Ritu Chowdry took a sip of her punch. It was a week before Christmas and the merchant bank that she worked for was throwing its annual Christmas bash. Wanting some fresh air, she had joined Margaret, one of her colleagues who had gone out for a quick smoke.
"How long before the party will finish?" Margaret asked which really translated into: "When can we go home?"
"No idea." Ritu sighed. "Maybe another hour or so."
Truth to be told, Ritu hadn't had a bad time and spent most of it watching one of the account managers trying to chat up a girl half his age. It was rather embarrassing really. Saying that, she was looking forward to getting home.
"You okay?" Margaret asked making Ritu realise that she had allowed her mind to wander.
"Yeah. Just a little tired. That's all."
"So I take it you aren't going with the others to a club afterwards?"
Ritu thought about it. On previous years she would have gone and thoroughly enjoyed it. But both her husband and son were coming home tomorrow and she wanted to be up early so that she could get the house tidy.
"No. I think I'll have an early night this year."
"Have you seen Tom 'Letch' tonight?" On hearing the account manager's name, Ritu looked over and saw a smile on her colleague's face. "Have you seen who he has been trying to chat up? That new girl, Alison."
Ritu nodded. "The guy is in his late fifties and he thinks he has a chance with a twenty year old. He's old enough to be her grandfather. Gods, have you seen his gut?"
Ritu's comment made both women laugh.
"Maybe you should have a word with her." Margaret offered after the laughter had died down.
"Oh she will be okay." Said Ritu. "She may be young but she knows how to deal with him. Besides Tom doesn't know that her boyfriend is coming over later and he's a bodybuilder."
They laughed again at the thought of the two of them meeting.
"Now what do you think of Peter?" Margaret whispered with a wink.
"Sir John Michaelson's son? He's only twenty for Gods sake! He's just a couple of years older than my own son." Ritu said but still she felt her cheeks glowing as she had checked him out a number of times over the months.
"How is Vinod anyway?" Margaret asked, referring to Ritu's son.
"Oh, he'll be back from University tomorrow. Will be nice since I haven't seen him since the summer." She was looking forward to having a full house again. It had been too long.
"Anyway." Ritu said finally. "Better go back in. You coming?"
"In a little while." Was Margaret's reply.
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Before rejoining the party in the Main Conference Room, Ritu decided to pop into the Accounts office first to check a few things. The items in question were kept in a large cupboard tucked away at the rear of the office.
She had just opened the cupboard door when movement caught her eye. It was Mrs Michaelson, Sir John's wife, popping into her husband's office.
She could not help but think how beautiful the woman was. Mrs Michaelson reminded her of Wilnelia Merced, Bruce Forsyth's wife.
She then saw Peter, Mrs Michaelson's son come walking in after her. Entering his father's office, he strode up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist - visibly startling his mother.
"What the...?" Peter's behaviour seemed strange to Ritu. It wasn't the fact that he was cuddling his mother but it was the way he had done it. It seemed 'wrong' somehow.
Since Ritu was at the far end of the main Accounts room hidden by both darkness and the big cupboard, she had no fear of being discovered. She, on the other hand, could see clearly into Sir John's office thanks to the large window in the dividing wall.
"For Goodness sake, Peter. You scared me." Mrs Michaelson said, her words carrying clearly through the open door.
"Sorry." Peter said but he continued to hold his mother which Ritu saw made Mrs Michaelson nervous.
"No. Don't do that!" Mrs Michaelson said, pulling away.
"Why? Can't a guy hug his own mother?"
"Stop it!" Mrs Michaelson snapped. "That was no innocent hug you gave me just then."
From her vantage point, Ritu was growing more and more intrigued. What was going on? She wondered.
"You agreed that you wouldn't be like that anymore." Mrs Michaelson continued. "Besides, shouldn't you be with your girlfriend? What's her name? Betty?"
"Betsy." Peter said. Ritu remembered the girl that Peter had brought to the party. She also remembered Mrs Michaelson's reaction to her. Normally a very friendly woman, she had seemed cold and distant to the girl when they were introduced.
"Whoever." Mrs Michaelson went over to her husband's desk and opened a drawer. "So. Are you serious about her?"
"Why?" Asked her son.
"Well it's only that this is the first time you have taken a girl to one of these parties and I just wondered why."
"Does it matter?"
"I just think you are rushing into things. You barely know the girl."
"Well, I'm not thinking of marrying her. Besides, at least she seems interested."
Ritu blinked at Peter's words. What did he mean?
"What do you mean by that?" Mrs Michaelson echoed.
"You know what I mean."
What is going on here, Ritu asked herself
.
"Oh honey." Ritu watched Mrs Michaelson approach her son. "Don't be like that."
"Why not? It's not like you love me anymore." Peter almost sounded bitter.
"Of course I do. I love you very much." Mrs Michaelson gently stroked her son's cheek. "Maybe a little too much."
Peter took his mother into his arms.
"But not the way you could do. Not like you were before." Peter said.
What?
"Darling. I have already told you. I can't love you like that. It's not right."
Love him like what?
"But you do don't you? I saw how you looked at Betsy. You were jealous!"
"No I wasn't. I'm just looking out for you as a mother should."
Was Ritu hearing what she thought she was hearing? It almost sounded like that Mrs Michaelson and Peter were lovers or had been. Mother and son? The room felt decidedly warmer.
