Things Are Not Clear Cut Part 38

Told from Ellie's pov

I found out about Jamie mindlessly while sorting through the records. In black and white it was right there in front of me - Jamie Mann - but Jamie Schwartz was the man who'd been working with me. I simply took it to be a mistake at first - but it kept coming up. Though I'm crazy busy at the moment - I had to sort this out and know who he was so I called him. We hadn't arranged our next meet-up so when I got home that day and I wasn't rushed off of my wheels I text him to see if he was up to much that eve. He said he wasn't, so I suggested meeting at the bar near mine. He agreed. We set it up for 8.00pm giving us both time to freshen up. So 8.00pm finally rolled around and I rolled into the bar. I was in a little black dress that I hoped made me look good. Kelly hadn't been in before I left to give me her opinion. She is my style guru. 'You smell nice,' was the first thing Jamie said to me when I approached the table he was already sat at. My malibu and coke was sitting atop the table and he was already half-way down his pint. 'So...'
'The reason I have two names is I'm adopted.' My mouth hung open and I grabbed at the glass in front of me and started to drink. I glugged down a fair amount before I spoke.
'That must have been terrible for you,' I said quietly.
'I don't like to talk about it.' He said. Understandable. So he had a rough childhood? That explains so much. His upbringing wasn't as picturesque as mine. Or seemingly picturesque. That was a lot to take. I drank in silence for the next few minutes. 'So how's work?' he asked.
'Bloody intense, it's the busy season so everybody wants a meeting with Tall and there's so much to read!' I sound exhausted. But I've got to keep going. Thinking of poor Jamie as a young boy in an orphange is enough. 'How's your work?' I ask tentatively.
'Ok thanks. Yeah, not too bad thanks,' Jamie said softly. With that, he put his glass down having finished his pint and waited for me to finish mine which I did a few seconds later.

Steph

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