The Horse Farm - Chapter 2-5

Louise called Jo from the car. She didn't have enough time to drive out to the mall, so she suggested that they have lunch downtown at Bistro Bleu. They could sit outdoors since the weather was nice, and maybe do some window-shopping after lunch. 

Jo saw Louise on the sidewalk and raced toward her. "Are you okay? You sounded terrible on the phone!"

"Oh, my God! I am FREAKING out!" She pronounced each syllable emphatically.

"What happened?"

"He's coming back." Louise was on the verge of crying.

"Who?" Jo insisted.

"You know," Louise hinted, "the one from work."

"Oh my God!" Jo shrieked. "No!"

Louise nodded silently in affirmation.

"When?" Jo prodded.

"I-I don't know," Louise admitted. "But he might be here for a couple of months."

"Oh, my God!" Jo exclaimed. "Okay, just ... Let's just sit, and we'll talk about it. Okay?"

Jo motioned to a busboy. He pointed to a table near where they were standing. They sat down and organized their purses, keys, and telephones. Neither of them looked at a menu.

"What are you going to do?" Jo asked.

"I don't know," Louise groaned. "Resign, maybe."

"Okay, you can't resign!" Jo insisted. "Can you avoid him?"

"I can try," Louise said. "But it sort of depends on what they want him to work on."

"Yeah..."

"I mean, last year, we worked together. Oh, my God, do you think they expect me to work with him again?"

"Okay, just calm down," Jo insisted in a soft voice." Louise looked down at the table.

"It sounds as though they haven't discussed the project with you," Jo continued, "so, maybe it will be okay."

"Hopefully."

"Let's make a plan," Jo suggested. "What are you going to say when you see him?"

"I really don't to talk to him," Louise said crossly. "I don't want to have anything to do with him."

"Okay, I understand," Jo assured her. "But you're probably going to see him sometime. I mean, it's two months, right?"

"You're right..."

"So, you should be prepared..." Jo paused. "Hey, is that Francisco's car?"

"What?" Louise was shocked by the sudden turn.

"There." Jo was pointing. "In front of the hotel."

Louise turned to see a red Ferrari double parked in front of the Hotel Grande Parisienne. "I... think it is."

Francisco emerged from the driver's side. A bellman opened the passenger door and helped a tall blonde woman to her feet. She wore a tight-fitting light blue dress, expensive jewelry and a fur stole.

"Oh, my God! It IS Francisco!" Jo said with an excited laugh.

"Yeah," Louise replied. "And he's with a woman."

"And they're going into a hotel!"

"Oh, man!" Louise exclaimed. "We caught them red-handed!" They looked at each other and laughed. Louise had forgotten about Antonio for the moment.

"I wish Terri were here," Jo said.

"Have you talked to her?" Louise said with a hint of concern in her voice.

"No. Why?"

"I've been trying to call, and I can't reach her."

"Try her now," Jo suggested. "We could go out after work."

"I can't. I have to do something with Walter tonight." Louise felt conflicted. She wanted to explain that last comment, but she felt uneasy discussing Walter with Jo since learning about their history.

"How about tomorrow?" Jo asked.

"That's should be good," Louise confirmed. "Let me see if I can reach her today, and we'll do dinner."

"That's great!" Jo said enthusiastically. "So...?"

"So ... Oh! Yeah! That."

"Are you gonna be okay?" Jo asked.

"I think so," Louise said with more confidence than before. "I'm so over that jerk."

"Yeah, you are," Jo assured her.

"If he knows what's good for him, he'll avoid ME."

 

'The Horse Farm'

Copyright © 2015 Daniel R. South

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