Can You Keep A Secret?

To stop her asking any more questions, I start typing drivel into my computer, my mind

whirring round and round.

I can't lose this job. I can't ruin yet another career.

He can't fire me. He just can't. It's not fair. I didn't know who he was. I mean, obviously, if

he'd told me he was my employer, I would never have mentioned my CV. Or… any of it.

And anyway, it's not as if I faked my degree, is it? It's not as if I've got a criminal record or

something. I'm a good employee. I try really hard and I don't skive off that often, and I put in

all that overtime with the sportswear promotion, and I organized the Christmas raffle…

I'm typing harder and harder, and my face is growing red with agitation.

'Emma.' Paul is looking meaningfully at his watch.

'Right.' I take a deep breath and stand up.

I'm not going to let him fire me. I'm just not going to let it happen.

I stride across the office and down the corridor to the meeting room, knock on the door and

push it open.

Jack Harper is sitting on a chair at the conference table, scribbling something in a notebook.

As I come in, he looks up, and the grave expression on his face makes my stomach turn over.

But I have to defend myself. I have to keep this job.

'Hi,' he says. 'Can you close the door?' He waits until I've done so, then looks up. 'Emma, we

need to talk about something.'

'I'm aware that we do,' I say, trying to keep my voice steady. 'But I'd like to say my part first,

if I may.'

For a moment Jack Harper looks taken aback — then he raises his eyebrows.

'Sure. Go ahead.'

I walk into the room, take a deep breath and look him straight in the eye.

'Mr Harper, I know what you want to see me about. I know it was wrong. It was an error of

judgement which I deeply regret. I'm extremely sorry, and it will never happen again. But in

my defence…' I can hear my voice rising in emotion. 'In my defence, I had no idea who you

were on that plane ride. And I don't believe I should be penalized for what was an honest

genuine mistake.'

There's a pause.

'You think I'm penalizing you?' says Jack Harper at last, with a frown.

How can he be so callous?

'Yes! You must realize I would never have mentioned my CV if I'd known who you were! It

was like a… a honeytrap! You know, if this was a court the judge would throw it out. They

wouldn't even let you-'

'Your CV?' Jack Harper's brow clears. 'Ah! The A grade on your resume.' He gives me a

penetrating look. 'The falsified A grade, I should say.'

Hearing it out loud like that silences me. I can feel my face growing hotter and hotter.

'You know, a lot of people would call that fraud,' says Jack Harper, leaning back in his chair.

'I know they would. I know it was wrong. I shouldn't have… But it doesn't affect the way I

do my job. It doesn't mean anything.'

'You think?' He shakes his head thoughtfully. 'I don't know. Going from a C grade to an A

grade… that's quite a jump. What if we need you to do some math?'

'I can do maths,' I say desperately. 'Ask me a maths question. Go on, ask me anything.'

'OK.' His mouth is twitching. 'Eight nines.'

I stare at him, my heart racing, my mind blank. Eight nines. I've got no idea. Fuck. OK, once

nine is nine. Two nines are-

No. I've got it. Eight tens are 80. So eight nines must be-

'Seventy-two!' I cry, and flinch as he gives a tiny half-smile. 'It's seventy-two,' I add more

calmly.

'Very good.' He gestures politely to a chair. 'Now. Have you finished what you wanted to say

or is there more?'

I rub my face confusedly. 'You're… not going to fire me?'

'No,' says Jack Harper patiently. 'I'm not going to fire you. Now can we talk?'

As I sit down, a horrible suspicion starts growing in my mind.

'Was…' I clear my throat. 'Was my CV what you wanted to see me about?'

'No,' he says mildly. 'That wasn't what I wanted to see you about.'

I want to die.

I want to die right here, right now.

'Right.' I smooth back my hair, trying to compose myself; trying to look businesslike. 'Right.

Well. So er, what did you… what…'

'I have a small favour to ask you.'

'Right!' I feel a thud of anticipation. 'Anything! I mean… what is it?'

'For various reasons,' says Jack Harper slowly, 'I would prefer it that nobody knows I was in

Scotland last week.' He meets my eyes. 'So I would like it very much if we could keep our

little meeting between ourselves.'

'Right!' I say after a pause. 'Of course! Absolutely. I can do that.'

'You haven't told anyone?'

'No. No-one. Not even my… I mean, no-one. I haven't told anyone.'

'Good. Thank you very much, I appreciate it.' He smiles, and gets up from his chair. 'Nice to

meet you again, Emma. I'm sure I'll see you again.'

'That's it?' I say, taken aback.

'That's it. Unless you had anything else you wanted to discuss.'

'No!' I get to my feet hurriedly, banging my ankle on the table leg.

I mean, what did I think? That he was going to ask me to head up his exciting new

international project?

Jack Harper opens the door, and holds it politely for me. And I'm halfway out when I stop.

'Wait.'

'What is it?'

'What shall I say you wanted to talk to me about?' I say awkwardly. 'Everyone's going to ask

me.'

'Why not say we were discussing logistics?' He raises his eyebrows and closes the door.

SIX

For the rest of the day there's a kind of festive atmosphere at work. But I just sit there, unable

to believe what just happened. And as I travel home that evening, my heart is still pounding at

the unlikeliness of it all. At the injustice of it all.

He was a stranger. He was supposed to be a stranger. The whole point about strangers is, they

disappear into the ether, never to be seen again. Not turn up at the office. Not ask you what

eight nines are. Not turn out to be your mega-boss employer.

Well, all I can say is, that's taught me. My parents always said never talk to strangers, and

they were right. I'm never telling a stranger anything again. Ever.

I've arranged to go to Co

relief. Away from the office. Away from all the endless Jack Harper talk. And Co

already cooking. I mean, how perfect is that? The kitchen is full of a wonderful garlickyherby

smell, and there's a glass of wine already waiting for me on the table.

'Hi!' I say, and give him a kiss.

'Hi, darling!' he says, looking up from the stove.

Shit. I totally forgot to say Darling. OK, how am I going to remember this?

I know. I'll write it on my hand.

'Have a look at those. I downloaded them from the Internet.' Co

the table with a wide smile. I open it, and find myself looking at a grainy black and white

picture of a room with a sofa and a pot plant.

'Flat details!' I say, taken aback. 'Wow. That's quick. I haven't even given notice yet.'

'Well, we need to start looking,' says Co

with a working fireplace!'

'Gosh!'

I sit down on a nearby chair and peer at the blurry photograph, trying to imagine me and

Co

I wonder what we'll talk about.

Well! We'll talk about… whatever we always talk about.

Maybe we'll play Monopoly. Just if we get bored or anything.

I turn to another sheet and feel a pang of excitement.