Encounter with a Commanding Officer

* * *

Fliss eyed Elle curiously, wondering what had happened in the thirty hours since their phone call to bring about the change in her friend.

‘Are you pregnant?’ she accused. ‘You’re positively glowing, your eyes are all sparkly...’

‘And my coat is shiny?’ Elle cut across her, laughing. ‘I’m sorry if I sounded...off during that conversation. You’ve no idea how relieved I was that you called; I really needed someone to talk to.’

‘You and Stevie had a fight? Was it about the wedding plans again?’

She was trying to be sympathetic but all she really wanted to do was pour the whole story out to Elle.

‘I walked in on him having sex in our bed, with some groupie.’

‘Elle!’ Her problems forgotten in an instant, Fliss was aghast.

“And that’s not the first time.”

Watching Elle’s face colour with embarrassment, Fliss couldn’t decide whether she was more upset for her friend, or angry on her behalf.

‘How dare he do that to you.’

Elle must be devastated, Stevie was the only man she’d ever even kissed. Only the funny thing was, she didn’t look devastated. To Fliss, her friend looked the way she herself had felt when she’d received the Dear John letter from Robert.

Relieved.

She couldn’t help herself. Before she could stop it, she imagined what it would be like to have received a letter like that from Ash. Or to walk in on Ash that way.

It was like a physical body blow. Pain seared through her as Fliss grasped the edges of the chair, trying to steady herself and struggling to catch a breath.

That answered that question then, she realised in horror. So much for Ash being just a one-night fling.

‘Are you okay?’ She concentrated on her friend.

‘Surprisingly, yes. I... I’ve been feeling Stevie and I were out of step for a while now.’

‘I know.’ Fliss was tentative. ‘Maybe even years, looking back?’

‘Maybe.’

They’d both been so indifferent about their respective fiancés, but Fliss had put it down to their careers.

‘Now I understand why you sounded so deflated the other day on the phone. But now you look so buoyed?’

Fliss didn’t add that it was the same way she felt after her night with Ash. The idea of one-man Elle having a fling was disorientating. But maybe it would be the best thing her friend could do.

After all, hadn’t her own fling with Ash stirred more emotions in her in four days than Robert ever had in four years? So where did that leave her?

‘So much has happened since then,’ Elle started, before stopping abruptly.

‘Tell me about it!’ Fliss attempted to roll her eyes light-heartedly; Elle would think she was crazy.

But for once Elle was too lost in her own thoughts to notice. Fliss could practically see the tussle on her friend’s face as her friend debated whether or not to spill her story. Eventually, Elle shook her head in determination.

‘No, you called me, Fliss. Which means this time you have to go first.’

‘Since when do you and I stand on ceremony?’

She eyed her friend suspiciously and Elle offered a sheepish smile.