Calling All Dentists (Calling All... Book 2), page 24
“And I can promise you sincerely that I did not buy your secret Santa present. Nobody has mentioned anything about it. I wasn’t even aware of what it was – or anyone else’s for that matter – apart from Dave’s and I don’t think anyone missed him cavorting around showing off his present.” Colin smiled warmly.
“I didn’t think for one minute that it would have been you. I suppose it doesn’t matter that much. If I hadn’t been so sensitive about my teeth, I might have seen the funny side of it. After all, look at Dave – he can take a personal joke can’t he?”
Colin smiled and gesticulated that it was time to go by pulling his sleeve up and pointing to his watch. Holding his hand up to attract the attention of the bored waiter, propping himself up against a high marble counter, Colin beckoned for him to bring the bill over.
“Get yourself home. I’ll send Ruby down and she can go early too, then you can have a ‘girly’ chat – that’s what you girls do isn’t it?” Colin laughed, “Wait in your car, I’ll send her down in a minute and I’ll see you tomorrow morning, bright and fresh!”
Smiling and contented, Emma climbed out of Colin’s sleek company car and headed over to her own. Colin had been just what she needed to straighten everything out in her mind. The only thing she was still unsure about was Andrew. She wondered why he hadn’t told her before now that he was a dentist, and could a relationship with him ever work out? She really couldn’t see it happening.
It was almost 3.30pm and Emma could just see down the side of the building, to the warehouse at the end of the store. A delivery lorry was parked at an awkward angle to the entrance and Emma spotted Darren, manoeuvring his fork-lift truck in and out of the double doors, as he off-loaded the contents of the lorry. Smiling to herself, she wondered how well he had got on with Amanda at the Christmas party. She didn’t care either way now, but thoughts of the party soon bought about a sense of sadness as she remembered the whirlwind romance she’d experienced with Andrew. Suddenly, she felt empty once again.
A few minutes later, Ruby arrived, looking slightly confused, “Hello is everything all right?” she asked, climbing into the passenger side. Emma smiled, engaged the gear lever and began to pull away. “Colin’s in a good mood. I mean letting me go early. Where’ve you been all day?”
“He took me with him to London, for a meeting. Then we had lunch,” said Emma with a cheesy grin on her face, “I’ve told him everything this morning. I’m so glad I did Rue, I feel so much better for it. What did the others say when we left?”
“Not much, they were a bit shocked by your sudden outburst.”
“Did anyone admit to the present?” asked Emma, as a touch of anger surged through her briefly and then evaporated away, as quickly as it had appeared.
“No… well I didn’t hear anything anyway. I think they all feel sorry for you Emma. They’re not your enemies – they’re your friends.” Emma stared ahead at the shinning, frosty road and continued the rest of the journey in contemplative silence.
I haven’t got anything to say really, I’m sorry Andrew, let’s just leave it at that. Emma. Pressing the send button, Emma squeezed her phone tightly. She wished she wasn’t so stubborn – so wrapped up in her own mess. Then she began to type another message. Why didn’t you tell me you were a dentist? Emma.
“Do you mind if Pete comes round tonight?” asked Ruby, tentatively.
“No, it’s fine.” Emma’s glum expression suggested that she was feeling completely miserable, “I’ll stay in my bedroom, no offence Rue, I just don’t feel like seeing anyone.”
“I could put him off Em. I really don’t mind, maybe you and I could have a nice evening together, chatting or something.”
“No, I’m fine, tell Pete to come round. I’ve got no problem with it at all.”
I don’t normally meet someone and say, ‘Oh! By the way I’m a dentist.’ It hadn’t occurred to me at all that you might have a problem with my profession Emma and why would it? To be honest, I hadn’t thought about my job at all since I’d met you and been so swept off my feet! And I don’t care if you think that last statement was cringe-worthy – because it’s true! Please can we talk properly? Better still, can I see you? Andy xx
Emma’s heart raced and her face flushed. She desperately wanted to see him but how could she? Did he know her full dental history yet? She felt too ashamed to see him… ever again.
I’m sorry Andy, it just won’t work. I hate dentists and that’s why I’m in such a mess. You probably already know that though. In fact you probably know everything by now. Emma.
She heard the front door close and the low murmur of Ruby and Pete’s voices as they went through to the living room. Lying on her bed, she stared up at the ceiling and wondered what on earth she was going to do. She couldn’t sulk about her self-inflicted teeth problems for ever.
I don’t know anything… that’s why I want to talk to you. At least let me understand why you don’t want to see me anymore. Surely you at least owe me that. Andy.
Hmm, no kisses this time, thought Emma as she slung the phone down on the bed like a stroppy teenager. She remembered how she used to be quite good at acting like a misunderstood, hormonal teenager when she was younger. But she was an adult now and maybe it was about time that she started acting like one, rather than like a spoilt brat.
The phone vibrated first, before it began to ring. Emma picked it up and peered at the display screen, ‘Andrew calling’, she gulped and then pressed the ‘End call’ button. Again, the phone rang and she could hear a little voice in her head screaming, pick it up, answer it as she watched Andrew’s name flashing again.
“Hello?”
“Emma… it’s Andy.” He hesitated and the moment felt like an age as Emma listened, not knowing what to say to this man who she’d been so close to physically, but who still remained a relative stranger to her. “Emma, please listen before you hang-up…”
“Ok,” she whispered, her heart softening at the sound of his deep, calm voice. She’d almost forgotten how he spoke and what he sounded like. The tone of his voice was comforting and sent a shiver of remorse through her tense body and brought tears to her eyes.
“I don’t know what is going on Emma. I understand that you don’t like dentists but we are normal human beings. You think I know everything that went on when you saw my colleague Will – but I don’t. I only know that it was you that saw him because I looked in the appointments book and I presume that your mum was with you. I have no wish to pry into your private business and ethically I would never dream of doing so. I could see from your reaction that you were horrified to see me.” Andrew paused, “Emma I’m crazy about you, not your teeth.” The phone went quiet and Emma held it to her ear, struggling to find words to say. “Emma, please say something.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say… you wouldn’t understand. I’m completely screwed up. You’ll be better off finding someone else. I’m really sorry Andrew… it was good while it lasted.” Her thumb pressed the ‘End call’ button before Emma had even processed the thought of hanging up and the phone went silent. Bursting into tears she buried her face in her pillow and cried herself to sleep – disappearing deep inside her world of twisted and tormented creatures.
Chapter 22
I won’t give up on you that easily. I want to see you at the weekend. PLEASE!! Andy xx
He was persistent – she’d give him that. Emma pondered as she began to get dressed in a pair of black trousers and pale pink blouse. She could hear Ruby pottering away in the kitchen, chopping up her usual vegetable delights, ready for lunch. The week had flown by, it was Thursday already so yet another weekend was just around the corner and the invite to see Andrew too, but could she bring herself to do it? She had to try and find some positivity amongst all of this chaos she’d created. The tearful night had done her some good however and she did feel slightly better this morning. Emma had to get through the next 2 days without getting over-emotional about anything, she needed to catch up with her work-load and re-affirm her professional status within the office, rather than acting like a complete and utter ‘Dork’.
“Morning. Did you have a nice evening?”
“Um,” replied Ruby as she plunged the small sharp knife into another unsuspecting baby beetroot.
“Everything all right?” said Emma, puzzled by the frown she could see on Ruby’s face.
“Um.”
“What’s wrong, you don’t look very happy…”
“I’m fine,” snapped Ruby, before placing the knife down on the top, plonking the lid on the container and snapping the clip sides shut. Momentarily stunned by her dear friend’s unusual show of emotion, Emma flicked the kettle on.
“Want a herbal tea before we go?”
“No, I’m ok thank you,” replied Ruby, sharply, and plodded out of the kitchen and disappeared.
Emma stood gazing at the kettle, waiting for it to boil and wondered what on earth was wrong with Ruby. Had she had a row with Pete? No she’d probably be crying if she had. Yet Ruby seemed positively angry about something.
The ride to work was fragile as Ruby’s angry expression had turned to one of pitiful sadness and she looked like she was about to burst into tears at any given moment. Maybe she’d had an argument with Pete. Shame, thought Emma, and at such an early stage in their relationship – but who the hell was she to speak!
“Rue, what’s the matter? Is it Pete?
“Oh goodness gracious me, please Emma, can we just leave it? I don’t want to go into work in tears. They’ll think you and I are completely weird.”
“I’ll pull over or we can sit in the car park… please tell me what’s wrong.”
“It’s nothing, really. Please, let’s just get to work,” Ruby replied sternly.
“Ok, but I want to know later what is wrong with you. You don’t normally get up in the morning looking like someone has just burnt your book collection Rue.”
“Um,” she replied, blinking away her watery eyes.
Before Colin, Jeff and Dave arrived Emma had noticed Ruby and Pete whispering at the top of the stairs as she sifted through countless bills on her desk. Then Pete walked into the room looking slightly pensive as he headed towards the tea urn.
“Morning Emma,” he said without turning his head to look at her.
“Morning Pete, everything ok with you?”
“Yes… you?”
“I’m ok thanks,” replied Emma just as Ruby walked back in and without looking up, headed straight to her desk and sat down behind it, burying her nose in a copy of the Webb’s latest sales pamphlet.
“Are you two ok?” said Emma, “I mean, I don’t want to pry but you look like a pair of criminals this morning.” Pete and Ruby glanced quickly at each other but said nothing.
“Morning all,” said Colin, entering the office and smiling when he saw Emma seated behind her desk. Everyone replied simultaneously with a chirp of ‘morning’ chorus, which Dave thought was a welcoming chant for him as he strolled in too.
“Morning peeps. It’s good to see you Em,” said Dave, sounding like he was actually being genuine for a change.
The day sped by quickly and smoothly and turned out to be very productive, especially for Emma. Jeff had taken the day off, complaining of a toothache and at one point during lunchtime, Emma had joked that maybe bad teeth were contagious. The rest of the office staff were unsure whether to laugh or not as she smiled and screwed up her nose.
Ruby and Pete had been decidedly shifty all day as they avoided joining in with any jokes flying around the office (usually made by Dave) and kept their heads buried underneath mounds of paperwork or hidden behind the pretence of the important phone calls they were either receiving or making. They were both unusually quiet but more so Pete – Ruby was renowned for being the quiet, focused type, but Emma just couldn’t put her finger on what was wrong or what was going on with them both. They didn’t appear to have fallen out because they went out together at lunch time to pick up a sandwich for Pete and a pot of fruit medley for Ruby, so it seemed that they were still an item or at least friendly towards each other. So what was bothering them both? Emma decided she would give Ruby the third degree when they got home and uncover the mystery lurking deep in both Pete and Ruby’s eyes.
“So what’s been going on between you and Pete today then?” asked Emma, point blankly, as she pulled away from Webb’s DIY Store.
“Nothing, why?” Ruby still had that shifty look in her eyes and had spent most of the day avoiding eye-contact with Emma.
“Yes there is Rue – you’ve hardly looked at me all day, let alone talk to me.” Emma was slightly annoyed by her best friend’s nonchalance.
“It’s nothing, honestly Emma… I… I’m just tired.”
“Being tired does not mean that you avoid someone and spend all day in clandestine meetings with Pete.”
“Um… I don’t know, nothing’s wrong.”
“I don’t believe you Ruby.”
The rest of their journey home was quiet and thoughtful but the atmosphere was thick and heavy. Emma felt very uncomfortable – it was so unlike Ruby to be acting in this secretive, solemn way, she had to find out what was wrong.
Hello Emma, could we meet up at the weekend, even if it is just for a coffee in town and even if it is just to end it. If there’s nothing else left, let’s at least split up on a caffeine rush. PLEASE! Andy xx
Yes ok, Emma. She hesitated before sending the text. She did want to see him but she was scared, of what, she didn’t really know. Even if it was just to end the relationship, it was still like living in her nightmares. She felt so ashamed of her own stupidity and the way she had let things get out of hand to this extent. She almost wished she could meet him somewhere where it was very dark and then at least she could smile at him and pretend everything was ok. Then they would fall in to each other’s arms and everything would be good. But it wasn’t going to happen like that and she knew it. Emma pressed ‘send’.
Great, meet you at Jimbo’s at say, 12.00pm on Saturday? Andy xx
Ok. See you then Em.
Popping the phone back into her bag, Emma strolled through to the kitchen where Ruby was busily scrubbing large potatoes, in preparation to throw them in the oven to bake for an hour. “I’m meeting up with Andrew on Saturday, just for a coffee.” Emma smiled nervously, waiting for another snappy reaction from Ruby, which thankfully was not forthcoming this time.
“Oh that’s good. You should really sort it out Em. I am so pleased to hear that.” Ruby opened the oven door and tossed two potatoes onto the rack, before flipping the door up with her foot.
“What’s been wrong with you today Rue? I don’t like it when you’re not happy, or dare I say it, angry?”
“I said before, it’s nothing. I’m fine can we just leave it at that? Cheese?” said Ruby, holding a block of mature cheddar in her hand.
“How about cheesy beans, would you like that?”
Ruby nodded and then sliced through the block of cheese with a large knife.
“What are you doing at the weekend then? Are you seeing Pete?” Emma desperately tried to inject some pleasantries into the strained atmosphere which she thought might pop if Ruby lost control of the knife she was using to chop an innocent onion.
“Not sure…”
“Ruby, is everything all right between you and Pete?” Emma paused and thought for a moment, “You’re not pregnant are you?”
“No I am not!”
“Ok, ok, I just thought I’d ask as you haven’t been at all happy today. I’m getting a bit annoyed actually that you won’t tell me anything Rue.”
“Nothing to tell,” she replied without looking up from the cherry tomatoes which were waiting for their moment of doom under the cutting edge of Ruby’s knife.
“Well what’s up with Pete then? It’s either you or him. I saw the way you were both whispering in the office today…” Emma suddenly jumped from the sound of the knife that Ruby had been holding, hitting the worktop before it bounced off and went dangerously diving to the floor.
“Oh, I’m going to have a bath before dinner,” squeaked Ruby as her eyes filled with tears and she ran off out of the kitchen.
Emma stood speechless, propped up by the sink and watched three cherry tomatoes roll off the edge of the kitchen worktop, one by one, plop… plop… plop.
Good. I can’t wait to sort this out. Even if it’s not good news at least you could tell me why. Until Saturday, Andy xx p.s. coffee and cakes (if you would like) are on me ok?
Ok, thanks. Em
“Rue… the spuds are ready… come on.” Emma called through the bathroom door, “Do you want mayo with yours?”
A muffled voice replied, “Yes please, I’ll be out in a minute.” Emma could tell by the slight quiver in Ruby’s voice that she had been crying, just as Emma had suspected.
They ate dinner in silence, except for the television which twittered in the background. Now and again Ruby would sniff and brush the back of her hand under her nose.
“Ok, I can’t bear this anymore,” shouted Emma, plonking her knife and fork on to the plate with a loud clatter, “What the hell is going on Ruby?”
Ruby looked up, startled by the sudden outburst and tears began to pool around her eyes again as she gulped down a mouthful of food.
“Well? You need to tell me Ruby or we will fall out, big time!”
“Oh…” sobbed Ruby, “I can’t te… tell you.”
“Ruby! Yes you can – you can tell me anything.” Emma tried to reassure her, “Come on, please.”
“No… I… I can’t,” stuttered Ruby, before leaping up from the sofa and running off to her bedroom, crying her eyes out.
Emma followed after her and met with a slammed bedroom door in her face. Hesitating before she knocked, Emma wondered whether she should pursue her questioning or leave it for another time.
“Ruby, I won’t come in but please remember that I’m always here for you. I’ll stick by your side, whatever the problem is. I mean, look how supportive you are to me. Please let me help Rue.” Emma listened intently through the door, “Ok, well could you just tell me one thing at least.” She waited but no reply came, “It’s nothing to do with Andrew is it? You haven’t found out something else about him that you’re not telling me, have you?”
