I had one week to get everything ready before Ellie arrives on Saturday.  In this week this is what I have done.

• ·         Tried to learn as many of the staff’s names as I could.

• ·         Got my two week programme of events sorted (near enough).

• ·         Sang two different cabarets and planning more.

• ·         Moved out of the noisy house and moved into a scabby little apartment all on my own.

And more boring work related items.  Now for the good stuff.

Mark’s mum lives in Portugal (though she is British) and they hadn’t seen each other in two years.  He needed to get to a train station to see her but he hadn’t been paid yet so it was problem getting to said train station.  I umm’d and ahh’d about it and decided to offer him a lift.  Only problem was we would have to set off at 5.30am.  Mark offered me his bed and only came back in when it was time to wake up.  I was so sleepy and couldn’t really function and I was also very cold so he offered me his jumper.  In a sleepy fashion I put my “arms up to the moon” and awkwardly he dressed me but I fell into him and it was really sweet and funny.  It felt a bit nice but I shook that off.  The car journey was lovely.  The conversation got onto my first impression of the boys and I told him exactly what I thought, that they are slutty boys who flirt with everyone.  Mark said he rarely likes anyone and when he does find a girl he likes it’s all or nothing.  He doesn’t go into things half-heartedly.  Surprising comments.  I dropped him off and as he was leaving the car he gave me an interesting look and said “thank you so much, you don’t know how much this means to me.  From now on you can never do wrong in my eyes”.  Those were the words but they didn’t seem as cheesy at the time!  I went back to their apartment and got back into Mark’s bed and then had a dream.  I dreamt that me and Mark were having some really nice kisses and then he took my hand and walked me round to all of the guests and introduced me as his girlfriend.   It was like an uncomfortable horror film. 

At dinner me and Sam discussed my dream.  I said how glad I was I wouldn’t have to see him again today as I have a tendency to carry on my feelings from a dream to my real life.  It was the boys’ night off and the cabaret wasn’t really Sam’s cup of tea so I continued the evening on my own.  Whilst sitting with one of my company bosses who came to see the cabaret in walks Mark.  He bought a glass of wine and sat there looking sweet.  There was a lot of eye contact but maybe that was there before and I didn’t notice.  For me it was very uncomfortable but I didn’t want to let on and in front of my boss too.  He passes me something in a bag.  It was a little painting on a canvas of the town he visited with his Mother.  He said it was a Thank You/House Warming gift.  It was so perfect, I absolutely loved it.  It has taken pride of place on my dressing room table in my bedroom.  I dropped him off at his and went home.  What the hell?

Next big event was the next night, we drank after work at their place and they said I could sleep over again.  We played “I have never” and the mood got really depressing, we decided to part ways and I went to get into Mark’s bed and Mark started sorting his stuff out to sleep in the front room again.  Mark had spoke about his last love and he seemed really sad so in a not-so-typical Gemma fashion, I hugged him.  No idea why and it then turned into a yummy hug.  I felt up until this point I did very well to stay away from either boy.  Then Mark tells me about how he really likes me etc and then we spent a very innocent night as teenage sweethearts.  I even fell asleep in his arms which is definitely not something I do.  Let’s not read into that though.  It was the most perfect night and it’s a shame that it can only be one night.  He smokes, he’s a musician, we don’t have very much in common but his kisses and cuddles are some of the finest around.

Now then you would think that was it wouldn’t you.  Well surprise surprise it wasn’t.  Many awkward moments followed over the next couple of days.  I wanted something else to happen but I also knew I never would do anything else and it would be mean.  If Mark really did have feelings and it had to be all or nothing then I can’t guarantee “all” so to treat him right I had to work on “nothing” and make it easy for him.  It would be too selfish to request falling asleep in his arms again, not even sure if that would be possible a second time around.  (Wow, I’m such a girl, when did this happen?)  Fridays are the night that my hotel and another hotel do a switcharoo with duos so I was relieved when I knew I would hardly see them, then it would be Saturday, my day off and then I would be spending loads of time with Ellie.  I call Sam at around midnight and ask him how everything is.  He tells me to come over to their lair to talk to Mark.  What a trap!  I knew it was but curiosity and my love of the occasional drama took over my brain function.  So me and Mark talked, I told him how I wouldn’t be able to give him “all” and that I can’t see this lasting more than just this summer and that’s not good for either of us.  So we ended up sleeping a metre away from each other in pain of wanting something.  Let’s get to the end of this as I refuse to write details about the next portion but maybe something happened.  Anyways...we parted ways and I began to focus back on my life again and stop thinking about how lovely it would be run my fingers through Marks curly locks every day. 

I went to a local shopping mall (if you can call it that).  I bought cleaning products, fake flowers, candles, vases, a runner for the table, new bed sheets.  Transformed my place and managed to bleach the floors just in time before getting to the airport.  Little, tiny Ellie walks out with her case.  Can’t believe we hadn’t seen each other in over 6 months.  In 5 seconds of seeing her we were already laughing.  Getting lost on the way home was fun, not sure how many times I drove away from the airport and then ended up back at the airport but it was all fun.  When Ell walked in to my apartment she said it was so nice and smelt so good.  Victory!

If you would like to know how my week with Ellie went then you will have to tune in soon...(it was eventful!)