Chapter 26

Faithfully Yours

Part 4: Toil and Trouble

Chapter 26

"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."
Oscar Wilde

During the night the manor had another visit from dancing spites, who after dancing through Paige's and Piper's room and around their beds, while they awoke from half convinced the dancing line of ugly gnome like figures holding hands were a bad dream, a result of their restless and guilt laden sleep.

Both witches staggered out after them, just in time to see them heading from for Melinda's room from Phoebe's while who had been awake and thinking seriously about Gorgeous George rushed out to the landing. As the first ones in the dancing chain made it into Melinda's room, Cole exhausted from having experienced several cycles of sleepless Burvjarian time that day, staggered behind Phoebe barley awake. The witches started to chant the vanquish spell but Cole splatted them with an aggravated flick of his fingers

"Straight personal gain" he muttered as Leo who was standing behind Piper wearing undershirt and pyjama bottoms frowned.

Leo's state of dress was a fair sign to the family, he and Piper were not on connubial terms that night

"The whole spite thing is pissing me off." Cole told Leo daring an argument.

Piper concerned, checked Melinda who was still asleep.

"she's muttering about chocolate but okay I think" Piper told the family. She looked at her sister "I feel okay " she said "Maybe we are getting immune. "she added hopefully while Phoebe and Paige avoided answering. "Wonder why the bloody things thought we needed a top up." She asked as Glock who had appeared at the door of the guest room watched her.

"No idea" said Leo catching her arm to drag her back into their bedroom as Glock appeared.

"They're not getting quick enough results" muttered Phoebe and stuck her tongue out as the Paige and Cole glared at her." I'm not going to shut up "she told them.

Phoebe glanced down at the expansion of Pookie. "I've got an important meeting tomorrow "she said "I think I still look sexy in the new turquoise top and black pants.'

"I could fireball them" Cole said as Phoebe turned her back and stalked into their bedroom.

"Damn it "said Paige "Now I'm awake I'll never get to sleep. Nothing to do but …read'" she said slyly and slipped back into her room.

'"This whole spite thing is really pissing me off "Cole told Glock.

"Deal with it "Glock suggested "Or suffer it.'"

Cole grinned as he flicked his fingers to clean up the mess left by splattered spites.

After a breakfast where the atmosphere was decidedly chilly, Phoebe went to work wearing the black pants and turquoise top and knowing just how sexy she looked because Cole's first reaction had been 'wow' before he remembered that she was under spite influence. The thought came into her mind he was damned sexy himself but she pushed it down when she remembered he was just a husband not a fantasy.

Phoebe spent the morning glaring at hormonally charged women around her who seemed to do nothing but ogle various visitors to Bay Mirror or discuss their fantasies, and she was disgusted how many of those fantasies involved Cole. Although there was still a hardcore group fantasising about John Cotton, but it seemed quite a few had experienced the reality and were not as enamoured.. She read her mail, but everything from the last few days was either females asking advice about attracting the man of their dreams, or males metaphorically crying in their beer, that their girlfriends, wives or partners were far more interested in fantasy males then them and what could they do about it.

Somewhere in her magic distracted brain it did occur to Phoebe that the spite blight was getting well and truly out of hand and maybe it would be responsible for the Charmed Ones to do something about it. However those thought disappeared when the phone rang and it was George, who ever so sweetly, with just enough sexy slur in his voice confirmed their business lunch, because he said, he needed to outline some ideas for the campaign which he thought she would specially approve, before he presented them to management.

"So its making me look sexy is it?" Phoebe murmured.

"Just making you look who you are,." he whispered back his voice at just the right level of huskiness. "Hester's?" he asked naming a very expensive restaurant.

"One o'clock" she agreed barely restraining the shudder of excitement that went through her body.

"On the dot" he answered with the right amount of enthusiasm and sex in his voice.

Phoebe put the phone down and went out to the main office, just in time to catch the end of a conversation in the other office between Jasmine and Libby about Cole, making some pointed comparisons about the size of his hands other parts of his body.

Phoebe swallowed hard and was about to jump on them, when Elise called her name and ordered her into her office, shoving a corrected copy of her latest column in her face, complaining that the whole focus sounded like school girl fantasies.

Phoebe threw the copy down on the desk." Just writing what the readership wants" she shrugged and was quick enough to see a small smile of agreement from Elise. "Tell me aren't you fantasising about screwing my husband" she demanded. "seems half the damned office is"

"So I keep hearing "Elise snarked "Screw your husband "she said with a shudder that could only be real. "I screwed and got screwed by enough pricks to get where I am without looking for ones I don't need now."

'" So what is your fantasy" phoebe asked innocently "some nice sweet man who will do everything you order."

"Fantasy "said Elise suddenly thinking about it. "Getting to the top of my profession and watching little girls cower when I walk through the office and grown men piss themselves when I nod in their direction" She thought about it "Damn it I forgot I'm living my fantasy" she said with a smile that made Phoebe want to cower.

Phoebe swallowed hard. "And you aren't thinking about you know a man. A really sexy man who just makes you …live. Research "she muttered as Elise eyed her suspiciously. "Just seems you're the only woman around here, not a bit…nuts." she explained.

"What, depend on a man or satisfaction when I'm enjoying living every second of my fantasy watching them piss themselves with fear if I say their names. Nothing any of them can do for me that a fibrator can't, and that doesn't fall into a heap if I don't tell it how great it was afterwards." Elise said. "And get that into something like readable English before midday." she ordered and enjoyed her fantasy some more as Phoebe flushed and cowered slightly "saying "yes Elise."

Phoebe guiltily wondered why when she was living her fantasy, when her fantasy was her reality, she like Elise was not immune to spite magic. And then it occurred to her, that unlike Elise, she had not finished with dreaming in her life.

Phoebe took a deep breath and glanced at the picture of her fantasy and Whosit Patrick on her desk and picked up the phone and called Cole. He answered but his voice was rushed and before she could say even anything romantic like she just wanted to hear his voice, he went off into along groan about being called back into court when he had 7 appointments that morning and Eduardo was freaking because the court cases did not pay his salary. Then before she could say anything else Cole said he had to rush to court, he loved her and hung up.

Phoebe glared at the phone in her hand and then slowly and angrily put it down, rubbing her hand across Pookie contemplatively, and then thought of George's sexy voice and decided she was looking forward to lunch.

Arriving slightly early for lunch, Phoebe was not so far gone with spite magic as not top recognise she was playing a role and hiding her true self just in case George found her true self just to complicated to be bothered with. Phoebe looked around the restaurant , George was not there. She sighed and went into the bathroom because Pookie was making her presence felt on her bladder. In the bathroom she renewed her makeup, just making sure it enhanced the dewy glow that Pookie was giving her skin, she brushed her hair out flicking, it so it fell into a very sexy disarray and checked her cleavage was just enough to show she was an attractive woman not one on the make. She turned sideways and inspected her silhouette. Pookie was getting bigger by the day and very soon Pookie's mom was just going to be fat but at the moment Pookie was still an interesting bump, just.

Phoebe sighed. When she got fat Cole was going to be the only man who found her attractive. She suddenly sniffed. Cole was probably not going to understand meeting an attractive man for lunch was just a means of making her feel attractive. Except Phoebe thought Cole who was getting more and more like a husband who was probably not going to understand this was all she was fanaticising about. Being thought attractive.

Cole was not going to understand how important it was that she felt she was desirable even if he was the only man she wanted to act on it. Accept he was hardly there she thought, remembering he had skipped of to Burvjara instead of spending Sunday with her.

And besides George really was her fantasy of the moment, he was polite, he knew how to talk to a woman, how to treat her as a lady, how to make her feel important and he clearly respected her.

She bit her lip. Cole should understand magic and even when it sent you evil, influenced you… a teeny bit, it did not make you evil, so looking for someone to admire her on a spite charged hormone buzz, did not make her unfaithful. She swallowed. Cole should understand but she had her doubts he would.

Then with an her ability to rationalise her own desires, which in another circumstance may have caused Cole to smile in wry amusement, Phoebe thought to herself that its only a business lunch and that her job and the family's ability to survive financially depended on her being an independent woman who could manage to operate in a cut throat business without compromising her public role as a sympathetic person. She needed to present herself as a sophisticated charming woman who could easily sit down to a business lunch with a sophisticated charming man without it becoming a sexual romp. George was an important business colleague of the Bay Mirror after all, she reasoned to herself.

Phoebe frowned. Being a female did not make any difference to having a business lunch, even if its purpose was so George could to get to know her better.

Men in business did that all the time, had lunch, networked got to know each other better, then used the acquaintanceship to further business and career. That was all she was doing. She was not going to sleep with the guy. Satisfied she was being mature and responsible, she flicked her hair so it fell into a sexy, carefully styled tangle, checked her makeup and her cleavage again and left the bathroom.

Phoebe glanced into the restaurant. No sign of George. She looked at her watch. It was still 5 minutes before they were due to meet. This was one man who was not going to complain about her being late.

She swallowed. Cole sort of only complained because he sort of, was used to her being late. At least he did not expect anything better of her, like being on time. Nearly seven years they had been together and he just knew her to well. All he did was pointedly look at his watch and frown but his eyes twinkled because he knew she was not going to EVER be in time, unless she was caught up playing some fantasy role that was really not her.

Phoebe looked at the door, and swallowed down a guilty thought that Cole may not quite see her rationalisation for meeting George as being reasonable. He may just be inclined to think she was meeting George because well, she planned on seeing how far her fantasy could take her. And then Phoebe frowned again.

Cole worked with women. Half his clientele were women; more than half his clientele actually, were women who were totally besotted with him. Which Phoebe did concede was understandable if annoying. Many of his clients were witches who used his services as a lawyer because as her husband he understood their special needs. And little old ladies who kept changing their wills just as an excuse to spend 15 minutes alone with him, just so they got his smile to themselves. And some were women caught up in divorce and custody cases, business women, women seeking advice about family matters, neighbourhood disputes. In fact Cole's damn practice seemed to be growing out of control on word of mouth from besotted women, Phoebe thought working herself up.

Not that she thought that Cole was planning on sleeping with the little old ladies. She stopped and considered, although if she thought about it, they were probably closer to his age than she was. Like George was really closer to her age than Cole. She swallowed. Not of course that she was planning on sleeping with George even if he was sexy and gorgeous. That was part of being married, dealing with attractive people who were attracted to you, maturely. Like Cole did with some of the divorcees who came to see Cole and cry all over him.

Not that after John Cotton, Cole was going to believe that she did not want to sleep with George she thought. She wrung her hands slightly and then bit her lip as the reality of the hurt in Cole's eyes hit her . Phoebe touched Pookie protectively and then with a little determined shrug, headed for the restaurant door where she walked straight into George his blond hair disarrayed sexily, his slightly small, narrow eyes bright.

"I" said Phoebe.

"Thought I was late" George said glancing at his watch, which Phoebe could see was 3 minutes to the time.

"I" said Phoebe.

"I am so sorry" "George said with an exaggerated smile '"To keep a beautiful woman waiting, so she doubted me. What can I do to make it up to you? "he said with an almost disarming smile, that could have been a little calculated.

Phoebe sighed a little tingle going down her back.

"Especially when she is not just a beautiful woman but the most beautiful woman I have ever met" he added with a flourish "You can't leave "George said "If you did I would be duty bound to spend every minute of my life making it up to you begging you to be with me, begging you to forgive me."

"I" said Phoebe as the thought flashed through her mind that her demon , ex demon husband may have something to say about that.

"I swear" smiled George his hair dreamily falling over his eyes.

"I "said Phoebe and smiled catching her lip in an awkward little smile.

She hesitated and George seeing it, caught Phoebe's arm turning her into the restaurant as Phoebe gave way to her fantasy, a man who totally accepted her complicated relationship with time.

After a very long lunch which George had spent mostly listening to her talk, and complimenting her on every aspect of her life, Phoebe was feeling very content. She put her glass down sighing as George took her hand, playing with her fingers. He had ordered everything for her, decided that if she could not drink alcohol he would not, stood up through both her rush trips to the bathroom and she was feeling cosseted fussed and special.

She sighed happily to herself and thought it must be… was a couple of months ago since Cole had cosseted her so much, way back when he taken her out to celebrate Pookie's existence before he was distracted by Burvjara.

She conveniently ignored the fact that he always treated her as special, seven years into their relationship and he still stood up for her, at least in public, pulled chairs for her, carried bags and always even when in a temper would stand back and let her walk through a door. The trouble was he did it naturally without fussing or claiming reward or wanting notice for his manners so with Cole it was normal, not cosseting and anyway he once admitted to her that good manners were the honey to trap the flies in the demon world.

George, finally and regretfully said they had to justify the tax claim by some business and Phoebe sighed just as regretfully. With an ever so interested sexy smile George explained he had some layout sketches he thought might be suitable for the campaign. And he opened his portfolio and handed Phoebe a sketch book.

A little apprehensively she opened the book and looked. The sketches were good, really good and tasteful artistic, except she looked …well she looked pregnant ….and naked.

None of the poses remotely looked like porn poses and some showed a cheeky, literally, sense of humour. Her eyes were drawn big, almost too big for her face, and her breasts were drawn pert and up right, which made her swallow a little, because truthfully just between her and Cole, her breasts, when she was over 30 and had fed a very demanding and hungry baby Whosit Patrick for 9 months, were not quite as pert as they had been when she first met Cole 7 years ago.

The poses she had to say were as tasteful as they could be, the one looking over her shoulder with just an outline of the pregnancy was almost cute and the one sideways enough to not show her nipples but with the pregnancy well in truly in front of her was a tasteful tease. Only remembering back to her pregnancy with Patsy she had not carried that high, she had carried her pregnancy more like well a rounded blob if the truth be told. She frowned.

"You don't like them" George asked concerned.

"No "Phoebe said sucking her lip "I mean yes. I think …. They're classy. Just…"

"You are worried about how people could react" George asked, his tone concerned.

"No I know how they will react" said Phoebe the truth teller "I can guess. My husband Cole..." and she jumped as her cell rang.

George started to say reassuringly "No one would dream of asking you to do something you felt uncomfortable with"

And she nodded and answered the phone. "Cole" she said tensely.

"Just letting you know I won today "he said sounding pleased with himself. "Judge Crane threw the assault complaint against your witch friend out of court. Couldn't believe a girl that size could do that sort of damage." Cole told her pleased with himself.

"OK" Phoebe answered shortly "Good I'm glad."

"What's wrong?" Cole asked suspiciously.

"Business meeting" she answered some guilt in her voice'

"OK" Cole said but his voice took on sharpness. "Call you back later "he said "I love you."

"Good "said Phoebe sharply and swallowed a little.

George looked at her quizzically.

"Husband" Phoebe explained "he's a bit … possessive," she said lamely. "Sometimes... keeps in contact . You know "she added

"I know perfectly" George said smiling seductive, gentle "If you were mine I would be possessive too" and his eyes lit up sexily.

Phoebe sighed and turned her phone off.

Sitting in his office, Cole tried call again and found Phoebe's phone turned off. He reflectively looked at the phone still in his hand and frowned. He slowly put it back on the cradle and shook his head.

"I know you Phoebe" he said out loud and stood up grabbing his jacket from the chair he had thrown it on.

"Just going about for ten minutes" he told Eduardo who also frowned.

"You've got fifteen appointments this afternoon" Eduardo told Cole. "And about twenty more tomorrow morning. And more begging if any gaps open up. Women "he said ominously "What is with all the females wanting appointments?" he asked.

"I'll be back in ten minutes" Cole promised avoiding answering the question. "Paying clients?" he asked.

"All of them "Eduardo announced with some pleasure then turned away as his phone rang again

Cole went into the hallway glanced to see no-one was around and shimmered.

He came out in front of the restaurant, Hester's, where Phoebe was having lunch with George. Through the window he could see her talking animatedly with what he considered a rather effeminate pretty blond man who had a few to many calculated gestures to suit Cole. Cole decided, not for the first time that apart from him, Phoebe had abysmal taste in men.

He went into the restaurant just in time to see the blond man stand up, all but bow to Phoebe, as if apologising profusely and walk away from her, a cell phone in his hand. Phoebe's eyes followed him with a clearly besotted expression.

"Mommy must have told you it was not polite to hold private conversations with other people when on date" Cole thought. He went in the restaurant and stopped as quite a strong demonic presence hit him. People were moving in the restaurant and he glanced around quickly summing them up but whatever it was must have recognised some power because it got out if his range before he could locate it.

Cole watched Phoebe sitting at the table. She had a swoon worthy expression on her face as she watched where Blondie had gone into the men's room to talk.

"What a guy": thought Cole "Holding the phone at his ear with one hand, holding his dick using the other. Real old fashioned manners."

Phoebe tapped her fingers and awkwardly and then picked up the sketch book that was lying open on the table and her whole bodily language changed to something less than relaxed and at ease.

Cole smiled to himself and walked up to her.

"Hi" he said sliding into a spare chair.

"What the hell are you doing here?" said Phoebe guiltily slamming the book shut "Checking up on me." She demanded

"I can't lie to you "Cole smiled using the smile he saved for her which just for a second made her, shudder with affection and she half lifted her hand toward his face "Of course I'm checking up on you." he said.

Phoebe's hand stopped mid air and she dropped it angrily.

"Piss off "she said "You bastard."

Cole reached over and touched Pookie.

"Such language in front of the children" Cole murmured.

Phoebe glared at him ": I am having a private working lunch "she said.

"I saw "Cole murmured.

He reached toward the sketch book. "That the work? " he asked.

"None of your damned business" Phoebe hissed at him snatching he book away. "Just damn well go away before George comes back."

"Thought you liked people at work knowing you had me hooked" Cole smirked "You liked them knowing you have me chasing after you." He half stood and then sat again a flicking his fingers and the book landed in his hand. Phoebe gasped and tried to get it back, reaching across the table in an undignified struggle.

Cole just smiled and opened the book, holding it just out of her reach. He whistled as he examined the drawings "My" he drawled.

Phoebe flushed "its an advertising campaign for the Mirror "she said. "focusing on family values" she added defiantly.

"Emphasis on the multiplication part of family values' Cole drawled again.

"It's tasteful and its artistic and it says something about me" Phoebe insisted trying to snatch the book and flushing as he met her with amused blue eyes

"Well you're right about the last bit' Cole said "It says something about you. The guy's a good artist "he added.

"There is nothing you can say or do that will make me say no to this campaign " Phoebe told him nose fin the air flicking her hair sexily.

Cole laughed "I'm a guardian of the universe and I have absolutely no issues using magic for personal gain" he asked in his lawyer voice "Care to revise that statement."

Phoebe glowered at him impotently "Give me the book" she demanded.

Cole laughed "Please"?" he said.

"Give me the book "she ordered hitting the table in frustration.

"Poor Phoebe" he said standing up. He leant over and kissed her furious mouth while she made a further attempt to snatch the book, unsuccessfully.

"You, you, you, you" she hissed. "I hate you."

"You love me "he said sure "and fortunately for you I love you. Every last contrary irritating part of you 'he said catching her chin and for a second she trembled before flicking her head away and then stopped, letting him hold it.

He smiled again the one he saved for her. "Enjoy you lunch" he said. Then he stopped "Seriously Phoebe "he asked'. 'Have you had any demonic feelings, inference, around here."

"No "she said stopping and glancing around.

"I had strong feeling and now its gone," he said.

"Demons everywhere "she said seriously. "Does not mean they are attacking me. Maybe felt your power and got going."

"Probably." he agreed.

He lent forward to kiss her again and she sucked ion his lip before pushing him away.

"Give me the book?"she demanded.

Cole laughed as he left still holding the book.

"I hate you" she yelled at him while other diners stared at her, some with amusement, some with disgust and some with curiosity.

Cole left the restaurant but stopped outside long enough to watch Phoebe gesticulating wildly as she tried to explain to Blondie where the book had gone. He frowned as Blondie made a reconciliatory touch on her face. And the glancing at his watch and realising he was three minutes late for an appointment with a very wicked, paying female client who ran a prostitution ring, he resisted the temptation to go back and wring Blondie's neck or maybe just punch him out. But he only just resisted.

Phoebe was so angry with Cole that when George asked her ever so sweetly, so reverently so mesmerised by her, to share his bed she did not jump up in disgust and announce she was married. She even considered just how wonderful it would be to be spoilt by a man who adored her, did not call her capricious or contrary, even if it was the truth, forgetting that Cole's gift was knowing when to spoil her and when to hold his ground and that in about 5 minutes of being spoilt, she would be screaming about how bored she was and how she was suffocated, which something that happened in reality but not in fantasy.

She looked into George's eyes, that in reality were just that much to narrow and sly and sighed, her brown ones lost in the fantasy of another man , a real one seeing her as heroine, taking care of her and it not behaving like a preachy husband.

Phoebe as George held her hand over the table and looked intently into her eyes almost murmured, yes before reality hit and she did remember she had a real husband.

George started to kiss her hand and cajole her, when she was distracted as she saw her sister Paige come through the door of the restaurant.

Paige unhesitating came up to the table and glared at George.

"We have to go" Paige told Phoebe bluntly.

'Why?" asked Phoebe dreamily staring at George.

"Because we have to "Paige told her, "Piper needs us. Family business "she said. She watched as George narrowed his sly eyes and Paige sucked her lip.

"Who's your friend?" Paige asked suspiciously.

"This is George. A …a business colleague " Phoebe introduced him dreamily. "My sister Paige."

George stood up and shook hand and Page frowned slightly at the clammy hand shake.

"Pay your bill and lets go." ordered Paige

"My treat "said George standing and smiling sweetly at Phoebe.

'Thanks" said Paige pulling Phoebe out of her chair. "Bye."

"What I said "George told Phoebe as he kissed her hand "I mean…If ever you change your mind. If you feel you need me. I'm here'' he told Phoebe.

'What does he want"? Paige asked curling her lips as she pulled Phoebe after her.

"I chave to go to the bathroom" Phoebe said "I cannot orb with a baby and full stomach. You don't know the pressure. "

Paige followed he "What did George want?" she insisted as Phoebe washed her hands.

"George is so sweet, besotted with me, asked me, so sweetly, so gentlemanly if I would sleep with him. Such a gentleman" Phoebe sighed.

"Gentleman" snorted Paige "Phoebe gentlemen don't ask you to sleep with them on afternoon lunches, the first time."

"He was just so besotted with me" Phoebe said dreamily." He couldn't help himself."

"Real men don't do that "said Paige "Only fantasy men do that. How come you keep meeting men who is every fantasy you ever had, straight out of a novel." she asked suspiciously

"John Cotton was not acting like a fantasy" Phoebe protested.

"No "said Paige without sympathy "He was acting like a lecher who grabbed whatever was offered. But he was acting like a real man. You have a husband ": she said "Leave gorgeous George alone."

"You have boyfriend" Phoebe bit back "and you're looking at pictures of every god damned man you can get. How did Piper drag you away from the pictures?"

"I'm a good witch" said Paige said sanctimoniously."

Phoebe looked at her

"okay Piper's bitching is worse than spite magic" Paige admitted "Reality is the cure. I get it. Geztalt are after finances again."

"Tempus is sure hell bent on financial blight, forcing his minions to justify themselves getting control of it" Phoebe mused. Paige took her hand. "where are we going?" Phoebe asked

"Chicago said Paige. "Seems demons are fighting each other openly in the tax office there. If they haven't destroyed it while you peeed and fanaticised about George" she added to Phoebe's outrage.

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