The Good Parents by Joan London Read Free Book Online

perfectly timed coffee
     was another of Dieter’s obsessions.
    ‘Black?’ Dieter said. ‘You buy no milk, I think.’
    It was nearly twelve o’clock by the time she hurried down the street to the office. The Global letterbox in the hall had already
     been cleared. Strong chemical scents seeped out from beneath Mimi’s door as she passed, perhaps a Paraffin Treatment was in
     full swing. The dusty smell of the staircase made her heart lurch. He wouldn’t have come in, she told herself, not yet.
    She could see the dark shape of his head through the frosted glass of the partition. He was standing at the table and further
     back against the window was another shape. Somebody was with him. She hung her coat up and walked in.
    He was photocopying a pile of documents. In a black suit and tie and a white shirt, as if he were still dressed for the funeral.
     He looked handsome, well-groomed, in control, with the little smile fixed on the corners of his lips as he turned towards
     her.
    Standing behind him was a very short, broad Asian man in a well-cut black coat.
    ‘This is Mr T, my good friend and new partner. His full name is much too hard for us Westerners.’ There was a twinklebetween the two partners, a nodding and showing of teeth. Mr T was in control, which meant he had the money, she could tell
     that from Maynard’s readiness to please.
    ‘And
this
is Maya.’ A little pause made her wonder if he’d already spoken of her.
    ‘Yes yes yes,’ said Mr T.
    ‘Maynard, I’m sorry …’ Her voice went creaky. There was so much she was sorry about, Dory, the flowers, her lateness, not
     being there for him. ‘I wasn’t sure whether …’
    ‘Best to carry on, I think.’ He went on photocopying, quite stern, not looking at her. ‘Thanks for the bouquet, by the way.’
     Far from being slowed by grief, he seemed energised. There was a sleek, glittering look about him that she’d never seen before.
     His whole presence had changed. Was he in shock? Or did he feel relief? He was pretending not to care.
    He gathered up the documents, knocked them straight, slid them into a new briefcase. ‘We’re off to eat.’ He spoke lightly,
     blinking, as if to bat away her gaze. ‘There’s going to be some changes. I’ll brief you after lunch.’
    There was mail to sort, a bit of filing, an invoice to prepare. She worked furiously, though her hands shook and her eyes
     blurred. In fifteen minutes everything was finished. It sometimes crossed her mind that there wasn’t enough for her to do.
     If his computer skills were up to scratch he could have run the show himself. He didn’t really need her. A suspicion which
     she’d always dismissed now came back to her. That he’d planned all that was to happen between them even before he met her
     and that was why he’d hired her. Office hours, the only time he had to himself. And you know what young women are like these
     days.
    It was Tod who fixed him up.
    She could hardly breathe.
    He didn’t need her anymore. In fact, now that she’d strayed out of the office into his private life, he wanted to get rid
     of her.
    It was clear he was going to sack her.
    Leave now, a voice kept telling her in her head, just pack up and go, but she sat rigid at her desk, looking at the spire.
    She heard him let himself in. His face was a little flushed as he took his jacket off and slung it over his chair. He came
     towards her at her desk smiling, smelling of alcohol, loosening his tie. Swivelling her on her chair to face him, he pulled
     her up, and kissed her in the ear in a semi-humorous way. He was strange, she felt afraid for him. Then he was holding her
     close, closer and she felt his need for her, his lips cold and desperate, she tried to warm him with her mouth. She heard
     their breath in the silence, the little gasps from their lips. He bent her back over the desk, and they laughed a little,
     their eyes meeting as he ran his hands up her legs, pushing up her skirt, his hands