Lost and Found - 9

9

Monday 30^th October 2007

Work was like a breath of fresh air from the fantasy her life seemed to be at the moment. Despite being busier than ever, Amelia found her mind constantly drifting off into the unknown, the future, somewhere she rarely ventured in thoughts. All weekend she’d been restless, desperate for Sol, wanting to hug him, to hold him, to share another one of those kisses, but she knew he was right, they had to do this the right way. They’d shared many texts over the weekend, and phone calls each evening, Amelia now felt she knew him as well as she did all those years ago.

Just thinking of him set her mind and her body alight. She’d never believed she had a libido before, in the years following being caught in flagrante with Sol she had shied away from men, preferring to work hard. She’d had a few encounters with a few men since, and had actually slept with two of them, but at that point when she failed to recapture the intensity and the passion she had with Sol, she’d ended an affair that didn’t seem to fully engage her. For years she wondered if she had some level of frigidity, whether there was something wrong with her, but now as her whole body seemed to thrum at the thought of him, she realised that the other men had been wrong for her.

A brief knock preceded the door opening and she looked up to see Clay peeping into the office.

                “I’m just saying goodbye, I’ll keep in touch by email, but I’ll iron everything out in four weeks, make your move as smooth as possible. Next time I see you it’ll be in the office on your first day! Looking forward to it!”

It the excitement of the weekend she had honestly put her move to the back of her head, it complicated the advances in her personal life. But then her and Sol had been apart for almost ten years, what difference would the Atlantic make? Her honest answer was that absence shouldn’t be an obstacle. They weren’t teenagers facing the devastation of being split up by University; they were adults who could realistically fly to see each other on a regular basis. If they couldn’t get through this then it wasn’t really going to work, was it?

Just before she closed her computer down for the night, an email came through from Sol. Her heart surged as she opened it.

                “They’ve delayed Helena’s trip home, something to do with more promotion. She’ll be home Wednesday eve. Wish I’d gone out there on Saturday now. Hope you’ve had a good day, I’ve not concentrated on anything more than you all day, lucky I’m the boss or I would be sacked today.

What you do to me...Sol xx”

It was such a mixed bag of emotions that washed over her, disappointment that it’s be another day or two until Sol was free to court her, but the rest of the message gave her such pleasure that she could have that affect on him! Sighing she typed a quick response,

                “I know you must be dreading it and wishing it over, hopefully will be soon. And yes I’ve spent far too long gazing out of the window when the financial world was racing through its daily events! Lucky my boss appreciates me, or I’d be sacked too. Can’t wait to see you, will sit by the phone, Meals xxx”

Closing down the computer she sighed, this week was taking far too long.

Thursday 2^nd November 2007

Tick...tick...tick...That was the pace of her life outside of work. Amelia was so glad that she had such an absorbing job, if it wasn’t for that she’d have driven herself insane. As it was her job had such a hectic nature and that was without the added hassle of preparing for the move, that once she ‘switched on’ she forgot everything else. So the days were tolerable, but the nights interminably long.

Li seemed to sense the tension and spent effort engaging her, dinner one night and then the previous night she’d been a guest of Li’s at the London film festival she’d managed through acquaintances of her new status as an author, to get tickets to the Premiere of a new film Juno. There had been red carpet and the stars had been there, and she’d loved the film, and loved the pomp and glamour of the occasion. But now as she sat in a coffee shop after work, she dreaded going home, she was desperate to hear from Sol, but took his absence as a possibly bad sign. After all Helena had been due back the previous evening, and other than a couple of quick ‘how are you?’ emails, she hadn’t really heard from him since Monday.

When her phone rang she jumped, placing down her coffee cup she ransacked her bed for her mobile phone only to see Li’s number on the display.

                “Hi Li! I’m just about to get on the tube, there’s no reception...”  Feeling like a terribly bad friend she lied.

                “That’s ok. I was just wondering if you’ll get some milk on your way home, we’re all out.” When Amelia agreed, Li added, “You ok chicky?”

Amelia sighed, “yep, just a long day.” Sol wasn’t her only worry, she hadn’t told Li she was leaving yet, she’d hope that things would be a lot more organised for her by then, but it seemed the publishing world worked at a fraction of the speed of the financial one. So she wasn’t yet in a position of complete confidence, though the contracts had officially been signed. No, once she’d heard from Sol she had to tell Li that she was leaving, and that seemed harder than anything else.

Friday 3^rd November 2007

Still no sign, not a word, a message, an email. So what did it mean? How long did one wait before you panic? These thoughts ran in circles around Amelia’s head as soon as it hit the pillow, she was seriously thinking about using alcohol tonight if he still hadn’t called. After work Amelia plucked up the courage to phone him herself.

After fifteen rings she was diverted to answer phone, sighing she hung up. No resolution there, so it was on to Li, she’d agreed to meet her for dinner, and she knew tonight was the night to tell her about New York. With a sigh she left her office and headed for the bus, planning to meet Li in Covent Garden.  The vehicle had barely left the bus stop when her phone rang, looking at her screen she spotted Sol’s name.

                “Hello?” suddenly her voice was more apprehensive than excited.

                “I am SO sorry Meal, I’ve...well...I should’ve phoned...Can you meet me? I need to see you.”

Amelia knew that apprehension was the right emotion, “I’m meeting Li for dinner, it’ll be difficult.”

                “Tell her that you’ve left something at the office, anything. Call me and I can pick you up with five minutes’ notice. Ok?”

Amelia was still trying to work out what it all meant when she entered Li’s favourite Sushi bar, she was sat at the counter talking to one of the barmen when she spotted her best friend enter.

                “Amelia, over here! Daichi here has been giving me some recommendations from the menu!”

Amelia smiled spotting a light in her friend’s eyes she’d not seen in a long time, as she flirted with the tall handsome man, who introduced himself and revealed he was in fact the owner.

                “How did you get chatting to him then Li? He’s a bit fit!”

Li blushed, “I bumped into him in an Oriental supermarket in Soho a couple of weeks ago...and then last week...and then yesterday!” With each revelation she blushed more, and Amelia smiled, Li deserved happiness, she’d had such a hard life, and she was more reticent that Amelia when it came to trusting men.

                “Ahh!” Giving a knowing smile she watched her friend squirm for a moment, then gave an elaborate wink, “So is he looking for some fusion cooking?” That was no mean feat, Li was an awesome cook and Amelia loved her Szechuan meals.

                “Haha!...he has asked me out tomorrow though.”

                “REALLY!” she gasped, before hushing herself rapidly. “That’s great, he’s really cute!”

Li nodded as the man in question brought them some sake, placing two small thimble cups in front of them and filling them with a grin. As he left Li confessed, “I really like him...and I worked out when he went to the supermarket...”

                “Li Wan Cheung! Did you stalk this man?”

A blush was the response as Li lifted her sake and downed the measure in one mouthful.

                “So what’s eating you Am? You’ve been so cagey the last few weeks!”

Amelia drank her own drink then smiled, “I’ve had my own proposition!”

Li leaned across the table, her face awash with excitement, “you too? Who?!”

                “Not a who, but a what!” Carefully Amelia tried to tactfully explain her new situation, and loved how Li remained SO excited for her whilst inside she knew it was killing her. “I leave on three weeks Li, I wanted to say earlier, but I wanted to make sure you got your contract sorted...”

Li shook her head and reached for her friend’s hands, “I am SO happy for you, both of us, success...it’s wonderful. I’ll miss you, but then I’ll have to visit ALL the time, I mean my advance is supposed to be coming next week, and what else do I have to spend it on but repeated trips to the Big Apple?”

                “Well there’s a certain Daichi?”

They ate hand-rolled sushi, sashimi and some spicy noodle dishes, all the time talking about how exciting their lives had become, whilst both skirting around the issue of how much they’d miss each other.

It was almost nine when Amelia’s text alert cut into their chats.

                “Where are you? I need to see you.”

She didn’t need a signature to know who it was, Sol. Suddenly her heart started to race and nausea washed over her.

                “You ok?” Li spotted her friend pale, “you look like someone’s died!”

Pulling herself together, she smiled, desperately trying to lighten the mood, “no, I’ve apparently not closed a deal with a client; I need to get back to the office. I’m so sorry Li...”

                “It’s fine! We’re almost done; do you want me to come with you?”

Amelia felt so bad lying to Li, but she didn’t want her embroiled in all this, so she reassured her that she maybe a while, and that if she hung around the infamous Diachi might finish the sake with her. Collecting the bill and paying, Amelia ran out into the street. A block away she text Sol, and before she hit the next junction, a black Mercedes pulled over and the driver’s tinted window lowered to show a very gaunt looking Sol.

                “Hey!” she offered, trying to remain jovial, but his black looks had an adverse effect on any upbeat mood.