FUNNY business

Romance was in the air when Layla met a handsome stranger

- Eirin Thompson

It was Layla's turn to go to the bar and order drinks for the girls. They were having what counted as a quiet night out - meaning a bar in town, rather than a nightclub.

Annie and Peg were drinking mojitos, while Layla, whose turn it was to be the designated driver, was strictly on mocktails.

'You and me both,' the man beside her at the bar said with a rueful smile.

'I'm sorry?' Layla replied, wondering what it was that he was talking about.

He indicated his bottle of beer. 'I'm on the alcohol-free stuff too. Big day tomorrow.'

'You're getting married?' Layla enquired.

The man laughed. 'No! Nothing like that. It's work.'

Layla nodded.

'So what makes it a big day? New job?'

The man looked sheepish. 'As a matter of fact, I work for myself. I'm in business' Layla loved the thought of being self-employed. No more grumpy Miss Cranston, her office manager, sniping at every little thing. She could choose her own holidays instead of being turned down for the dates she wanted, and she could have running hot water for washing her coffee mug, instead of trying to rinse it in a cold sink because her employers were too stingy to put the heater on.

'I envy you,' she admitted. 'What kind of business are you in?'