by Clare Lydon
Steph came out of the back of the shop and hugged Scarlet in greeting, shaking Joy’s hand when she was introduced.
“I hear I might have you both to thank for saving our wedding this weekend — Eamonn mentioned something about a hall.”
Joy clicked her fingers. “Let me make a call now and speak to Celia while I remember.” She stepped out onto the street, phone in hand.
Steph watched her go, then turned to Scarlet. “So how’s it going living with the mayor?”
Scarlet shrugged. “Strangely okay, considering we’re strangers. But she’s on her own like me, so it’s sort of nice having someone to chat to, especially at a time like this. Odd, but good.”
“And how was your flat?”
Scarlet exhaled. “Fucked, still under a foot of water. I can go back tomorrow and start the clean-up process. I’m really not looking forward to that. And the smell — like something from the bowels of hell.”
“Some roads are more affected than others with that — luckily, we haven’t found that part too bad. Still, when they clear it, it might help.” Steph put an arm around her. “We can help Scarlet tomorrow, can’t we?” she said to her fiancé.
Eamonn nodded. “Totally — I can don my Marigolds again, no problem.”
Scarlet shook her head. “Really, you don’t have to. You’ve got your own disaster to contend with, and the wedding, too...”
“Nonsense, we can still spare a few hours — one for all and all that. You can’t do it on your own, it’d be too much. Plus, we’re dab hands with bleach now, so you’re getting expert help with us. It’s not like we could open even if we wanted — the electricity’s still not on, so I can’t bake anything, and the cash registers don’t work. I’ve brought our camping stove down for hot drinks, and the whole road has been using it.” She paused. “You want a coffee?”
“I’d love one — even being in my flat was so cold.” But even though she was cold, she was warmed with their generosity of spirit: warmed to the core. “It’s going to take months to dry it out and get it back to normal. And that’s not even imagining the cost.” Her face slumped as she said it, and Eamonn jumped to her side, her ever-present mascot.
“It’s going to be fine, you’ll see,” he said, putting an arm around her. “Because if all else fails, you know the lady with the camping stove and the cakes she baked at home. So you’re already ahead of the game.”
Just then, Joy came in, giving them a thumbs-up. “I’ve arranged a meeting with Celia — I assumed you could get up there any time? She says pop up tomorrow morning to see the room, but it’s fine, they’ve nothing booked. It’s just a matter of you saying yes.”
“I could kiss you right now, Mrs Mayor,” Steph said. “Really, thanks so much.”
“Thank my gran when you see her — it was her idea.”
“We will,” Steph said. “And you’re both invited, of course. I had a whole table plan and was stressing over numbers, but now, those things don’t seem so important, do they? And I’d love you both to be there, if you’re free?”
Joy looked at Scarlet, who gave her a smile and a shrug.
“I was going to the evening anyway, and I don’t have any other pressing plans on Saturday, apart from mopping my flat,” Scarlet said. It wasn’t lost on her this was their first joint invitation to anything, but she said nothing. “And we all need a reason to celebrate more than ever now, don’t we?”
“That’s settled then,” Steph said, not even waiting for Joy’s answer. “Now, coffee all round?”
CHAPTER NINE
Back at home, Joy and Scarlet were sat in the lounge, both on their tablets. They were the picture of domestic bliss, which made Joy smile inside. In just a few days, they already had their set stools in the kitchen and set sofas in the lounge. Plus, now, they had their first joint wedding invitation. If they ever did become a couple, they had the basis for their relationship already set in stone.
“Did you call your brother yet, by the way?” Joy looked up from her emails: it looked like she’d have to go round to George’s house tonight to talk about co-ordinating the clean-up this week.
“Which one?”
“I don’t mind, but perhaps the one who lives an hour or so up the road. But either of the mythical creatures.” Scarlet was being evasive about it, but Joy was having none of it.
“Not yet,” Scarlet said, shifting her tablet on her knee.
“Don't you think it might be time? What if he tries to contact you?”
Scarlet sighed, and Joy could just imagine her as a teenager. Stubborn, infuriating, but immeasurably cute. Not for the first time, Joy wished she’d met her sooner.
“He probably wouldn’t be surprised to find I’d moved and not told him. Hurt, sad, but not surprised.”
Joy rolled her eyes. “All the more reason to call him, fill him in on the fact you’re homeless and destitute.” She’d been on at Scarlet to do it ever since she’d revealed she had family nearby, and having seen her flat today, Joy was convinced the more pairs of hands they had to help out, the better.
“You make it sound so glamorous.”
Joy raised a cynical eyebrow at Scarlet. “If I have to see my brother, who’s a prize idiot by the way, then you have to see yours, who sounds lovely. He’s going to be happy you called, isn’t he?” She paused. She understood Scarlet’s reasoning for not calling, but this was an emergency. “Why don't you do it now? Take your cup of tea up to your room or into the kitchen or wherever you might feel most relaxed and just call him. I’ve got to go out in a minute anyway, so you could even do it in here in ten minutes if you don’t want to move.”
Scarlet sighed. “It's not that simple.”
“You’re over-thinking it.”
Scarlet pursed her lips. “This is a brother who I've been ignoring for the past two years. A brother I’ve seen once and send Christmas cards to. A brother who's never been anything but lovely to me and doesn't deserve any of this."
Joy smiled at Scarlet. “So he’ll forgive you — if everything you say is true, and I'm sure it is, he'll forgive you. He wants you in his life. You're the one who's been blocking him out. If you call him, he'll be over the moon, trust me.”
She hopped off the sofa to give Scarlet some space: she wasn’t going to listen to Joy, she had to come to this on her own terms.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Joy said, patting Scarlet’s knee as she walked by.
***
And so here Scarlet was, ten minutes later, phone in hand, lump in throat. Her mouth was dry, her fingers tingling.
Clark. Pain in the arse, lovely Clark.
He’d always had her back, even though he was four years younger than her. Always wanted to be her protector, even though Scarlet had never needed protecting. But that’s the way Clark was, just like her dad had been. And her dad would want her to call Clark. That thought drove her finger down on the green button and sent her heart-rate through the roof.
He answered after three rings.
“Scar?” His voice sounded incredulous, like he didn’t believe this really would be her.
“Hi,” she replied.
“Is everything okay?” He sounded like their dad: strong and reliable. Just the sound of his voice made Scarlet wobbly.
“Everything’s fine,” she said, before she remembered it wasn’t. “Well, not really, but I’m okay.”
“Not sick or dying?”
She smiled. “Not last time I checked. Nope, all present and correct.”
“Well, okay then,” he said, exhaling. “Then if you’re not sick or dying, can I shout at you for not returning my calls?” He tried to be serious, but she could hear the smile in his voice.
“You can try, but I’ll hold the phone away from my ear.”
“I’ll just seethe silently,” he said with a laugh. “So what’s going on? Three months and now a call. You’re not moving to Australia, too, are you?”
Now it was Scarlet’s turn to laugh. “No, I’ll leave tha
t to Fred. You know I don’t work well in hot climates.” She paused. “I’m just calling to let you know I have moved, though — but not through choice. My flat was flooded on Saturday, and as you know it’s in the basement, so it didn’t fare well. It’s totally gutted and I’ve lost everything. But strangely, I feel okay about it.”
“Shit, I’m so sorry — that’s why I texted, but you said you were okay.” He paused. “But you are okay — at least, you sound it. You sound calm, accepting, and that’s very weird. Especially for you.”
“I wish everyone would stop saying that; makes me sound like the Grinch.”
“You haven’t exactly been a ray of sunshine over the past few years. But I blame Liv.”
Scarlet rolled her eyes — there he went, trying to be her protector. He’d never liked Liv. Turned out, Clark was a rather better judge of character than she was.
“Well, anyway, I’m living with the mayor temporarily.”
“The mayor?”
“Which sounds worse than it is. She’s a woman for a start, really lovely, my age. Plus, she has a spare room and we get on great.”
“If you need somewhere to stay, you could always come and stay with me. I don’t like the thought of you living with strangers.”
“And I would, of course I would, but the hour and a half commute to work might be a killer. And honestly, this is working out well. She’s been nothing but welcoming, and the community has really rallied round, too. I’m fine — which is more than I can say about my flat.”
“I’ll come over to help when you get back in — when will that be?”
“Tomorrow I think, or perhaps Wednesday.”
“Call me and I'll drive over.”
“You don’t need to, Clark.”
“I know I don’t need to, but I want to. You’ve cut me out of your life for way too long, but this is what families do — help each other in times of need. So call me, and I’ll drive over and help you out. Is there anything else you need?”
“A bed, a sofa, coffee table, books...”
“You know what I mean — anything you need right now?”
“Actually, if you could bring some money, that would be great. I can pay you back, but the nearest cashpoint that’s working is a half hour drive away, and my car’s buggered, too.”
“I can bring you cash, no problem. Just promise me you’ll text or call this time, and not just forget like all the other times?”
Scarlet blushed as she thought of all the times she’d let him down. Yet here he was, ready to drop everything to come to her aid when she needed him. She really should have called him sooner.
“I promise I will text you, you have my word. Plus, you’re bringing cash, so added incentive.”
“You always were the more mercenary sibling.”
CHAPTER TEN
Joy had a whole roster of clients on Tuesday, and she was glad when the end of the day finally ticked around. She shut down her Skype client, turned off her mic, and went downstairs to get a drink of water. Scarlet’s guitar was sat on one of the chairs where she’d left it last night after the call with her brother, which had put a positive spring in her step.
Joy liked that Scarlet was leaving things around the house now; her tears had stopped and she was starting to feel at home. And so was Joy, finally, after nearly two years in the house. Her friend Wendy often told her she needed a life coach of her own, but Joy had steadfastly resisted so far. But looking at her life now, maybe Wendy had been right.
The front door opening signalled that Scarlet was home from work — Joy had given her a key, much to her embarrassment. Scarlet had tried to negotiate paying rent, too, but Joy had told her that could wait until they knew how long Scarlet would have to stay. For now, Scarlet was giving Joy some welcome company and friendship, and that was more than enough payment for her.
“How was your first day back?” Joy asked, as Scarlet walked in and put the kettle on. If Scarlet looked good in her casual attire, her work gear held allure, too. Her dark trouser suit was well tailored and she’d added make-up and polished loafers for added impact. An impact that wasn’t lost on Joy. She loved the company Scarlet was providing her, but being around her was getting more difficult by the day.
“Strangely fine. I wasn’t the only one affected but I’m probably one of the worst. Still, after today at work I’ve already got an offer of a bed and a coffee table, and my boss gave me the rest of the week off to sort everything out. I texted my brother and he’s going to come over tomorrow to help me with the flat.” Scarlet turned, gripped the kitchen counter and exhaled. “So I’m not feeling quite so daunted about it all now, which is weird.” She paused. “It’s nice to know people have your back.”
Joy gave her a smile. “Good, that’s real progress — optimism. It’s contagious, and it’s in the air. Especially after the council’s refuge service did such a great job today clearing up the streets. It’s like clutter at home — you always feel better when it’s tidied up, don’t you? Clearing the streets has cleared people’s minds, made them see things afresh.”
“It has,” Scarlet said. “And I can feel the optimism. I just wish the looters shared it — they’re spoiling it for the rest of us.”
Joy shook her head. “There are always some.” Looters had gone into homes and businesses last night, stealing what was left to take, but Joy didn’t like to dwell on those parts of humanity. “But while you’re in this upbeat mood, I have a proposition for you.”
A smirk tweaked Scarlet’s mouth as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Really?”
“I didn’t mean that exactly as it came out,” Joy added, heat creeping into her cheeks.
She was only semi-lying.
“When I saw George, the council leader, last night, he asked a favour. The local news want to do a personal interest story with one of the flood victims, and he asked me for suggestions seeing as I’ve been more out and about with the people. I said I’d get back to him, but I was thinking you, Steph and Eamonn, to get the home owner and business angle. What do you think?”
Scarlet winced and shook her head. “It’s not really me, being in front of the camera, is it?”
Joy got up off her stool. “But that was the old Scarlet, the one who hid away. The new one is strong, capable and would make a gorgeous TV interview. Just look at you,” Joy said, waving a hand in front of Scarlet, not bothered how she sounded. “Come on, give them something pretty to look at on-screen. Otherwise it’ll be Sue Janus spouting off again.” Joy held Scarlet with her gaze. “For me?”
“Are you on a mayoral bonus if I say yes?”
“I get double cakes from Maureen Armitage if I come through,” Joy said with a smile. “So is that a yes?” She didn’t want to stop and analyse what she’d just said to Scarlet, because that would be too scary. She’d just told Scarlet she was gorgeous, she’d just shamelessly flirted. Nope, Joy was just going to crash through this conversation and see if she could get to the other side without falling on her face. Or perhaps, falling onto Scarlet’s face with her own.
Scarlet held her gaze for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, why not? It slots in nicely to what has been the most bizarre week of my life so far.”
“Awesome, I’ll get back to George. And can you ask Eamonn and Steph?”
“I will, but they’ll be up for it. They’re way less camera-shy than me.”
“That’s what I thought,” Joy said, getting mugs. “Cup of tea?”
“Do you need to ask?”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Clark picked Scarlet up from Joy’s house at 11am the next day in his white Audi, and Scarlet made all the right noises.
“Fancy car, little brother,” she said. “You must be doing well at work.”
He smiled at her. “This old thing? I may have been promoted since last we spoke and I may have treated myself to some new wheels.”
“You have my blessing — very fancy.”
“Glad you approve.” He paused, looking over hi
s shoulder to pull out. “Are we going to be able to get near to yours, or should I park elsewhere?”
“Not sure,” Scarlet said. “The council did a big clear-up this week, but our road might be full again if people are only just getting back into their houses. Probably best to park a couple of roads away and we can walk the rest.”
“Got it.” He pulled up at some traffic lights and glanced across at Scarlet. “It’s really great to see you, even if it’s not the best circumstances. And you look better than I’ve seen you in ages — not like someone who’s lost everything.”
“I’m beginning to think that maybe I haven’t,” she replied. “I mean, on the surface, yes, I have. I had no insurance, I’ve got nothing left. So yes, I’m fucked. But I’ve met some amazing people, my boss was so kind yesterday, and my football friends have been amazing, too. It’s just been humbling, and if I hadn’t been flooded, I’d never have known it could happen.” She shrugged. “Everything happens for a reason.”
“I like this new Scarlet,” Clark said, beaming. “And I know you said you don’t want to move in with me, and I understand why, but at least come for a weekend — you haven’t seen my new place yet. Give Joy some time alone.” He paused, glancing sideways. “Or bring her, if you like — there are some great pubs and restaurants I could take you to.”
“I will,” Scarlet replied, avoiding the obvious fact he’d just invited Joy to stay at his when Scarlet had no idea whether or not she’d want to come. She might indeed want some time alone, and Scarlet couldn’t blame her — her home had been invaded. Yet the thought of going away and leaving Joy behind filled her with sadness.
Now, they’d just pulled up two roads over from Scarlet’s flat: she was just about to get out when she felt Clark’s hand on her arm.
Scarlet turned, and he was holding out a brown envelope to her.
“Just before I forget, this is for you. And it’s not a loan, it’s a gift.”
