Another love story (Mads Mikkelsen)

4.Bars, pool and sticky carpets

 Mads felt nothing but stress. His day was not going to plan. For one he had agreed with the lawyers that his collections were his and not his wife's but she was well and truly trying to take him for everything he owned. Even his children were ignoring him, as if somehow he were to blame, as if she wasn't the one who had run off to sleep around, as if she wasn't the one who had made him feel guilty for going to work, as if-

“Mr Mikkelsen, we are really going to need a response from you.”

He sighed.

“Just let her have them.” At the end of the day they were material belongings, at least he had his health.

His phone was both his saviour and his nightmare and when it buzzed in his pocket he winced, unsure whether or not to answer it. It could be Sophie, he thought. What a wonderful concept. Sophie. She had been such a beautiful distraction from his emotions, that wasn't to say he was using her, he had found her enchanting and he was well and truly looking forward to taking her out again that evening, he knew exactly the place to take her and he thought it might just be the kind of place she preferred.

Sophie was stuck at her desk. She had wrist cramp even though she had her wrap on and was using her table mat. Her eyes felt square and her stomach growled. Lunch time it is, she thought.

She had text Mads back this morning, telling him that she had also had a wonderful night and that today she would be free after 7pm again. He had replied to her saying that he would pick her up. He also asked how her day was going so far. Each time he messaged her back her spine tingled. She laughed at herself, it was almost as if she had a spidey-sense.

'My day is going well, I have drawn out thirty frames this morning and have completed a grand total of one second worth of animation. I feel like I've accomplished something today. x'

SENT

Mads

Someone should give you an award! x

'They really should. Now shush otherwise we'll have nothing to talk about this evening. x'

Mads

Ok. I'm shush-ing. I'll see you at 7 x

The day went as slow as humanly possible after that.

“Sophie, how are you today, have you got much done?” Jared, the animation producer liked to check up on her. She thought it was fair enough, he just wanted to keep everyone in order and on time. Sophie hoped that one day she could do his job, she liked organisation, she liked keeping lists and accounting, people always said that she had a skill for those sorts of things.

“Everything is fine Jared, I've done sixty frames today, should have the scene done by the end of the week.”

“Superb!” He stuck his thumbs up at Sophie and gave her the biggest cheesy grin. This, Sophie supposed, was his was of not making things awkward. Jared was the most awkward person when it came to his employees, he almost treated them like children, they were beneath his pay wage but above his maturity level. His 'thumbs up' routine was more common than Sophie thought.

When it hit half 6 Sophie snuck off the ladies again to get changed into tonight's outfit, a cute little black dress with strappy wedges. She felt like this attire was suitable to wear to drinks, and since finding out about what Mads did for a living, well that made her think twice about jeans and a t-shirt.

Sophie was out the front with David before Mads had even arrived. David had wolf whistled her as she stepped out of the door.

“Wow darling, gorgeous.”

“Thank you David. Have you had a better day today?”

“So much so. Yesterday was so slow, it was unbelievable. Anyway, enough about me, are you off again on another date with Mr Mikkelsen?”

Sophie nodded coyly.

“And you don't think this is too much? We're only going for drinks?”

“Soph, you could wear a bin bag and make it look fabulous.”

“Well that was a weird compliment,” she laughed.

David nodded behind Sophie to Mads.

Mads had dressed down for the occasion. He was in a grey t-shirt with black jeans on but he was still sporting his favourite circular white gold watch which probably would have cost Sophie an arm and a leg.

“Sophie.” Mads looked at her in awe.

“Mads.” She looked at him with a confused look on her face.

“You look absolutely stunning.”

Sophie looked at her shoes and stepped forward. She looped arms with him and waved at David over her shoulder.

“Lets go, you big charmer.”

Mads pulled up at a small bar at the edge of the city. It was renowned for their amazing whiskeys and thought that it was a little bit less pricey than the restaurant the day before.

“Now this is more like it.” Sophie laughed softly as they entered the green front door that squeaked as it opened.

“I'm glad you like it, apparently it has great whiskey.”

“Well how about this for a proposition, how about you set up that pool table over there and I get the first round?”

He smirked.

“You don't think it's that easy to buy me a drink do you?”

“Hey you bought me dinner yesterday, the least I can do is get you a drink or two. Now do you want ice?” She leant against the bar and attracted the waiters attention.

He laughed and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her out of the way and ordered two whiskeys. Sophie pushed him playfully but Mads just pulled her into his side and handed her the whiskey, with one ice cube.

“Now what were you saying about pool?”

After three or four drinks, neither of them could remember how many, Sophie had beaten Mads at two games of pool and the both of them were getting rather merry.

“Shit.” Sophie realised, “How are we going to get home? You certainly can't drive with the amount you've drunk.”

Mads laughed, his cheeks a soft pink,

“We'll get a taxi, I can pick up the car tomorrow. Anyway, why are you talking about leaving already it's only,” he checked his watch, “eleven?!”

They looked at each other and laughed.

Neither of them could recall how time had passed so quickly.

Sophie had work the next day and Mads had another meeting with his ex-wife's attorney but neither of them wanted the evening to end yet.

“How about another round?” Mads smiled, hiccuping.

“Only if I'm buying.” She laughed knowing fully well that Mads wouldn't let her buy a round, but wanting him to flirt with her again.

“No way!” He said running to the bar and almost tripping and falling onto the sticky bar carpet.