The Meeting

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“It’ll be okay,” Anna said. “I’m meeting him in a bar on the main street at two in the afternoon. What could possibly go wrong?”

Victoria didn’t look convinced. “If he wants to offer you a job, why not just meet in the office?”

“He said it’d be less stuffy, more relaxed. It’s just an informal chat. Look he’s a reputable business man, he knows Lew, and you know where I am going to be. It will be fine. Now if you’re worried, call me at two thirty, if I need an excuse to escape, you will give me one.”

“What’s his name again?” Victoria asked.
“Eddie, Eddie Dolston.”

“I don’t like the sound of him, you be careful okay?”

“Don’t worry. Call me at two thirty.”

Victoria nodded but she wasn’t convinced. She watched her friend totter off with a strange feeling of foreboding.

Anna sat in the bar pulled her skirt down; maybe it was a bit too short for a first meeting with a potential employer. Oh well, nothing could be done about it now. She sipped at her tonic water and wished she’d put a gin in it. That could be rectified, but maybe after the meeting.

“You must be Anna Flynn,” the large man in the blue tie announced. “Ah yes, Lew said you were a little cracker, I see what he means now.”

Anna smiled nervously, that wasn’t the way job interivews usually started.

“Can I refresh your drink?”

“Tonic water please,” Anna croaked.

“Put a gin in that for you shall I?”

Anna nodded, she was going to need it. She watched Eddie rudely boss the barman around, she noticed he was just beginning to go bald beneath his fashionable haircut. He turned and flashed his smile at her.

“So Anna Flynn, how are you?” He put the drinks on the table and then instead of sitting in the spare seat opposite, he came and sat on the bench that Anna was sitting on. Anna could smell the tobacco on his clothes.

“I’m fine,” Anna said. “Pleased to meet you Mr Dolston.” She put out her hand to shake his, but he grabbed her shoulders and kissed both of her cheeks; no air kisses, these were wet, wild slaps of lip on cheek.

“Call me Eddie please.”

“Um okay, how re you Eddie,”

“All the better now for meeting you Anna Flynn. Let me look at you.” He lent back and his eyes took in her whole body.

“So you wanted to talk to me about a possible job?” Anna said, trying to ignore his lewd looks.

“Cheers,” he replied, and held up his glass, Anna followed suit and he boisterously clinked the the glasses and took a huge mouthful of beer. Anna almost choked on her gin, it must have been at least a double.

“So Anna Flynn, tell me about yourself.”

Anna starting talking about her work history and education, but Eddie didn’t seem to be listening.

“Good, good, that all seems to be in order and are you married?”

Anna shook her head.

“Boyfriend?”

Again Anna signalled that that was a no.

“Splendid!” He gulped down the rest of his pint in two swigs. “C’mon drink up, I’ll get us another.”

While he was at the bar Anna looked at her phone. It was only ten past two. Her emergency call was still twenty minutes away. This was cruel. How was she going to get out of this?

“So Anna Flynn,” again Eddie slid in beside her, but this time he draped himself over her, “have you always been this cute?”

Anna shuddered, she could feel his clammy hand near her arm pit. He was too close to breast for comfort. She tried to pull herself away, but he clung to her.

“Do you think we should do this in your office?” Anna said.

“No, no Anna Flynn, we’re much better off here. No prying eyes.” Eddie tapped his nose with his free hand.

“Tell me about the position,” Anna said, trying to keep the conversation on track.

“Well, Anna Flynn, of course you’ll be beneath me.”

The way he said it made Anna cringe. “But I hope they’ll be room for manoeuvre. How flexible are you?” He was horse whispering the words in what he must have decided was his sexy voice. Anna lent forward to put her drink down on the table and then immediately realised it was a mistake. Eddie’s hand snaked down her back and came to rest on her hip.

“I think I should go,” she said. She tried to move.

“Nonsense,” Eddie replied. “We’re just getting to know each other.”

“Mr Dolston, this is not really…”

“Relax Anna, Lew said you were a feisty one. Did you and he ever…. You know?”

Anna closed her eyes and preyed for her phone to ring. Eddie was massaging the side of her tummy.
“I bet you did. He’s a right fox.”

“Anna, how are you?”

Eddie Dolston snapped upright extracting his arm from around Anna. Anna looked up to see Victoria standing there. Anna had never been so pleased to see Victoria’s I told you so look in her life.