by Nell Dixon
“Oh, I’m so glad you could both come.” Mum greeted them both with air kisses. “I can’t believe I’ve stayed this long with Chloe without us killing one another.”
I pasted a fake smile on my face. She had that part right.
“It was nice of you to ask us, Mrs Lark,” Tash responded as the waiter showed us to our table.
“Call me Melody, please.” Mum took a seat opposite Tash while I found myself seated opposite Ben.
“You look very nice tonight, Chloe. How are the nerves holding out?” Ben smiled.
I busied myself with spreading the pale pink linen napkin across my lap to hide my shaky fingers. “Not too bad. Hopefully it’ll be quite a short piece and I won’t have to touch anything very horrid.”
“Well I think it’s very brave of you.” Tash gave a delicate shudder. “You wouldn’t get me within ten miles of a place full of big hairy spiders and giant slimy snakes.”
Ben must have seen my face grow pale. “Tash, darling I don’t think you’re helping.”
Tash immediately looked stricken. “Sorry, Chloe.”
Mum picked up the menu and flipped it open. “I honestly don’t know why you let yourself in for these stunts, Chloe. I’m sure there are other jobs out there that you could do.”
I’d lost count of the number of times we’d had these kinds of conversations. ‘Why don’t you look for a steady job? Have you thought of office work? Perhaps you should go back to college for another course?’
Mentally I counted to three. “Because radio is my job, Mum, and I like it. This is a great opportunity I’ve been given. If tomorrow goes well then I might get my opening on TV. Maybe even my own programme. You never know.”
Ben stared at me. “Is that what you want? To be on TV?”
Mum rolled her eyes. “Chloe has never grown out of the stage most children go through where they want to be famous.”
I suspect Mum thinks my desire to work in television is a bit like showing off.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love radio but my dream was to work on something like Blue Peter or on Nickelodeon with my own show.” I was aware my face was probably as red as the covers of the menus.
Fortunately at that point the waiter came over to take our order so I had chance to cool off while we pondered the merits of kormas, tikkas and basmati rice. My face wasn’t the only thing that appeared to cool while we were ordering our dinner. After the waiter had gone to fetch our drinks, Ben also seemed much less disposed to be friendly towards me.
“Have you considered the disadvantages of being famous?” he asked.
“Of course. It isn’t the being famous part that’s important. I think I’d be really, really good on TV. I’d enjoy it.”
I was glad to see the waiter coming back with the drinks. I could use some fortification even if I had promised that I’d restrict myself to one small bottle of Cobra because of the filming tomorrow.
Mum chimed in as she claimed her drink. “I think Ben has a point. I mean you only have a bit part now on the radio and you have someone stalking you.”
“Someone has left me two roses on my car, that’s hardly stalking.”
To my surprise Tash was nibbling nervously on her lower lip and a heavy frown creased Ben’s forehead.
“What? It could be someone who fancies me you know. It’s not that far out of the realms of possibility is it?” Sheesh. I tried to sneak a peep at my reflection in the bowl of a spoon. Did I look that bad?
“Did they leave a note?” Tash asked.
“No, she found the flowers under the windscreen wipers on her car. One when she was parked at the studio, and one when she was in town today.” Mum answered for me.
“See, it could just be some harmless but painfully shy admirer.” I took a sip of my beer.
“Would you really want paparazzi waiting for you outside your front door every minute of the day and night? Having strangers root through your rubbish to find out any secrets? Have them pester your friends and family for gossip or dirt? Having someone leave you a couple of flowers, whilst I agree with your mum that it’s rather worrying, it’s mild in comparison.” Ben folded his arms and leaned back in his seat, his gaze fixed on my face.
He sounded unusually vehement for someone who was supposed to be taking part in a casual discussion about my chosen career and whether or not a nutter was after me. It was as if he’d experienced the downside of fame for himself.
“I want to work on Blue Peter or some other kids TV show not be a judge for X Factor or Dancing on Ice. How much interest would there be unless I led some kind of double life, which I don’t.” I glared back at him.
“Like the tablet incident at the castle?” He raised an eyebrow.
“For the hundredth time, that was a simple accident.” For a minute I forgot I quite fancied him and thought about jabbing him in the leg with my fork instead.
“You couldn’t sit and have a drink like you are now in case someone took your picture and said you were a bad role model for young people.” He wouldn’t let it drop.
“They could, but why would they? That’s mad. Any way, you take pictures of people for your living.”
“I try and treat my subjects with care. I never harass them or take them when they’re emotionally vulnerable.” He glared at me.
The waiters seemed to have picked up on the air of tension surrounding our table like an electrical storm and hurried over with a raft of dishes which they placed before us.
“This looks delicious,” Tash said brightly.
I suspect she hoped to divert her brother from his argument with me. It worked for a moment while we all helped ourselves to curry, rice and extras. The food was delicious and it worked quite well as a diversion for a time as we all busied ourselves with eating.
“I’ve got it; it’s just come to me. I know where I know you from now!” Mum stared at Ben and I could literally see the penny dropping into place.
Ben’s jaw tightened and Tash paled, her eyes appearing huge in her slender face. I was so used to Mum thinking she knew people from various places and invariably discovering that she was wrong I hadn’t taken her seriously when she’d kept saying that she recognised Ben.
“You were on the news last year and in all the papers. You won a medal out in Afghanistan and spoke out for your unit over the safety equipment. Weren’t you wounded going back to save some child who’d been caught in the crossfire? There was the most enormous fuss in the MOD and one of the ministers was forced to resign.”
I could tell by his expression that for once Mum had hit the nail right on the head. I dimly remembered reading something about it now. It had been in the news for a couple of weeks and all over the papers. There had been questions in Parliament and everything.
“Ben doesn’t like to talk about it. He’s not in the army any more. You won’t tell anyone will you?” Tash intervened, anxiety showing clearly on her pretty face.
“No, of course not, but if I recognised Ben then other people may too.” Mum’s forehead creased in puzzlement.
I tried to recall the images that had been circulating of Ben at the time. He’d been pictured in his uniform with crew cut hair and a beret. It was no wonder I hadn’t twigged who he was.
“It’s something I’m trying to put behind me. It caused a lot of trouble even though in the end I hope it helped a lot of other servicemen to get the right equipment.” He appeared to be addressing his comment to me as if he didn’t trust me to keep my big mouth shut.
“Of course I won’t say anything. Let’s face it, I didn’t recognise you.” I tried to keep my tone light. Oh boy, what a night this had turned out to be.
“Ben isn’t asking for his own sake, although what he went through was pretty bad, but for mine. It affected everyone in our family.” Tash’s mouth trembled and tears formed in her dark blue eyes.
I wished I could risk drinking something stronger than Indian lager.
“They tried to get Ben to shut up, you see. Of course he w
ouldn’t and couldn’t. It was impossible knowing that people were dying because of crap decisions being made higher up just to save money and to cover politicians and civil servants’ backs. When they couldn’t find anything to pull Ben down they started to look at his family.” A large tear spilled from Tash’s eye and ran down her cheek.
“You?” I didn’t know why I asked. It was pretty easy to fit the pieces together.
She nodded and dashed her hand across her face to wipe away her tears. Mum pulled a tissue from her bag and passed it across to her.
“They dug around until they found someone who knew Tash and me and spilled the beans on everything she’d gone through. On all our lives. It made the more lurid red top papers.” Ben’s knuckles whitened as his grip tightened around the handle of his fork.
“That must have been awful for both of you.” Poor Tash. She must have felt dreadful. I tried to recall what I’d read. I sensed from the tension in Ben’s shoulders that there was more to the story, maybe even things Tash didn’t know.
“It was.” Ben dug his fork into his curry as if wishing he could spear a red top journalist along with his lamb bhuna.
I could see now why Ben was so agitated about my desire to get on TV. “What about tomorrow at the zoo? Aren’t you concerned that there may be people there in the TV crew who might recognise you? With your new job you’re going to come up against other journo’s all the time.” It seemed an odd career choice for someone who hated the intrusion of the press.
The corners of his mouth tilted up in a mirthless smile. “After seeing how unscrupulous some photographers and journalists could be I decided there had to be a role for someone who would do things more ethically and still report the news. Any way I plan to keep out of their way as much as possible. After all, all the attention will be on you.”
“I’m sorry you got dragged into the mess up with the abseil.” He must have hated having his name all over the radio and the Gazette when I’d passed out.
“Just do me a favour. Don’t let on to Merv about me.” A glimmer of real humour flashed into his eyes as he made his request, lightening the mood a little.
“I can definitely promise you that.”
The rest of the evening went well with no more acrimonious discussions or bombshells. It had turned into a fine dry evening by the time we’d finished eating, and as we weren’t miles away from home, we decided to walk back instead of calling a cab.
Tash fell into step beside Mum and they were soon engrossed in some long rambling comparison of the causes of homelessness in India and those here. Ben strolled along beside me, matching his longer stride to my shorter one. I knew I shouldn’t have worn the patent boots.
“So will you forgive me for wanting a media career?” I sneaked a peep at his face. Hopefully now things had calmed down we could have a rational chat and he wouldn’t bear me a grudge for hankering after the bright lights.
“Maybe.” The corners of his mouth tilted up in a faint smile but I couldn’t tell if he meant it or not.
I gave an involuntary shiver as we rounded the corner and a slight breeze chilled me. Ben draped his arm around my shoulder and I relaxed into his warmth as we walked the final few hundred yards home.
“All I want is to find a career that’s right for me, and this is something I’m actually good at.” I wished I could get him to understand but at least he seemed to have forgiven me.
“Then I hope it works out for you.” His lips brushed mine as Mum and Tash disappeared out of sight and my heart did a crazy skitter.
He lifted his head breaking contact and I struggled to catch my breath.
“We’d better catch them up.” He rewarded me with another smile and we hurried towards the house.
Chapter Eighteen
To my surprise Tash and Mum were waiting for us outside the house.
“Your admirer has followed you home.” Mum pointed to the sheaf of a dozen blood red velvety roses which lay propped against the step.
I stooped to pick them up.
“Oh, it looks like there’s a note.” Tash indicated a scrap of paper tucked inside the cellophane wrapper.
She was right. I fished inside to try and retrieve it all the time wondering if the mysterious sender of flowers was somewhere watching us.
“Let’s go inside. The light is no good out here.” Mum fished her keys from her bag and unlocked the main door.
We all dutifully trooped after her as she opened the door to my flat. Once we were gathered in the lounge and Ben had turned on the lamps I finally managed to extract the note.
“Well?” The lamps highlighted the worry wrinkles on my mother’s brow.
I smoothed out the piece of paper on the surface of the coffee table. “It just says Chloe with a picture of a heart.”
“It’s been typed too, so no clue from the handwriting.” Tash groaned with disappointment.
I let out the breath that I hadn’t been aware of holding. “They’re beautiful flowers.”
“No florist’s card. You’ve honestly no idea who could have sent them?” Ben sat back on his chair.
“No. I’d have thought maybe Neil, my ex but the only time he ever gave me flowers was when they reduced the last bunch at the garage to half price and he’d had a few drinks on his way home.” It was probably too much to hope for that he might be a teensy bit jealous.
Tash flashed a sympathetic smile. “These must have cost a fair bit.” She stroked one of the petals with a gentle forefinger.
“I’m more concerned that whoever your mystery Romeo is, he knows where you live.” Mum sat down heavily on the sofa.
“And he must have known you’d gone out for the evening. Otherwise they would have been there all night. Ben pointed out.
Now I was creeped out. Had someone been lurking around, seen me and Mum leave and then left the flowers on the step? What would he have done if we’d stayed home? Perhaps he would have rung the bell and run off, or even worse, tried to get in.
“That’s a bit scary.” Tash gave a little shiver.
“Well, I’m sure whoever he is will make himself known soon to Chloe soon enough. Please be careful all of you, keep the outside door to the house locked.” Ben didn’t look happy.
He needn’t get grumpy with me. I hadn’t gone out to look for a stalker. It was hardly my fault that some random nutter had decided to start following me around sending me flowers. Eventually after coffee, more discussion and lectures on my personal safety Tash and Ben went home and I finally went to bed.
* * *
My alarm went off way too early. I lay in bed for a while trying to remember why I’d set it to wake me while it was still dark. My eyes were still stopped up with sleep when I set off for Doctor Setti’s clinic. I had my make up in my bag and my hated bright yellow Live it Up sweatshirt on a hanger.
The streets were deserted as Doctor Setti let me into the clinic. She was her usual calm and sanguine self as I settled down on the couch for my final session. My nerves were stretched out like piano wire. I wasn’t sure if I was more worried about the snakes and spiders or about being filmed with the snakes and spiders.
I wasn’t sure if the session would work, my hands were clammy and my face damp with perspiration. It was hard to focus on Doctor Setti’s voice and the steady tick of the metronome.
It was as if I’d only been there five minutes when the session ended.
“Good luck, today. I will be listening for your slot on my radio and I shall watch the TV tonight.” Doctor Setti informed me as she shook my hand.
“Thank you.” At least I’d added to the listening figures for Live it Up even if the hypnotherapy failed.
I switched my mobile back on as I walked the few steps to my car. There were already three missed messages – all from Merv, and all along the same lines.
‘Where was I?’
There were a few more cars on the road as I set off for the zoo. For once in my life I wasn’t even late. The plan was that I’d get to the zo
o in time to meet up with Merv and the Zoo man, set up Live it Up promo banners, and change into my (gack) yellow top. Then we were going to take some snaps with Ben as we did the radio section followed straight afterwards with a repeat for the film crew.
Merv’s flashy yellow sports car was parked outside the entrance to the zoo. I parked next to it, collected my gear together and went to the staff entrance as instructed. As I neared the gate a flash of something orange on the far side of the car park caught my eye. I turned to see what it was but whoever or whatever I thought I’d seen was no longer visible. I’d probably imagined it after the conversations last night about my phantom flower giver.
I signed in and set off to find Merv at the reptile house. My phone buzzed in my pocket on the way up with a good luck message from Shelly. It was just the ticket to perk up my spirits before meeting my less than happy employer.
“What frigging time do you call this, Lark? I need a hand to get these boards up before everyone else arrives.”
“Morning Merv.” I took one end of the pop up display banner that he was attempting to manhandle into the reptile house. A bemused looking man in a navy polo shirt bearing the zoo logo stood and watched as Merv puffed and panted the display stand into position.
Once inside the reptile house I stood and surveyed my surroundings, a horrible sick sensation settling in the bottom of my stomach. All around me were glass fronted displays filled with rocks, bits of vegetation and dry sticks. At first I thought most of them were empty but then I realised the occupants were simply well camouflaged. Oh my God, all those nasty, icky, beady, little, snakey, spidery eyes watching me wondering if I was their breakfast.
A sheen of perspiration formed on my brow and I sucked in a few deep breaths as I tried to channel Yvette Fielding, former Blue Peter presenter and now TV paranormal investigator, my all-time heroine and role model for all things brave.
“Lark, stop messing about and help me with this.” Merv was busy arranging Live it Up promo stuff all over the place. The zoo man scratched his head and left us to it. I wasn’t convinced that the TV Company would show any of Merv’s promo efforts on screen but thought better of giving him my opinion.
