Bombay Mixx

Bombay Mixx - Chapter One - Part Twenty Four

Chapter One – New Pastures?

(Part Twenty Four)

Angus was very different to the Angus who followed me to the toilets on Tuesday. He didn’t even look at me. He was full of facts and figures, presentations, reports, booklets, graphs, etc, and I sat there trying to avoid the gaze of Sarah, who was giving me a shooting looks when I looked up at the presentation, but I cleverly avoided her.

The meeting was over within an hour and Ann stayed with Angus to get further information.

I was alone at my desk, trying to look busy when I looked up and saw Sarah next to me.

I didn’t know what to do? I didn’t want to look like I was repulsed by her but I also knew (very much so) that I wasn’t gay and didn’t want to hurt her feelings. I have never been the one to have these talks so it was very strange. I was usually the one getting dumped.

‘Hi Ann, can I borrow Nita for a few minutes? I just need her to get some notes from my office for Angus,’ she shouted to Ann who just nodded and continued to write down notes that Angus was dictating to her.

‘Shit, shit, shit,’ my mind screamed as I no longer had any excuses!

There was silence all the way to her office then she shut the door. ‘Rest assured I am not going to pounce on you,’ she joked, however, I wasn’t laughing, just looking for all available exits.

‘I’m not sure how to start so I’ll just go for it. I saw you in reception when you started on Monday and thought you were very pretty and funny at how you dealt with the receptionists. I hung around until Ann came to meet you. I know I should have told you I was gay but I didn’t want it to be a major thing between us and I wanted to get to know you away from work,’ she stated as she walked towards me. I felt uncomfortable as she sat next to me and moved away slightly to gain more distance ‘If you had told me you were gay I wouldn’t have had a problem with it Sarah but you didn’t tell me, instead you took me out and then kissed me,’ I pronounced.

She looked at the floor as though embarrassed. ‘I made a mistake. I’m sorry. But we had a really good night so can’t we just forget it and try to be just friends? I would still really like to go out clubbing with you and I promise not to grope you this time,’ she said with a nervous laugh. I thought about how much fun I had before the coming out of the closet and racing back in and bolting the door firmly shut saga and realised she’s really fun. ‘Consider it forgotten,’ I replied and gave her a hug which was reciprocated.

After having a laugh about the situation and jokes about how good the kiss actually was, I went back downstairs and saw an extra pile of paperwork Ann had secretly dumped on my desk. With her prying eye, I didn’t react I just continued with my work when an email popped up.

I saw the sender was Angus so I thought it was an update on the meeting; I opened it. It read,

‘I hope you had a good time the other night and I wanted to apologise for my behaviour with you. I now know the feelings could never have been mutual but Sarah is a great girl and I hope you have a great relationship.

Yours,

Angus. X’ 

‘Oh great. Now he thinks I’m gay too. Is it my perfume? Or do my clothes and general stature scream gay?’ I thought as I started a reply,

‘Thank you for the apology, however, if you are just apologising because you think I’m gay and therefore have no hope of anything happening between us then I’m afraid to say you are wrong about me being gay but right that I will never get together with my boss and a married man.

Regards,

Neeta’

I looked into his office as I saw him reading the reply and saw him look at me through the window with a shocked look on his face and then he continued to type,

‘I can’t say that I’m not happy to hear that your straight but I still want to apologise. I acted like an idiot but it’s just when I see you I feel this energy, happiness and passion…a lot of passion. I know I’m married and I know I’m your boss but if only you knew my situation Nita. I don’t want you to feel sorry for me but we haven’t slept in the same room for three months. She knows there is no love there anymore but we’re just trying to act like a couple until the children finish school then we can go our separate ways. I would never advise anyone to get involved with a married man but my situation is different and I know I’ve only known you for four days, but the moment I met you something sparked inside me and I don’t get that too often so I don’t want to let it and you go. Please just think about it.’

What is it with the management in this place? When they see fresh blood they have to pounce on it straight away in case it goes past the sell by date? This is ridiculous I thought as I looked up from my screen to see him looking at his computer screen sadly.

I decided not to respond to his email without investigating his marriage further so I went to the official office gossip and office oracle, Brian.

Now Brian is fantastic. He has the driest sense of humour, always tells stories of his eventful night out with his partner, Paulo in Soho and knows everything about everyone in the office before they do! We clicked the first day I started and I knew he would know everything about Angus as he secretly fancies him  I found this out one afternoon when he gave me a graphic account of how he planned to ‘turn’ him).

I approached his desk and he clapped his hands as though excited to see me. ‘I have news about someone in Human Resources who has been very naughty in the photocopying room with a certain someone from Sales and marketing,’ he purred. ‘okay tell me that in a minute Bri, I just wanted to know about Angus’s wife cos he asked me to buy her a present and I was gonna get her perfume but need to know what she likes cos perfume is a very individual present, don’t you think?’ I confidently explained and hoped he wouldn’t see through that flakily explanation.

He didn’t.

‘Hmmm, he’s buying her a present, really? He hasn’t spoken about her for a while and she hasn’t been into the office for a few weeks. Usually she’ll come in with the kids but nope, nothing. Maybe buy her some Chanel No. 5. Can’t go wrong with a bit of Chanel, can you? He responded whilst checking his appearance in his hand sized mirror he keeps in the top drawer of his desk.

After finding out about Susan sleeping with Eric from Sales and Marketing and being caught on the CCTV camera, I went back to my desk and continued to ponder if Angus was really telling the truth and should this make a difference?