Queenie(23)
“Are you okay?” asked a man holding me firmly at arm’s length. It took me a few seconds to realize who he was.
“Tweed Glasses,” I mumbled. “Sorry about your shoes.”
“I beg your pardon?” he asked. I hadn’t expected his voice to be so deep.
“Nothing.” I looked up at him as everything stopped swirling so violently. He wasn’t actually wearing his glasses, and looked down at me with bright green eyes dotted with flecks of amber.
“Don’t apologize.” He smiled, and his eyes crinkled.
“Okay.” I swooned. It was so nice to be physically supported by someone.
“Right, if I let you go, are you going to hit the ground?” he asked gently.
“I think I’ll be okay,” I said, the feeling coming back to my legs. He let go, and stood back, his hands hovering by my sides.
He was taller than I’d realized. As if height equaled the protection and manliness that I was lacking thanks to Tom’s cold shoulder, I went to do the doe-eyed looking up and blinking to appear more attractive, but I didn’t have the energy.
“Well, at least you aren’t ruining my shoes this time,” he said, and laughed.
“God, you actually remember that?” I asked.
“Yeah, I had to go home and give them a polish.”
“Sorry, I was having a bit of a day. Boy troubles. Nasty business.” The memory of that week flooded my head, and I reached for my stomach, hoping I wasn’t about to hit the deck again.
“Okay, let me get you back upstairs,” he said. “You sit in the culture section, right?” I nodded, and let him steer me through the building and back to my desk.
“Thank you,” I said to him sincerely. “I think I should just make a sweet tea or something, I think my blood sugar is off.”
Tweed Glasses wrote his e-mail address down on my notepad and made me promise to e-mail him when I was feeling better, “so that I know if I should momentarily switch careers to be your day nurse.”
On Monday, 29th October, Jenkins, Queenie <[email protected]> wrote at 16:02:
I’ve managed to make it through the afternoon without falling on any of my colleagues. Thank you again for earlier!
On Monday, 29th October, Noman, Ted <[email protected]> wrote at 16:10:
The pleasure was all mine. It’s been a long time since a pretty girl fell for me. I could get used to it.
On Monday, 29th October, Jenkins, Queenie <[email protected]> wrote at 16:17:
Whoa. Very corny response, Ted. I take it back.
What was going on here, then? Was this flirting? Why would he want to flirt with someone who looked half-dead and had acted as such by quite literally falling to the ground?
On Monday, 29th October, Noman, Ted <[email protected]> wrote at 16:25:
You can’t blame a man for trying, Queenie. I finally get to talk to the girl I’ve been tracking around the building for weeks and I lose my cool. . . . Forgive me.
On Monday, 29th October, Noman, Ted <[email protected]> wrote at 16:30:
Nice name, by the way. Suits you. . . .
I recalled promises one and four that I’d made to myself that morning: focus on work, and no men. I took a sip of sweet tea and worked on some pitch ideas for Gina. I’d wanted this job so that I could be a force for change, and for representation, but so far all I’d done was file listings and check copy.
* * *
A few days later, no more fainting, but I’d exhausted myself by arranging for my best-friend tier to go to a fireworks display. The thinking behind it was that friend activities might make me feel a bit more myself, but so far I was feeling more social secretary and mediator than anything. Darcy, Cassandra, and Kyazike have all individually surpassed themselves when it comes to support recently, mainly just by allowing me to text and text and text, though I was beginning to worry that it was all a bit of a Queenie show at the moment. I don’t want my friends to think they exist purely to listen to me talk about how much of a joke my life is.
THE CORGIS
Kyazike
Is it gonna b cold
Cassandra
Well, it’s November, so probably.
Kyazike
KMT you know what I mean. Is it gonna b cold for November
Cassandra
Shall I rework what I said? Probably, yes.
Darcy
It’s going to be 4 degrees! So we should all wrap up! I’ve got a spare pair of gloves if you need them, Kyazike
Kyazike
LOL you’re all right
Cassandra
Well there’s no point in refusing something you need.
Kyazike
I don’t need them, I’m asking if it’s gonna b cold
Darcy
Either way, they’re there if you want them!
Queenie
Gloves and weather aside, this is going to be a nice evening, I hope you’re all excited. Meet at 6 outside Crystal Palace station?
Kyazike
Can’t do 6
Cassandra
There’s a surprise. When can you do?
Kyazike
Queenie, beg you tell your girl to relax pls