A FAMILY AFFAIR Chapter 7 to 8

A Family Affair

Marilyn McPherson




Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2011 by Marilyn McPherson

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Books by this author:
A Family Affair
A Family Affair - First Born
A Family Affair - Next of Kin
The Faithful Watcher
Lottie’s Patch
Stray


Note to Reader
Please note that this book is written in Australian English.

“Well, I'll tell you one thing. I have never seen Tom take any interest in a shoot before, and we do tens of these shoots every week. He probably hasn't even visited this floor for years.”
“I wonder why he was here today,” Ellen said, puzzled. Of course, it wasn’t because of me, Ellen thought to herself. However, a part of her did secretly hope that she was a part of the reason that he stayed so long.
“Oh well, I guess when you own the place, you can do whatever you like on a daily basis.”
“Hmmm, I hope Jake is not getting into trouble because he asked me to come in today.”
“Na, don't worry about that. Your shots will look great. I think you are a natural.”
It was twelve o'clock by the time Ellen found herself changed, finished and ready to leave. “Bye, Tina. Thanks for everything,” she called out.
“No worries. Oh, by the way, here is your envelope”. Tina pulled a thick green envelope out from one of the drawers and rushed it over to Ellen. “Don't leave without this.”
“What is it?” Ellen asked, genuinely forgetting about the money Jake had agreed to give her for coming in.
“It's your cash for today, of course.”
“Oh yeah. Thanks. I can't believe I am getting paid for doing something which was actually kind of fun.”
Tina nodded, cleaning and putting away all the items from her bench.
“When do you think I will hear something back?” Ellen asked enthusiastically.
“Shouldn't be too long.”


“All right, bye. Thanks again”.
Ellen walked out of the changing room and found Tom standing against one of the hallway walls.  He looked as though he had been pacing, and Ellen wondered if he was waiting for her. The thought was scary but also exciting.
“Ellen”. Tom moved away from the wall to face her. “I wanted to thank you for coming in today.” He paused, but continued to stare into her eyes, almost longingly, she thought.
Ellen wasn't sure what he was going to say next. The moment was awkward and Ellen felt her heart pounding in her chest.
“I was wondering,” he started and then stopped.
Ellen could feel her face starting to go hot and red.
“I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight?”
The suggestion confused her momentarily. “Dinner?” she echoed and then felt silly for not saying anything else.


He smiled reassuringly. “Sure, you know. I pick you up, fancy restaurant, you tell me all about yourself, some red wine, more questions from me etc etc. You know, that sort of thing.”
Ellen felt uneasy with the suggestion of a fancy restaurant. She would most likely use the wrong cutlery or wear the wrong outfit. Tom looked like a man who would normally take out sophisticated and stylish women. She didn't know what to say, and so just looked at him in silence.
Tom suddenly looked uncomfortable. “You don't have to, of course. Your work here is not dependent on your having dinner with me, or
 anything like that. And of course, I'm far too old for you as well,” Tom said unconvincingly.
Ellen smiled at that statement. Of course, she wanted to have dinner with him.
Tom obviously noticed. “Can I take that as a yes then?”
“Sorry. Yes, I'd love to. Thanks. You still look young enough to be dating.”
“Well, thanks.”
They grinned at each other for a moment in silence.
“Well, what sort of food do you like?” Tom asked enthusiastically.
Ellen hesitated for a moment, and then said, “I like pizza, I guess,” and then felt silly again. Why couldn't she have said something more sophisticated?
He didn't seem to think it was silly. “Yeah, me too,” Tom smiled. “You know I can make a pretty mean pepperoni pizza, if you want to risk my cooking for you.”
That idea sounded more relaxed than a fancy restaurant. “Well, if it doesn't kill you, it's supposed to make you stronger.” Ellen found herself grinning at Tom again. Conversation with Tom was really very easy. He seemed like a really nice guy, a very good-looking guy too.
“Should I pick you up at around seven then?” Tom asked.
Ellen nodded. “Thank you, okay.”
“What's your address?” Tom pulled out a pen and business card from a pocket deep within his jacket. He wrote her address down carefully, and then asked slowly, “So do you live alone, Ellen?”
“Alone? No.”
“Ah, so is there any chance that your parents will answer the door tonight? That is the sort of thing I need to know in advance.”
“Oh I see.”
“It will take me a while to prepare an explanation of why an old man like me is dating their young daughter.”
Ellen smiled. “No, I don't live with my parents. But, I'd go crazy by myself. I live with my best friend Chloe.”
“Phew. That's a relief.”
“She might give you the third degree though. Better prepare for that.”
“Thanks for the warning. And yes, I think I know what you mean about the going crazy stuff.” Tom's mobile started to ring. Tom checked his phone. “I'm sorry. I have to take this. But I will definitely see you tonight.”
“Okay”.
“Bye, Elle,” Tom called out confidently while walking back down the hallway. Before he reached the elevator, he turned and gave a cheeky smile back to Ellen.
Ellen watched him walk away from her, surprised at the turn of events. She had never felt more happy and alive. The risk she had taken in coming here today had paid off, and now there was a date to look forward to for the rest of the day.
“Wow, what a day”, she whispered to herself and hurriedly left the building to work out what she was going to wear that night.


Chapter Seven

“Tom”, a curious and mature voice called out. “Tommy, are you home? It's your mother.”
Tom Bradley's mother used her spare key to enter his house, as she normally would on any given night of the week. But tonight was a little different, as she was accompanied by a young, nervous-looking lady who followed her closely. The young lady was wearing her best silk shirt and matching skirt, and had especially styled her hair for the occasion.
Margaret Bradley was used to Tom arriving home anytime between seven and eight o’clock. Margaret looked at her watch. It was ten minutes past eight o'clock and so she had no doubt that he would be home already. She knew Tom would most likely be found in his library at this time of the night, looking over business papers from the day.
“Tom, I have a surprise for you,” Margaret called out. “Helen Logan's daughter, Mary, you remember Mary don't you, from the country club. The two of you once had a short drink together. Anyway she has recently moved back to Melbourne and wasn't doing anything tonight and so I've asked her to join us for dinner.”
Margaret gave Mary a smile. She had been trying to get the two of them together for weeks now.
“I really think the two of you will have a lot in common,” she said to Mary firmly, while nudging her gently. “You will probably forget that I am even here after a while.”
Margaret entered the library entrance and to her dismay, found Tom's desk empty. “I wonder where he could be?” she asked Mary.
Mary shrugged in response.
“I hope he hasn't eaten dinner early. Perhaps I should have called.”
Margaret paused for a moment and pondered that thought. It would be unusual for Tom to have eaten dinner at this hour, and calling really wasn't necessary, as her son was a man who enjoyed a strict daily routine.
“Let’s try the kitchen, Mary. Tom's housekeeper Estella, even though she is Spanish, will often cook a spicy Thai dish on Monday night, and perhaps he is chatting to her in the kitchen while she prepares it.” Margaret and her female companion headed towards the kitchen.
Margaret liked to stay involved with Tom's life. She liked to hear every little detail about his day, and would often ask about the people, although more often the women, he had met that day. Although fiercely protective of Tom, Margaret longed for him to meet the right sort of woman to complete his life. Alas, Tom was choosy with women and many of the fine ladies to whom she had introduced him were not in the picture for very long.
Margaret thought Mary to be a suitable match for Tom because the Logans were a respectable and very wealthy family with a reputation for strong family values. Margaret had known Mrs Logan for years through her association with the Riverview Golf Club. The two mothers had talked Mary into this dinner engagement, and were only a few steps away from talking about the expected nuptials. Tom and Mary had met many years ago briefly, and Margaret remembered Tom saying back then that she was a lovely young woman.
“Estella, there you are!” Tom's maid scuttled past them with a broom and sponge. “Where would my son be tonight please?”
“Oh, Mrs Bradley! I see you have brought a companion for dinner again.” Estella paused for a moment, looking over at Mary with apprehension. She phrased her next sentence slowly and carefully. “I think Tom has dinner plans already...”
“Estella,” said Margaret firmly, cutting the housekeeper off, “we are here to see Tom, and see Tom is exactly what we are going to do. I'm sure Tom would like to talk to Mary again after all these years.” Margaret nodded towards Mary proudly. “Now is Tom in the kitchen?” she asked firmly, using the most intimidating tone of voice she could muster.
“Yes ma’am”, replied Estella, defeated.
Margaret marched towards the kitchen with Mary in toe, looking more apprehensive than before.
“I'm on my way to the kitchen too, Mrs Bradley,” Estella continued. “The two of them have made quite a mess in there.”
Just as Margaret was wondering what Estella's last sentence was all about, a young girl came stumbling out of the kitchen screaming and laughing. She was completely covered in flour. Her hair was sticky and she fell against the hallway wall laughing and clutching her stomach.
“Oh my lord! What is going on here?” Margaret was shocked and was very confused by the young woman. This was not the sort of behaviour to be tolerated in Tom's house. The staff were usually much better behaved.
The young girl stopped laughing almost immediately when their eyes met.
“Mum, is that you?” Tom called out from the kitchen in a friendly tone. He came out of the kitchen smiling and laughing at the girl covered in food. Tom’s face and shirt was also covered in flour, but not nearly as much.
He then looked up and noticed his mother's female companion, and his mood changed instantly. His smile disappeared and his face hardened. “Oh, for goodness sake. Now Mother, how many times have I asked you not to set me up on blind dates?” Tom erupted. “And blind dates that you don't even tell me about, this is a new low. And come to think of it, I have also asked you to call before you come over.” Tom then enunciated slowly and angrily, “You need to give me some bloody space Mother!” Tom's face was starting to turn red from anger and embarrassment.
“Well I don't know what is going on here with this grubby young child who is looking such a mess but,” and her tone softened, “this is not a blind date at all. You have met Helen Logan's daughter before, do you remember?” Margaret was surprised by her son's outburst, but not put off. “The two of you have a lot in common,” she added determinably.
Margaret noticed that the young girl against the wall, who was still covered in food, started to look uncomfortable, and shifted from foot to foot. Margaret wondered who she was, and what she was hired to do exactly.
“No Mother, I do not remember meeting..” Tom shouted, then hesitated, and Margaret realised that he indeed could not remember Mary's name.
“Her name is Mary!” his mother filled in the blank, suddenly feeling very embarrassed by her son's attitude towards Mary. “And I have just finished telling Mary about what a gentleman my son is. Please take a moment to compose yourself Tom, and let's start again, shall we?”
Tom looked at his mother angrily and then cast a glance at Mary. “I'm sorry,” Tom said in a quieter tone to her. “My mother has wasted your time tonight because she did not tell me that you would be coming over. And as you can see, I already have a dinner guest.”
Margaret looked horrified. “You have what? Who is this girl, Tom?”
Tom ignored the question and went on, “It's nothing personal, Mary. I hope you understand.”
Mary nodded, but looked altogether uncomfortable with the situation. “Of course,” she said softly. “I'm very sorry. I would never have come over if your mother had not been so insistent.”
“Tom”, Ellen asked quietly from behind. “Should I leave?”
Tom turned around to face the girl next to the wall. “No. Please don't, Elle.”
Margaret saw their eye contact and felt very confused. “Well, who is this, Tommy?” Margaret questioned her son. “Have you hired a new girl for the kitchen? Because if you have, I think you should fire her right now. She obviously can't cook. I mean she has spilt food everywhere.”
“You don't know what you are talking about,” he replied fiercely.
Margaret felt her own anger rising. “Well then, please enlighten us! Why are you cavorting around covered in food with this young child?” Margaret suddenly started to suspect that the young woman might be her son's date for the evening, and was shocked.  She felt betrayed that her son was keeping this new relationship from her, although she would never have approved of a woman so young, even if she had been properly consulted.
“I'll tell you what is going on here, Mother,” Tom replied indignantly.

 “I am a grown man and do not require your parental supervision in my own home. So I am going to walk both of you to the door and bid you goodnight. Let’s go.”
He turned to Ellen and said in a softer tone, “I'll be back in a sec, okay?”
As soon as Mary was out of the front door and out of earshot, Margaret reached for her son. “Tommy, please. Please don't treat your mother like this.”
“Mother”, Tom replied. “I am not a young boy anymore that needs to ask for your permission. I will see whomever I choose. Do you understand?”
“But that girl is too young for you!” Margaret exclaimed. “And we don't know anything about her family.”
“You have thoroughly embarrassed me tonight, Mother. So, I'm only going to say this to you once, so please listen. If you come around uninvited once more, I will have the locks changed.”
“Tommy, please, don't be ridiculous.” Margaret thought for a moment. “Just think about what you're doing, that's all I'm asking.” Margaret kissed her son on the cheek. “I will call you tomorrow son”.
Tom seemed to be glad that she was leaving without more of a fight. “Goodnight, Mother. Goodnight, Mary.”


Chapter Eight

Ellen stood up slowly as Tom marched the two women out of the room without looking back at her. She was confused and surprised by his outburst. All night long, Tom had been good-natured and funny, a complete gentleman in every way. His nature reminded her of her father back home because he was cool, calm and in control of every situation. But the presence of his mother had completely shaken him up. He had lost his temper and seemed like a completely different person to Ellen. Tom's mother did not seem like a particularly easy woman to get along with, but Ellen could not help wondering if this was part of Tom's real personality. Perhaps he had just been on his best behaviour so far.
Ellen did not want anything to do with a man who could not control his temper. She turned around and surveyed the room for a potential escape route. Would he be mad at her for leaving without saying goodbye? She could not be concerned with that at the moment. The house appeared larger than it had minutes ago, and Ellen knew there was a reasonable chance that she would get lost running from room to room to find a back door. Her mind ticked over the various options for ending the evening. Feeling alarmed and uneasy, she was about to head down the main hallway, when Estella walked in with a damp cloth.
“You can use this to clean up your face,” she said in a friendly voice, offering it to her.
Ellen clutched onto Estella's hand. “Estella, how do I get out of here? I'd like to go now. Is there a back door?” she asked urgently.
“What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?”
Ellen did not respond.
Estella seemed surprised by her concerned expression. “Mr Bradley is a good man”, she continued. “He will drive you home if you are ready to go.” Estella paused for a moment, carefully considering her next words. “He is usually very patient with his mother, not like tonight. More patient than I could be,” she added.
“I didn't like all the yelling,” Ellen said timidly, looking into Estella's eyes for reassurance.
Estella's gentle and motherly nature calmed Ellen instantly. “Don't leave. Let Tom explain, yes? Mrs Bradley is very difficult woman. Mr Bradley’s very patient normally.”
Ellen hesitated. Perhaps she was over-reacting to the situation. Perhaps everything would be all right.  “Okay”, she said, taking the cloth and starting to wash her face.
“I'll make you a cup of tea while you clean up. Mr Bradley had a very good time tonight before his mother arrived. I have not heard him laugh like that before. Everything will be okay. You'll see.”
Estella led her into the kitchen and put the kettle on.
Earlier that evening, Tom had taught Ellen how to make a pizza dough from scratch with real yeast. After the dough had risen, they had rolled it flat and added various toppings before sliding it into a hot oven. The food fight had started just after the pizza went into the oven, when Tom had accidentally touched her face with his flour covered hands. Ellen remembered the moment with a smile. The pizza was obviously cooked, as the smell now wafted through the whole kitchen, making her hungry.
It wasn't long before Tom returned from seeing the two ladies out. He walked through the kitchen doors, paused and looked at Ellen thoughtfully. Estella immediately excused herself, saying something about tidying the laundry.
Tom started to clean the flour and other pieces of pizza topping off his face as he moved towards Ellen. Now that they were alone again, he tried to explain, “I'm sorry that you had to see me so angry on our first date.” His voice was calmer, and he sat down on a stool beside her, leaning in gently. “My mum has been introducing me to various women of a certain breed for as long as I can remember. And tonight and in front of you, of all nights, I just snapped. I'm sorry.” Tom reached for her hand.
His touch sent a sharp sensation down Ellen's body.
Tom continued, “I usually go along with my mother's plans just to keep her happy. I should have put a stop to it a long time ago. I know that we've only just met, Ellen, and I don't want to scare you off, but being with you makes me happy, happier than I've been for quite a while. So please forgive me.”
Although slightly overwhelmed, Ellen was starting to feel calm in Tom's presence again. She tried to explain her feelings, without upsetting him further. “The thing is, I don't want to be with someone that yells at me,” she explained. “Someone that I'm afraid of.”
“No,” Tom replied quickly, looking alarmed. “I'm not like that at all. I would never yell at you or want you to feel afraid of me.” He took both of her hands in his. “Please, Elle, give me another chance. I can't remember the last time I had an outburst like that.”
“Your mum did look a bit surprised.”
Tom chuckled. “You see! I'm normally much more agreeable. But I think it was necessary to use some firmness with her this time, in order to put a stop to the surprise visits.”
Ellen saw his sincerity, and knew instantly that she had indeed over-reacted. She felt completely at ease again. “I believe you, I really do,” she replied.
He seemed to relax once she had said that.
“And I'm sorry,” said Ellen. “I shouldn't have questioned your character like that. I was actually trying to escape before you came back.”
Tom looked surprised.
It seemed silly to Ellen now. She should have had more faith in what she already knew about Tom.
“I should give you a proper tour, so you will know how to get out the back door next time,” Tom added roguishly.
Ellen smiled and wondered what it was that he saw in her. His attention was almost overwhelming and she was unsure how to respond to his eager touch. She looked down at her hands being held by him so tenderly, his eyes watching her every move. Maybe they had been lovers in a past life, or were soul mates destined for each other.