Cupid's Contract

Polly-amorous

"What's going on here?" His voice cut across the silence, icy and sharp.

Richard Harper may not have heard all of the argument but he caught the end of it. It was not the beginning Eve wanted to her event.

Polly and Kevin had both frozen, silent. Alicia however either didn't know who Richard Harper was or didn't care.

"I'm just having a little chit chat with my husband and his mistress. It's nice to finally meet the child who has been working so late every night with Kevin. I'd hate for him to be lonely."

The crowd could not be more silent, nor more interested. Eve didn't know whether to step in and get involved, or if she should concentrate on melting into the ground. Realistically the latter wasn't an option. She'd tried to become a puddle before, after watching The Secret World of Alex Mack. It hadn't worked then either. All she'd managed was a headache.

Before Harper could ask any more questions, Eve stepped forward. "Alicia, right? So nice to meet you." The words were flat even to Eve's ears, and Alicia could not look less impressed. She opened her mouth, no doubt to throw accusations at Eve too, but Eve beat her to it. "I think maybe this is a chat that would be better had in the rec centre? There's refreshments in there, and a little room, in case you wanted some privacy?"

Alicia wasn't even slightly placated. "No, I think not. I think I'll go do a pop of shopping. Maybe buy some new locks for the doors to my house." She stormed off then, turning so sharply on her heel that she ripped a chunk of grass from the ground.

Eve threw a glare at Kevin then. "Maybe you should make sure Alicia makes it to the car park safely."

He still hadn't moved, his face so pale he may as well be a statue.

Dick's voice boomed again. "It would be gentlemanly to make sure your wife makes it to her vehicle."

Kevin finally showed some sign of life, muttering under his breath and following the path his wife had cleared in the crowd.

Polly seemed unbothered by the scene, more interested in the livid green grass stains on her clothes. "These are ruined now."

Eve gritted her teeth in a painful smile. "Perhaps you should pop home for a change, then."

"Not to worry, I brought a spare pair with me. Do you mind covering my shift?" She sauntered off, without a care in the world. Well, other than her dry cleaning bill.

"Sir, did you just get here? Have you seen the booths yet?" Eve was desperate to diffuse the tension, and crowd, but it would mean leaving the Harper stand with a voluntarily mute Sarah.

"Not now, dear. I need to meet my wife." He strode off through the crowd, the group parting like the Red Sea.

Part of Eve was grateful, not having to spend time with Dick after that scene, but she would have liked to head off any impending dissatisfaction before the foul odour was cemented in his memory, French or otherwise. On the other hand, she was left covering both Polly and Kevin's shifts, with Sarah trying to communicate with her by sign language. Luckily, Sarah with sign language was easier to ignore than Sarah who appeared in bathroom stalls.

Instead she busied herself by arranging the stuffed animals they were giving as prizes, organising them by size. There were very few visitors to their stall, so she was relieved when she actually managed to lure in a family with two young boys. Presenting them both with the water pistols, she couldn't help but giggle as she watched them squirt everything but the targets. By the time Eve's timer ran out, they were both drenched, as was their parents and some of Eve's dress.

"Guess who won two lollies?" She cried, handing out the sweets as the boys cheered. They had been too cute to not reward, though she couldn't justify giving them an actual prize.

Their mother mouthed "thank you" at her, while the father tried to hustle the two of them through the crowd. She waved goodbye, and then Eve pulled out the little metal tin box, popping the few pounds they had donated into it and locking it safely away again.

Sarah was tapping at her shoulder and pointing at her watch, letting her know that the hour was up and she wanted to leave. Eve would normally insist that Sarah remain until her replacement came. However, it was Sarah, so she agreed a little too quickly, and reached for the sign in sheet, logging her out. Looking over the list, she spotted her own name and winced.

She was paired with Drew and Dick Harper.

What horrible person had let that happen?

Daniel was fired.

Again.