About a good four years after the divorce was finalized Brendon's firm was commissioned by a major hospital to facilitate a collaborative program to develop a specialized health facility whose operation required bringing together groups under one umbrella that had previously worked separately. As the principal partner for this commission he acted as director but did not undertake the day to day tasks required. However he was present at the first workshop to introduce the team and company to the participants from the hospital.
On the day in question he arrived to set up with his small team of specialists. For the first workshop the room was set up with a ring of desks and participants arranged around randomly.
Initially a few early Hospital staff members drifted in. At this stage Brendon had been distracted with the logging in of their laptop to the hospital system in order to display their power point presentation. Looking up he noticed one staff member that looked familiar but she was sitting facing away from him.
Brendon called over his project team leader and asked for the proposed attendance list and in there was listed Eleanor Marsden.
'Mmm,' thought Brendon, 'she is using her maiden name.'
Further discussion with his team leader it was decided that as part of his introduction he would ask the participants to introduce themselves rather than his team leader.
Finally the workshop commenced and after a few introductory remarks by the team leader Brendon rose, said a few words then requested they do a round of introductions each standing and stating something of their background, their role and department.
And so it went until it reached Eleanor who was directly across from Brendon.
Eleanor rose. Her bearing was confident, erect and elegant. She was dressed in a stylish cream corporate suit which was dignified but showed that her body had remained tall and slim, and sensuously curved as he remembered her.
Her Blonde hair was tightly pulled back accentuating her high cheekbones and her flawless skin was understated with makeup. She looked her age but refined and poised in a way that made her even more beautiful than she was when she was younger.
Eleanor began to introduce herself.
"Good morning everyone my name is Eleanor Marsden, my role is a new one, it is general manager specialized services. I have been in this role only three months. I have four directors directly reporting to me. The team working on this project has been engaged for some time and has been brought under my oversight so here I am here today to get an understanding of what you all get up to."
In saying this Eleanor was directly looking at Brendon her hands carefully arranged in front of her and face expressionless. There was a slight pause and before Eleanor could sit down Brendon spoke.
Well Ms Marsden I think it has been a very long time. I have to say it is my greatest pleasure to see you again.
With that they both locked eyes and broke into simultaneous grins. Eleanor coloured as an audible "ooOOOoo," chorus and smirks arose around the tables.
Brendon felt a lump forming in his throat and looked down to hide his emotion. He was slightly puzzled by the rather teenage like reaction from the staff and before moving on he looked up and muttered, "Well, it appears you have a very popular General Manager here."
As morning tea commenced three staff members rushed up to talk to Brendon But not about the work, they wanted to know about Eleanor.
"How do you know her?"
"Well it was a long time ago and the subject is personal."
Apparently she had been head hunted because of an on-going problem of sexual harassment culminating in a doctor and a senior nurse being sacked for sexual impropriety. What had impressed staff was Eleanor's openness; she had met with every one of the staff individually. She had already rewritten and had signed off the hospital staff code of conduct. She issued a respect and ethics manifesto for staff which was followed by a workshop on the subject that included case histories. Brendon was surprised that one of these was her own experience. Thankfully it left out the other names including him but was brutally honest about her role in the case.
In the light of what had happened at the hospital her honesty had given her credibility and established her integrity.
They had wondered why she did not have a partner and this lead to speculation of her sexuality. Brendon shut this down as entirely personal and inappropriate, moving on to discuss more relevant matters and of course have a cup of tea.
The personal discussion about Eleanor had unsettled Brendon and decided that remaining at the workshop could be awkward. He decided to cut out there and then and apologized to his team leader. Before leaving he had the duty of announcing his departure and apologizing to the General Manager.
And as he did so, on the spur of the moment he said, "Listen, I am flying out in the morning however I do have some free time this evening. I do have some business I would like to discuss with you, so if you are free we could do this over dinner."
This was all within earshot of others
Eleanor replied, "Well, I am not sure I am free but I will check my calendar at lunchtime and text you whether I can make that or not."
Leaving his card, Brendon returned to his office but did not settle to any work. He just sat staring at the computer screen. 'What have I done,' he thinks?
As lunchtime approached he felt flushed, conscious of his heart beat and sweaty palms.
Finally the text arrived. Really it was a forgone conclusion. Of course she was free and would be delighted to talk business over dinner.
Both arrived at the restaurant in their own cars and met in the bar. It was 6:30 and being winter quite dark. Brendon arrived slightly later and found Eleanor sitting in an easy chair with a glass of wine. She saw Brendon straight away and stood. Her hair was tied back as during the day. She was wearing a long form fitting black evening dress and long flashing earrings. She was now wearing lipstick which accentuated the dazzling smile locked into her face. Probably not appropriate for a business dinner... not that Brendon cared at that point. He was utterly dumb struck. She put out her hand to lightly shake his. Brendon leant forward to take it and caught a waft of her perfume, Brendon knew so well, from those days so long ago.
Brendon wasn't smiling, he couldn't. His throat was in a knot and he could literally hear the blood pounding in his ears. He was trying to speak as Eleanor leant forward. He felt her cheek brush his in a light kiss.
Grabbing both his hands she leant back.
A frown crossed her face, "Are you OK Brendon?"
Finally Brendon's voice spluttered into life.
"Jesus Eleanor I feel like a teenager on his first date!!"
And thus began the most happy and extraordinary evening.
Despite all the speeches that both had been planning that afternoon and all the serious things that they both had to say to each other, all went out the window in a cloud of absolute denial. This was an evening of joy and flirtation; of giggles and casual light conversation, of old times and catch up, of amusing experiences with their boys that only a parent understands. Dark clouds just did not rise above their horizon.
As the night progressed they inched toward one another their hands closing across the table. Eye to eye, it was all smiles avoiding the dark events that drove them apart.
Towards the end of the evening Brendon casually repeated his suggestion at the start of the evening. He said it still felt a bit like he was going on a first date and added, "With someone he was very attracted to." Was this the alcohol speaking? Whatever the impetus for the comment it sent the evening on a very interesting trajectory.
Eleanor's eyes sparkled at the suggestion. "Oooo what would we be talking about on a first date?" then putting on a suitable 'first date' conversational toned she suggested, "Tell me Brendon,have you been married before?"
Brendon was immediately in the swing of this little tipsy role play. "Yes, I have been single now for about four years since the divorce came through. I have two children from that marriage."
"Well, that's a coincidence, that's the same as me... " At which point both broke in to laughter. The conversation continued in that vein until Brendon suggested that what people spoke about on first dates was usually pretty boring in the scheme of things. What they were really thinking is the important stuff.
This sent the conversation from what was an interesting trajectory into one which as stratospheric, with Eleanor gushing, "Well, I know what I would be thinking," and continued, "Oh my god, this guy's gorgeous, what does he think of me."
Brendon was on track with this turn of the conversation, "I would be thinking, something like, wow, Eleanor is one funny and sophisticated woman, please not let her be out of my league."
Then Eleanor came back, "Could this be my sweet lover; one to hold me in the night and spend my lifetime with."
At this point Brendon felt the lump back in his throat. He was staring into the eyes of someone who he felt he had just fallen in love with. The incongruence was that he had divorced her four years previously. Never the less he was caught in the post and the repost of their romantic repartee.
"This girl is so beautiful, what should I do? Invite her back to my place. Perhaps I should not go too fast, perhaps play it a little cool."
Eleanor, "And I would be thinking. Is this someone I can give myself to? Someone I can be faithful with the rest of my life. I wonder if he loves me, if he feels the same."
Brendon, "I would think the same. I would be thinking does she feel what I feel? Is she my lover too?"
