Chapter 52: Chapter 52

Over a year after she had left Bryan and the bank to find peace away from his taunting and disturbances, long after Gerhard's death, she and Brenda had bumped into each other in town. Brenda had snubbed her with obvious deliberate anger.

Hurt at such hostility when they had been such friends, Sharon had caught up with her and demanded to know what the problem was.

Brenda had been very forthright and Sharon had remembered every word.

'Are you trying to tell me that you really don't know?' Brenda had said coldly And when Sharon had protested, she had continued, ' Look, I don't want anything to do with you. I can't forgive you for what you did to Bryan. You are a cold two +- timing bitch!'

'What I have done to Bryan?' Sharon had echoed stunned but she had obviously been talking to herself because Brenda had already walked away.

It had hurt alot at the time. Brenda had obviously not known the details of her affair with Bryan. Perhaps that was a good thing because she idolized Bryan afterall, fiercely loyal to him. There was no reason why she should be hurt as well.

'Oh Sharon, I can't forget about it', Brenda said now. 'I felt awful about it afterwards. I meant to ring you but somehow, I never plucked up the courage'.

Sharon picked up Brenda's hands. 'I understand how you must feel. Afterall you were only sticking up for Bryan'.

'It was awful after you left', Brenda burst into tears, her eyes shadowed. 'Bryan started drinking heavily. He was hell to live with, so angry all the time --- we all kept out if his way. Then I heard that you'd got married and I thought well, you know'.

'Yes, I do know.please let's forget it and start again. I always wanted us to stay friends', Sharon said quickly, unable to explain her feelings or the situation fully. She held out her hands and the two girls embraced.

'Lets go down and join the party Everyone will be wondering where we are', Sharon said laughing.

She checked her face again, so glad that everything was back to normal with Brenda.

As they walked downstairs together, Sharon was going over in her mind what Brenda had said about Bryan. She found it difficult to believe that he had ever cared enough to turn to drink. Unless an Uncharacteristically cynical smile touched her lips -- unless he just couldn't bear to lose.

Music and chatter spilled out of all the rooms downstairs.

Brenda was waylaid almost immediately by a tall handsome young man in white dinner jacket and whisked away to dance.

Sharon grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and wandered towards the room where the band was playing, in search of Gabriel.

It was a large room, crowded with people. Along one line was a table lined with food,one huge piece of birthday cake. As she lingered uncertainly by the door, a hand touched her and turning round, she saw it was David's house keeper.

'Miss Sharon, I thought it was you. How nice to see you again'.She said smiling.

'How are you?' Sharon asked smiling back.

'I'm getting along', she said with a faintly martyred air.

'It's a lovely party', Sharon looked around and her heart suddenly stopped beating. A few feet from her was Bryan, his back to her as he chatted with a knot of friends clustered around him.

'More work than pleasure for some of us', the housekeeper grumbled on. 'You will excuse me dear, I can't stand here talking. I have to check the food. You can't trust these catering companies, though of course, My. David got the best....'

Sharon nodded, hardly listening as the housekeeper bustled importantly away.

She was staring at Bryan. She was taller than most of the men in the room. His black hair gleaming in the light. He had not seen her yet, so she could watch him undetected, unable to drag her eyes away, the rest of the room disappeared.

He wore a black dinner jacket, superbly tailored to his wife shoulders. The group around him were attentive, respective, trying to impress him as people always did. She couldn't see his face but she could imagine his expression. His black eyes amused, his mouth straight.

Sharon watched, hating herself but unable to drag herself away as a woman joined the group around Bryan. A tall slender woman with a rich chestnut hair that fell around her face and shoulders in studied disarray. She was very pretty with sharp vivacious features and sparkling brown eyes. Her dress was buttercup satin, sexy and expensive and she slid her arm through Bryan's with confidence, smiling up into his face as though she knew that her attention was wanted.

Sharon turned away then, a sharp pain stabbing in her insides. Bryan's latest lover? She wondered,not examining the pain too closely. What did it matter to her? She didn't want him, did she? Somehow, none of her thoughts rang true.

Ga riel appeared at her side. 'How about some food? I don't know about you but I am starving', he admitted with a smile.

Sharon could not have eaten a thing but she allowed him steer her towards the laden tables, praying that Bryan wouldn't see her.

As she halfheartedly nibbled on a small piece of Brie, Gabriel said, 'He is here, I see', his voice was casual but he was watching her carefully.

'Yes', She threw the cheese away, suddenly hating the taste of it.

'Not as bad as you thought?'

'It doesn't bother me at all', she said airily, but she was lying through her teeth., trying to hide the cracks. 'How was it with Beatrice?' she asked changing the subject.

Gabriel shrugged, not meeting her eyes. 'I don't want to talk about it'.

'Okay', she immediately wished that she had not mentioned Beatrice's name

Brenda's voice came over her shoulder, 'Secrets, Gabriel?'

Gabriel smiled warmly, his mask firmly back in place. 'It all adds to my air of mysterious charm', he said flippantly and Brenda giggled. Sharon turned smiling but the smile died on her lips. Around Brenda's waist, Kay Bryan's arms. He was standing with his cousin and he was only a few inches away from Sharon.

As she looked at him, she realised that some of her horror must be showing on her face because he was smiling slightly, his eyes cool as they held hers.

She looked away. Cursing the colour that was flushing her cheeks. She felt Gabriel moving a little closer to her and knew that he had seen her reaction to Bryan. She wanted to act normally but couldn't think of a single word to say.

Luckily, Gabriel did it for her. 'Great Party', she heard him say.

'Yes it is, isn't it?' Brenda was radiantly happy and Sharon wondered why. One would think that she was the celebrant. David had been busy with his guests. She had to see him and give him his gift.

As though Brenda heard her thoughts of gifts, she said something.

'Bryan had just given me a most precious gift. He has just bought the lease of a flat for me in Kensington -- isn't it fantastic? I can move in whenever I like. A flat of my own -- I can't believe it'.

'That's wonderful', Sharon said carefully as she avoided looking at Bryan but she was so aware of him that she was trembling.

'Jake is wonderful', Brenda corrected, her eyes shinning with excitement.

'I doubt Sharon would agree', he said sardonically, gazing at Sharon's down turned face.

I... I don't know what you mean', she muttered, glaring at him.

'Dance with me then', he suggested smoothly.