Daniel asks.
Reece takes the lead again, this time more nervous than before. "I don't know if you've been briefed."
"It's a long story," I add.
Mr Nidus opens his palms as if to say I'm all ears and I look at Reece. This was the moment, all was to be revealed. I watch Harriet take a recording device from her bag and attach it to her laptop before switching it on and a green light blares.
"Proceed," he tells us.
I can tell by his determined expression that he wants to know every single detail and I feel queasy. There were things that he would pry into that Reece didn't know the full details of. Things I wanted to tell him in confidence and not here.
"Reece, I think it's best I do this on my own."
"What?" He tenses. "No."
Harriet switches the device off nervously, tinkles with it to delete what has just been said.
"I'd be more comfortable if I could explain what happened by myself."
Reece shakes his head. "We're in this together, it's just us now okay?" I hear the comfort in his voice and relax a little bit. "You need me."
"There may be things I haven't told you... that I don't want you to hear."
He chucks my chin. "Blank slate, no secrets."
He nods on my behalf at Harriet and she sheepishly turns the makeshift microphone back on, positions her fingers at the ready to type.
"We're ready," Mr Nidus says, half-asking, half-confirming.
YOU ARE READING
Fully English
RomanceMy mother named me Karma. She said I was living proof that what goes around truly did come back around: that I symbolised all that was right in a world of wrong. But in this last year I've grown to hate my name. Not because of my mother but because...
