Calling All Customers (Calling All... Book 3)

by Tara Ford

  windows to see hundreds of cars parked

  out the front and up the side street.

  As for the bins, well what the flaming

  hell do you think you’re playing at?

  Also, I think there are too many children

  using your shop, the noise is terrible.

  Please consider the residents here as

  we were here before you were. If you don’t

  I will be contacting the council.

  Are you some kind of a weirdo?

  What’s with all the hanging around

  the bins and cars in the middle of the night?

  Sort it out!

  From D upstairs.

  Jenny slapped the crinkled note on to her desk and made a deep throaty growl, ‘Grrr’.

  Thump… thump, thump… thump, thump, thump…

  Her overly tired, stinging eyes welled up and two single tears fell onto her cheeks – do not cry, Jenny Fartor, you’re better than this – she tried to convince herself. Wiping the droplets away from her face, she slumped down into her chair and read the note again. This time there were no tears, just a bubble-bursting unrest, in the pit of her stomach.

  The papers weren’t ready when young Jordan arrived.

  “No problem, I’ll help you do them quick,” he said.

  “I’m so sorry, Jordan, I’ve had a lot of extra work to do this morning.” Jenny recalled her morning task of dragging the four bins back into their rightful places, as quietly as she possibly could. She’d left for work half an hour earlier, in order to remove the bins from the pavement. Then she’d found the note on the doormat and things had gone downhill from there.

  Jenny wished that life could be filled with lots of Jordans – beautiful, calm and simple. His disposition brought sunshine into the shop and into Jenny’s shattered dreams. Her new business was taking a lot more out of her than she could have ever imagined. But it wasn’t the shop that was the problem – it was the customers, or some of them at least. And one local resident in particular.

  Holding the bag open, while Jordan pushed the papers inside, Jenny worried. “I hope this won’t make you late for anything else you might have planned.”

  “Nope, it’s ok. It didn’t take me that long yesterday.”

  “Oh, that’s good, although there are more at the weekends and the bags a lot heavier.”

  “No worries. Oh, I was going to ask you if I can deliver the weekend papers later. I was thinking eight o’clock?”

  “Oh yes, of course. That’s fine. You should have come in at eight today – I might have been ready by then.” Jenny smiled weakly.

  “No, I wanted to check it was ok first,” replied Jordan.

  “Ah, bless you. Very conscientious – very admirable, Jordan.”

  “Thanks.” Jordan grinned, displaying a perfect row of beautifully white, young teeth. “Cool – I’ll see you at eight tomorrow then.”

  Crossing paths, Dolly walked in as Jordan went out. Jenny never thought that she would be so pleased to see a familiar, friendly face, like Dolly’s. “Morning Dolly, how are you today?”

  “Very well, my dear. Was that your new delivery boy?”

  “Yes, Jordan – started a couple of days ago.”

  “He’s leaving it late isn’t he?”

  “No, well… it’s my fault really. I wasn’t ready for him today.”

  “You need to be ready for your paperboys, dear. Can’t keep these young lads hanging around.”

  “I’m well aware of that, Dolly.”

  Although Dolly was being her normal, to the point, say it how it is, self, Jenny was glad of the company, to take her mind off the other matters that were troubling her so much now.

  Soon enough, the community centre crew arrived and there wasn’t a single moment to think about anything else. Hopefully they would hang around long enough until Dayna arrived, at which point, Jenny was going to give herself permission to fall apart.

  Just before ten o’clock, Jenny had a sudden urge to cry again. She had just remembered who and what was coming today and what would be happening. Aaron… and the awning! She’d been so wrapped up in her own self-destruction, by reading and re-reading the crumply note all morning. She hadn’t been able to think past the moment when she imagined herself going up the flight of stairs at the back of the shop, knocking on the man’s door and planting her fist in the grumpy git’s face. Although it would never happen as Jenny imagined it, because she was far too professional and moral and certainly not brave, at all. However, the thought of shutting the man up for good had been a satisfying muse.

  Hello Jenny, I’m running late today. Hold up at the other shop. Hope to get there by lunchtime. Aaron Frey.

  Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she replied to the text message. Not a problem Aaron. Thanks for letting me know. Jen

  Dayna arrived, on time as usual, wearing a more suitable attire, compared to her efforts of yesterday. “You alright?” she asked, the moment she walked in. Her intuitive and instinctive capabilities to suss her friend out, at any given moment, were second to none.

  “Yeah…”

  “No you’re not – what’s up?”

  “Make us both a milky coffee, Day, and I’ll explain all.”

  “O…k…” muttered Dayna, staring deep into Jenny’s eyes. “Want crumpets as well?”

  Jenny nodded her head and then peered up to the ceiling, blinking away the wetness.

  “Be back in a flash, Jen,” Dayna said and then shot off down the aisle to the staffroom, grabbing a pack of crumpets on her way.

  “So, that’s what’s been happening so far…”

  “Wonder who she is?” Dayna frowned. “Got any idea how much the bill will be?”

  “No, haven’t got a clue. Dad will be here tomorrow, I’ll ask him.”

  “You poor thing, nothing seems to be going right for you at the moment.” Dayna slung an arm around Jenny’s shoulder.

  “I haven’t finished yet…” Pulling the crumpled note from her pocket, Jenny passed it over. “This had been pushed through the letter box when I got here this morning.”

  With a more than curious expression, Dayna opened the fold of paper and started to read. Slowly her features began to change. She frowned, her eyes glared, her mouth dropped open.

  Watching Dayna’s eyes dart up and down the length of the note, Jenny knew that she was reading it again and again. “What do you think of that?”

  Dayna looked up, said nothing and peered down at the note again.

  Jenny could almost smell the rage seeping from Dayna’s skin, “He thinks I’m a weirdo.”

  “I’m going up there… freaking old codger… who does he think he is?” Dayna looked at the note again.

  “No you’re not, Day. I will deal with this.”

  “You’re too diplomatic – he needs putting in his place.”

  “I totally agree with you, however, that’s not the way to deal with it.” Jenny took the note from her infuriated friend. “When I feel calmer, I will go up and see him… try and sort it out amicably.”

  “If I see him, I’ll bloody well sort him out.”

  “Look, I don’t want this situation getting any worse – we can’t afford to have any trouble around here.”

  Huffing and puffing, Dayna paced up and down behind the counter, “It pees me off, Jen.”

  “I knew it would. We do need to be professional and play it cool though.”

  “He can’t call you a weirdo and get away with it.”

  Dayna’s agitated state was beginning to concern Jenny. She knew what Dayna was capable of when she was enraged. There had been times throughout their lives when Jenny had found herself in some sticky situations. Peeling her best friend off of some poor person, male or female, had been a regular affair in their younger days. Dayna’s motto had always been, ‘Treat me right, we won’t fight. Treat me wrong, you’ll see me strong’.

  “It’s not worth the agro, Day. No, he can’t go around calling m
e names but, for the sake of the shop, I’ll try and resolve this amicably.”

  Clenching her hands into fists, Dayna squeezed them tightly. “Arg!” she spurted out and then shook the tightness out from her hands. “Ok, you win – I will control myself. I just hope that he does not come in this shop – ever!”

  “Well he hasn’t been so far and he only lives upstairs.”

  “Yeah, probably too frightened to. I bet he knows that he is annoying you by banging about up there, every morning.”

  “And the evening,” added Jenny.

  “Grr…” uttered Dayna, “Right… keep calm, keep calm… another coffee, Jen?”

  “Absolutely. We’ve got a lot on today.”

  “Oh yes – I forgot about that. Aaron isn’t it?” Dayna tilted her head to one side and fluttered her eyelashes. “He’s coming today, isn’t he?”

  “Yes and the awning’s being delivered.”

  “Well that will cheer you up – Aaron, I mean… not the awning. Well… the awning might cheer you up too.” Dayna laughed, grabbed the mugs and plates from under the counter and headed off to the staffroom. “I’m over it now – no worries,” she called back, before disappearing round the end of the aisle.

  It was heavy work, moving pack after pack of fizzy drinks cans. Each pack contained 24 cans and by the ninth pack, the burning pain in Jenny’s lower back, was unbearable. The fact that she had hauled the bins around last night and again this morning, really hadn’t helped matters. Straightening her spine up, she placed her hands on her hips and stretched back, trying to ease the pain.

  “I’ll do the next lot,” said Dayna, “there aren’t any customers at the moment.”

  “Thanks, Day, they’re heavy though – mind your back.”

  “Squat – that’s what you need to do when picking up heavy things. You’ve been doing it wrong – you should have known that, Jen. Health and safety and all that rubbish.”

  “Hmm… I’ll serve if anyone comes in – my back is killing me at the moment.”

  “Is it going to fit in here?” asked Dayna, grabbing a pack of cans and shuffling it round the corner.

  “Hope so, can’t keep it out there in the shop.”

  Dayna glanced out of the office door. “Yeah, it will, I reckon.”

  And it did. Between the two of them, Jenny and Dayna managed to drag the large awning box, along the end of the shop, through the office and to the back of the store room. And they did it all in between several customers.

  The front door opened again, Jenny let go of the box and put her hand up. “I’ll do it. You make us another cuppa.”

  Reaching the front of the shop, feeling hot and sweaty from the recent removals, Jenny halted mid-stride. “Oh… hi, Aaron.”

  Standing near the counter, Aaron’s inviting smile and gorgeous big eyes, melted away any remnants of pain or sorrow that Jenny had endured over the last 16 hours.

  “Really sorry I’m so late, Jenny.”

  “Not a problem. We’re just having a cuppa, do you want one?”

  “Yes, that’s great. Coffee, two sugars. I’ll start bringing all of the gear in.”

  “Do you need a hand?”

  “No, there’s not too much, at the moment.” Aaron smiled again, “I’ll get all of the nitty-gritty stuff, like the wiring, done today. Then I’ll be back tomorrow to fit the till… or tills… and set up the computer.”

  “Tills? Are there more than one then?”

  “I was going to ask if you wanted two. I’ve got a spare one.”

  “Hmm… the way things are going here, I doubt I’d need two,” said Jenny, feeling the burn in her back continue to rage on, despite her giddy feelings of infatuation.

  “Well we can sort all of that out tomorrow. Don’t need to worry about it at the moment. I’ll rig you up for two – that way, the second one is there if you need it.” Aaron moved backwards, towards the door and reached for the handle. “Right, I’ll go and get the stuff in.”

  “Wait!” Through the glass of the door, Jenny caught a glimpse of Marj. She’d approached the door, looked through the glass at Aaron and then turned sharply and walked away.

  Startled by Jenny’s sudden, loud burst, Aaron frowned. “What?”

  Hurtling towards Aaron, Jenny thrust herself at the door and snatched the handle as Aaron whipped his hand away, in shock. “Got to stop her…”

  Tearing the door open, Jenny knocked Aaron to one side and flung herself through the doorway…

  Smack!

  “Arg…”

  The towering figure of a woman, who was just about to walk through the door, lost her footing as Jenny flew out and landed on her. She staggered back as Jenny’s momentum carried them both towards the edge of the pavement. Twisting her ankle on the edge of the kurb, the bewildered woman tumbled down to the ground with a heavy thud. Jenny just managed to save herself from falling right on top of her and directed her fall to straddle over the top of the woman’s head and onto the road behind. Turning round, Jenny looked in horror to see the woman sat on the ground, in a confused heap, breathing heavily.

  “Oh my goodness… are you ok?” asked Jenny, shakily. Bending down, she peered at the lady’s face. “Oh my God… no… I am so sorry.” Jenny stared, disbelievingly. “I am truly sorry. Oh no.”

  The woman said nothing. Obviously shocked and dazed, she sat motionless, with her hands resting back, on the edge of the pavement. Her pale complexion and wide stare were scarily worrying.

  Tearing out of the door, Aaron approached the woman and crouched down beside her. “Can you get up?” Glancing up at Jenny, with an odd look of mistrust in his eyes, Aaron added, “Please, can we help you get up? Come in to the shop, madam.” Sliding his arm underneath the woman’s, Aaron beckoned to Jenny to do the same on the other side.

  Crouching over, Jenny’s back ripped and the intense pain surged along the length of her spine. Despite the acute spasms, she managed to help Aaron lift the woman to her feet.

  “Ooh,” cried the woman, in distress. “My coccyx…”

  Shooting a fierce stare down the length of Millen Road, Jenny spotted Marj, scuttling away in the distance.

  Holding both hands to her mouth, Dayna stood in the shop’s doorway, wide-eyed and dumbstruck.

  The window of the flat above squeaked and flung open. Poking his head out of the opening, the man upstairs grunted. “Bloody hell… what have you done now? Are you some sort of a psycho?”

  Dayna moved out to the pavement and glared up at the man. “I’d keep your nose out of it, if I were you.”

  “Ooh… argh… my coccyx,” moaned the woman.

  Slowly, Aaron and Jenny eased the tall woman, past Dayna, and into the shop.

  The man upstairs spat a globule of saliva, which landed on the pavement just to the side of Dayna’s feet. “Oh… sorry about that. Didn’t mean to spit on you.” He laughed wickedly. “Accidental dribble,” he added scornfully, before pulling his head back in and slamming the window shut.

  Scowling up at the flat above, Dayna muttered some expletives and then glanced down at the oozy patch on the pavement. Turning round, fists clenched tightly, she drew in a deep breath and walked back into the shop.

  Both Aaron and Jenny were guiding the woman down to the end of the shop. Catching up to them, Dayna whipped in front of them and opened the staffroom door. Reaching for a stool, she offered it to the woman. “Here, sit down,” she said as the woman shakily entered the staffroom.

  “I can’t sit down – I’ve smashed my coccyx, love,” said the woman.

  “Tracey – right?” said Jenny, nervously. “Your name’s Tracey? I am so terribly sorry.”

  The woman glared, disdainfully at her attacker. “Where’s your phone – I need a phone.”

  “A phone? Why do you need a phone?” asked Jenny, looking to Dayna and then Aaron.

  “I’ll get it,” said Dayna as the door opened. Peering up the shop, she saw that two people had walked in. “I mean, I’ll serve the customers
.” Dayna looked despairingly at her friend. “You need to get her a phone, Jenny…” Then Dayna shot off to the front of the shop.

  “Where’s the phone?” asked Tracey, angrily. “I want to make a phone call - now. I need an ambulance. My coccyx. You’ve smashed my coccyx.” Her voice grew louder and louder.

  Jenny nodded, nervously and scurried through to the office, leaving poor Aaron with the disgruntled, vociferous woman.

  Snatching the phone from Jenny’s hand, Tracey proceeded to dial a number. She held the phone to her ear and waited.

  With a pleading gaze, Jenny mouthed, ‘I’m so sorry’, to Aaron and felt the all too familiar sting in her eyes.

  “Tom!”

  Tracey listened intently, as a determined scowl creased her face. “Tom – get up to that shop, by the nursery – I’ve been attacked.”

  A lump caught in Jenny’s throat and she gulped, hard. Staring deep in to Aaron’s eyes for support and reassurance, Jenny swallowed again. “Excuse me… you haven’t been attacked.”

  “Yes – just get here quick, Tom.” Tracey pressed the ‘end call’ button and practically threw the phone back at Jenny, who just managed to catch it. “What did you call that…” said Tracey, pointing towards the shop’s entrance, “…if it wasn’t an unprovoked, out and out attack.”

  “I… I didn’t…”

  “Look, I think this has been a terrible accident. I know that Jenny wouldn’t have meant you any harm. She saw someone, whom she needed to speak to and very carelessly ran out of the shop.” Aaron’s calming voice of authority was enough to turn Tracey’s hard stare to a softer, more approachable gaze. “Is Tom your husband?” Aaron enquired, respectfully.

  Tracey nodded.

  With one hand clutched around her waist and the other one, over her mouth, Jenny said nothing. The urge to burst into tears was overwhelming. She had to keep it together somehow. Watching the interaction between Aaron and Tracey, she sensed an ‘out of body’ experience. Like watching a film on the television, Jenny listened to the dialogue and viewed the scene before her, as if she could turn if off at any given moment and return to the normality of her life. This really couldn’t be happening…