There's No Accounting For Love

Chapter Seventy One

Alan pushed opened the stationery cupboard door.

"Clare, are you there? Why is it so dark in here? I can hardly see."

Clare was at the far end of one of the rows of shelving. Alan walked towards her. She was sitting on a large box, sniffing and wiping her eyes.

"Oh, it's you. Go away and leave me alone." she said as she rose to her feet.

"You're crying...please don't cry." said Alan. "I want you to come back to me. I'm so lonely without you, I love you, please don't punish me anymore."

"I'm not crying, why should I be? I've got a bad cold and it's all in my eyes, they're running something terrible." She sniffed.

Alan didn't believe her, but what could he say?

"I'm sorry." he said, "But I must talk to you. I really love you. I won't keep on about sex anymore I just want you. I'm miserable Clare, I can't live without you. I want you back, I want you to love me...like you did before..."

Clare looked at him, frowning deeply.

"But you weren't happy with the way I loved you before, that's why we broke up, wasn't it?"

Alan took her hand and placed it within his own.

"Let me go, Alan, I meant what I said." Clare said angrily, tugging her hand away. "I'm busy. Go away."

"No, I'm not going until you say you'll come back to me. I'll promise anything."

"Like that's going to work." she replied.

"But it will!" said Alan. "I know what it would be like without you and I don't like it, in fact I detest it. I need you. I'm not happy. I'm lost and lonely. These last few weeks have been truly awful."

"Well, that's your fault."

"Please, tell me you'll at least think about it?"

"No! It's over and I've no intention of putting myself through that again. Please go away. You did promise to leave me alone, so you can at least keep that promise!"

"Please come back to me. I love you Clare. I do."

It felt like being in an eerie Church crypt standing in the darkness of the stationery cupboard and Alan began to feel claustrophobic.

"Why is it so dark in here?" he asked.

"Two of the strip lights have gone and I keep asking for someone to replace them, but no one listens." Clare replied.

Clare sat down on the box again and Alan sat on the box beside her, but at that moment the corner of the box on which Alan was sitting collapsed and they slid, slowly to the floor, Clare ending up on Alan's lap, her skirt way above her knees. He laughed and said "There you are, see, we're meant to be together, even the stationery knows it!" He put his arms around her and pulled her close to him and tried to kiss her on the lips, but Clare would have none of it and pulled herself away.  Clare stood up and Alan stood up beside her.

"Don't you miss me, not just one little bit?" he asked. Clare shrugged her shoulders, but didn't answer.

"No one can turn their feeling on and off like a tap." said Alan "You must still have some feelings for me, it stands to reason."

"I've told you before, I don't want to talk about this. It isn't fair you doing this to me, cornering me in the stationery cupboard. It's most unfair. I've told you, I don't want to talk about you and me any more...so please go away!"

Alan felt deflated and was just wondering what to say next, when Angie came to the door.

"Gosh, it's dark in here. Clare, have you seen Alan anywhere?"

"I'm here." said Alan.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Angie.

"I work here!" said Alan stupidly.

Clare glowered at him and Angie continued.

"I wasn't aware you worked in the stationery cupboard, but well, there you are. There's an urgent message for you, Mrs Paulton wants you to ring her straight away."

So Alan left to make his urgent phone call, still wondering how he could possibly get Clare to talk to him. After making the call, Alan made his way back up to the upper office and found Geoff sitting at his desk.  "Geoff, find out what type of fluorescent tubes we use in the stationery cupboard, could you and get someone to go and buy two and have them fitted? Poor Clare can hardly see in there, she'll end up with bad eyesight."

"Certainly." said Geoff, who was a very practical person and one who could be relied upon in an emergency. "How are things with you and Clare, any developments?"

"I'm afraid, Geoff, she won't even talk to me, so it's pretty hopeless at the moment."

"Oh dear," said Geoff "We'll have to think of something then, won't we?"

Alan wondered what on earth Geoff could do to help his situation, but he said nothing.

The lights was fixed the same day and Alan thought at least one problem was sorted out. But Alan's problem with Clare was far from sorted. He felt like he was going round in endless circles. And the stress pains in his stomach grew worse.

* * * * * * * * *

Angie also had a very busy day, but not too busy to seek out Geoff. A plan had formed in her mind. She was sitting at his desk now, discussing it.

"Well, the idea is, if we can get them together long enough they might talk things through." Angie whispered. "I thought if you invited them to a Dinner Party at your house, they would both come. But, no one else will be invited only them. I'll cook a meal and whilst they eat they will have to talk to one another. They wouldn't be rude to you Geoff. If I ask them to my house, they'll get up and leave, but they have such respect for you they will stay, even if they're mad about it. Do you think it will work? I remembered you said Frances is out on a Friday night. We could ask them over then."

"Ooh what a nice idea." said Geoff. "Let's go with that!"

They sat with heads together plotting and planning and all their colleagues in the upstairs office wondered what they were doing, but they all smiled when on leaving their office, Angie patted Geoff lightly on the head!