A Christmas Gift

by Sue Moorcroft

  ‘That’s it for today! Thank you all, you were brilliant!’ she called over the clatter and chatter of forty-odd seventeen and eighteen year olds getting the hell out. She too was ready for the day to be over and a headache lurked behind her eyes.

  Then Fern hurried in, swimming against the tide of departing students until she arrived at Georgine’s side. ‘Sorry to barge in,’ she muttered, eyes anxious behind her oval glasses. ‘Aidan came to reception asking for you and seems reluctant to leave. Mr Ogden’s invited him into his room for now.’ She only called Oggie Mr Ogden when she was being particularly official. ‘He asked me to ask you whether you wished to speak to Mr Rustington. Or not.’

  Not, if she were honest. Why the hell would Aidan come to Acting Instrumental? Then mortification swept through her. It couldn’t be for a good reason. ‘I suppose I should see what he wants,’ she muttered ungraciously, all her artistic satisfaction in what they’d achieved this afternoon fading away.

  Fern squeezed her arm. ‘I’ll tell him you’ll be along when you’re ready, shall I?’

  ‘Thanks.’ Heart bumping uncomfortably, Georgine tried to relocate her place in the proceedings. Errol was making sure the amps were switched off and Maddie and Keeley were threading their arms into the sleeves of their coats as they made for the door. Joe was hovering, storyboards under one arm and her laptop under the other, the production file at his feet. Waiting for her. His gaze was sympathetic.

  Nothing like an ex-boyfriend showing up at her place of work unannounced had ever happened to her. She had no idea what Aidan wanted, but her sense of foreboding was strong as she picked up the production file. Stomach like lead, she followed the corridor towards the main building, conscious of Joe behind her as they passed a volunteer crew of Level 2 students in the foyer giggling over decorating the Christmas tree.

  Finally, Georgine reached the admin office, cringing to already be able to hear Aidan through the open door to Oggie’s room, pugnacious and angry. ‘I’m not going till I’ve seen her!’

  ‘Oh, shit,’ Georgine muttered. She had to force her feet to carry her the final few steps into the room. She found Aidan standing one side of the desk, Oggie sitting in his usual position behind it. Oggie saw her first and gave a reassuring smile. ‘Mr Rustington—’

  But Aidan was obviously in no mood to let anyone else have the first word. ‘Georgine!’ he snapped, spinning to face her. ‘What the fuck? I’m no sooner out the door—’

  ‘Mr Rustington,’ Oggie repeated, a note of warning in his voice this time.

  Georgine shut the door with a snap, her own anger suddenly rising. ‘Why are you here, Aidan?’

  ‘Because I went to your house—’

  ‘When you knew I’d be at work?’

  ‘And I find your fucking sister there!’

  Oggie cut in again. He’d come to his feet now. ‘Mr Rustington, I must ask you—’

  ‘I’m hardly out of the door,’ Aidan raged.

  ‘You’ve been gone months. And why shouldn’t I have my sister at my house?’ Georgine kept her tone moderate with difficulty.

  ‘You’ve always, always treated her better than me,’ Aidan raged, spittle gathering at the corners of his mouth.

  Georgine was astonished. ‘She’s my sister.’

  ‘I suppose you’ve been giving her money?’

  ‘That’s my business!’ Georgine snapped.

  Then Joe’s voice came from behind Georgine, making her jump because she’d lost track of him and hadn’t realised he’d slipped into the room behind her. Now his voice was low and steely. ‘I think it’s time you went, mate.’

  Oggie intervened more conventionally. ‘I must request you leave the premises immediately, Mr Rustington, or the police will be called.’ He rounded the desk, his arm outstretched to herd Aidan from the room.

  Aidan glared, seeming to deliberate for a moment whether or not to stand his ground. Then he spun on his heel, shouldered past Georgine, and strode from the office.

  Joe followed, casting back over his shoulder, ‘I’ll make sure he can get out of the main doors.’

  Sudden silence rang in Georgine’s ears. Face boiling, she turned to her boss. ‘I am so sorry. I can’t imagine what he thinks he’s doing these days. He’s always been so civilised. I’ve hardly even seen him angry, let alone make an incomprehensible scene.’ She gulped in a breath. ‘I shouldn’t have engaged with him, should I? It just made him angrier.’

  Oggie guided her to a chair. ‘It’s not necessary to apologise for him, Georgine. You’re not responsible for his behaviour. Let’s have a cup of coffee and give ourselves a moment for the adrenalin to subside.’

  Silently, Georgine watched her boss’s measured movements at the coffee machine. She was pretty sure her adrenalin was quite a way from subsiding because her head felt like a balloon about to burst.

  Then Joe returned. ‘He’s just taken off down the drive in a red Vauxhall. I’ve told Don the site supervisor to watch out for it and let someone know if he turns up again. I’m not having this behaviour,’ he added, which reminded Georgine of his status of landlord.

  ‘I’m sorry he turned up on your property,’ she began, thinking that if Aidan was driving a Vauxhall he must have had to sell his beloved BMW.

  Joe frowned. ‘You didn’t invite or encourage him.’ He reached over and added another cup to the two beside the coffee machine, taking one Oggie had already filled and passing it to Georgine.

  Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for it.

  Oggie and Joe seated themselves. Georgine felt two inches tall for somehow being the cause of the unprofessional upset that had just taken place.

  ‘Now,’ Oggie began, ‘I’m sorry that happened, Georgine. Evidently, I made an error in judgement in asking Fern to show him in here. Having only known the civilised Aidan, as you call him, I thought I could quiet him down while Fern found you, rather than inflame him by ordering him straight off the premises. In hindsight, I achieved the opposite of what I intended and the delay just stoked his anger.’

  Georgine blinked downcast eyes. ‘I can’t imagine what makes him think he has a right to be angry with me.’ Her face, if anything, grew hotter. ‘Debt collectors came to my home looking for him – about his debts,’ she emphasised, in case Oggie thought she was in debt. ‘After giving him a chance to contact them himself, I gave them his phone number and his mum’s address.’

  ‘And it’s gone down like a rat sandwich,’ Joe put in grimly.

  ‘Quite.’ Oggie smiled. ‘I think we can agree that, for whatever reason, whatever he found at your house this afternoon lit his blue touch paper.’

  Slowly, Georgine extended her hand for her coffee, taking several sips before she could trust her voice. ‘But what on earth is he thinking of? Visiting me at home when he knew I’d be at work, then getting in a snit because my sister’s living with me, and coming here?’

  ‘Quite,’ Oggie said again. ‘The question is what happens from here. Would you like to involve the police? Or consider it a one-off and keep it in-house? Fern will no doubt keep her own counsel if we request it. I leave the decision to you. Should it be repeated, however …’ He let the thought trail away but Georgine was in little doubt that if Aidan repeated his behaviour then Oggie would take steps. He had the wellbeing of a lot of young people in his hands, as well as that of his staff.

  Her shoulders hunched. The police? She cringed from the idea. ‘I’ve never known him behave this way. I’d just like to forget it.’

  ‘People do act out of character if you put them under enough stress,’ Oggie told her kindly. ‘How are you feeling? Your wellbeing’s a primary concern.’

  ‘Stunned and shaken, I suppose.’ Georgine drained her cup and replaced it on its saucer. Absently, she wondered if the phrase ‘rattled’ came from being incapable of placing a cup on a saucer without one chattering against the other.

  ‘Will someone be there if I send you home?’ Though it had rung with authority when trying
to deal with Aidan, Oggie’s voice was as soothing as a relaxation tape. ‘Are you fit to drive?’

  Georgine nodded. ‘I will be in a few minutes.’

  ‘I’ll come with you,’ Joe said instantly. ‘Just in case.’

  ‘Of what?’ Georgine began to say. Then, ‘Oh,’ as she realised Joe thought that if Aidan would behave as he had today, it wasn’t out of the question that he’d wait for her at home. The thought made her shiver.

  ‘That sounds a very good idea.’ Oggie got up and came around the desk to crouch his large frame in front of Georgine and regard her keenly. ‘You can stay here for as long as you need to, if you’re not ready to go home.’

  From the corner of her eye, Georgine saw Joe move restlessly, as if he wanted to say something. She took a couple of deep breaths, feeling her heart rate steady. ‘Thanks, but I want to get home and check on my sister. She must have come home from work early if she was there when Aidan called.’ She paused, forehead gathering in a frown. ‘It was crazy of Aidan to think I might be at home before four on a term-time weekday.’ She rose to her feet, glad her legs didn’t feel too much like washed string.

  Oggie rose too. ‘As long as you’re sure you’re good to go. I’ll check back with you in the morning. Let’s have a chat then.’

  Georgine nodded. ‘Of course,’ but her heart sank. As well as checking she was OK, Oggie, as principal of Acting Instrumental, would want to hear more about what led to Aidan’s tantrum. She understood he had the welfare of both students and staff to think of, but the prospect of him having to assure himself Aidan wasn’t a threat to anyone under his wing made her feel hollow.

  After saying goodnight, Georgine went to the staff area. Joe paced along at her elbow and, deciding she couldn’t face work this evening despite the show looming in less than three weeks, she relieved him of the storyboards, production file and laptop and shut them in her locker. When she emerged from the women’s locker room she found him leaning on a wall in the main staff room.

  He straightened when he saw her. ‘OK?’

  She was struck by the unfairness of him being put out on her account. ‘Are you sure you don’t mind being dragged off to my place?’

  ‘I’m not being dragged,’ he returned easily.

  She demurred no more. Aidan’s anger had been unsettling.

  Then Joe’s expression changed. ‘Of course, if letting me see where you live makes you uncomfortable—’ he began stiffly.

  Georgine groaned, digging her gloves out of her coat pocket. ‘Of course not. Don’t let’s have more drama. If you’re sure you don’t mind riding shotgun then I’m very grateful.’

  His expression softened. ‘Happy to help.’ He fell in step beside her for the short walk through a light mist that hung over the car park, then, in silence, she drove them the few minutes to Top Farm Road.

  Chapter Eighteen

  ‘That’s Blair’s car.’ Georgine nodded at Blair’s sporty silver Renault Megane as she pulled up behind it. Thankfully, there was no sign of the red Vauxhall Joe had reported Aidan to be driving earlier.

  Joe got out of the car and leant against it. ‘I’ll hang on while you check your sister’s OK, shall I?’

  Georgine paused, remembering how he’d leapt to the conclusion that she was reluctant to let him see where she lived when she’d only been trying to avoid putting him out. ‘You could come in for a cuppa and say hi to Blair.’

  In an instant, his features relaxed. ‘That would be great. I just about remember her.’

  ‘She was in Year Seven when we were in Year Nine.’ Georgine led the way up the short front path and unlocked the door, jumping when her sister bounded up to meet her in the hall like a dog relieved to see its owner safely home.

  ‘That arse Aidan,’ Blair began hotly, ‘you won’t believe what he did today.’ She stopped short when she caught sight of Joe. Eyes widening, she dropped her voice to a lower, more breathy, key. ‘Well, hello.’

  Georgine made introductions, or re-introductions really. ‘I told you about meeting Joe again after not seeing each other since school. He used his nickname Rich Garrit then,’ she added, so Joe would know Blair was up to speed. ‘Tell me what Aidan’s been up to. Are you OK?’ She pulled off her coat and gloves, leaving Joe to shut the front door on the chilly evening.

  Blair tossed her hair dramatically as she led the way into the lounge diner, where the sofa was ornamented with a sunny yellow duvet. ‘I came home at lunchtime with a dodgy stomach. I was lying here reading when someone unlocked the front door and walked in. I shouted to ask what you were doing home, thinking it was you, Georgine, obviously. Then Aidan waltzed in – with his stuff! I couldn’t believe my eyes.’

  ‘Stuff? What stuff?’ Georgine’s stomach performed a slow, unpleasant flip.

  ‘A backpack and a suitcase!’ Blair’s eyes flashed with indignation. ‘I think he was all set to move back in. We had one of those “What are you doing here?” “Me? What about you?” conversations. He looked furious when I said I was living here. Started spouting about you treating me like a princess.’ Blair’s eyes gleamed. ‘So I told him I could see exactly why you’d dumped his sorry arse and he told me to do something anatomically impossible and slammed out. He was seething,’ she added impressively.

  Georgine collapsed into a chair. ‘He came to Acting Instrumental. He’s gone barmy.’ She found herself turning to Joe. ‘Do you honestly think his behaviour could be all about pressure?’

  His eyebrows rose. ‘I’m no expert, but he’s behaving erratically. You need your locks changed.’

  ‘I suppose so.’ Georgine buried her head in her hands. ‘His decision-making seems to have gone crackers. He obviously feels betrayed and thinks our past relationship should mean I’d protect him.’

  Joe snorted. ‘Your past relationship should mean him not expecting you to stand in the line of fire.’

  ‘What on earth was his end goal in coming here?’ Georgine wondered aloud, heavy and sad that Aidan, who not so many months ago had told her he loved her, was now seeing her as the enemy. However unreasonable that was, it wasn’t a comfortable thought.

  ‘I was wondering the same,’ Joe agreed. He hadn’t sat down, although Blair had made room for him on the sofa by shoving her duvet onto the floor. Instead, he stepped closer to Georgine’s chair, crouching to bring their eyes level. ‘I don’t think you should feel guilty. He’s not coping so he’s playing the blame game.’

  Blair hunched forward. ‘I think he thought the debt collectors would never look here because you’ve already chased them off.’

  Georgine’s eyes burned with tears. ‘I feel sorry for him. He used to be a nice guy with a nice life.’

  ‘You aren’t thinking of letting him move back in, are you?’ demanded Blair, sounding alarmed.

  ‘Of course not.’ Georgine blinked hard. ‘It’s not nice to see someone I once cared for so down, that’s all.’

  ‘I feel sorry for him too, but it doesn’t make me assume responsibility for his situation.’ Joe touched her hand. ‘Do you want a drink or something?’

  Blair jumped up. ‘I’ll make coffee.’ She gave Georgine a consoling hug, then disappeared into the kitchen.

  One of the tears that had been gathering in Georgine’s eyes slithered down her cheek.

  ‘You’ve acted perfectly reasonably,’ Joe reassured her quietly. ‘You even sent him the information on the debt charity.’ His hand had ended up on top of hers, warm and comforting.

  She wiped her cheek on her sleeve. ‘Maybe I should have carried on stonewalling the debt collectors instead of pushing him into a corner.’ In the kitchen, the noise of the kettle boiling rose to a crescendo. Blair clattered around, calling through to ask Joe how he took his coffee.

  Georgine continued drearily. ‘When he was made redundant he changed. Then the rot set into our relationship when the truth about the unpaid bills came out. I admit I’m scared of bad financial situations and I raged at him. He said I made too much of it.’ />
  Joe rose to take two coffee mugs from Blair as she bustled in, passing one to Georgine. ‘It sounds as if he sees it as your job to sort things out for him,’ he said.

  Blair arrived to resume her seat on the sofa, cradling her coffee mug. ‘That’s his mum’s fault, and all those older sisters. He thinks women ought to look after him.’

  Georgine didn’t comment because Aidan had never liked Blair, and Blair had returned the antagonism with interest.

  Each had expected Georgine to prefer them.

  Each thought they had most right to her helping hand when finances got tight.

  Wearily, she let her head fall against the back of the chair. ‘Money, money, always sodding money.’ People were more important than money but it could be tricky to separate people from their financial situation.

  Her mind circled around the Aidan issue as she half-listened to Blair trying to draw Joe out. Joe telling her about this afternoon’s run-through. It seemed days ago, rather than a couple of hours. Georgine only roused from her thoughts when she realised Joe was preparing to leave and Blair was offering him a lift.

  ‘I’ll drive you,’ Georgine said. ‘It’s my fault you’re here.’

  He smiled faintly. ‘It’s not your “fault”, I offered to come with you, and I don’t need to trouble either of you for a lift, thanks. It’s a twenty-minute walk, that’s all.’ His gaze narrowed. ‘As long as you feel safe enough for me to go.’

  Georgine hauled herself to her feet. ‘I’m sure I’ll be fine.’

  ‘I’ll be in all evening,’ added Blair.

  Joe buttoned up his coat. ‘You’ve got my number. Don’t hesitate to ring me if … well, if you need to.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Georgine felt a little blossoming of warmth at his thoughtfulness. ‘Hopefully he’s got it out of his system now.’

  Joe nodded, opening the front door. ‘See you tomorrow, Georgine.’

  She smiled, hearing the echo of their younger selves. See you tomorrow at school. ‘Yes. We have a day to work on whatever we’ve learned from today’s run-through, then on to act two on Friday. Thanks again.’