by Jenny Kane
‘He doesn’t want to set one up, more run one for a time, and then possibly take it over.’
Peggy paused in mid-wipe, ‘Kit? Are you saying what I think you’re saying?’
‘I think so. If you’re thinking about Reading Nature?’
‘But Jack and Phil don’t even get on that well.’
Kit propped up the broom and started collecting the accumulated crumbs with a dustpan and brush. ‘They get on much better these days. The point is, though, that Phil gets on really well with Rob.’
‘How exactly is all this going to work?’
‘God knows, but Phil seems quite excited about it, and apparently Rob is too. They think they can expand the range a bit. Increase internet sales; advertise in US travel brochures that feature Kew Gardens, that sort of thing.’
‘And what does Jack think about it?’
‘He has no idea yet. Phil is meeting him this afternoon.’
Peggy’s eyebrows shot up, ‘Should Rob have been told before Jack?’
‘Probably not, but Jack isn’t at the shop much these days, and when he is, Rob says he’s pretty much a waste of space.’
‘What if Jack hates the plan?’
‘Then it’ll be back to the drawing board, I suppose. I hope Jack does go for it though, even if it’s just a short term thing while he’s abroad. Phil’s dead keen.’
‘I didn’t know Phil was into wildlife and stuff.’
‘He’s not, but he is into …’
The door opened and Amy walked in. With her came the first handful of early tea drinkers. ‘Remember, not a word.’ Kit whispered, noticing the dark shadows under the newly arrived waitress’s eyes before ducking into the kitchen to see Scott.
*……*……*
A message arrived on Amy’s phone as she emptied out the clean glasses from the dishwasher.
Paul called. Will visit soon. Nepal dig almost closed. Rx
She hummed softly to herself, day dreaming about spending time with her two oldest friends, as she started to prepare a loaf of bread ready to make the day’s sandwiches.
Half an hour later, Kit was pleased to see Amy’s happy expression as she strode over to a newly occupied table to take an order. For the second time this week, Kit noticed how much slimmer Amy was these days, not that she’d needed to lose weight in the first place. If she hadn’t been so drawn and heavy around the eyes, Kit would have been extremely jealous.
The hopeless lost look had gone. Bess couldn’t hide her relief as she saw her friend move confidently around the room. No longer stiff-limbed, her false smile gone, she warmly greeted her colleagues as she headed to her desk …
Kit stopped writing as Amy headed in her direction with a drink re-fill. ‘Peggy thought it was time you had a top-up.’
‘That’s great, thanks.’ Kit glanced about her, ‘Where is Peggy, anyway?’
‘Scott’s managed some of the morning on his feet, but Peggy doesn’t want him overdoing it before his hospital visit this afternoon, so she’s trying to coax him back into the wheelchair for a bit.’
‘Tricky.’
‘Indeed. I’m keeping out of it.’
‘Probably best,’ Kit gestured to the seat in front of her, ‘take a seat while you can.’
‘Thanks, I will. Just for a minute though.’ Amy subsided onto the wooden chair, ‘my feet are killing me already.’
‘You’re looking good,’ Kit plunged straight in, knowing they could be interrupted by a customer at any time. ‘I’ve been worried about you.’
Amy hung her head. She knew she’d neglected Kit a bit recently. ‘I’ve had things on my mind. I haven’t offended you, have I?’
‘Don’t be daft; I was just worried.’
Amy accepted her concern and tried to explain, ‘This business with Jack and Toby, I honestly believed that everything was fine and that I’d sorted it all out in my head. Now they’re going away, and it feels as if I’ve broken up with Jack all over again.’
‘You should have said; we could have had coffee or something.’
Amy toyed with a stray teaspoon, ‘Bless you, but this is old ground now. I’ve been stupid, and needed time to adjust, that’s all. Jack never gave me any impression that he was after more than a friendship. He only ever referred to men when he discussed future relationships. But he was so comfortable to be around. I’ve been such a fool. I was too ashamed to talk about it, really.’
‘Oh, honey.’ Kit reached an arm out to her.
Amy acknowledged the offer, but said, ‘I finally realised that I’ve been so wrapped up in Jack, I’ve been neglecting Rob, just like I did when I left university. I’m going to spend some time with him. Catch up on the good bits of my past, not the painful bits.’
Kit sipped her drink, ‘Is that why you’re so bouncy today, happy memories?’
‘You could say that, you see I’ve had this text from another old friend passed on to me …’ Amy’s explanation was cut short by the arrival of a customer.
As Kit watched Amy head towards the new arrival, she contemplated who the text might be from; she privately hoped that the upturned lips on Amy’s face would stay in place until after she’d served lunch to Phil and Chris tomorrow.
Fifty-two
January 17th 2007
Excitement rushed through Kit as she read the email for a second time, just in case she’d misunderstood. She hadn’t. Kit clutched the news to herself like a precious secret, a positive omen. It had to be a good sign.
Printing out the message, she folded it up, and slid it into her jeans pocket. Kit turned off the laptop. Gathering up her things, she squeezed the piece of paper between her fingers. If all else failed today, at least there was something to look forward to.
Sat in her corner at Pickwicks, Kit ripped a blank page from the back of her notebook, and began to jot down ideas for the new task that demanded her attention. She hardly noticed the customers come and go, her coffee being re-filled, or her empty cake plate being removed. It was almost twelve o’clock when Peggy broke through her concentration.
‘You wanted to leave by twelve today, didn’t you?’
Kit looked blank; momentarily confused.
Peggy prompted her further as she picked up Kit’s drained cup, ‘Phil will be here with Chris in ten minutes. You said you didn’t want to be here when they talked to Amy.’
‘Hell, where’s this morning gone?’ Kit knocked together the crumpled pieces of notebook that littered the table.
‘What on earth have you been doing?’ Peggy surveyed the unusually messy nature of her friends work.
‘Nothing much,’ Kit grabbed her coat, ‘must dash.’ She turned to Peggy as she waved goodbye, ‘Can you text me when they’ve gone?’
Too restless to go home, Kit headed towards Kew. At least one of the boys would be in the shop this afternoon, and she wanted to thank them.
Phil had been so full of ideas when he’d got home from his meeting with Jack that he’d barely touched his dinner. A pad of paper at his side, he’d jotted down thoughts and numbers, in much the same haphazard fashion as she had in Pickwicks that morning.
Kit was surprised to see that it was Jack sitting behind the counter as she pushed the door of Reading Nature open. ‘Hello, I didn’t think you’d be here.’
‘Of course I’m here. What a cheek to imply I’d neglect my business!’ Jack lifted his head from the pile of documents scattered across the counter and grinned impishly at Kit. ‘Nice to see you. Coffee?’
‘Naturally,’ She gestured to the paperwork, ‘I’ll get it, shall I? You’re obviously busy.’
‘Thanks,’ Jack carried on attacking his inbox. ‘This is all due to your husband.’
‘Really?’ Kit called back over her shoulder as she heaped teaspoons of instant granules into their mugs.
‘I’m sorting out all the shop’s financial reports, tax accounts and stuff. Best he runs the place with full knowledge of all our quirks and secrets.’
Waiting for the kettl
e to boil, Kit loitered at the kitchen door. ‘It’s ever so good of you Jack. Phil is so excited about this.’
‘It’s good of him, not me.’ Jack neatened the documents into groups. ‘It means I don’t have to feel guilty about running off and leaving Rob. I know it’s his business too, but as I own the lion’s share, it’s down to me if we hit the rocks.’
‘I’m sure he’d have coped.’ Kit retreated to fetch their drinks, shouting back, ‘Rob’s very resourceful.’
‘I know he is. Thanks,’ Jack took his mug, ‘but he shouldn’t have to cope alone. Anyway, Phil already has more plans for this place than I’ve had in years.’
Kit grinned at her friend affectionately, ‘Where is Rob anyway?’
‘Having a well-earned day off. I think Debbie will kill me if I don’t start appreciating my partner a bit more!’
‘Can’t say I blame her.’ Kit’s eyes twinkled at him as she sat down behind the counter. She looked about her, ‘I can’t picture Phil doing this though, selling books in a shop. ‘
‘Why not? It’s not beneath him!’
‘Don’t go all indignant,’ Kit put down her mug, ‘I meant it’ll feel strange. I always picture him behind a desk Monday to Friday, not in a shop, Monday to Saturday.’
‘Not every Saturday I hope. I’m pushing to employ a Saturday helper, that way Rob and Phil can take it in turns to have a weekend off.’
‘Good idea. I’ll admit to being apprehensive about entertaining the twins on my own every Saturday.’
‘Are you maligning my lovely godchildren?’ Jack winked playfully as he took three different-coloured folders from the drawer next to him, and began to put the papers he’d arranged inside. ‘I’d considered asking Amy to work the odd weekend, might help her finances a bit. What do you think?’
Kit started to toy with the edge of the mouse mat, ‘I’m not sure she’d want to actually.’
‘Want to, or need to?’ Jack regarded Kit suspiciously. ‘You always fiddle when you’re not telling me something.’
‘What makes you so sure of that?’
Jack laughed, ‘‘Cos, I know you …’
‘Very well!’ They spoke together.
‘Touché!’ Kit laughed. ‘I can’t tell you the details, I’m sworn to secrecy.’
‘Not even a clue?’
‘Not even if you gaze coquettishly at me through those fluttering eyelashes!’
‘Swine.’
‘Anyway,’ Kit knew she should tread carefully, ‘I don’t think Amy would want to work for you, Jack.’
‘Why not?’
‘Oh honestly, Jack, for an intelligent man, you can be so stupid.’ Kit felt exasperation rise, ‘I’ll say it one last time. Amy is happy for you and Toby, but I’m not sure that she needs the fact of your relationship jammed down her throat at the moment.’
‘But I wouldn’t even be here!’
‘Exactly, you’d be away. With Toby.’
Jack creased his brow. ‘But …?’
Kit twinkled her yes at him mischievously, ‘Did you know you always look confused when you try and work out why women think like they think? You get a little crease right in the middle of your forehead.’
Jack drank down his coffee. ‘Well, it’s hardly surprising is it? You’re all a bloody mystery to me!’
Checking her mobile again in case she’d failed to hear the arrival of the text she’d been waiting for, Kit sighed. There was nothing. It was almost three o’clock. She stood at the school gates, watching for her children’s faces to appear amongst the crowd of rowdy freshly freed pupils. Why hasn’t Peggy texted? Why hasn’t Phil? Surely the lunchtime chat couldn’t still be going on?
By a quarter to four, just as Kit thought she was going to go mad with waiting, a text came through. It was from Peggy.
Sorry, been very busy. Amy still sat with them. Xx
Still there! The table had been booked for a quarter past twelve. What the hell were they discussing? It must be a good sign if Amy had been with them over three hours? Or maybe she hadn’t been with them the whole time. Perhaps lunchtime had been too busy for her to leave Peggy during the early stages of the meeting? Kit cursed herself for leaving Pickwicks. If she’d stayed then she could have helped Peggy out, and Amy would have been free earlier.
Aware she was becoming paranoid, Kit poured herself a glass of wine. A bit early in the day perhaps, but she felt like she needed it. Anyway Kit smiled to herself; I’m supposed to be celebrating.
The folded piece of paper in her jeans pocket had been a quiet source of support all day. Pulling it out, Kit read it yet again. She felt the same excited glow she’d experienced when she’d first seen the message that morning. If Phil would only text, she could share the news. Funny, Kit thought as she savoured her wine, it didn’t occur to me to tell Jack when I saw him. She was dragged out of her thoughts by the ring of the phone.
‘Kit Lambert speaking … Oh, hello, it’s kind of you to call …’
Fifty-three
January 17th 2007
Ignoring the steaming cup of coffee that Scott had brewed for her, Amy excused herself from Pickwicks as quickly as she could. She could see that Peggy had been looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to say something, but Amy wasn’t in the mood to talk. She stalked towards the railway station and the soon to close Kew Gardens.
That morning she’d woken up with the increasingly common feeling of financial insecurity swimming around her head. And now, out of nowhere, she’d been given a way out. A chance of a job. No. The chance of a career. A future in a thriving company. Not a lowly position from which she could work up, but a managerial appointment. That sort of thing just never happens in real life.
Phil had cast his personal knowledge of Amy aside, and had been very professional throughout the impromptu meeting. He’d told her what he was wanted for Home Hunters, why he wanted it, and that if Amy was interested and was confident she could fulfil that role, he would need to see a full CV and references.
Chris, the other manager, had been openly cautious. Explaining, quite frankly, that he required a partner whom he could trust and relate to. Amy had found herself thrown into a position of justifying herself, her past work, her current employment and her future with absolutely no prior warning at all.
She knew she should be thrilled. She’d been more or less promised the post after successfully impressing Chris, and earning a private thumbs-up from Phil. Instead Amy felt angry. Manipulated. She cringed as she imagined Kit and Phil hatching up the plot, arranging to save her, without even thinking to mention it to her first.
Slamming the door of the Princess of Wales Conservatory shut behind her, Amy sat onto the first bench she came to and tried to arrange her thoughts. She didn’t doubt that they’d acted in good faith, but surely Kit of all people would have realised how important it was for her to sort her own life out. After years of hiding, of keeping everything safe, of not being brave enough to make herself a future, she had to be the one to do it. To break the mould; to make her own way.
Her mobile vibrated in her pocket. It had gone off several times since she’d walked out of the café, but Amy left the texts unread. They would be from Kit or Peggy, delighted on her behalf. Expecting her to be celebrating, not seething.
Feeling as prickly as the cacti that surrounded her, Amy attempted to calm down. Logically. I must think logically.
The first fact she thought, as she watched the last tourists of the day pass her by, was that for the first time since leaving university she had friends that cared for her enough to try and help her. But how dare … No, be calm. Think logically.
The second fact was that she badly needed a well-paid job – and this was a really good one. Amy knew that it was a post she would have applied for anyway if she’d seen it advertised. She’d be able to use all the skills she’d built up in her previous job, as well as the customer relations stuff so recently honed to perfection with Peggy. Work would only take up four days of the week, albeit
long days, and in time there would be a salary large enough to secure her rent and living expenses.
Thirdly, she’d meet new people. Phil had said that the office staff were all lovely. ‘And let’s face it,’ Amy muttered quietly to herself, ‘I’ll never meet the bloke of my dreams at Pickwicks.’
Getting up, Amy began to walk towards the exit, and on through the gloomy, flickering street light darkness of early evening. The initial shock and outrage began to wear off as she considered how nice it would be to have a living wage coming in again. How lovely it would be not to eat Marmite on toast every night for fear of spending too much on food. Kit and Peggy would have been horrified to learn that the only proper meals she’d eaten lately were the pizzas she’d had with Jack, Christmas dinner with her parents, and the free food Scott gave her for lunch, most of which was consumed on the hoof between serving customers.
Amy strode past Reading Nature without a second glance. Rob might well have heard about her job offer by now. Maybe he’d known about it before she did. She was damn sure that Jack would know. Kit talked to him about everything. That meant Toby would know too. She clenched her hands until her fingernails cut into her palms skin.
The first of February. That was when they were leaving. Amy couldn’t decide if she wanted the time to go faster, or if she wanted it to drag, so that she could get used to the idea. Idiot. There was nothing to get used too. It was nothing to do with her.
Exhaling noisily as her phone buzzed again, Amy gave in and retrieved her mobile from her inside pocket. Four unanswered messages flashed at her.
The first was from Peggy.
You ok? Great news on job. Don’t worry about café. Go for it! Peg x
The second and third, spaced about thirty minutes apart, were from Kit.
Heard from Phil. Said offered you job. Fantastic. Are you pleased? K x
Amy? You ok? Peggy says you left work in a hurry. Call me. K xx
It was the next text that stopped her in her tracks however. It had come from Rob.
Got great news. Paul coming next Tuesday. Dig finished early. Ideas for day out??? R x
Amy felt her frown smooth away. Rob hadn’t known about the job. Perhaps Jack didn’t either then? Surely she’d have received a text from him if he had. Maybe she hadn’t been quite as set up as she’d first believed?
