The Best Friends Anthology (A New City Story Book 5)

by Stefanie Simpson

  Except for Ceeli. My baby. Though at twenty, she was hardly that, plus she wasn’t speaking to me. I left the health centre, my handbag heavy on my shoulder with the papers in.

  My settlement meant I was able to move to my own place and out of my mother’s, and I chose to move away from my ex. Chadford was close enough to my Ceeli — who was at uni there — that if she ever forgave me, I could be there for her.

  My flat was a purpose built complex from the thirties on the edge of Old Chadford. It was lovely. Art Deco sensibility without pretention. The whole block was being renovated, and I moved in with a car full of the basics and no furniture.

  I’d found a couch, armchair, bed, and desk; slowly gathering items that I chose because I liked them. I didn’t have to compromise or pick what matched or what was most fashionable; it was all for me. On the way home, I bought a lamp, one he’d hate.

  It’d go perfectly by the large bay window in the decent sized lounge. The kitchen was small just off it, and the bathroom and bedroom off at the other end. There was a ‘second bedroom’, but it barely had room for a bed.

  I set the lamp up behind my chair by the picture window. My spot. At my desk, I looked over the rota and checked in with my staff. A small cleaning company didn’t sound like much, but I worked hard for it since leaving Greg.

  He’d laughed when he learnt what I was doing, but now I had two crews working for me. With a cup of tea, I returned my messages and confirmed some bookings, and chased a couple of invoices.

  What Greg didn’t know was I’d taken several online courses. Practical ones. At the time, I hadn’t really thought about why I did them, I just thought they might be useful if I ever wanted to go back to work with Ceeli grown up.

  My personal phone chirped.

  Would you like to meet up now it’s official?

  I blinked at the message. Greg. I tapped out a quick response. Fuck off. Then I blocked his number. I truly didn’t care.

  I ordered a takeaway — curry because now I could eat it to my heart’s content — and worked through the spreadsheets and supply orders I needed to add into outgoings.

  I read, shivering at the draught from the window. It was cold and dark, and as rain hit the glass, a small damp patch at the corner worried me.

  After making a note to ring the building manager in the morning, I ran a bath, drank some wine and went to sleep in the middle of the bed, the best place to sleep.

  MRS MORLEY

  Ashley, one of my team, was crying in the van when I arrived at the address. I got in next to her, and she sobbed as she spoke.

  I soothed her back, thinking of Ceeli. She reminded me of her so much. Dark blond hair, sweet face, but Ashley was in a dark place and needed care. My nature is to love, though I’d not been able to as much as I’d like.

  “Come on. Deep breath.”

  She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the tissue I gave her. “I wasn’t expecting it. I just thought we were going to clean. Mrs Morley was so nice.” Her voice bent and went high.

  “She was.”

  “She always had sweets and made us take one.”

  “I know. Death is normal, it’s part of life, but I’m sorry you walked in on that.”

  Finding a dead person wasn’t pleasant, but she was so fragile. I glanced up and saw Kath, the other cleaner, pale-faced, and clinging onto a cigarette for dear life.

  “You go home, I’ll finish up today with Kath, okay?”

  Ashley nodded, and we got out. She took a drag of the cigarette Kath offered and called someone. A pretty boy picked her up in a hatchback, and Kath and I dealt with the police and everything else that followed.

  Our day ran late, and when we reached our private client, we worked silently and thoroughly, but as quickly as we could.

  It was after eight by the time I trudged up the stairs to find Dav the building manager. He had a soft Bangladeshi accent and a warm smile. “There’s a meeting about to start about the refurbishments, I put a letter through your door with it all in, but we’ll be in the foyer in ten minutes.”

  “Excellent.” I yawned and put my things inside, itching for a shower, I went down and grabbed him, not literally, he’s about sixty. “There’s rain coming in my bay window.”

  He mumbled and put it on the list. “It’s okay, we’ll be doing some work. It’s a little early in the year, but there are some bigger problems so it’ll get done.”

  All the point work, guttering and around the windows were going to be done at the front, but they couldn’t put new windows in because it was in a conservation area. I thought environmental concerns should be bigger than history, but there we go.

  Still, it was something.

  ✽✽✽

  Two days later, scaffolding appeared outside my window. I was surprised how quick it was happening. After a long day filling in for one of the cleaners, I got home and dashed in from the bitter rain in the dark, ate, worked and went to bed early, and truly, all thoughts of the work being done slipped my mind.

  I got up at six-thirty, tired with a thousand things to do, the first of which was a meeting with my charming accountant, and half-dressed, I opened the curtains to a man on the other side of the window. I went still. I was wearing my underwear and an open dressing gown flashing my good bra. His gaze travelled down, and he blinked rapidly.

  It’s possible I screamed, he went wide-eyed and turned around on the scaffolding, arms out, wobbling. I tied the belt and shut the curtains again. Then I laughed, borderline hysterical in one of those laughing fits that hurts your face and belly. I doubled over. I hadn’t laughed like that in years. For a long time, I couldn’t laugh, but for some reason, the hunk who was young enough to be my child looked so horrified at seeing my tits he nearly fell off the scaffold, poor boy. At least he was wearing a harness.

  I eased out a breath, wiping the tears from my eyes.

  “I’m sorry.” His muffled words set me off again, and I opened the curtains.

  “Hey kid, don’t sweat it, I think you’ll be the last guy to see my boobs, so thanks.” I sent him an okay sign, and he was bright red.

  I really looked at him, muscular, tanned, dirty blond scruff, yellow hard had with lighter hair poking out. Boots, jeans, high viz and harness. But he was bundled up in a check hoodie. All of it clung to him in the right ways.

  Managing to look at his face, dark eyes and a strong jaw met my gaze. He was lovely. Too lovely.

  He nodded. “Again, I am sorry.”

  “Just whistle in future.” I winked.

  He smiled and bit his lip. With a slow blink, I went into the kitchen. I’m not sure I’d been that close to anyone who looked that attractive. Maybe it was the fact I was thirty-eight and highly sexed with nothing but my poor vibrator. I made coffee and porridge. I glanced up at him, seeing his face dart away from me back to his work. How adorable. Shame he was so young. That being said when I was his age, I’d been in love. How weak that seemed looking back.

  When I was ready, smartly dressed with my hair and makeup done, I waved bye to him, and he laughed, shaking his head.

  Things were better than expected at the accountancy office. I’d done my tax self-assessment and became paranoid I’d got it wrong. Plus with the financial settlement, I needed to figure out the future.

  My accountant was nice, a little bland but a bit of a flirt. We went through it all, and when I was done, I went to a small business fair, which turned out to be useful. Dull but useful.

  Walking around, I saw a stall from the university, and my heart pinched. Ceeli was doing politics and social studies. She was a bright but arrogant girl. Not in the way girls are chided for, but in a true arrogance, the same quality that her father so often displayed.

  She’d taken his side in everything that followed, and it broke my heart, more so than her father. I think because we’d been close when she was smaller, and he was distant, so she never had to understand the reality. He was her daddy who ga
ve her ridiculous gifts and never did the work.

  He was hard done by the shrill woman who made Ceeli do her homework and grounded her when she was naughty.

  I let the pain come. I was better with having months of living with it. I knew my own faults, and knew hers, but loved her anyway, and I think she was too naïve to understand that. Maybe it was my fault, and I protected her too much.

  I sat in my car as it started to rain and called in with the teams. All well. I needed to get the rotas in for next week, so I went home.

  The poor guy I’d mortified was still there, working in the rain. I knocked on the window. “Do you want a tea?”

  He gave me a thumbs up.

  It was hard not to keep watching him as I waited for the kettle to boil. I passed a mug out when it was ready. The top scaffolding was partially tarped, and he was mostly dry. The green covering dimmed the light and rain thrummed loudly on it. He took the big mug, and his frozen hands brushed mine.

  “What dick decided this was a good time of year to start work?”

  “Ah, me. I’m the boss.”

  Oops. “Oh. Sorry.”

  He grinned. “It’s fine, emergency work pays well at least. It’s my company.”

  “Nice, how long have you been running?”

  “Eight years.”

  “Did you start when you were twelve?”

  “I’m thirty-three.”

  “Lies. I’m old enough to be your mother.”

  He laughed. “You? You’re my age, believe me. I got a good enough look.” He hugged the mug, and his cheeks were red.

  “I’m thirty-eight.”

  “Now who’s lying.”

  He stared, and I cleared my throat.

  “Do you want to go out with me?” He had an open puppy-like expression as he blew on the steaming mug.

  “What?”

  “You know, like a date.”

  “No.”

  “Oh.” He frowned. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be, that’s sweet, I got divorced this week, I’m tit-deep in work, and I do not want a boy.”

  “Man.”

  “If you say so. It’s not personal, just… plus you’re far too young.”

  “five years is nothing.”

  I took a deep breath.

  “Sorry, I promise I won’t bug you. I haven’t made anyone laugh like that for a long time, it was nice.”

  I folded my arms, shivering. “I was sixteen when I met my husband, and I was married before I was twenty so believe me when I say, I don’t want another relationship.”

  “Oh, it doesn’t have to be a relationship.” He shrugged, drinking his tea.

  I smirked. “Now wouldn’t that be convenient, you just slip in through the window for a quick diddle, and then move on next door.”

  “I don’t think Mr Davidson is interested in me, and at eighty-five, and that is a bit too much of an age gap.”

  I belly-laughed again, and he wouldn’t stop looking at me.

  “I best get on. Thank you. And if you ever change your mind.” He winked as handed the mug back.

  I didn’t get as much work done as I wanted.

  DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU

  At about three, I had a missed call from Ceeli. Something had to be wrong, and I rang her straight back.

  “Hi.” We hadn’t spoken other than for an angry exchange just after I left Greg, and she wouldn’t speak to me after that.

  “Dad’s been after me to call you.”

  “Oh?” My fear dipped, and annoyance rose.

  “She left him.”

  “How much did she take?”

  Silence. “She wasn’t like that.”

  “Look, I don’t know what you want me to say. He did what he did, and I’ve lost you through it, and that’s what matters to me. I don’t care about a man who doesn’t love me, and I certainly don’t care about his girlfriend.”

  “Mum. He’s in a bad way.”

  I took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Ceeli. I miss you, and please do not misunderstand me, I love you, you’re my baby, but if a relationship with me is conditional in my having a civil relationship with your father, the answer is no. There’s a lot you don’t know or understand, and I’m not going to ask you to take sides or pit you against him because that’s not who I am. You made your choices. If you want to think about who we are to each other and talk again, that would make me so happy but do not ask me to go and soothe a man who has no regard for me. Don’t do his bidding.” I shook.

  Ceeli didn’t answer, and I knew she’d need time to process, she always did. I heard her breathing.

  We were quiet for a few minutes, and I heard her crying. “It’s okay baby.”

  “Mummy.”

  “I know. I know sweetheart, it’ll be okay. It’s hard but okay.”

  She shuddered a breath.

  Later, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She said she’d think about what I’d said, ended the call, and I couldn’t sleep. I looked at spreadsheets until one and finally drifted off.

  When I woke, bleary-eyed at six-thirty, I wanted to go back to oblivion. Blinking awake, I heard a tapping and a whistle outside. The temptation of distraction filtered in, and rubbing my face, I made coffee.

  Grabbing my laptop, I did a little work as I drank, huddling down for warmth, all the while, I heard him. My gaze went to the window. The image of him outside, lit through the rising sun in silhouette took my attention.

  Chiding myself, I had a shower, and bundled up in my thick robe with my second cup, stood in the bedroom. He was still there.

  I took a strange joy in dressing and every few minutes glancing at him working unseen. When I was ready, I slid the curtains back slowly.

  He was on a higher walkway that cut along the bottom of the window, and he was stretched up so I only saw his jean-clad legs. Strong thighs filled my vision, and I tried not to stare at his crotch. I closed my eyes in shame.

  I could fuck him. I could invite him in and…

  He bent down and tapped the window with a grin, showing off dimples. “See anything you like?”

  I pulled my lips into my mouth, mortified, and he only grinned harder.

  “We’re even now,” I shouted with a laugh.

  “Are we? I saw your underwear; do you want to see mine?” He reminded me of a puppy.

  Still chuckling, I shook my head. “I’ve been crotch watching.”

  “It’s a bit cold, you’re not getting me at my best.”

  “You’re wildly inappropriate. Is perving on strangers through windows a habit for you?”

  He frowned, his mirth vanishing. “No. Um, sorry.” His breath misted in the cold early light, and I felt bad. I should have been insulted, and I think anyone else, I would have been. He was just so flirtable.

  I made him a thermos mug of tea. Opening the window, I passed it out. “Hey.”

  He looked properly admonished as he took the cup.

  “I haven’t flirted in forever, if I ever did. I’m rusty.”

  “I’m Will.”

  With a laugh. “That’s a top-drawer dad joke. My name is Amelia.”

  “I don’t do this, really.”

  “Why then?”

  He held the mug, and I shivered. It was bitterly cold. “I don’t know. You’re beautiful, and I could listen to that laugh all day.”

  I took a deep breath. “Okay.”

  He opened and closed his mouth. “Really? Well how about Saturday? I’m going out with friends, it doesn’t have to be a date, just come for a drink.”

  “I can do that.”

  We swapped details, and I left.

  YOUTH REVISITED

  It was cold, so I wore a wool dress, thick tights, boots and a leather jacket, hoping I didn’t look old and mumsy.

  My hair went to my shoulders, naturally wavy and a little coarse, and I kept my makeup light and as dewy as I could.

 
; The cab dropped me at the top of Town Hill, and I nearly went home because it resembled a drunken hellscape, and it was a bitter February night.

  The pub, club, or whatever it was, seemed full of kids, and I dithered as I adjusted to the noise of it.

  I couldn’t see him at first, and then at a corner table in the busy and slightly quieter lounge, he was sat with another guy.

  I nearly didn’t recognise him. He wore a white snug tee and leather jacket. Fuck’s sake, we matched. He stood and smiled, and I went over.

  After a brief hug, he introduced me to his friend Adam — white guy, covered in tats with ruffled dark hair and who seemed distracted by a woman at the bar — and I ordered a drink.

  We sat awkwardly, and I scanned the place. The woman Adam was intent on was tall with straight black hair with an appealing open face.

  Will and I watched them both for a few minutes.

  “Just talk to her,” Will shouted.

  Adam sighed and leant forward, glaring into his drink.

  “Seriously. You need some fun, just say hi. She’s not interested, fine. But don’t be a little bitch about it if you don’t try.” He pointed at Adam before finishing his drink.

  Adam looked at his friend with a slow grin. “I’m adorable, she looks nice. This is fine.” He slapped his palms on the table and went over.

  We watched, and I held my breath.

  I glanced at Will and found him no longer intent on his friend. “What?”

  I didn’t hear what he said.

  “What?” I shouted.

  Will glanced back at Adam and the girl starting to flirt with him before standing with his hand held out, but I went cold. A choice. I was no longer an obedient wife. I no longer had the old boundaries, and I could do what I felt like. Within reason. There was no little warning light, no nagging voice of doubt. I’d always ignored that and regretted it.

  I took the offered hand, and he led us out of the main room with all the noise. In the sudden yet ringing quiet, I stretched my jaw. There was no room in the quieter back room with tables of people, and he turned to me.

  “You ever, um, smoke?”