Chapter 21

The following morning, the first into work at The Firm was, as usual, 
Elizabeth. An unusual visitor interrupted her normal routine of coffee, 
skimming the newspaper while checking some overnight testing and 
watering Bob's plants. Well, unusual at that time of the morning, 
anyway.   

"Good morning, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth turned to see Denise standing in Bob's office doorway.

"Oh! You startled me!" She looked tired but functional, Elizabeth 
decided, after studying the young woman for a moment. "What brings 
you in here half an hour early?"

"Oh, I need to get some notes down before I start with Stan today, 
plus I've got a couple of routine jobs to do - you know, the sort of 
stuff that doesn't go away just because you've been given a 'hot job' 
to do. So I thought I'd get in here and have my early coffee while 
doing them."

"Okay. What brings you in here, though? I'm glad to see you of 
course, but shouldn't you be at your desk?"

"Well, yes. I just thought I'd come and see you. If I'm disturbing 
you..." Denise turned to go, clearly hurt.

"Denise, wait! Stop a moment. We can have our coffee together, here, 
before the others all turn up, then you can go get on with whatever 
you needed to do. I'm sorry, I - I just need to say something, and it's 
hard to say."

"Hmm? What?" asked Denise, now soothed a little and more than a 
little intrigued.

"It'll wait until you've got your coffee, Denise."

While Denise went to get her coffee, Elizabeth finished with Bob's 
plants and sat down, after wheeling Stan's visitor's chair around to her 
side of the desks. Elizabeth pointed to the chair when Denise came 
back.

"Now, what did you want to say?" asked Denise, who'd become 
concerned.

"Well. I don't really know how to say this, so I'm going to say it bang. 
It's about Stan and Anne."

Elizabeth took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry the way things worked out, I feel a bit responsible. You see, 
I did notice something between them before you went away. I'll 
always be sorry for not telling you. I don't believe it would have 
stopped Anne and Stan getting together like that, but it might have 
prepared you for it. So, Sorry, Denise, I hope you didn't get hurt just 
because of me."

Denise's lower lip was trembling slightly, but she held herself rigid, 
fighting to remain in control.

"What did you notice, Elizabeth?" she asked her, tightly.

'Oh dear,' thought Elizabeth. Aloud, she said, "I actually teased him a 
little about it. He watched her, Denise; in a way he didn't watch 
others. He did it more and more the last few weeks. I don't believe he 
knew what was happening himself."

"What about her?" asked Denise. Her voice had taken on the 
overtones of the Inquisition.

"Anne? I don't honestly think Anne noticed anything, or if she did, she 
hid it exceptionally well. Stan's not so good at hiding things like that, 
he's never learned. He's never had to learn it. Anne might have done, 
but I think mainly she simply didn't notice because she felt everyone 
else was beneath her. Horrid to say, but I think it might be true. So 
when it was Stan who pulled her out of the fire, she sat up and looked 
around. What she noticed was Stan."

Elizabeth took another deep breath. Denise had a way about her when 
she was like this. She could intimidate almost anyone. But Elizabeth 
wasn't an easy touch, either.

"I couldn't say this on the phone last night. It wouldn't have been 
right. But now I've told you, so I need to tell you just one more thing. 
Take control of your life, Denise. Set yourself a goal and reach for it. It 
doesn't have to be a permanent thing; you can decide to concentrate 
on professional life for the moment if you want.

"But you mustn't go around being angry with Stan or Anne for finding 
each other. As I told my daughter Kelly a while back, you are 
responsible for your own life. Don't expect others to make you happy if 
you're not even trying for yourself. Even if things go wrong, feeling 
sorry won't help you, doing something about it will."

Elizabeth's expression, which had become commanding, softened and 
she became once again the motherly, friendly person that people 
usually saw.

"Now, when I said that to Kelly, I gave her a hug afterwards. It's 
purely optional, of course!"

Denise's face, which had flushed a dark red, cleared and she leaned 
forward in her chair to take the older woman in her arms.

"Thanks, Elizabeth, I suppose I needed to hear that. Um. I, er, I'd 
better be off, I think. We've got work to do, and I want to be alone for 
a bit before I see Stan this morning, or Anne, for that matter."

"Of course, hun, I understand. I'll see you later - lunch?"

Denise flashed her a brief smile, nodding before turning away and 
walking on to her own section.

- - - - - - - - - -

Stan was a couple of minutes late that morning. He'd had to get up 
and go home first, which had delayed him - notoriously bad starter as 
he was. Once again, neither had actually brought an overnight bag 
with a change of clothes, so he'd muttered, groaned and grouched his 
way to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and got dressed before getting 
into his Mondeo and driving home to shower and change before work.

All of this, after another morning when he had trouble getting out of 
bed - trouble caused by Anne simply being there with him. His look of 
longing, only slightly exaggerated, didn't stop her from telling him to 
"Get out of bed you randy goat! You've got work to go to!" She 
softened the order with a brilliant smile, but a command it was, 
regardless. He managed to make up some time, but still didn't quite 
make it.

Elaine greeted him cheerily, so he assumed that those two had settled 
things. He was going to ask her if she minded getting Denise to talk to 
her and be the shoulder Denise could use for comfort, when he 
thought better of it. Elaine and Susan were having a rough time, it 
wouldn't be right. 'Ask Elizabeth first,' he thought.

He arrived in his office to see Bob grinning at him. Yes, it was Stan's 
turn to be late. He knew that Bob didn't mind, provided the work got 
done.

Stan completed his normal morning checklist, while he greeted 
Elizabeth.

"Good morning Elizabeth, how're you today?"

"Well, I don't think I've had as good a morning as you by the sound of 
it! I'm fine, Stan, thank you."

After Stan had completed his morning rush jobs, Elizabeth leaned 
across the desk a little and said quietly, "Denise phoned me last 
night."

Stan's ears perked up. He indicated interest.

"She's angry with you, Stan, and of course feels resentful of Anne as 
well. But she's working through it. You know she felt a lot for you, I'd 
guess it was actually more than just a case of liking a lot. She'd fallen 
for you, and although it was no fault of your own, she resents the 
timing. You couldn't feel for anyone, you said - but only two weeks 
later you're tumbling into an intense relationship with Anne."

Stan held his head in his hands for a moment. He looked up, and 
Elizabeth could see pain etched on his expression.

"Oh, God. I never wanted to hurt anyone. You know that, Elizabeth. 
With Anne, I... I just don't understand what happened. I just fell. I 
think Anne feels the same sense of, of bewilderment that I do."

"Yes, I believe you. Anyway, she and I had a good chat, last night and 
again this morning, early. I think she'll stop giving you the cold 
shoulder, now, and hopefully that will extend to Anne. No promises, 
mind, but I tried." Elizabeth didn't think it was right to discuss the 
whole conversation, which was between her and Denise.

"Thanks, Elizabeth. I just hope it worked!"

- - - - - - - - - -

Denise was at her desk, nominally running over some notes from 
yesterday. In reality she was considering her conversations with 
Elizabeth last night and this morning. She had some serious thinking 
to do.

She had a variety of emotions running through her, from anger to 
love, from frustration to satisfaction and others besides. She trusted 
Elizabeth, the older lady's warm heart and solid good sense born out of 
experience brought that out in her. 'So, okay, I trust Elizabeth,' she 
thought. Now what?

'If I trust Elizabeth, and she tells me I have to work for my own 
happiness and stop feeling sorry for myself, then that's what I should 
do.'

'What would make me happy? I don't really know at the moment. 
That's what I've got to work out.'

In any event, she got no further before it was time to meet Stan and 
get on with their project.

- - - - - - - - - -

For the rest of the day Denise worked together with Stan. After today, 
Denise knew, their collaboration would change in nature. She would 
take over and begin coding up, building the databases and only 
conferring with Stan when something was revealed to need more 
definition, or was shown to be unworkable.

Denise thought there wouldn't be much redevelopment of the project 
needed. Despite their differences the two had worked well together, 
and the design was 'clean'. It would be a lot of work, but should need 
little more in the way of redefinition. There were bound to be some 
problems, though, and the two would still work together every day 
until it was complete.

Even then, it had to be rolled out to the whole company, and the staff 
would need training. That would require both of them, as inevitably 
there would be extra features requested, and they'd both need to 
decide on which features would be added, which could be added later, 
and which requests were unlikely to be fulfilled. Denise expected she'd 
be working directly with Stan, off and on, for at least another six 
weeks.

But for now they were together in the Meeting Room, huddled over 
notes and diagrams. Denise's red hair glinted in the overhead light, 
and she noticed that Stan's attention had been drawn away from the 
work to her head. She'd dressed to avoid rather than encourage 
attention today though, with her high-necked blouse buttoned to the 
top and a pair of loose, comfortable trousers that hid rather than 
displayed her figure. He hid his momentary distraction by asking a 
question, then the two got back to work.

- - - - - - - - - -

Throughout the rest of the week at work, Denise and Stan continued 
to work together, Stan now passing the project over to Denise for her 
to work on. While the two were concentrating on professional matters, 
they were able to get along without undue friction, but if Stan 
mentioned Anne he noticed a distinct drop in temperature.

On Friday afternoon, just as they were leaving at the end of the day, 
Stan said, "See you Tuesday then, Denise."

"Oh, yes! I'd forgotten it was a Bank Holiday weekend. You doing 
anything over the break?

"Anne and I are going to visit an old friend of hers. A lecturer at her 
university, I think she said." The words were out of his mouth before 
he could recall them.

Once again, Denise's expression closed up, the dark clouds appearing 
again. Stan wondered if there was anything he could say to alleviate 
the evident problem.

Eventually Denise replied, flatly, "Well. Have a good weekend, then 
Stan. I'll be on my own, with a book in my garden, or something. But 
you and Anne have a good time."

She turned and stalked off. 'No, things still aren't fixed between us,' 
reflected Stan sadly.

- - - - - - - - - -

Anne drove Stan over to meet her old lecturer and mentor. He lived in 
a comfortable old 1930s style house, with a well-manicured lawn, 
colourful flowerbeds and an old Land Rover on the driveway.

Anne rang the doorbell, and when it opened Stan saw a woman in her 
forties, with rich dark chocolate brown hair, in a pair of jeans and a t-
shirt. She saw Anne and smiled brightly, exclaiming, "Anne! It's lovely 
to see you, my dear. Come in, come in!"

Anne said, "Margaret, it's great to see you too!" The two ladies air-
kissed, then Anne stood back and, a little shyly, introduced Stan.

"Margaret, I'd like you to meet Stan. Stan, Margaret. Maggie, you 
know what happened to me with Daniel, well, Stan's the first guy I've 
been able to trust since then. He's wonderful!"

Turning to Stan, Anne continued, "Maggie and Sid got married while I 
was at Imperial College, and Sid was one of my lecturers."

Maggie invited them in, and they were ushered into the living room.

"Sid'll be down in a minute," Margaret told the pair. "I'll get some tea."

"Actually, I'm here now!" came a voice from the opposite door.

It came from a man of medium height, bald, but bouncing with 
energy. He spoke with a slight accent, that Stan couldn't quite place, 
but there was no doubt as to the clarity of the voice itself.

Anne stood to greet the older man, and Stan did so as well. Jim kissed 
Anne lightly on the cheek, saying "Anne! You look wonderful. It's been, 
what, nearly five years since we last saw each other?"

He turned to Stan and shook hands, saying, "Dr. Sydney James 
Thoroughgood at your service."

"Stan Hinch, at yours. Do you prefer Sid or Sydney?"

"Oh, Sid's fine. Sydney is so formal. So you're the one who's swept our 
Anne off her feet, then!"

Stan grinned. "Yes, I'm the one. Mind you, Anne's done at least as 
good a job on me. I can't believe my luck!"

"Well, sit down, both of you. Maggie'll get some tea, and we can all 
catch up, and get to know each other."

Stan and Anne spent an enjoyable afternoon and early evening at the 
Thoroughgood's. Sydney and Margaret proved to be congenial hosts. 
Stan was made to feel as welcome as Anne, despite the ties that 
Sydney, Margaret and Anne obviously had.

At one point Anne asked Sydney, "What are you up to now, then, Sid?"

"Ah. Can't talk about that, much. I might, just might, have an 
interesting little adventure soon."

"You can't leave me hanging like that, Sid!" exclaimed Anne, but 
Sydney refused to say more.

"Sorry, Anne, I can't tell you anything. Yet. If things work out, you'll 
know soon enough." He refused to be budged from that, and Anne 
changed the subject.

- - - - - - - - - -

On Tuesday morning, everyone came back to work, mostly 
commenting that the extra day simply wasn't enough. Stan said to 
Denise, "It seems to be a universal truth that no holiday is long 
enough!"

"Well, it's all right for some, I guess. Though actually, I did enjoy 
yesterday. I just pottered about, read some, listened to some music, 
and generally chilled out. I feel better today than I did Friday, 
anyway."

"What did you read, and listen to?"

"Oh, I settled into an old romance - Mistral's Daughter. It's by Judith 
Krantz."

"Oh, I know the one. The painter and his women. I won't spoil it..."

"You'd better not!" Denise cried, and lightly punched his arm. "I'm 
about halfway through, and if you say any more I'll really hit you!"

Nothing more was said for a while.

"Music?" Stan prompted, after a few minutes. Denise was skimming 
through her notes, looking for the cause of an anomaly they'd found.

"Just whatever was on the radio, Stan. Nothing in particular."

"Ah. Okay. Now, about this..." and they settled back to work.

- - - - - - - - - -


It was now Wednesday evening, and Denise was bored. She didn't 
want to go out alone and she couldn't very well ring Elaine to see if 
she wanted a drink - there were still problems enough between Susan 
and the young receptionist, Denise knew.

What Denise still wanted was a new man in her life, but none of the 
ones she knew measured up. The only two people, Elaine and Stan, 
who she could have been close to were both involved in new 
relationships themselves. Denise realized that she was not only bored 
but she was lonely. Given that she'd only come back from Ibiza a short 
time ago, she thought this was odd, but as she thought about her 
feelings she knew that she was right.

Denise read a bit more of her book, but couldn't really settle. She 
turned her television on and watched a couple of soap operas, 
complaining out loud all the time about the poor, obvious plot, while 
secretly enjoying them. But after an hour, she turned the sound down, 
picked up the phone, and called Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth? It's Denise."

"Hi, Denise. What can I do for you? Is anything wrong?"

"Only that I'm bored, lonely and sitting here watching bad television 
and reading romance novels, Elizabeth. There's something wrong, 
here!"

Denise heard Elizabeth chuckle down the line.

"Isn't it a little early to be feeling lonely, Denise? You only came back 
from holiday a little while ago."

"Well, yes. But I've thought about it, trying to work out how I feel. 
'Lonely' just fits the bill better than anything else."

"Denise, Denise. Give yourself a chance, my dear. You really shouldn't 
be so down. I'd have thought you ought to be still getting over your 
holiday, not pining for lack of gentleman suitors!"

It was Denise's turn to grin. Elizabeth couldn't hear that, of course.

"Denise? Are you all right?"

"Oh, sorry Elizabeth. Yes, of course. I was smiling to myself at what 
you said."

"Oh. Well, that's good news, anyway, your sense of humour has 
returned! You've been like a bear this week, Denise."

There was a pause in the conversation for a moment. Then, Elizabeth 
thought of something.

"Denise, you ought to go with Stan and Anne to their dance lessons. 
You used to go, didn't you, once? You enjoyed it when you went?"

"Yes, that's where I met Raoul," Denise answered, in a flat voice.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. But I'm not sure it's a good idea, you know, going with 
Stan and Anne might feel awkward. Not to mention if Raoul is still 
going there."

"Stan hasn't mentioned him to me. I would have thought he would 
have said. No?" Elizabeth replied.

"Nothing to me either. I'll think about it, Elizabeth. Maybe I can ask if 
Raoul is there, and if not, I can see if they'd mind me tagging along. 
Dancing is a good way to get out and meet people, I know. Provided 
it's the right 'people'. I never finished the beginner's course there; it 
would be good to at least do that. Like I said, I'll think about it."

"Okay, sweetheart. I'll speak to you tomorrow. Bye!"

- - - - - - - - - -

It was now a week since Stan had effectively 'passed over' the project 
to Denise. Of course, that didn't mean that he didn't still have to work 
with her on the project. Once again this Thursday morning they met to 
discuss the project. During a lull, when neither of them had anything 
particular to say, Denise asked, "Stan, does Raoul still go to the dance 
classes?"

"Not to the beginner ones that Anne and I go to, no. Why?"

Denise wanted to ask, but couldn't. Not just then. She had the feeling 
of being out of control, that her emotions were rushing along and 
carrying her. So she clamped down on them and merely answered, 
"Oh, no reason, just curious. You hadn't mentioned him either way and 
I just wondered, that's all."

They got back to their work.

Later, while at lunch, Denise told Elizabeth, "Raoul isn't at Stan's 
classes. I'm still undecided about going, myself."

"I still think you should, Denise. It would do two things, rebuild your 
friendship with Stan and help you with your self-confidence. You're 
worried about meeting the right 'people', after all."

"True. I'll think about it."

"Good, Denise. Do so!"

- - - - - - - - - -

Denise was a bit surprised to receive a phone call from Elizabeth that 
evening.

"Hi Denise. It's Elizabeth."

"Hello Elizabeth, I didn't expect you to call!"

"Well, it's only a quick phone call. I have to go and see my son Harry 
tonight, I told him I'd give him a hand with some decorating. I just 
thought of something that might improve your self-confidence.

"How do you fancy some retail therapy this weekend? I want to get a 
new blouse and skirt anyway. You could get some more feminine stuff 
- remember I suggested it once before? How about a nice skirt and a 
nice sexy lacy blouse? After all, you dressed up for Ibiza, what's so 
different about going out here. You're young and attractive, why not 
advertise it?"

"I don't know, Elizabeth... Oh! All right then, let's talk about it again 
tomorrow and I can let you persuade me some more." Denise had a 
smile on her face as she finished the last sentence, one which 
Elizabeth could hear through the phone line.

"Sounds good. I'm not letting you off the hook now! See you 
tomorrow, then. Bye!"

- - - - - - - - - -

It was late Friday afternoon. Denise was in reception, chatting 'idly' to 
Elaine. Really she was waiting for Stan and Anne.

But she'd been worried about Elaine and Susan. She knew that Elaine 
was completely head-over-heels in love with the quieter woman, and 
that Susan's insecurities were causing problems. She wondered if 
there was anything she could do to help.

"Laney? How's things with you and Susan?"

"Much better, thanks!" smiled an effervescent Elaine. "Susan is doing 
her best not to snarl at me if I go within fifty feet of another girl, and 
I'm doing my best not to do anything to make her jealous."

"Oh, good, Laney. I hated it when you two were fighting."

"Well, me too, of course, Denny. We're okay at the moment, though. 
Just don't let Susan see you within fifty feet of me... just kidding!"

Denise smiled, but thought that there was a slight edge to that 
comment. Susan wouldn't ever forget that Denise was Elaine's ex, it 
seemed.

"It's okay, Elaine. If Susan says anything about me, just remind her 
that I'm not looking at all at the moment, but when I go back to 
hunting, it'll be for a male companion, not a female one. That's why 
we split in the first place!"

"Oh, Denny. I know that, you know that. Susan knows that too, but 
sometimes she can't help herself."

Just then Anne walked into reception, carrying an overnight bag. Stan 
followed her. Denise winked at Elaine and turned to the tall blonde.

"Hi Anne. Can I talk to you a moment, please?"

Anne looked puzzled.

Stan came over, but Denise said, "Just Anne, for the moment, Stan. If 
you don't mind, anyway?"

Stan murmured a "No, no, not at all..." and went back to the desk to 
talk to Elaine. Denise and Anne moved into a corner, speaking in 
lowered tones.

"Anne, do you mind if I come along to the dance class on Monday? I 
need to get out and take my mind off things. I used to enjoy the dance 
classes with Belinda and Yves, until Raoul came along, anyway."

"Raoul?"

"Oh, Stan hasn't told you then. My bastard of an ex. I met him there, 
we had a wonderful time until I found out that he was cheating on me, 
several times at once. I left him, obviously. Stan tells me he's not in 
your classes, and I really would like to come - but not if it's going to 
be awkward with you and Stan."

"Oh." Anne thought for a few moments. For decisions requiring mere 
intellect she was quick and decisive, but this involved her emotions. It 
took longer, and she wasn't as sure. But she knew Denise was hurt, 
she'd told her that she owed the redhead a debt and this was one way 
she could start to repay it.

"That will be fine, Denise. You're going to make your own way there?"

Anne wasn't going to unbend all the way at once, Denise saw. 

"I can do, yes. I know where it is. Thank you, Anne."

Anne called over, "Denise is going to the Dance Class on Monday, 
Stan. Isn't that wonderful?"

Stan answered, "Yes, of course. I'm sure Belinda and Yves will be 
delighted to see you again. Have you booked yet?"

Denise smiled at Stan and replied, "No, not yet, silly, I had to clear it 
with your boss, first!" She indicated Anne with her eyes and an incline 
of the head.

Stan accepted this with a blink, followed by a wry grin. Then he asked, 
"Do you want a lift?"

Anne answered quickly, "No, Stan, she's driving herself. Isn't that 
right, Denise?" Anne's tone held no room for disagreement.

- - - - - - - - - -

Anne handed her bag over to Stan, who put it into his car. The two 
had parked next to one another that morning, on Anne's side of the 
car park.

Anne drove home, thinking about Denise. She wondered if she should 
have been more gracious, and asked Stan to offer her a lift on 
Monday. She thought about that, and why she hadn't, the entire short 
journey to her house.

Once there she showered and changed into exercise shorts and a 
sweatshirt. The agreement was that the pair would stop for the 
weekend at his house, biking into and around the town, not trying too 
hard. Anne and Stan had disagreed over cooking, as neither wanted to 
do any.

Anne didn't want to admit that she felt embarrassed by her lack of 
culinary expertise; she didn't feel she ought to but couldn't shake the 
feeling that she should be able to cook. It was as if it were something 
her mother had forgotten to hand down in her genes.

Stan, on the other hand, felt that as it was his house, he ought to 
have made an effort - but his own ability in the kitchen was basic. He 
could cook, yes, provided the recipe instructions were detailed enough. 
He just really didn't want to, and the conflict between duty and desire 
was a close run thing. He was about to, reluctantly, say that he'd 
rustle up some sort of stew when Anne suggested they eat out. In the 
end they'd compromised and would either order in or go out, but both 
knew that it was putting the matter off.

Anne rode over to Stan's house, putting her bike in his garage before 
walking in through his back door. There she found Stan in the kitchen, 
making coffee.

They exchanged greetings, and then Stan said "I've cleared space in 
the wardrobe for some of your stuff, Anne, I hope you don't mind."

"Why should I mind?" asked Anne, with a slight furrow to her brow.

"I thought you might feel it was a bit... well, presumptuous."

"No, not at all, Stan. I am staying the weekend, after all. I hope that 
you'll be staying at my house sometimes, too."

"Well, I'd like that of course," grinned Stan, "here's more convenient, 
though."

"Why?"

"Well, it's closer to The Firm and the town centre, and there's more 
room here."

"It's not significantly closer to either of those from here, Stan, and the 
extra space is irrelevant unless you plan on putting me in the spare 
room, is it? What you meant is it's less bother for you. That attitude 
needs adjustment, buster!"

Stan knew he'd been caught out, so he threw himself on the mercy of 
the court. Unfortunately, Anne wasn't in a forgiving mood, since she 
was still worried about Denise. It was a minor argument, but it did 
count as their first.

Later, of course, after they'd made up in bed, Stan worried. Yes, he 
realized, he had taken it for granted that Anne would move in with 
him, eventually. Nothing about that had been said, but it was just an 
assumption that he'd not thought worth stating, it seemed self-
evident. Anne didn't feel that, it seemed, and was quite belligerent in 
making her point. Did that mean she didn't want to be with him the 
same way as he wanted to be with her?

Meanwhile, lying next to him, Anne still wondered about Denise. The 
lovemaking they'd just shared had had an almost desperate nature. 
Oh, they'd both enjoyed it! How could she not, Stan was skilled and, 
more importantly, loving, but she felt that there was something, or 
someone, between them. Denise.

Both of them had a fitful sleep that night.

- - - - - - - - - -