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

by Tara Ford

  “Huh – yes, same old Marj. Are you trying to stall the big question?”

  “No,” Dayna snapped, “I haven’t seen her for a while –I was curious.”

  “She’s on the white toilet rolls now, but don’t bother asking her why she’s changed the colour – you’ll get a very confusing story about the disappearance of Bill and Ben and the arrival of Florence and Fiona.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t ask… well, I won’t ask her anyway.”

  “So… how did it go?” Jenny rubbed her hands together, in anticipation.

  “Well… yeah, it was good.”

  “Good?”

  “Yeah, I had a nice time…”

  “Go on then, tell me all.” Jenny frowned, “And don’t be worried about me – Tasha mentioned that you’ve been worrying about me.”

  Dayna shrugged, “I didn’t want to rub it in, Jen. You don’t seem to have much fun these days and I didn’t want you to get annoyed if I kept going on about it.”

  “Dayna – I love hearing about other people’s fun. Ok, maybe I don’t have a life, myself, at the moment but I do love to hear about yours – especially if exciting things are happening. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own problems, that I’d completely forgotten to ask you how you were feeling about going out today. I wasn’t trying to avoid the issue.”

  “No, I know, Jen. I just didn’t want to go on about it.”

  “Well, you should – so now’s your chance – go on then.”

  “We went bowling first,” said Dayna. “And then we went for lunch at that restaurant on top of the hill.”

  “Oh, yes. I know the one.”

  “Then we parked up in a layby on the hill, and watched the world go by for the rest of the afternoon.”

  “And?”

  “And that was it.”

  “Nothing else?” Jenny quizzed her friend. “What did you talk about?”

  “Oh, all sorts of stuff. His life story mostly.”

  “Anything else?”

  “My life story.” replied Dayna, sheepishly.

  “And that was it? You went home after talking?”

  “Well… yes… eventually.”

  Jenny sensed an elusive pause. “What do you mean, ‘eventually’?”

  “Well… after our chat…”

  “So nothing else happened?”

  “Not really – I’m seeing him again though, next week.” Dayna’s tone of voice changed from one of cautiousness to elation, in her last few words.

  “Hmm,” said Jenny, grinning suspiciously. “So you didn’t get your hands on him or anything else?”

  “Not really.”

  Jenny frowned. “Not really? Did you or didn’t you?”

  “Oh God, Jen. I shouldn’t have done it…”

  Jenny stopped frowning. “Oh no… done what? Please don’t tell me this was another one of those ‘Jeffers-bubble blow-jobs’.”

  “Jeffers-bubble-bon-bon blow-job,” Dayna corrected.

  “Bon-bon, yes. Sorry. Well, was it?”

  “Not fully…”

  “Oh my God. What do you mean, ‘not fully’?” Jenny shook her head in disbelief. “A half one then? Or was he blowing balloons at the same time too?” Jenny giggled.

  “No – there were no balloons. It was just sort of…” Dayna peered down at the floor. “Look, Jen, I didn’t realise that weird people hang around up there, on the hill, when it gets dark.”

  Jenny stared, wide-eyed. “Oh no. I know what you’re going to say next.” Bursting into raucous laughter, Jenny doubled over and held on to her stomach. “Oh no… Dayna…” she spluttered. “Really?”

  “What?” Dayna’s cheery voice, of earlier, had turned into a contrite tone. “You know about it then – what goes on up there?”

  Jenny snorted and tried to catch her breath, as a young couple walked in the shop. Browsing the magazines, the couple remained at the near end of the aisle. “Tell me later,” whispered Jenny, tears of laughter stinging her eyes.

  “Jen, I feel really bad now… having thought about it all.” Dayna looked serious. Her bubbly bubbles had popped.

  “Go on, tell me what actually happened.” Jenny peeped around the shop and could see that they were alone. “Hurry up, before someone else comes in.”

  “I don’t want anyone to know about it – ok?”

  “I promise,” said Jenny, holding a hand to her heart.

  “We parked on the bit of wasteland up on the hill. It was just getting dark at about four o’clock, I think. There was no one else there.” Dayna tutted, “I’d heard of that kind of thing before but I never thought it really went on.”

  “Oh, I believe it does. I’m surprised it was so early though.”

  “It was about five when we… err… got a bit carried away with things.”

  “So you did give him a…”

  “Started to.” Dayna rubbed at her forehead. “Next thing we know, a man is stood outside the car, peering in.”

  Jenny’s mouth fell open for a moment. “Oh no, Day.” Shaking her head in disbelief, she added, “He was watching?”

  Dayna nodded. “He was doing something down his trousers.”

  “Oh my God…”

  “The man made Will jump in fright. As poor Will shouted at him to go away… well… It nearly choked me, Jenny.”

  Jenny looked up to the ceiling and burst into more laughter. “I’m sorry, Day… that… is… so funny…”

  “It wasn’t funny. We were really scared. And I could have choked to death. I couldn’t stop gagging. I’ve still got a sore throat now.” Dayna bit her bottom lip. “Then the man ran off with a big dog following behind him.”

  “So you didn’t finish where you left off, then?”

  “No, we drove away quickly as I was still gagging in the car. Then he took me straight home, to Mum’s.”

  “Oh no, Dayna. How do you manage to get yourself into these predicaments? Has he asked you to see him again next week?”

  Dayna nodded. “Yes. Hope it’s not just because he wants to finish what we started. I know I shouldn’t have done it – not so soon. I can’t help it, Jen. It just sort of happened.”

  “You do pick some funny places though. Why didn’t you ask him back to your place?”

  Dayna shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Suppose I thought it would be ok, you know, as we were just going to talk.”

  “What’s done is done, Day. You can’t change it. However, I’m beginning to think that you must be the blow-job queen of the South. Gagging or no gagging.” Jenny chuckled. “Go get ‘em girl.”

  Forcing a disconcerted grin, Dayna picked up a duster and walked away from the counter.

  Chapter 34

  In comparison, Jenny was far more reserved than her best friend. On the, now two, occasions that things had heated up between her and Aaron, they had been in her flat.

  After a peaceful evening of TV watching, an Indian takeaway and some fruity wine, Aaron had been the one to instigate a full-on sex session, which started in the living room, went through to the hallway, into the kitchen and finally, the bedroom. Maybe Jenny wasn’t quite as reserved as she liked to think she was.

  Determined not to oversleep, Jenny set the alarm on her mobile phone, as well as her clock. “If you wake up before me, kick me out,” she whispered, to an already sleeping Aaron.

  Once again, a disgruntled Dolly, bored Wilbur and forgiving Jordan, waited at the front door. Jenny was late again. Her phone had run out of battery power during the night, and the clock had not done its job of being backup plan. She’d ignored it. Twice.

  “This is getting to be a little too often,” said Dolly, keeping a friendly hand placed upon Jordan’s shoulder. “Poor Jordan here, can’t be late for school. He’s in those very important years.”

  “I’m well aware of that, Dolly.” Jenny frowned. “And this is only the second time you’ve waited here.”

  Once again, Jenny could only apologise, profusely, and offer to pay Jordan
’s wages for the morning. Once again, she would have to remember to deliver the papers as soon as Tasha arrived, at eight. Once again, Jenny was going to have a bad day. She could feel it in her veins.

  December arrived far sooner than Jenny would have liked. It meant that her rent would be due soon. It meant that more invoices would have to be paid, for the previous month’s stock. It meant that it was even more imperative that her sales figures went up. It meant that she was skint.

  Dayna had been floating around the shop all day. It was Saturday evening and she was going to see Will again.

  “Just play it cool, Day. Try not to be so ‘giving’… if you know what I mean.”

  Dayna nodded. “I’ll try.”

  Aaron arrived at five minutes to eight, just as Dayna was getting ready to leave. His offer of help, was invaluable, once again. He managed to take Jenny’s mind off things. He was lively, funny and thoughtful.

  “You know,” said Jenny, matter-of-factly, “I’ve been thinking…”

  “Does it hurt?” Aaron joked.

  Playfully, Jenny shoved him away. “No, listen. I’m going to put a ‘Christmas Opening Hours’ sign up on the door.”

  “Good.”

  “I’m going to shorten some of the hours on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. I could even close early on New Year’s Eve. What do you think?”

  “Go for it. You need a break, Jen.”

  “Yes, I do. At first, I was so excited that I was going to be having Christmas day and New Year’s Day off altogether. But then I got thinking… why open for normal hours the rest of the time?”

  “Exactly. You should work out what you might save on electricity by closing early. You know, weigh it up against potential sales.”

  “Hmm… electricity verses sales… I think electricity wins, hands down,” said Jenny, sarcastically. “I just don’t know what’s going on around here. Day and Tasha have delivered well over 900 leaflets now. At a two percent read-rate, I should have at least 18 new customers.”

  Aaron laughed. “How do you know that you haven’t got 18 new customers? Are you doing face-recognition, EPOS summaries now?”

  “Ha, ha – very funny.”

  “It’s true… you will have to deliver a lot more leaflets, to see results. I think so, anyway.”

  “Dayna seems to think that our problems will be solved when this stupid Jeffers-bubble-what-not comes in.”

  “Bon-bon are the words you’re looking for.” Aaron grinned. “Look, try not to worry too much, Jen. I can talk to my mum – see if she can come up with any ideas, if you want me to.”

  Jenny nodded her head. “Yes, go on then. There might be something that I just haven’t thought of yet.”

  “I’m sure there will be, now get those Christmas hours sorted out. Then you can spend a bit more time with your family over the holidays. You should get a sign up as quickly as possible.”

  “I will and maybe we could spend a bit more time together… more than just one evening a week?” Jenny laughed, bashfully.

  “Ah… well I’m not going to be around over Christmas.” Aaron looked down, guiltily. “I’m sorry – I thought I’d told you.”

  Jenny shook her head and smiled, weakly. “No.”

  “It’s my crazy auntie, in Wales. She has pestered me for so long about staying with her over Christmas one year, and this year, my cousin and his wife will be there, so I agreed.”

  “Oh… ok.”

  “I wish I wasn’t now, to be honest.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, I would much rather see you a bit more.”

  “Would be nice… So, why do you call your auntie ‘crazy’?” asked Jenny, attempting to sound cheerful.

  “She’s mad. In a nice way, of course. She’s my dad’s sister – but nothing like my dad, whatsoever. She’s so funny.”

  “And your dad’s not funny – right?”

  “Dad’s just Dad. Nothing more I can say really.” Aaron grinned. “No – he’s a good dad. Hard working.”

  “Like you then…”

  Aaron shrugged. “Suppose so.”

  “Well I’m glad that you’ve told me you won’t be here – I might as well work some more.”

  “No, Jen. Take a bit of time off. This place will be dead most of the time.”

  “What? More ‘dead’ than it is already?”

  “I’d imagine so. Mum closes early at least four days and shuts completely for two. She says that she only sells newspapers and the odd jar of pickled onions at Christmas.”

  “Ok, I’ll go and have a look at the dates and come up with something,” said Jenny, before pecking him on the cheek and walking away to the office.

  “Are you coming back to mine?” asked Jenny, as she locked up the shop.

  “For a coffee?” Aaron laughed, cheekily. “And then you won’t get up in the morning.”

  “Yes I will. I’m not going to oversleep just because of a coffee.”

  “Ok, yes. Coffee it is. Then I’ll go home.” Aaron looked at his watch. “It’s nearly half ten now.”

  Grabbing her phone from the bedside table, Jenny peered at the brightly lit screen, cutting through the darkness of her bedroom. Squinting her eyes, she noticed a message notification. She hadn’t heard her phone go off earlier but then again, would she have noticed while in the throes of a sexual frenzy on the sofa. Aaron slept silently beside her. Exhausted, they had both ended up moving off the sofa and climbing into her bed and that’s where they’d stayed. Before setting the alarm on her phone, Jenny thumbed through to the text message.

  OMG – hope it’s not too late. I can’t sleep. Will is wonderful. True gentleman. I’m staying at his tonight. Mum’s ok with it. Xaylan’s having a bit of a grump but he’ll get over it. He thinks I’m staying at yours. So hush, hush. Love from, loved-up best bud, Day xxxxxxxx

  Glad you had a good time. No worries, my lips are sealed. I can’t sleep either but I should – it’s now 2.20am and I need to be up in three hours!! Did you finish what you started last week? Hope there weren’t any spectators this time, lol xx

  No… no… not again. A rising fear and jagged fragments of thought flicked through Jenny’s mind as she frantically dressed. “Ready?” she panted as she glanced at the clock for the umpteenth time. “I’ve got to go.”

  “This is my fault,” said Aaron as they sped down the stairs.

  “No – it’s mine. I really should get up. This is getting ridiculous. See you tonight…”

  At least there was no one waiting at the front of the shop, however, within minutes of Jenny arriving, Jordan was rapping on the front door. “Sorry Jordan. God, I don’t know what’s got into me lately. I’ll pay you extra if you could sort the papers out for me first.”

  Jordan nodded his head and smiled warmly. “Yes, sure I can.”

  “Thank you – you’re a lifesaver.”

  Luckily, Dolly didn’t know about Jenny’s late arrival – not that it was any of her business, anyway. As the old lady twittered on and on about trivial things, Jenny did her utmost to suppress the constant stream of yawns, invading her headspace.

  “You look very tired again today. Is it getting too much for you?”

  “No, not at all, Dolly. Sundays are great – I finish early.”

  “I’d get some cucumber on those eyes of yours, dear. You’ve got dark rings around them.”

  “Hmm… thanks, Dolly. I might just do that.” Maybe you could get some hooks over your ears, to tie up those crinkled, saggy bags, under your eyes too.

  “Goodbye, dear. There’s a northern wind on the way, I must get Wilbur home before he gets too cold.”

  “Bye, Dolly.” Get your broomstick out and hopefully the wind will be strong enough to blow you all the way to Kansas.

  Ha ha, no spectators. I’m in Will’s penthouse suite, down by the harbour. OMG! xx

  Blimey! He must have some money then.

  Yeah, I reckon so. Not bad under the sheets either. Bit kinky though! xx

 
Kinky? In what way? x

  Wanted me to be his school teacher! xx

  Oh dear. Really? x

  Don’t mind – it was fun! xx

  Each to their own, I guess x

  See you tomorrow… if I can walk! Ha ha! Xx

  Oh dear xx

  The cold wind was beginning to howl through the letterbox and just as Dolly had predicted earlier, the northerly weather front had turned the late autumn into winter, in just a few hours.

  “It’s freezing in here,” said Jenny, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. “Are you cold?”

  “A bit,” Tasha replied. “Hands are cold.”

  “I’ve got a small heater out the back, do you want it behind the counter?”

  “What about you?” Tasha placed her hands underneath her armpits. “You’ll get really cold out in the office.”

  “Hmm… true. I should get another one. The heat from the back of the fridges and freezers, won’t keep the shop warm enough all over the winter.”

  Tasha nodded, politely. “Yes – one more should do it.”

  “I’ll get one tomorrow lunchtime.”

  Tasha smiled and shuddered as the front door opened and an elderly man blew in. Waddling down the aisle, he bent down awkwardly, and picked up a couple of papers. As he approached the counter, his reddened, weather-beaten cheeks, cracked into a smile. “Morning.”

  “Good morning,” said Jenny as she moved across the counter, took the papers and scanned them through the till.

  “Here you go,” said the man, passing a ten pound note across.

  Jenny took the money and began to collect the change from the till drawer.

  The old man held his hand out as Jenny counted the money into it.

  Drip.

  A droplet fell onto the back of Jenny’s hand. Looking up, horrified, she noticed that the man’s nose was dripping. Another globule quivered on the rim of his left nostril.

  Tasha gawped at Jenny’s hand, in horror. Then she gaped at the man’s nose. “Ugh…” she gasped, before clutching at her mouth.

  Wiping the bead of fluid from her hand, discreetly, Jenny gave the man the rest of his money as quickly as she could – whilst watching his nose all the time. “Thank you,” she said, just as the other drop fell from the man’s nose and landed on the counter top.