Janet Pywell ellie BravoHis tongue flicks over his lips. “Elly’s ex!”

I am in my office preparing papers for the weekly managers meeting. I have made notes about the progress of the ITG and OUT magazine contracts and I am also working on figures to prove that investing in Apps and Gaming software will be more profitable than Simon’s ridiculous idea of selling hardware through a retail outlet.
“Are you busy?” John appears in my office. He flicks open his white lab coats, flops down onto the chair opposite my desk and watches me,
“Hey, John! How are you? How was the course?” I hope my upbeat tone covers my serious dislike for the toad.
His small eyes twinkle mischievously and he licks his lips. His hands are wedged in the front pockets of his tight trousers. There’s a roll of fat hanging over his waistband.
“You did me a good turn! It was a good sales course and very revealing.”
“That’s good. Have you come back with new ideas on how to increase sales?”
“The Sales course really opened my eyes.” He stands and walks restlessly to the window as if suppressing excitement, where he stands like a coiled viper.
“Dublin’s a lovely city. I must get down there again,” I say, wishing he would get out so that I could finish preparing my notes.
“Who was in Dublin?” he smiles.
“Wasn’t your conference in the South?”
“No! I was in London.”
“Oh? OK, well I’ve prepared a time schedule for the ITG project.” I lift papers in my hand.
“Happy Days!” He winks. “See you in the boardroom.”
Half an hour later we are in the boardroom. Simon works through the items on the agenda.
“Mark Bowman the new computer graduate starts work today to oversee the ITG account,”
John confirms. “Liam is handling Sally Richman from the OUT magazines group. He has the skill and talent to oversee the tailor-made package for them and he will liaise back to Stuart who will provide the tekkie experience of programming and hosting.” As he speaks he maintains eye contact with me and he has a sly secret smile lingering on his lips. Perhaps he thinks he’s sexy.
We finish by discussing targets, new contracts and other future projects and when the meeting closes we all stand and I gather my papers.
“You enjoyed the course of the sale?” Simon pats John’s shoulder.
I move toward the door. Maria reaches out to hold me back, she is about to speak but John raises his voice.
“That sales woman you recommended Simon, was fantastic.”
There is something in his tone.
“Had Proctor & Gamble started the sales seminars when you left them, Elly?”
I stare at Simon.
“Katherine Small. Does that name ring a bell?” John insists.
“Kat?” I whisper.
“She remembers you!”
“They had a cancellation and I thought it would be a good opportunity for John,” Simon says.
Maria throws an inquisitive glance at me.
“I must make a phone call,” I lie and push past them.
“Has Elly told you, Maria?” John is balancing on the balls of his feet, rocking backwards and
“Told me what?” There are small bumpy ridges between her inquisitive brown eyes.
I pause at the door and look from one to the other and I shake my head at John.
His tongue flicks over his lips. “Elly’s ex!”
I run from the boardroom. In my office, I throw my notes onto the desk, grab my jacket and helmet, jump the stairs two at a time and pause on the last step where John’s voice floats down wafting after me like a bad smell.
“What are you talking about?” That’s Maria’s voice.
My hand is on the stair-rail. I am trapped. Caught in the simplicity of truth.
“The Sales Director at Proctor and Gowan, Kat Small, is Elly’s ex-lover. Didn’t you know our
Marketing Manager is a red hot Lesbian?”