“I’ll be back by about 11:00pm tonight,” Louis said. “Yeah you’ve said that three times… now go and enjoy yourself, you’ve a whole day you can spend with your family, so stop talking on the phone to me and go!” I said swapping the phone from one ear to the other as I stirred the pasta in the pot. “Thanks for making me do this June, I really owe you one,” he said. “You’re very welcome! Now go! I’ll talk to you later goodbye!” I said and hung up the phone.
Just last night Louis broke down to me, telling him about the heartache he was feeling about not being able to see his family. So this morning I called up one of the drivers and forced Louis to make the drive to Doncaster to visit his family. He was so over joyed it nearly broke my heart. However what I hadn’t anticipated was the boredom without having Louis around.
So here I was cooking, instead of ordering take-out ford, instead of lounging around watching shitty TV. It was when I was straining the pasta I felt the urge to go to Modest HQ, get some solid work done so at exactly 2:30pm I left my apartment, got into my car and drove the roads that would take me to 128 Kensington High St, a place I hadn’t been for work in way too long.
It was just gone three when I was getting out of my car –boxes in hand- and walking through the main doors of the glass building. “Ms Talford! Such a shock to see you here, are you here to see someone?" Jacob greeted before beginning to tap away at his computer. “Oh no, I just decided I’d get some work done, call my previous clients, that kind of thing,” I said with a tired smile. “Oh are you finishing up with One Direction?" Jacob asked. “No… why would you say that?” I asked in confusion.
“Because you haven’t been back here to ‘get some work done’ since the day before you flew for LA all those many months ago,” he explained. “You don’t miss anything do you? And no I’m not leaving the boys, whereabouts is Alexander?” I asked leaning my elbows up onto his high desk. “Last I heard he and Mrs Green were in California, Sacramento I think but I can’t be too sure,” Jacob answered. I nodded, “Right I’ll be up in my office if anyone asks, thanks Jacob,” I said and made my way around the left side of his desk, passed the fountain that I had admired the day of my trial and through the automatic double doors.
As I walked down the corridor I noticed that Midge wasn’t sitting in her usual chair behind the desk. It was a young girl with bouncy brown curls and big green glasses she smiled up at me. “Hi there, can I help you with anything?” she asked in a very strong Northern Irish accent. “Yeah I’m looking for Midge…” I said looking this girl up and down. Why was she here? And where the hell was Midge? “Oh I’m filling in for today because Mary is at her son’s graduation,” she explained. “How new are you?” I asked not afraid of being blunt. Anyone that was anyone knew that you didn’t call Midge Mary.
“Not new at all, I’ve been working in the clothing department for three years,” she explained, confusion on her voice. “If you don’t mind me asking what do you do in the clothing department?”
“Oh I hang the clothes,” she said with a smile, it took a lot of my strength to refrain from rolling my eyes. “And if you don’t mind me asking, I feel like I know you, do I?” she asked. I couldn’t help the little bubble of laugh that escaped my mouth.
“I’m June Talford, have a good day,” I said, taking a moment to look at her completely shocked face before turning to the left and walking down the corridor towards the silver elevators.
***
“Well the least I can give you is a line of dresses and matching blazers for that amount of money,” I explained down the phone, “How many dresses?” Mark Webber asked. “Eight dresses and eight blazers, for double the money you’re offering you’ll get six bags as well,” I bargained. I had currently gotten the price of doing a deal with DKNY up to £1.5 million. “Done, I’ll take the £3 million deal, I’m setting a deadline of three months,” he said. I did a little victory fist pump. “I’ll have it done in two months,” I said confidently. “Then expect a big tip. Pleasure doing business with you Ms Talford we’ll speak soon,” Mr Webber said and the line went dead.
“I got a new contract, I’m working for DKNY, and I’m getting rich!” I sung as I rose from my chair behind my desk and did a happy dance. “Someone’s in a good mood,” Harry’s voice rang in through my office. “Harry Styles, what are you doing in my office?” I asked putting my hands on my hips. “I was wondering do you want to come for a late lunch with me?” he asked with a soft smile on his face. “That would be amazing… but can I ask why?” I asked raising an eyebrow at him.
“You miss Louis,” he explained with a shrug. “What makes you say that?”
“You’re in Modest, doing a happy dance over a contract,” he said looking at me sceptically. “A £3million contract,” I corrected. “Jeez! I’d join in on that happy dance! Congrats! Who’s the contract with?” he asked giving me a hug. I smiled in thanks before answering; “DKNY.”
“Whoa! Even better, that’s some big bucks! You must be worth nearly as much money as we are!” Harry said with a laugh. “So lunch?” he asked.
“Definitely, where are we going?” I asked as I hit the log off button on my laptop and picked up my bag from the edge of my desk. “I’m not really sure… how about we just walk around until we find somewhere?” Harry asked as the two of us walked from my office and into the elevator. “Where’s Sian?” I asked, clicking the 0 button on the lift. “We’re kind of not talking…” he said. “What happened?” I asked.
“Ah I don’t even know, how about I explain over food?” he asked as we walked out of the elevator and into the corridor. “That bad, eh?” I asked trying not to right stick my foot in it. “Yeah pretty much… Wait please tell me you have your car with you?” Harry said suddenly.
“Yeah I do… why?” I asked walking towards the red mini. “Oh thank god! I got dropped here, and if you didn’t have your car we’d be stranded,” Harry said in relief following me over to the car. “Oh and that would be drastic!” I said as I unlocked my car.
“Okay which direction are we going?” I asked once I was at the intersection. “Left,” he answered without hesitation. “You already know where we’re going don’t you,” I asked but indicated to go left regardless. “Yeah I remembered this place that mum was going on about a couple of months ago, it was new back then and is meant to be amazing. Oh shit, actually do you like Mexican?” he asked with a hopeful smile on his face.
“No… did Louis not tell you, I don’t like anything that is anyway spicy…” I said with absolutely no emotion as I drove down the road. “What? Are you serious?” he asked. That was as far as my patience went and exactly the moment I burst out laughing. “Please tell me you’re joking,” he said, but I couldn’t answer because of my laughter echoing through my car. “Yes, yes Harry I’m joking! I love Mexican!” I said driving down the road. “Okay take the second exit on this roundabout and keep driving,” Harry instructed and I did so.
We were heading towards a shopping centre. “Take this right here,” he instructed, I clicked down the indicator, “Hold on a second… the Mexican place is in the shopping centre?” I asked not really believing where I was actually driving. “Yeah, but it’s so worth it!”
“And I’m so not ready to be harassed!” I said. “Its 3:00pm everyone that would harass us is in school or uni, you’ll be safe. Oh! There! A park!” he said nearly jumping through the windshield. “All right man, calm down I see it,” I laughed and executed a perfect park.
“Empanada’s here I come,” Harry grinned happily as I locked my car and we both walked into the glass walled shopping centre. “I haven’t been here in over a year, last time was the week before I got the job at Modest… but I didn’t buy anything, I was broke as shit,” I said with a laugh. “Hold up how much are you even worth?” Harry asked. “I don’t know… how do I tell?” I asked actually curious as to what the answer would be. “Well to get the most accurate answer, you wait until the listings of the top 100 money makers in America is, that list is published sometime in September, I’d presume you’re on that list to be honest,” harry said with a shrug.
“But you could guess what tripling the amount that’s in your bank account,” he said not really caring what he was saying. “I haven’t looked at how much I have in my bank…” I trailed off. “When was the last time?” he asked. “I don’t know… a year and half ago… maybe two? I never checked it because I got really upset by how much I was working with Izzie’s but still how broke I was,” I explained. “Oh, we should really check it right now!” Harry said grinning like a mad man. “You know what, I think we should, look there’s an ATM there,” I said and grabbed Harry’s wrist and walked over to the bank machine, thankfully there wasn’t anyone at it.
“Right here we go!” I said super enthusiastically as I slid my card into the machine. I then typed in my pin and waited for it to be accepted. Then the grid of options came up I hit the ‘balance printed’ button and waited for the information to be printed. Once it was I took both piece of paper and my card and walked away from the machine as a woman had started queuing behind Harry and I.
“Right let’s do this,” I said and held the piece of paper out with so that Harry and I could both read it. I felt my jaw pop open, “Oh…my…god…” was all I could get out. Harry just laughed. “There’s eight digits written down there Harry…” I whispered still not believing the amount of money. “That’s actually amazing!” he said continuing his light-hearted laughter. “Harry that says just over eleven million pounds… how is that even possible?!” I asked shaking my head.
“Well it looks like lunch is on you!” he said with a laugh. “Lunch?! I feel like buying a new car!” I said with a laugh as we both began walking towards the food court part of the shopping centre. “You totally should! Maybe update that fossil of a phone?” Harry suggested. “An iPhone 4 is not a fossil!” I defended. Harry just looked at me before shaking his head and continuing to walk forward.
Ten minutes later we were both sitting down at a table in a cute little Mexican restaurant called ‘Verde Manzana’ which Harry kindly translated as Green Apple. “This menu is amazing!” I praised as my eyes danced over the amazing amount of authentic Mexican food, not the shitty food you’d get in some places. You know the laces that would try to b Chinese but only sold four-in-ones and burgers… sorry dear that isn’t a Chinese restaurant!
Suddenly my phone started ringing from the table beside me, an unknown number flashed up on the screen. “I swear to god if this is my mother…” I mumbled and slid the dial to the side answering the call. “Hello, June Talford here,” I answered out of habit. “June, thank god they gave me the correct number!” a female voice gushed down the line. “Sorry who is this?” I asked awkwardly. “Oh sorry dear, my head’s all over the place. It’s Elizabeth Green, Alexander’s wife,” Elizabeth jogged my memory.
“Oh Elizabeth! So good to hear from you, how are things?” I asked smiling down the phone. “Dear… Alexander’s after taking a turn for the worst,” she whispered her voice full of emotion. “What sorry?” I asked almost laughing. “He’s been hospitalised, they’re giving him till the end of the week,” she said. That was when the phone fell out of my hand and my mouth popped open. I couldn’t breathe…
I just shook my head at Harry’s questioning face, stuffed my phone into my bag and ran from the restaurant.
*****
A/N
Yay! Look at me uploading a part, this was scheduled to go up last night, but if you lot follow me on twitter you'll realise i had a bit of a problem with my internet last night. But regardless! I have a part...
Okay I really hate to do this but i've bad news... i think there is only two parts left in this book :( the story is winding down and i want to cry. but it's not over yet so head up!
Much Love,
Leanne xox