Back in London, away from the shit show in Brighton, the fog that was Noa Baudet lifted. She messed with my head, and not in a good way.

My first mistake was going down to see her. A logical person would have picked up the phone and told his grandmother about his reservations around Noa working in the family business. Not that it would be ours for much longer. I had numerous miscalls from the bank and the property developer reminding me of just that. Wickedly Sweet had to go, whether or not Gran was ready. Only a miracle would let her keep that place.

I took no pleasure in making these decisions, but someone had to be responsible. Like she had taken responsibility for me after my mother died and my father wouldn't claim me as his. The little bastard he liked to call me when he thought I couldn't hear him. But I heard every word loud and clear. It's my turn to take care of her because he'd never helped her. Or anyone but himself.

My second mistake was lying to Noa about Saturday night. I felt shit about that. I don't know what I expected, but reacting like that wasn't part of my plan. Panic set in as soon as she showed signs of pulling back and all I pictured was her leaving out the door. They all did it at some stage; my dad, my stepdad, and in some ways my mum. Not that she had any control over her situation.

But I couldn't think about it all now. In ten minutes, I had an interview which would determine my future at Garth Thomas Associates; my one-way ticket to the top. Not only would it help with my grandmother's debt, but it would once and for all prove to my father I wasn't a failure.

***

"You can head in now, Daan."

"Thank you, Janice."

Mr Thomas' assistant gave a beaming smile and the second I walked past her, returned to the Sudoku puzzle she attempted to hide on her lap.

Standing before the glass double doors, I straightened my tie one last time and entered without knocking.

"Ah, Daniel! Take a seat, young man. I've been reading your application for the promotion. Impressive work."

"Daan, Sir," I corrected while sliding into the brown leather chair in front of him.

"Sorry?" He never looked up from the file, his lips pinched together.

I nodded tightly, holding myself back from correcting him again. "Nothing, Sir. You were saying?"

"Yes, so Daniel. Tell me more about yourself? How are the wife and kids?"

Most of the senior team consisted of stuffy white guys with a wife and a couple of kids. I'm not sure if Garth Thomas knew anything about his employees, past what was written in his files. I was pretty certain mine never mentioned a wife or kids on the scene. He kept calling me the wrong name. Maybe the wrong "Daniel" was sitting in front of him.

"Ah, no kids or wife for me. Leaves me with more free time for work." I smiled despite irritation simmering under the surface. Had I wasted my time?

"True, true." He crossed his hands over his front and swung back in his chair, rotating it from side to side. "I'll be honest with you, Daniel. Here at Garth Thomas Associates we take the work/life balance extremely seriously and our employees are rewarded for their hard work. You show great promise and are a very worthy candidate for our managerial team. But we're also a family business at heart. It's good for a young man to find some roots."

"I understand that."

"I haven't finished. Like I was saying—" He stood and paced the room, his arms behind his back—, "family is important. You young-uns are more adventurous than we were back in the day. It's a faster paced world out there and with nothing to tie you down, you can be seen as bit of a flight risk for us."

I sat up straighter, conscious to show him I had heard every word. "I can assure you, Mr Thomas, I have no intentions of leaving the company." Not when I needed this promotion.

"I'm sure you don't now, but someone who has a family he provides for and is settled down has more chances of staying put. I'm not saying you aren't loyal, son. But let me put it this way, what if one of our rival companies in Japan calls tomorrow and offers more money than we can? Without your family to hold you back, you would have no reason to stay. I can't say I would blame you, either. "

I listened and nodded, pinching the armrest on my chair. I didn't add that if they offered more money, anyone might consider moving their family. Anyone could be a flight risk and he had no right to judge me before giving me a chance.

Human resources would have a field day with this conversation and his archaic views. That was if someone was brave enough to report him. I always expected my principles would make me that person but when faced with it, I stayed quiet. All I thought about was how this promotion could grant my grandmother her wish of keeping the bakery for another six months. I could use part of my salary to help her with the debt and keep the bank off her back.

Once the place sold—because she would have to sell it eventually—I could tell Mr Thomas where to stick his views and his jobs. Until then, I'd have to swallow it. 

My mouth said the next words before my brain even engaged. "I have a serious girlfriend. We've actually been talking about marriage and kids. It's pretty serious. I'm planning to propose at Christmas." I couldn't stop the lies from flying out with his intrusive stare on me and I hated myself for it. It went against everything I believed in. My grandmother would be so disappointed.

"Oh, how lovely. Maybe that's why I thought you were married earlier. Something Janice might have mentioned in passing? We know how she loves a bit of gossip."

His assistant seemed to know everyone's business even before they did. But I definitely hadn't indicated that I was married.

"I like to keep my personal life separate from work so hadn't mentioned anything to her." Not that it would stop the prying cow.

"Well, after our chat, I hope you won't keep it too private. We would love to meet her. Have Janice add your little lady to your booking for the fundraiser. You are coming, right?"

Shit, I hadn't thought about that. It was one thing to talk about an imaginary girlfriend but now I had to produce one for some stuffy work event no one wanted to go to. All this for a promotion I needed for the next six months at most. 

"We wouldn't miss it." Heaviness settled in my chest and dug its nails in deep. How the hell would I get out of this?

"I have another meeting now, Daniel." He glanced down at the next file on his desk and rolled his eyes. "But between you and me." He lowered his voice, forgetting we were the only ones in the room. "The promotion is pretty much yours. Sharon Greenway's next. Let's just say it would be a wasted promotion if it went to her."

"How so?" Don't say it. After our conversation, I somehow predicted where his thoughts were going before he even said them.

"Women in the workplace. Once they become mothers, they rarely want to work or do the hours." He clasped my shoulder as he shook my hand. "You get it, Daniel. We need to do what is best for the company."

My composure almost cracked and I had to stop myself from punching him right in the nose. Chauvinistic prick.

Six months. I just had to last six months.

***

Later that night, while I reflected on where I went wrong in my choices, I did the only thing a grown twenty-five-year-old could do. I called my grandmother.

A deep, chesty cough greeted me instead of my grandmother's voice.

"You okay, Gran? That cough doesn't sound great."

"Yep," she croaked and coughed some more. "Sorry, a bit of food got stuck."

I didn't think more of it as her wheezing died down after she drank some of her water.

"You're ringing a bit late. Everything alright with you, Danny?"

The tightness in my neck and shoulders had yet to ease, assuring I'd wake with a headache. I rubbed my eyes and slouched back in my chair. "Not really. I did something stupid today and I don't know how to get out of it."

"Regular stupid or does it involve Noa?"

She had my full attention. "What's that supposed to mean?" My pulse quickened at the mention of her name.

"Nothing. Forget I said anything. Go ahead. What did you do?"

"No, Go back to Noa. Why did you bring her up? You must have a reason."

"Okay, but don't tell her I spoke to you about it. I noticed how closed off she was after you left. I wondered if something happened when I left the both of you? She wouldn't talk to me about it."

"Oh that. I don't really know." I glanced towards my kitchen and wished I had poured myself a glass of whiskey at this stage. After the day I had, revisiting my afternoon with Noa was the last thing I needed. "It's complicated. Can we talk about Noa some other time? It's actually about work."

"I'm all ears."

I let out a deep breath and told my grandmother all about my disastrous performance review with my boss and the lie I told to assure I would be at the top of the candidate list. Regardless of the fact I earned that promotion, I couldn't help feeling like a fraud. Gran stayed quiet—only interrupting twice to cough—until I finished, then sighed.

I could sense the disappointment through the phone but was shocked by her next words.

"Thank you."

"What for? Did you actually listen to what I said?"

"I did and I know you. You only did it for me. If I hadn't put us in this position with the bakery, you wouldn't have felt the need to lie. So thank you for thinking of me at the time."

I knew that wasn't her telling me I was off the hook. It couldn't be that easy. My lie would have consequences but she somehow turned it into me doing something good for her. I wasn't sure how to feel about it. "Gran—"

"But I also wish you hadn't and you trusted that my plan with Noa would work. I understand you don't trust it. That's okay as well. It will all work out, Danny. In the meantime, I'm guessing you can't risk coming clean just yet."

"Not really."

"So, we make the lie become the truth."

"And how do you expect that to happen?"

"Leave that to me. Just come for Sunday dinner this weekend."

***

Oh, oh. What does grandma have planned?

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Clara ❤️