“Shit, shit, shit,” Adele cursed loudly as she flew through the corridors toward the executive boardroom. She was more than angry that she was running half an hour late and on a Monday morning.
          Adele was never late; in fact she hadn’t been late for anything since that one time in high school when she’d been late for Tasmin Jennings' 16th birthday party and her date, the very cute yet endlessly geeky Ronnie Parker, had hooked up with Denise. She stopped and remembered she’d still not lambasted Denise properly for that rather crude test of their friendship. Besides, Denise didn’t know that Adele had hooked up with her ex-fiance in the back of his Ute at their engagement party.
          She flew around the corner and past the open door of the boardroom. As usual in these situations everyone looked up and she was met with disapproving looks from several staff members but most seemed amused by her flustered appearance. Harry Eastman smiled warmly in her direction and Adele felt her cheeks flush despite already being significantly red.
          “Glad you could join us Miss Brodie,” declared Tony the head writer.
          “Sorry,” Adele winced as she found a spare seat and sat down. “Couldn’t get my damn car to start.” This was a lie of course, the truth was she’d found it almost impossible to convince herself to get out of bed. Well that and Frank Skywalker getting trapped behind the washing machine.
          “It doesn’t matter,” Harry Eastman declared. “You’ve missed nothing of importance.”
          “We’re rating better than ever,” scorned Tony. “I think that’s important.”
          “Jeez mate anyone would think you’re not happy about it,” Wes piped up. “At least smile when you’re delivering good news.”
          Adele felt a giggle form in her throat as Tony glared at Wes. She tried to get Wes’s attention but he never seemed to glance her direction.
          The meeting finished a short time later and the various crewmembers departed to undertake their respective jobs. As the crush to flee the boardroom ensued, Adele tried to catch up with Wes. They got separated as Laura the sound engineer impaled her on the doorframe and she was annoyed to find he’d disappeared by the time her breathing returned to normal.
          “Miss Brodie, may I speak with you a moment,” a familiar voice declared and brought Adele out of her overall frustration.
          “Of course Mr Eastman.” Adele smiled as she followed Harry Eastman to his dressing room.

          “Did you want all the questions gone through?” Adele asked as she sat herself on her usual chair, clipboard in hand.
          “Later,” Harry beamed. “I’ve got you something.”
          “Oh,” Adele said surprised. “Is it breakfast because I missed out.”
          Harry laughed and reached under a pile of papers in front of him. He produced a long velvet box and handed it to Adele. She looked at the box uncomfortably for a moment, whatever it was, it was going to be expensive.
          “Oh Harry,” Adele gasped as she opened the box to reveal a sparkling diamond necklace with matching earrings.
          “Do you like it?”
          “It's stunning,” she managed to say in a very quiet voice because if the truth be told and contrary to popular belief she hated diamonds.
          “I want you to wear it to dinner tonight,” Harry breathed.
          “I’ve nothing to wear with it.”
          “I thought you might say that,” He chuckled. “So I got you this.” Harry passed Adele an envelope, inside was a voucher for a very posh dress shop.
          “Oh Harry this is too much,” Adele gasped and tried to give the voucher and diamonds back but Harry wouldn’t accept them.
          “Just look beautiful for me later,” Harry said softly as he took Adele’s face in his hands and lay a gentle kiss on her lips.

          It was lunchtime before Adele could find time to head out shopping for a fancy new frock. She was a little upset that Wes hadn’t been around to talk with. Granted she hadn’t known him long but she felt they shared a little bit of a bond and she wanted to know how things were going without Kate.
          She opened her bag to hunt out her car keys and caught sight of a pair of grotty Chucks at floor level out of the corner of her eye. She looked up and saw that Wes was slumped on the couch in the writer’s room. His head was tilted back and he seemed to be staring at the roof. Adele found her keys and approached the writer’s room, which was by all means empty aside from the very still Wes.
          “You ok?” she asked but got no reply from Wes. “Wes?”
          Wes lifted his head and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “I’m fine,” he said curtly, got to his feet and pushed past her out of the room.
          “Wes!” Adele gasped. “Talk to me,” she added and grabbed his arm.
          Wes roughly pulled his arm back. “Talk to you? I can barely look at you.”
          “Excuse me.”
          “You’re fucking him and don’t tell me you aren’t.”
          Adele opened her mouth but her words caught in her throat. “So what?”
          “So what? He’s using you to get his rocks off.”
          “Don’t be disgusting.”
          “Me? I’m not the one opening my legs for the poster boy for adultery.”
          “He cares for me.”
          “Cares in what way, huh? Takes you for expensive meals? Buys you expensive jewellery and generally buys your love?”
          “It’s not like that!”
          “The diamonds in your bag say otherwise.”
          Adele swallowed. “How do you know about them.”
          “I saw you looking at them earlier.”
          “He’s taking me to dinner tonight, I’m to wear them.”
          Wes frowned deeper. “You’re supposed to be like a researcher, do some fucking research. They guy has pulled this stunt on dozens of interns.”
          “It’s not a stunt,” Adele heard herself wail. Tears were ferociously pricking at her eyes. How could Wes be so callous? She could fight mean too though. “Look, just because you got burnt and you’re all hurt and bitter doesn’t mean everyone else in a relationship has to be fucking miserable.”
          Surprisingly Wes looked more hurt than angry by this comment. “Fine, you continue this relationship with good old Easty but when he breaks your heart, because he will, don’t come crying to me.” He said in a very controlled voice, shook his head and walked off.
          “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Adele frowned and continued out to her car.

          “Harry!” beamed the middle-aged man, his thinning hair hidden under a baseball cap.
          “Alan!” Harry Eastman gushed and embraced his former colleague Alan Rickson. The pair had become friends since they first did breakfast radio in the 80s. “What are you doing here?”
          “I’m on the show you idiot,” Alan chuckled and they embraced again.
          “Oh fantastic,” Harry grinned. “Sorry, I’ve barely seen the schedule today.”
          “You’re forgiven only if we do our usual marathon drinking session and catch up after the show.”
          “I can think of nothing I’d like more.”
          “Hell, let’s invite everyone.”
          Harry roared with laughter. “You always were the ultimate party animal Al.”
          Both men continued to laugh as they disappeared into Harry Eastman’s dressing room.

          Adele arrived home after deciding her work was done and some immense preparation was needed in making herself presentable for dinner with Harry. Granted he hadn’t gotten back to her on the dinner details but that wasn’t unusual - he seemed to revel in doing things last minute.
          She pulled the slinky deep blue dress she’d bought for the evening out of its bag and held it in front of her. She was going to totally knock Harry’s socks and probably his pants off with this one. Wes was wrong, she was determined about that. Harry cared and although she wasn’t completely attracted to him, he made her feel special and that was a beautiful feeling and not something she was overly familiar with.
          “What do you think Frankie?” Adele mused as Frank Skywalker opened one sleepy eye and then went back to sleep. “Thanks for the enthusiasm. What is it with the men in my life at the moment huh?”

          “...And remember every night look East!” the crowed were induced to roar and the music kicked in.
          Soon Harry was offstage and changing out of his suit. Alan Rickson poked his head into the room and grinned.
          “Fantastic show mate,” he declared. “I’ve just about invited everyone, we’ll see you at the bar in twenty?”
          “Of course Al, just let me get some pants on!”
          “Do you remember back when we worked at Channel 4?”
          “How could I forget!” Harry laughed as Alan disappeared again.

          Alan turned the corner and found Wes with his backpack slung over one shoulder and fumbling with some musical device.
          “Come for a drink,” Alan mouthed and Wes looked at him like he was a moron.
          “It’s not actually on,” Wes chided.
          “I don’t even know what ‘it’ is,” Alan laughed. “You’re gonna go a long way kid, you’re comic timing is the best I’ve seen in years. Hell you could teach me a thing or two.”
          “Thanks,” Wes smiled and nodded.
          “So will you?”
          “What?”
          “Come for a drink.”
          “Oh gee...I’m not really...”
          “You’ll be there, fantastic,” Alan grinned, slapped Wes on the back and went in search of Alistair from catering to invite him.
          Wes pondered going home to Zeke and another intense re-viewing of Lost and decided that free drink probably was a good idea. <>          Adele looked at herself in the mirror. Her blonde hair was down and immaculately attacked with the curling iron so it was wavy. She had on the new dress, which hugged all the right places, brand new pair of strappy sandals adorned her feet and the diamonds sparkled. She looked a million dollars, the only problem was she hadn’t heard a thing from Harry Eastman and it was getting late. She stalked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. He wouldn’t have forgotten would he?

          “...And then Al here, he woke up with both the Swedish backpackers!” Harry’s face was bright red from laughing hard and often.
          “Inga and Svetlana,” Alan grinned. “I remember them well.”
          The group laughed along with polite and somewhat forced laughter. It was clear they were only there for the free drink.
          Wes had barely touched his beer, mostly because the conversation seemed to be nothing but Harry and Alan’s conquests and the mental images were enough to turn even the strongest stomach.
          “Poor Al, eventually he got hooked hey? The old ball and chain,” Harry jeered as gulped his drink.
          “Can’t be a playboy forever,” Alan nodded. “I need to down half a bottle of Viagra just to think about sex these days.”
          Another forced display of laughter resounded around the room.
          “Not found that special someone yet Harry?” Alan added sipping his drink.
          “I’ve been married enough time to avoid any special anyones,” Harry mused.
          “Shagging the intern?”
          “Of course and who wouldn’t. Have you seen the girls assets?”
          “Impressive?”
          “I take only the most impressive for lovers, you know that Al,” Harry said seriously them laughed. “Not that she’s the most impressive, not even close, but easy persuaded and the easiest lay I’ve ever come across.”
          “You never change Harry,” Alan sighed shaking his head.
          Wes, who was in two minds whether to leap across the table and cut Harry Eastman’s testicles off with a broken beer bottle or just shove the glass down his throat until he choked to death, forced himself to his feet and outside.
          “Fucker,” Wes snapped at lamppost. “FUCKER!” He yelled and kicked the small board that was advertising cheap schnitzel at the bar, which clattered into the pavement.

          Adele sat on the couch and looked at the clock. It was 1am and she’d still not heard from Harry. A lump formed in her throat and Wes’s words burned in her ears and she suddenly felt very alone. She was still in all her finery but instead of looking a million dollars she just felt idiotic.
          She got up to change when there was a knock on the door. Harry must have remembered but she was in no mood to go out and took a deep breath so she could give him a serve.
          “Don’t think you’re...Wes!” she said surprised as a semi well-dressed Wes stook at the door with a bottle of wine.
          “Wow,” he said quietly and looked her up and down. “You look fucking amazing.”
          “Thanks,” she swallowed and felt herself blushing although she wasn’t sure why as it was only Wes. “What’re you doing here?”
          “Because I knew you’d be alone.”
          “You know a lot of things.”
          “Please can I come in,” Wes asked and Adele caught a sense of seriousness in his tone.
          “Is something wrong?”
          Wes placed the bottle of wine on the coffee table and sat on the couch. He motioned for Adele to sit beside him.
          “You’re creeping me out.”
          “I got invited to drink tonight with Alan and Harry.”
          “Harry.”
          Wes nodded. “They, they spent the whole night talking about their sexual conquests.”
          “I thought that’s what men did when they drank?”
          “He was revolting Del, about you.”
          “Christ Wes, don’t start....” Adele snapped and got to her feet.
          “I’ve got proof!” Wes said breathlessly and fumbled for his MP3 player. Adele knew that Wes carried all the time because it had a built in Dictaphone so he could record ideas. He passed her the earphones and she took them reluctantly. He hesitantly pushed play.
          Wes watched as Adele face changed from angry, to hurt, to broken. She tore off the headphone and ran from the room. He waited a few moments and then went after her.
          Adele was crumpled on her bedroom floor sobbing heavily and Wes could understand why. She’s been used and abused and humiliated by Harry Eastman. She’d quit a job she excelled at thinking she’d gotten her break in the entertainment industry but instead she’d been lured to simply become that bastard’s latest fuck buddy. Wes sunk to the floor and without a second thought took her in his arms.
          “I’m sorry,” he whispered and kissed the top of her head.