Learning to Fly - 21

Chapter 21 - making it all right

So, she had to make good with Camilla. Carly knew that was the right thing, but unfortunately Camilla wasn't making that easy. She was back at work now, and that meant for the first week they were on opposite shifts. On her day off Camilla didn't come home. And so it continued! 

Jens was pestering her to do things together, and whilst she loved basking in his attention, she had to make things right. Ten days after talking to Danica, Carly was no further along in her quest. So she deemed it her day to act. After breakfast she made for reception, she had to find out where Camilla was. 

As she stepped into the foyer, the large desk was manned by one person - Lucas. Carly steadied herself, time to exorcise all those demons in one fail swoop! As the elderly lady moved away from the desk, Lucas looked up and Carly spotted the look of surprise. They'd avoided each other since Christmas, and he wasn't expecting to arrive in front of him on a Monday morning.

  "Hi Lucas." She offered a greeting. 

He shrugged very noncommittal, but then what did she expect.

"Look I'm sorry I've been so short with you. Sometimes, not often, but sometimes I'm wrong..." She was aiming for humour hoping that would break the ice, but he didn't seem that interested. 

"What do you want Carly?"

Sighing she had to realise too much had happened between them, all instigated by her. resigned she finally spoke, "I wanted to know when Camilla would be in the office today. Do you know?"

He raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "I shouldn't give out roster information..."

"Lucas, please. I know you hate me, I don't blame you, but I need to start to make things good. Will you please help me?"

Lucas stared at her for a long moment, and then she saw a chink of light in his steely gaze, "OK." He reached for a large file, flicking through the pages until he came to a chart. Running his finger along various columns until he offered, "she starts at ten."

Carly didn't realise she was holding her breath, but it released in a long exhale of relief, "thank you."

As she turned to leave reception she heard him call her name.

"Carly!"

She slowly turned to look at him.

"Her colleague's lunch is at twelve. She'll be alone..."

Carly beamed a smile, maybe things weren't completely unreachable with either of them.

"Thank you Lucas." 

His smile was the last thing she saw before she made for the stairs.

"We need to talk." 

Carly burst into the office to see Camilla sat at the rosters computer tapping away in a bored fashion. When she looked up her face contorted into an ugly scowl. She made to stand, escape, but Carly locked the door.

"You can't avoid me forever Cam, come on!" 

Camilla slumped back into the seat and groaned, "I've got nothing to say to you Carly."

Carly shook her head, "come on! I had no idea that you'd been involved with Jens. You have NEVER mentioned his name, and I've never seen you together. I'm not a mind reader."

As she watched her roommate's face, Carly could've sworn that she was about to cry, seconds before she reared up in front of her.

"You're just a typical bloody woman, using me to get close to him, just so that you can snatch him from under my nose." Just as she was about to pound at Carly with her un-plastered curled fist, the door that Carly presumed she'd locked burst open and Lucas flew between the women as Camilla made her first punch.

Carly reeled from the blow to her left shoulder, the shock more than the pain. Standing back she watched Lucas overpower Camilla.

"You women and violence! Cam, do you have any idea how bad that could've been? If you'd hit him with your cast you could've caused a bloody brain injury. You need to chill out. go home, I'll tell the bosses that you're unwell."

There was a big come down from Camilla, suddenly the realisation of what she'd done or almost done sank in and she started to cry. Lucas looked between the two women shaking his head. Carly backed out of the room and ran. Away from them, away from the hotel, away from everything. 

Sitting on a bench high up in the resort beyond the furthest chalets, she finally sat, panting to calm her racing heart. Trying to understand how she came to be the victim when she was just attempting an apology seemed unbelievable. Had this made her living situation completely untenable? Carly sighed, despite her sore shoulder and her sudden fear when the other woman almost became possessed, she felt sorry for her. She always had, her family were so uncaring, she was a pawn in their world, she'd set her sights on Jens rescue her, and he was almost a knight in shining armour. He was rich enough to appeal to her family, handsome, popular, he ticked every box. 

No, Carly took a few more steadying breaths, she couldn't let this get out of hand anymore. they still needed to settle their differences. She felt sad that they'd never be the friends she hoped they would be, but that was no longer an option, not really. But she'd show Danica and the others that she could rise above this. maybe she could get some extra work in one of the bars in town, then she could afford to rent a room in an apartment. That would be best.

Rochelle and Marta didn't say a word when she returned. After a few minutes of supervising a treasure hunt, Carly turned to them.

"You know?"

they nodded and Rochelle sighed, "Lucas came looking for you. Camilla's going home, she doesn't feel she can stay."

"Shit!" Carly's response was instinctive and Rochelle's knowing smile confused her.

"I knew you'd want to go and make it right, you're a good person. Go talk to her."

Carly looked between the two women, "you sure? I've been AWOL the last hour."

When they both nodded, she made for the staff quarters.

Camilla was packing when Carly opened the door. Tears dripping onto her hands as she stuffed things into a suitcase. She didn't notice the door open and Carly stood there for a few seconds before she spoke. 

"Don't leave!"

Camilla spun around shock stopping the flow of tears.

"Look Cam, it's been a bad few weeks, but let's not be rash. Stay and sort this out."

She shook her head, "I could've hurt you...They'll sack me anyway for what I did. My father's right, I'm useless!"

Carly groaned, "I'm not going to tell anyone, I know Lucas will keep quiet. You don't need to abandon ship."

Camilla slumped on to the bed and looked at her, "that's generous..."

Carly held up a hand and stopped her, "look, we're similar me and you, I would never have believed it before, but we're both here to prove that we can be a success, and I'm as unlikely to want to see you fail, travel home with your tail between your legs as I would want to. So unpack, relax, then we'll start a fresh tomorrow."

Camilla was crying freely now, "I know I have no claim over Jens, I just thought he could be the answer to all my problems..."

"You don't want a marriage arranged by your parents, so why think about throwing yourself at a man who may not love you. Cam you're beautiful, you deserve the best. OK? Please say you'll stay!"

She could tell that the other woman was too traumatised to make a reasonable decision, so she stood from the opposite bed.

"I'm going back to work. We'll talk tonight...or not if you'd rather...but if you leave make sure it's a rational choice, promise?"

When she mustered a nod, Carly left.

Lucas was on the phone when she walked into reception, chatting fluently in German. Whilst her German was poor, she could tell from the intonation that it was a difficult call. So she waited patiently.

Eventually he hung up, and lifting his eyes met Carly's. She was propped on the counter smiling.

"Thanks for earlier."

He shrugged, but there was a new peace between them, "I'm just glad I walked in when I did."

"Burst in!" She laughed. "But seriously, I don't want this to go any further, OK?"

"What do you mean?"

For some reason despite everything she couldn't stop smiling, "I mean, nothing happened in the office, Camilla's upstairs because she has a headache, I'm going back to work...and it's all good. OK?"

Suddenly there was admiration in his eyes, "that's very generous Carly."

Carly shook her head, "not at all. we've got to look after each other, haven't we?"

Without waiting for an answer, she marched away and back to work.