There's No Accounting For Love

Chapter Seventy

It was now early January, tax returns, tax returns and more tax returns.  Alan was coming to the end of his tether and not just with the tax returns. He missed Clare so much it hurt like hell. Eight whole weeks without Clare and as each day passed he became more depressed. The stress pains in his stomach were so bad he had returned to the doctor who had given him some medicine.  Unfortunately, it wasn't working.

Clare still wouldn't speak to him and always, whenever he saw her in the office or in the flats, she was happy and smiling and completely cool. Alan, however, felt like 'death warmed up'.

Alan was sitting in Bob's office, having gone in to discuss a client. When they finished their discussions Bob said to him.

"Haven't you made it up with Clare yet, Alan? She's really upset you know. What did you quarrel about, I've asked her, but she won't say a word. She just keeps saying it's personal. What was it? And more to the point, Alan, was it worth it. You look terrible!"

"I feel terrible, Bob, but I can't say what we quarreled over, it is personal. Clare's right. What am I going to do? She won't speak to me and, in fact, she's made me promise I won't."

Bob rose from behind his desk and opened the window.

"You don't mind if I smoke, do you Alan?" asked Bob not waiting for Alan's reply. He reached into his pocket and drew out a cigar, which he lit and then sat on the edge of the desk swinging his leg. Drawing deeply on the cigar and blowing the smoke away out of the window and waving his hand at it, he said

"Let me tell you something Alan, I'm sure Helen won't mind, but this is said in the strictest confidence, understand? Our little secret, aye?"

"Yes, Bob." said Alan, wondering what it could be.

"When Helen and I were engaged we had blazing rows. I wanted her to..." Bob lowered his voice, "sleep with me Alan, but she wouldn't. She had principles and she wouldn't budge. She drove me to distraction. Well, in the end, as you can imagine we fell out. My fault of course. (Well, of course, I am a man, of course if was my fault. Women, you can't live with 'em and you can't live without 'em). Well, anyway, she gave the ring back five times, Alan, five times and in the end the wedding was cancelled, Church, Reception, the lot! I was devastated and just like Clare she forbade me to talk to her. It drove me crazy."

Bob paused as he again drew deeply on his cigar and then blew out the smoke, which billowed in a cloud around the room. Alan sat quietly waiting for him to continue. This was embarrassing and very near to the point.

Bob continued "After that, she bloody well met someone else and she went out with him for a few months. I was mad with jealousy. We were parted for six months...six whole, long, miserable months, Alan and in the end my mother made me go and hammer the door down until I got an 'audience' with Dame Helen, 'cos that's what it felt like..." at this juncture Bob laughed and so did Alan. "I knocked on her door and I wouldn't go away until her mother came and let me in. She was not best pleased. Anyway Helen and I talked and in the end we made up. I had to wait another eight months before we were married, it was sheer hell, but not so bad as not having Helen in my life, of course. I made up my mind to behave myself, but it wasn't easy. Helen was such a looker you see, (still is!). One sexy little piece. Don't you dare tell her, mind." Bob laughed loudly.

"Anyway, Alan, the wedding night was fantastic, all the better for waiting I suppose, but I didn't think that at the time, believe you me, I didn't.... but we've been truly happy every since. Helen is loyal and faithful and I suppose some women are like that – don't believe in sex before marriage; I don't know, but I think most men are different."

Alan didn't trust himself to reply and anyway he was puzzled, not once had Bob's eyebrows jumped around, it was quite unusual, but then so was his story. Was it true? Surely Bob had guessed and made it up, just to alleviate his pain?

"It was nothing like that with me and Clare, Bob, it was something else entirely." lied Alan, convincingly.

"No, probably not, but my point is you must pursue her. You have to talk to her and let her know how you feel. For goodness sake, Alan, don't let a wonderful woman like Clare slip through your fingers! Keep on until she gives in. If you let her alone she'll end up with someone else. She's lovely Clare, plenty of men would find her deeply attractive. Don't delay, start now, straight away! Go on, off you go!"

"Thanks, Bob, I think you're right!" said Alan who was feeling more positive after this frank exchange of views.

Alan rose from the chair and walked out of Bob's office, over the corridor and into Clare's new office. Clare was not at her desk.

"Where's Clare, Mary, do you know?"

"Oh, she's up in the stationery cupboard, but she..."

Mary couldn't finish as Alan had already started to make his way quickly down the corridor and through the doors, across Reception and up the stairs to the stationery cupboard.