Free I Promise You by Susan Harris

eight,
thirty in the morning when I woke up and made my way upstairs in my PJ’s.
    Without
thinking I was greeted by Frank in his casual black slacks with a white polo
shirt that fitted him perfectly and José who was putting the finishing touches
to breakfast fit for a queen, of course .
    I noticed
Frank give me the quickest once over whilst trying to be discreet, but again I
had forgotten that this was not my apartment and I could not stroll around it
half naked as my PJ’s consisted of a skimpy top and shorts.
    I quickly
turned and headed for the table.  ‘Did you sleep well?’
    ‘Yes thanks,
was out like a light, the bed is really comfortable. And you?”
    “I slept well
thanks”
     
    We both tucked
into José’s breakfast which matched any all inclusive buffet and then I excused
myself and headed for the shower.
    As the water
hit my skin I felt totally relaxed, refreshed and ready for the day ahead.
    I planned to
ask Frank if we could leave the lodge so that I could take a look at the
village. When I had finished, I headed back up the stairs and I could hear
Frank talking to someone.
    As I crept
upstairs and remained hidden at the top, I realised that Frank was speaking to
the office.
    He was telling
his PA to make sure that Isabelle was moved with immediate effect to the 1st
floor in administrations. He said that Thomas was expecting her and that she
should report to him straight away.
    I smiled, serves
you right bitch.
    Then he asked
to speak to Rebecca. I could hear him saying things like, “did you sort out the
colour scheme she likes? Are the decorators booked to start tomorrow as
planned?” He also asked her to confirm with him later when the furniture was
going to be delivered and to make sure that she was there to oversee it all.
     
    They were
taking about me and my apartment. Frank said it would be sorted out by the time
I got back but I never thought anymore about it whilst I was in the hospital or
here. I had forgotten all about my place and the state I left it in.
    Then I
heard the word Jack which jolted me back to the present.
    He was asking
Rebecca if Jack had been in touch, he must have rang the office to find out
if I had been in?
    He then said
to Rebecca “thanks for not saying anything. You have been a good friend to
Autum even though she possibly thinks there are none left out there, I know you
have only become closer colleagues since the trip to Miami, but she couldn’t
ask for more right now”
    He then asked to speak to his PA again and went through his work
schedule.
    I then came up
the stairs; Frank continued to talk to his PA whilst I was on the sofa and
finished talking shop around five minutes later.
    When he looked
at me, he possibly realised that I may have heard the conversation beforehand.
    “Did you want
to do anything special today?”
    “I would love
to take a ride into the village” I said.
    “I would love
to take you there” he said whilst smiling. It was a short ride, no more than
fifteen minutes.
    When we parked
the car, there must have been some international fete on, showcasing cheeses
from all over the world along with other produce from that country.
    You could
smell it as you headed towards the town centre and all the different marquees
were set up; it was great.
    I spotted a
French stall and wanted to taste the olive oils with fresh bread along with
some cheese.
    The olives
came in all shapes and sizes. I even found myself feeding Frank some food which
startled me at first as I did it without thinking. But Frank, ever the
gentleman, took it in his stride.
    By the time we
had finished walking around the stalls and around the town centre we had been
out of the lodge for five hours and were laden with carrier bags full of international
produce.
    We were
peckish and decided to pop into a local pub for something light to eat.
     
    ‘You’re
looking much more like yourself today’ he said.
    ‘I feel much more
like myself thanks to you’
    Now Frank was
the one