Page 73 of Just Like You
“You want gossip?”
“Yesssss!” Julian drawled. “Entertain us.”
“How about…my boss shagged her risk analyst and they got engaged, and then he shagged his best mate on his stag night? It all came out in the wash.”
“Oh…” Both of them. Like a little choir of glee. I had to laugh, suppose I could provide tea as well. Juliet. Loved her to pieces, but that fuck-up had been one hell of a tea party. We laughed about it now, even though I still hated Bash. Or maybe I didn’t quite hate him. Maybe.
“The new account manager?” I continued, hoping I wasn’t saying too much. “Youngish, naive and sheltered, straight out of uni, and he is not even trying to be discreet about shagging everything that moves. He’s currently got his eye on the receptionist. She’s…got a dick but presents and identifies as female. The guy doesn’t know, despite the resident office shit stirrer giving him every hint under the sun. That will not end well, and the receptionist? Oh God, she is loving every little bit of his awkward attempts at flirting.
“That…”
“Will end in tears. Even I have started to try to pry him off her. Not good.”
“And I thought we were bad!”
“Yeah, and then we have the resident oversexed account manager who won’t stop until he has had a piece of everyone in the office.”
“Has he had a piece of you?” Julian grinned.
“Regrettably,” I admitted, feeling my face flame as Janey howled. “And I feel terrible telling you, but it was one of those moments where my life flashed before my eyes. He was on top of the photocopier, and I was…yeah. And there was my boss walking in on us.”
“Oh God,” Janey howled, clapping her hands. “This is the kind of stuff I live for. Sat on a jump seat at four in the morning getting the best gossip. If I see your name on my roster again, Jules? Bring this guy. He’s good.”
“I’m embarrassed to admit it, but your work life is fabulous compared to mine.” No lie, I was quite enjoying this…cling-on business.
“At least, you have fun.”
“Maybe I do,” I admitted. “And…it’s the people who make it worthwhile. I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else because despite the absolute bullshit that goes on in that company? I like it. Love my boss. And I have a PA who takes no bullshit, no prisoners and threatens me on the daily.”
“Sounds fabulous. Julian here, threatening Thom earlier, was gold.”
“And I missed it?” I shrieked.
“And on that note? Kieron? Go to bed. I have things to do, and in a minute, I will have full carnage here if I don’t rein things in.”
“Okay.” I grinned.
“Love you,” he mouthed.
“Love you too.”
“And when we land? Get off and wait for me outside Customs. You’re mad, but I might take you up on your crazy offer. The thought of waking up to food is very tempting. Tea, toast and can I get marmalade this time?”
“Your wish is my command.”
“You two,” Janey mused. “So cute.”
“I know.” I grinned. Then I went to bed. Because? Yeah.
Happy. What a funny thing that was. But I was, truly. Bloody happy.
I sat in my seat watching us surf the top of the clouds on landing. The sun gave everything a rose-tinted tinge, and the surrealistic reality of me sitting there, seemingly floating above the world, gave me both a sense of peace and some…weird feelings.
Like whatever I had done in the past? Was now being soothed by…insight. What a strange concept it was, but the thoughts in my head were new and frightening. Like something had finally clicked in my head, and I finally understood the universe. I had a sudden urge to text Juliet and tell her I’d discovered peace and understanding and wanted to hear the laughter that would follow her response, where she’d probably threaten to have me locked up or send me to the HR appointed therapist. Nothing she hadn’t threatened with before, but this time it might actually be warranted.
I was happy. I understood, very clearly, what was going on here. Because I had grown up so incredibly loved. Cared for and moved around in what had been a soup of maternal instinct and drug-infused delusion. And I had loved it. It had, in a very misguided way, been the perfect way for a young boy to live. Then it had all been snatched away, and I couldn’t look back in anger. Not anymore, because I was right here making the same choices. Just fewer drugs. More structured planning. Some kind of sense floating hazily in the background.
I had wanted this. All my life I had wanted to belong, and in this strange environment with Julian by my side? I belonged. I was me, through and through. No longer masking irrational anger or pretending to be something I wasn’t. Because deep down? I was just this guy who needed someone. I was not a lone wolf. I wasn’t perfect. But I needed people around me, and now I was at a point in my life where…it suddenly made sense.
