Just Business by Ber Carroll

travelling for some time yet.’
    Niamh then enquired after her half-brother, Aidan, and his twin boys. Aidan had become a father at the tender age of eighteen. But he and Lauren, his then girlfriend and now wife, were a solid unit, and with a lot of family support they’d become young but competent parents.
    Once Niamh had a full account of everyone, they talked about Christmas dinner.
    â€˜What do you want me to bring?’ she asked.
    â€˜I know how busy you are. It will be hard enough for you to bring yourself and Chris on time , not to talk about any food.’
    This time her flippancy made Niamh laugh. ‘You’re probablyright. But I can’t come empty-handed. Can’t you give me something easy?’
    It took her mother a while to think. ‘Why don’t you bring the bread?’ she said eventually.
    â€˜I should be able to manage that!’
    Niamh promised to call around at the weekend, and hung up with all the usual mixed-up emotions that her mother made her feel.

Chapter 6
    Phil was missing Helen. The monthly financials were late and none of his staff seemed to know the process from start to end. He was feeling harried and under pressure when his secretary reminded him that he had a four-thirty meeting with Niamh Lynch and Lucinda Armstrong.
    He made his way over to Niamh’s office and found that Lucinda was already there. He took a seat and looked to his female colleagues to explain the reason for this inconveniently timed meeting. He liked to have a drink before catching his train home. He often left work before five so he could squeeze in the drink, admire the office girls and still be home on time. His wife had become very suspicious in the last few weeks and sometimes rang the office to check up on him if he was late. This meeting meant that he’d have to go straight to the train station. And after a hard day trying to figure out the monthly financials, that didn’t make him happy.
    Niamh and Lucinda began to speak simultaneously. Niamhlooked somewhat surprised before she gestured Lucinda to go ahead.
    â€˜Phil, we’ve had a complaint … and it’s rather sensitive in nature …’
    â€˜That doesn’t sound good.’ The smile on Phil’s florid face was uneasy. A large man, an ex-rugby player, in his youth he had been quite handsome but too much hard living had made his body and face sag prematurely. In a few more years he would be a clone of Malcolm Young, whose appearance also told a tale of excess.
    â€˜It’s Helen Barnes. She says you sexually harassed her.’ Lucinda seemed almost apologetic.
    â€˜That’s ridiculous!’ Phil’s face quickly darkened. ‘How dare she say that!’
    â€˜She described three separate incidents,’ Niamh intervened. ‘The first was in your office. She says you touched her breasts …’
    â€˜That’s bullshit, she doesn’t have any breasts!’
    Niamh glared at him. ‘She claims to have witnesses to the other two incidents. She says you asked her out for a drink …’
    Phil took a moment to consider the accusation. ‘That’s true. It was late, I felt like a drink and I’m sure she did. I was just being thoughtful.’ He relaxed a little into his seat; the cheap joke about Helen’s breasts had made him feel better.
    â€˜She also described another incident in your office … Malcolm walked in …’
    Phil leaned out from the brief comfort the seat had offered. ‘Look, ladies, I didn’t intend to embarrass her …’
    Lucinda responded, her tone uncharacteristically compassionate. ‘In sexual harassment the intention of the allegedharasser is not relevant. The fact is that your advances were obviously unwelcome.’
    Phil realised his mistake. ‘Hey, don’t take me literally. I’m reeling from all this – you haven’t given me time to consider my response.’
    â€˜I