Between Friends part 3

Daphne looked at Roz waiting patiently as she shifted in her seat. “What?” she said “What should I know ?”

Roz looked at her as her mind spun forward ad she was plagued by visions of how Daphne might react to the fact that this man she was prepared to stand by was just using her. As she looked at her friend the image of her face blurring she battled with her own emotions.

“Roz ?” Daphne as again her voice filled with concern “Please tell me what’s wrong !”

“It’s ….. well …..”

“Stop this ! . Just tell me”

“I think you should tell Niles you know about how he felt about you.” She heard the words come out of her mouth but somehow she had no control over them , she was sure of only one thing, she couldn’t tell Daphne , if someone was going to break her heart it wasn’t going to be her.

“Roz ! You must be kidding !” Daphne said staring in amazement at her “What am I supposed to do just knock on his door and say ‘Oh by the way Niles I know you’re with Mel now and you’re happy and all but I know you were in love with me for six years and well now I think I might be in love with you ?’ please Roz lets be rational”

“Maybe you’re right” was all she could think of by way of an answer

“I know I am , and how could I hurt Donny like that ? I just can’t do it. No. The time for Niles and I is finished he never told me and I was too blind to see what was right under my nose.”

Roz couldn’t take it any longer , she came to a decision that instant , she had to see Donny and tell him to do something and do it quickly. She stood up looking at her watch and trying to sound as normal as possible “Oh God Daph I completely forgot I didn’t tell the baby-sitter I was going to be late. I really should get home , can we do this tomorrow ?

“Oh … right … yes of course we can” Daphne said staring after her as she rushed out of the café

******************

Roz practically ran to her car and once inside she slumped forward on the steering wheel closing her eyes and trying to compose herself. A few minutes later she lifted her cell phone and address book from her bag. Flicking through she found the number for Donny’s pager and called it hoping all the while hat he hadn’t changed it. She let a message and waited , after 20 minutes she was about to give up when her phone chimed into life.

“Hello” she said hoping it was him and yet part of her hoping it wasn’t

“Roz ?” came the voice from the other end “What’s up ? I was just coming out of court when you paged

“We need to talk.” She answered keeping her voice level , determined he wouldn’t upset her

“Ok when ?”

‘As soon as possible.”

“Ok I’ll come right over” Donny said as she sensed a faint hint of hope in his voice

“No. Ill come to your office , when can’t talk properly with Alice about.”

She hung up and threw the car into gear as she screeched out of the garage.

********************

As she rode up in the elevator to Donny’s office she tried to plan what she was going to say , he knew her pretty well and knew her weaknesses , but she couldn’t let him hurt Daphne , she had to persuade him to do the right thing and break it off. She stepped out of the elevator and as the doors closed behind her she approached the receptionist.

“Hi” she said “I’m here to see Mr Douglas , he’s expecting me.”

“Yes Miss Doyle he said you’d be here go on through”

She walked up to the door and paused a minute before opening it . He was sitting behind the cluttered desk in the corner of the room just as she always remembered him to be when she entered the room . As he looked up and came toward her she felt her composure wane.

“Roz I’m so pleased to see you’ he said touching her arm

“She pulled away staring angrily at him “This isn’t a social call !”

“Look before you begin” Donny continued ‘I meant what I said last night. I should never have let you go!”

Roz still couldn’t believe it was happening , somehow she’d hoped he’d when she’d got there he’d say it was all a terrible mistake . “How exactly would you see this going ?” She asked suddenly curious to know “I mean how do you think Daphne would react to us seeing each , how would we tell her ? I mean she’s my friend I can’t just expect her to understand.”

“Well” he replied his eyes lighting up as he obviously began to think he was winning her over “We wouldn’t have to tell her at first , we have a couple of months before the wedding , we could see how things went with us and then deal with things closer to the time.”

For Roz it was the final straw , what he was looking for was an affair . He didn’t want to try with her after breaking up with Daphne he wanted to keep hedging his bets , keep stringing Daph along.

“Now you listen and listen good !” She said trying hard to keep her anger under control. “I’m not anyone’s mistress , especially not yours . Daphne deserves better than you , and if she wasn’t so caring she could have better and I intend to see that she gets it. I mean it Donny you have one week to break things off with her and if you haven’t I swear I’ll tell her. Oh and don’t bother calling my bluff I’ll do it even if she hates me for it . I won’t let you hurt her.”

Donny stared at her not knowing whether or not to take her seriously as she turned and walked to the door. As she opened it she looked back at him

“If either of us means anything to you , don’t make me tell her.” She said and then she was gone.

Roz stood waiting for the elevator visibly shaking as the reality of what she’d said and done finally hit home. She stared at the floor shifting from one foot to the other. Finally she heard the door open as she went to step inside a familiar voice made her blood run cold.

“Roz?”

“Daphne !” She said as she fought to stay calm. Daphne looked at her a puzzled expression on her face .

“What are you doing here ?”