A Tale from Two Cities

For Allofthestars-234. Ask and you shall receive/ your wish is my command. Not sure if this is what you were looking for, but it's all I could come up with. So, I hope you like it.

And here's the unedited update.

I've been having problems with Wattpad all day- it says the site is undergoing maintenance, so I'll time stamp this update, just in case.

Sarah, xx

~*~*~ Elias ~*~*~

I was still eyeing up the boxes of clothes that girl with five colours in her hair brought to my office this morning, wondering what the hell Sophie Delaney was thinking. Blue suede shoes? That's a song, not a fashion statement.

"Does she really expect me to wear this?" I ask, holding up a blue, purple and pink plaid shirt against my body. Dan looked up at me from behind his glasses and smirked. He nodded. "Are you sure that Sophie works in fashion? This shirt looks like Nola threw up all over it after eating a bag of Skittles."

I was half expecting Dan to frown in disgust at the comment about my vomiting daughter, but instead, he still had that stupid grin on his face from the mere mention of his... I'm not sure what Sophie really is to my pal any more, but she must mean a hell of a lot to him if he's grinning like the cat that got the cream just because I said her name.

Their relationship is as fucked up as mine and Jenna's and that is some seriously fucked up shit. Jenna Braddock and I are the ultimate car crash couple. We met ten years ago through Dan and it was instant attraction. Blonde hair, blue eyes, legs that go on for days, Jenna was a Goddess. Our relationship was more up and down and had more twist and turns that a bloody roller-coaster. It was a miracle that we managed to semi-date exclusively for three years.

Then Nola happened. Ok, it was a drunken Masters graduation night, and then Nola happened, but it's all the same. Our lives was over.

I love Nola, truly I do, but would I change the whole situation if I could? Absolutely. It wasn't my finest hour getting Jenna pregnant and I knew it came as a huge disappointment to my very traditional parents, even more so when I refused to marry Jenna at their behest. Jenna and I were dysfunctional at the best of times, add a baby and a forced marriage that neither of us wanted, we'd end up murdering each other.

Under the right circumstances, I would have been married, or at the very least settled, before bringing a child into the world. I would have been madly in love with the mother of my child and in a position where we could offer our child love and protection and stability. I would have been there to put my child to bed,  hold her when she teethed and soothed her when she fell over and grazed her palms. I would have been a dad and not a part time father.

As it stood, none of those things happened. Jenna and I were on a break when she found out she was pregnant. We were constantly fighting. Both of us were graduate trying to make a name for ourselves. I was happier going out and getting shit-faced on a Friday night rather than sitting at home bottle feeding a newborn. I wasn't cut out to be a dad at twenty-four. I was still a child myself and I was being put in charge of a child?! In what world did that make sense?

So, I flaked. I ran from my responsibilities and distanced myself from my baby girl, all because I was too selfish to even consider other people. I didn't even consider Jenna. She was twenty-four, too. She was just staring her career. She wasn't in a place to offer a child stability. She would much rather go out and have fun than having to nurse a newborn. But she did it. She was a mum, and she's a great one. Honestly, I can't fault her parenting skills. She took on her responsibilities with gusto and she made our daughter the perfect little girl she is.

And I behaved like a dick. To Nola, to Jenna. I wasn't there when either of them needed me, and if it weren't for Sophie, I would still be that arsehole that ran. I would wake up in twenty years and I would regret it all. I'd have missed out on my daughter's childhood and when I'd blink, she'd be grown up and I wouldn't get the chance to be her dad.

"Elias," Sophie had said. "Some of us in this world, desperate to have children, can't and yet you have this gorgeous, funny, intelligent daughter and you don't give a flying fuck. You know, her mum might get married one day and Nola will be calling another man 'daddy.' Do you think you could live with that?"

No.

These past few weeks with Nola have been the best and happiest of my life. Seeing her smile and laugh just makes my heart melt and I kick myself everyday for having wasted all these years not spending time with her. Before Sophie's pep-talk I'd spend most of my time cancelling my planned days with Nola, now I've changed my working hours just so that I can spend a second with my daughter. Picking her up from school, going for ice cream, hearing her giggle is the highlight of my day.

It took hours upon hours of pleading with Jenna, and even now she's still unsure of my motives, but it's time that I made up for all the mistakes I made. Dan, of course, was as sceptical of my motives as Jenna was. After I all but disappeared from Jenna's life all those years ago, Dan stuck around and stepped in. Whenever Jenna was stuck for a babysitter, it would be Dan that would step up and be the man that I couldn't be.

"Tell me again why you're taking Jenna out on a date?" Dan asked, standing from his seat at the breakfast table and coming to inspect the rest of the box that Sophie had organised for me. He placed the little, squirming Beagle puppy that he'd been cuddling on the floor, letting it run amock once more in my kitchen. The things I do for Nola. Dan pulled a out navy blazer from the box and held it up for me. "My girlfriend has way too much time on her hands."

At hearing Dan utter the 'G' word, I snapped out of my thoughts and stared at him. He was still smiling goofily and I wasn't sure if the man that stood before me was my best friend or not. He certainly looked like my best friend. Dark hair, green eyes, too much scruff on his jawline... Yes, he was Daniel Courtenay, alright, but there was something about him that was different.

It was like, for the first time in a long time, he was happy. I've seen Dan with other women before, but none ever made him smile boyishly like Sophie Delaney does. She's completely different to his usual type. To begin with, she's brunette. Dan's always been into blondes, so this was a change. She also didn't give a damn what came out of her mouth. Arabella and the others were especially careful about what they said, which is why no one in Dan's immediate circle of friends really took to them. I could never tell with those women if what they were saying was true or if they were only saying what they thought others wanted to hear.

Sophie simply says what's on her mind and to hell with the consequences. If she offends anyone, then that's their problem, not hers. She's also confident and doesn't care about Dan's title. I've lost count of how many women have tried it on with him just because he's an Earl. When he first inherited the title, he- like any teenage boy would be- was rather flattered by the attention he got. That's not to say that he went wild and took advantage of the situation, because that's not him in the slightest, but it did show him that people were only interested because of his status.

"So, you're calling her your girlfriend now?" I enquired, throwing the shirt back into the box next to the dark wash jeans. Dan nodded, that smile still on his features. Hell, it even reached his eyes. "When did this happen?"

"Officially or unofficially?" Dan asked, leaning across the counter. When I shrugged, his lips pulled into a straight line, smile gone. "Officially, it hasn't happened. We're doing all that when I see her in New York in a fortnight, but unofficially, it happened on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday."

I frown. "Wednesday, Thursday and Friday?" Honestly, I thought that mine and Jenna's relationship was 'It's complicated' but Dan and Sophie really take the piss. "You two are beyond messed up."

"And I love it, but we're talking about your and Jenna's messed up relationship," Dan reminds me. "Now, why are you taking Jenna on a date?"

"Because I've got things to make up for," I admit, rounding the counter and taking a seat. I sigh and rub my hand down my face, slapping my cheek to wake me up. "I always thought that Jenna and I would... I don't know, eventually get our heads together with time and settle down. But then Nola came along and things went to shit. I mean, I was a right wanker and I fucked things up badly. Nola's my daughter too, but it was Jenna has been the one that's done everything.

"All I ever did was send a cheque each month," I laugh bitterly. "I'm fully aware of all the mistakes I've made and I just want to start making amends. Trust me, I'm under no illusion that one dinner will make up for it all, but it's a start. A step in the right direction?"

I hoped it would be. When Jenna finally agreed to come out with me, I was nervous. I'm not one that usually gets nervous; cool as a cucumber is more my style, but when Jenna nodded her blonde head at me and gave me a reassuring smile, my palms got sweaty and my heart was racing in my chest. It was like I was twenty-one all over again, back in Raves and seeing this enigma for the first time.

I'd made reservations at Cymbeline, a restaurant that I'd heard Jenna mention before. It was the place she always went to on her birthday, so I was sure that I couldn't go wrong on that front. I'd bought flowers, too. Tulips, her favourite. The plan was that I pick her up in an hour and we'd spend the night just enjoying each other's company. I didn't want more, or less, just a chance to apologise for my shortcomings.

"Well, as long as you don't fuck it up even more," Dan said, giving me a warning look. If I messed it up, I knew that Dan would lecture me, but now it would just be him that would give me a earful, but it would be Connie- my pseudo-grandmother- and Sophie, too. Those women scare me on a good day. On a bad day, my life wouldn't be worth living if I crossed them. The doorbell rang, making Dan and I look at our watches. "I'll answer the door, you go for a shower."

Nodding, I patted Dan's shoulder, grabbed the box of clothes and rushed up the stairs. The puppy- who hadn't yet been named- tried to climb the stairs after me, but was so tiny that he barely managed to get his front paws on the step. Giving up, the black, white and tan dog trotted back to the kitchen, following the sound of Dan's voice.

"What are you doing here?" I could hear him ask as he opened the door. It was followed a second later with, "Puppy!"

I knew Nola's voice; It was a sound that I could easily pick out of a crowd. Frowning, I dropped the box of clothes at the top of the stairs and quickly ran back down, coming face to face with Jenna Braddock as I skidded into the kitchen.

Wearing a mid length dark blue dress, colourful flowers embroidered on it at random, and a neckline that showed the skin between her breasts, Jenna looked sensational. He hair was down and styled straight and she hardly wore any make up, not that she needed any of that stuff. Her blue eyes, cool yet warm, surveyed my outfit, which still consisted of sweatpants and t-shirt that was once considered white, but was not greying.

She frowned. "Either I'm too dressed up or you're too dressed down," Jenna states.

"Oh, yeah, um..." I look down to my feet, and feel the heat reaching my face. "I'll just... uh... go shower. Nola?" I look at where my daughter is lying on the floor, giggling wildly as our newest family member licks her cheek endlessly. "Think up some names for your puppy, but nothing stupid, ok?"

I turned to leave the kitchen, only to stop when I heard Nola shout, "Daddy, wait!" Spinning to face her, I see a massive grin on her face. "I've already chosen a name."

Both Jenna and I share a horrified look. "What is it, baby?" Jenna asks, trying to keep her voice calm.

"I want to name him..." She pauses for dramatic effect. "Snuggles."

~*~*~ Jasmine ~*~*~

She screams. Again. Her hands go up in the air. Again. And then she slumps her shoulders. Again.

Someone's gotten on her bad side.

"Jasmine!" My boss, Sophie Clément, shouts for me. Honestly, the amount of times a day this woman yells for me, I'm seriously considering considering changing my name. I'm barely out of my chair at the desk outside her office when she hollers. Again. "Jasmine!"

I sigh. Walking to the door of her office, I push it open and lean against the frame, crossing my ankles and my arms. "What now?"

Ever since Sophie Clément moved to New York, she and I have become close. Being the daughter of wealthy parents has always meant that I struggle to trust people, but I instantly took to Sophie. As the child of two wealthy parents, she understands how hard it is to let people be a part of her life. I wasn't supposed to be her assistant; I had been the personal assistant to someone lower down in the ranks but the moment Sophie walked through the door, she insisted that I work for her. I couldn't thank her enough. Even though she and I bicker all the time and we don't respect each other's taste in men, Sophie and I are best friends.

"That bloody woman!" She screeches, not caring if anyone could hear her. My boss is brash and has a devil may care attitude around the office. Being British- or maybe it's the French side of her- Sophie has a habit of speaking her mind and wearing her heart on her sleeve. This trait of hers has meant that she's upset a few of her writers, but if we're all being honest, they all needed a kick up the ass. They'd been pampered too long, but not any longer. Not under Sophie's watch. "What's her name... Ginger-"

"Her name is Ruby," I corrected, not that Sophie cared.

"I don't care!" She says, her hands once more flailing through the air. "I've waited three weeks for her article. This is the third time she's been late submitting work. Who do I call to get her fired?"

"I'll make a call," I say calmly.

Smiling, I turn away from Sophie and return to my desk. Picking up the phone, I place a call to Nigel, the art director, informing him of Sophie's bad mood. Sophie and Nigel were supposed to have a meeting in half an hour but with my boss in a foul mood, that meeting would be pushed back at least an hour. I ignored Nigel's mutterings and hung up before placing a new call to Human Resources.

"Hey, Jas," Greta cheerily answers the phone. "If you're calling about Sophie's contract again, I'm afraid I still don't have a definitive answer. I've passed it onto my boss, but from what I can gather, she's got to work at least half her contract before she leaves. That's only another six weeks, although God knows why she wants to leave so badly."

I can't help but nod. Ever since Sophie came back from London after the Marathon, she's been hellbent on getting out of her contract at Vogue. At first she was reluctant to tell me why, but after a few days, I finally got it out of her.

She'd met with Constance Courtenay, Dan's grandmother, and they'd both decided to help start a foundation. The Courtenay family- as well as Constance's family- had several priceless items in both fashion and jewels, and Constance wanted to showcase them white also raising money for a charitable trust. Constance wanted to be seen as a patron of the arts, especially fashion seeing as she'd worked in the industry, and Sophie has worked her ass off to make that happen.

The downside of all this, however, is that Sophie now wants to get out of her contract here so that she can go back to London and finish what she'd started. Originally, she was here on a six month contract while covering someone's maternity leave- and also gaining some art director experience- but these past few weeks she's been working with Human Resources and Legal to find out what her options are.

"It's Sophie," I finally say, hoping that would explain everything to Greta. When she makes a noise of agreement, I continue. "But that's not what I'm calling about. It's Ruby."

"Again?" Greta sighs. I hear her shuffling some paperwork, tap some keys on her computer and then finally, a pinging noise. "Ok, Ruby Anderson. Says here that this is the third complaint someone has put in against her. Don't tell me, she refuses to submit work to her superior."

"Bingo, baby," I smile, using Greta and my familiar saying. "Anyway, Sophie's patience has finally run out."

"Leave it with me," Greta says. "I'll call you back later with a response. Hopefully, I'll have an answer about Sophie's contract issue too."

I thank her and put the phone back in its cradle. Looking up into Sophie's office, I see her lying down on the sofa, her legs elevated on the arm as her feet tap in time to a song that she's playing. This is her go-to way of calming down after an argument with someone; when Dan broke up with her, Sophie took to doing this all day, every day. She'd come into work, eyes hidden behind large Victoria Beckham sunglasses, put some music on and just sit there in a semi-daze. Most of the time, she was on auto-pilot, just going through the motions, but it was how she dealt with it.

Those few weeks after that Skype call were the worst. I hated Dan for what he did to Sophie; nothing anyone did for her could cheer her up. I tried, Hugo tried, Emma tried, Brogan tried. We all tried. Music and space were the only things that could heal her. Eventually, things got better. I mean, Sophie even forgave that asshole for what he put her through.

Needless to say, I didn't agree with that. None of us did. I'll never forget the moment Sophie's mother, Camille Clément, stormed her way through the offices and started lecturing her daughter in French. It was a sight to behold and although my French is basic, even I understood what it was she was telling her daughter.

That boy is no good for you, Sophie.

For weeks, I shared Camille's viewpoint. I kept wondering how someone could put another person through the hell Sophie went through. He professed to loving her- or at least, having strong feelings for her- and then he shattered it all in one ten minute conversations. That wasn't love. That was... cruel.

I hated him.

Until I actually had to spend a weekend with him.

Going to London was a favor to Sophie and although every fibre of my being told me not to go, I went. On the plane ride over to London, I vowed to hate Daniel Whitaker. The man had broken my best friend's heart, therefore, he was undeserving of my friendship. I'd deliberately made sure that my flight was an hour late, I'd told him that I had several severe food allergies and just to piss him off a little bit more, I went out on a date with his brother. It was all designed to annoy the ever living daylights out of him, but to his credit, that pretty boy asshole took it all in his stride.

He was charming when he picked me up from the airport, he'd called every restaurant in the city to make sure that I didn't die from any food allergies, and when he found out that I was going on a date with Sam, he sat me down at his breakfast table and gave me the 'If my brother even dares hurt you, I'll kill him' speech. By the Saturday morning when I accompanied him to his office, it was almost impossible to hate him.

"Jasmine?" Sophie called for me. This time, her voice was lower, and more pleading. Shaking my head, I grabbed my cell phone and entered Sophie's office. Macklemore was playing in the background, while she was reading something on the iPad in her hand. "Come sit and gossip with me."

"Sure," I kick off my heels and make my way over to the sofa, moving her legs so that I could sit. "What do you want to talk about?"

Sophie paused briefly. "Let's talk about you and Samuel."

"Only if we can not talk about you and Dan," I countered. I've heard enough about the Danphie drama, that I could literally not hear another word about it. Sophie nods eagerly. "Well, Sam and I went on a date."

"And?" Sophie prompts.

"It was fun," I admit with a shrug of my shoulders. "He took my out to see a West End show. We went back to his place, made out a little and then he drove me back to Dan's place."

"Daniel," Sophie says. When I frown, she frowns. "His name is Daniel. Not Dan."

"He told me to call him Dan," I say. When I'd tried to call him Daniel, he shook his head and insisted that I call him 'Dan.' "Anyway, what can you tell me about Dan's PA? Like, when I went with Dan to the office, I told her that Sam and I had gone out on a date. Before that, she was being really cool but then she kinda flipped to being really cold. Said to be careful with Sam and warned me not to hurt him."

Sophie shot me a weird look. "Evie warned you not to hurt Samuel?" I nod in reply. "That's weird. I mean, Samuel's... I don't know, he's the second son, you know? Daniel's the one that inherits everything so Samuel's always felt like a spare, or so Connie says. I think he's just been hurt in the past. Plus, he's the baby of the family so they're all rather protective of him. Including Daniel."

I pondered this idea for a while. Sam wasn't at all how I'd imagined him to be. From what Sophie had said about him, I was expecting this asshole with an ego but he surprised me from the off. He was charming, he held the door open, he picked up the tab, he wouldn't let me stay over at his place after our date- I dropped plenty of hints, too- he held my hand and called my pretty. No one has ever called me 'pretty' before. Most people call me 'gorgeous' but hearing Sam nervously call me 'pretty' was a first.

I'd blushed profusely at that.

"Just for the record," I say, musing aloud. "I wouldn't hurt him, you know. I think, even though they're both outwardly complete and utter dickwads, Sam and Dan actually aren't that bad."

Sophie turns to look at me, her lips twisting upwards at the corners. "I know."

~*~*~

A/N

What did you think?

21:45 May 21st, 2016