The reception was cool and I made myself comfortable on one of the sofas as I waited. It had been a few years since I had sat here, nervously fidgeting. on my first day and I felt very at home in the office now.
I was waiting for Hannah, she was always busy, so any meet that was planned always started late. We had become friends during my first few days here, she had only started a few weeks before too, so we had gravitated together on the basis of not really knowing anyone else. I had a small crush on her, as did most people in the office. She was happy and friendly and her face would light up when she spoke to you, making everyone feel as if they were very special. Her face was one of those you could just look at, not stunningly beautiful, but incredibly pretty and alluring. We would chat on our work messaging system, occasionally going for lunch together, more often than not, I would go alone as she would get waylaid with an urgent piece of work or query. We mildly flirted in the way two people who were attached to others could.
When we met we were both happily partnered, well, she was, my relationship was falling apart slowly and then was hastened by lockdown. Being stuck inside with someone you are falling out of love with isn't a great idea and the arguments came thick and fast.
Hannah had moved into my neighbourhood around that time, but lockdown meant we didn't really get the chance to meet, but we had bumped into each other a few times in the local streets and our promises of lunch together in one of the local cafes never happened. Then, about nine months ago, things changed.
I had, somehow, managed to get a small infection. A trip to hospital for a few hours followed and all seemed well. Until a week or so later when a larger infection joined the party and I got to stay there slightly longer, this time hooked up to a drip for the stronger drugs that were needed. When I got out, Hannah sent me a message suggesting we meet. It's never good when friends look shocked to see you and I think we both experienced that when I shuffled around the corner to the cafe for our coffee together.
She had lost her spark and I wanted to ask, but she was interested in me, my health and what the diagnosis was. When I explained most of what I knew, she then dropped her bombshell, she was moving away. Her cheery persona had hidden the darkness of her relationship failing and, now, it was over. She was moving away as she couldn't live with him any more. To cheer ourselves up, we went to a local park and fed some ducks in a pond. At least they were happy.
She bounded into reception, I heard her before she arrived, not because she was loud, it's just everyone stopped to talk to her, another reason why any meeting was always delayed.
She was wearing a yellow, flowery summer dress and I almost didn't recognise her as she was often in her jogging kit as she would run at lunchtimes. Her hair was down too and was wavy. She looked much happier now, but her eyes flashed and then faded as she smiled at me and I stood and moved to her to give her a quick hug. We hadn't really seen each other much in the office, both of us only coming in once or twice a week now and usually, on different days to each other. We had decided a few weeks ago that we would meet after work one day and go for a coffee, or a quick meal, or even just stroll along the river and laugh at tourists in London. That was the plan for tonight.
The automatic doors opened and the hot air smacked us both around the face. The problem with an air-conditioned office was the matter of going outside once you were used to the cool air. The weather this summer had been rubbish, but the last few weeks had been hot and when it's hot in London it can be awful, humid, thick air skulking between the tall buildings, wrapping around you as you tried to move. Today was such a day.
We headed towards the river, stopping for coffees and then finding a bench to watch the river traffic churn along the brown sludge of the Thames. Tourist boats, thick with visitors, plied their trade, showing London from a different angle and ferrying them downstream to see the sights as the river widened and meandered towards the sea. Commuters crammed the services to take them home, preferring this way of travelling to the heat of the crammed tube. Meanwhile, two friends sipped their drinks and chatted about life.
"So," she started, in that manner of hers that means she is being serious, "what's the verdict on the medical issue?"
I wasn't so keen to answer. We were friends, yes, but we'd never really talked about anything really private. I pondered and decided to be upfront. Almost.
"Well, I am on several drugs now until they really establish what the problem is and mostly they have stopped chunks of my body from functioning properly. It's fun, in a 'I wonder what will stop working next' kind of way."
She looked at me and I knew from her eyes she she got the idea. "Oh" was all she said and then gazed out across the river. "What about the hot weather? Are you feeling ok? Sometimes drugs make you feel worse in the heat." Her voice was full of concern.
"Yeah, I had some dizzy spells, worse when it was really hot. I had a couple of standing up and falling down moments. Other than that, just..." I didn't know what to say next as I was straying into very private territory. She looked at me, waiting for the rest, there was no escaping her gaze. "Well, sometimes it can be uncomfortable." I hoped that would be the end of it.
"Uncomfortable? I thought bits weren't working?"
I have no idea how she understood my vague ramblings, but she had. "Yes, things aren't working."
"I suppose one positive from your meds is that you don't get too frisky in this heat" I swear her eyes flicked down as she spoke, but I was a bit too shocked to really notice.
"Well, annoyingly, I get frisky, but nothing really happens." This time my eyes flicked down.
"Oh, that's shit. Sorry."
Hannah let out a soft sigh, stared across the water and said "It's not all, there are other things to do." Sighed again and added "If you like that, that is."
I think I understood, but tried for some clarity, "I like it, if I think you are talking about what I think you are."
She chuckled. "Probably. Glad someone likes that, my useless ex didn't." A hint of anger crept into her voice.
"His loss." I chipped in, adding, "It's great, don't know why he wouldn't like it."
"I would say I miss that, but he rarely did it anyway!" She gave a little laugh as she sipped, thought about it and then replied "Must be the heat, it does things." then she wiggled slightly on the bench.
"Things?" I couldn't look at her, this felt too personal.
"Yes. It can get very uncomfortable in the heat." She glanced across and flashed a strange smile. "At least with working from home, you can be a bit more relaxed about clothing, or lack of it."
It was my turn to laugh and her comment had caught me by surprise, so I almost snorted coffee out of my nose. "Lack of it? That can be awkward when someone video calls."
"Very!" She replied and I stared at her causing her to blush.
"Tell me more."
"Well" Her eyes fixed on the far bank of the river, "I did have to throw a t-shirt on a few times when there was an unexpected call. Or I forgot a meeting was due!"
We both chuckled and blushed as our eyes met.
"Damn, I wish I'd called you." Damn, I wish I hadn't said that out loud.
Hannah laughed. "Probably wouldn't bother for you, just angle the camera strategically." and she giggled again. Despite the medication, I felt a stirring at the thought.
"So, what were you wearing then, if anything?"
She had a soft giggle as I asked. "Some days, nothing! Mostly, just panties. Occasionally a vest top as well."
I had forgotten that Hannah was part American, her accent had almost gone, but her using the word "panties" reminded me. The word had jolted me slightly, mentally and physically.
"Right, so when we were typing messages, you may have just been wearing knickers?" I looked sideways at her and laughed, hoping she wouldn't get offended at the direction the conversation had lurched.
She snorted on her coffee and then cleared her throat. "One time I was naked. I remembered it as you were talking about thinking of putting your feet in a bowl of cold water."
"Christ, had I known that I would have had to have a cold shower!" The words came out without me thinking and she turned to look at me, then laughed, so hard she bent over, holding the coffee cup out, drops of the dark liquid escaping from the lid as her arm shook.
She inhaled deeply, still giggling now and then before replying "Good job you didn't know what else I was up to."
We stared at each other. Something told me she had had also spoken aloud without thinking. A blush went over her cheeks and her eyes shone. "oops!" She giggled.
"OK, Hannah, spill the beans!" I tried to sound stern, but we were both laughing now. Two friends sitting by the river having fun and coffee after work, maybe.
She cleared her throat again, to try and stop the giggles. "I said it got uncomfortable in the heat, yes?" I agreed. "Well, bear in mind I was alone for the first time in... forever." She took a sip of coffee as she thought of her words. "I needed something."
"Something?"
"uh huh, something to help me."
