‘I wondered if anyone from the paper would come round,’ Gemma said as she led Ellie into another room.
Ellie shot a quick look around to form some sort of immediate opinion about who and what she was dealing with. The room offered very little in the way of clues; as soulless and as uniform as the exterior of the house, it was decorated in lightly patterned magnolia paper, plain beige curtains and a teak dining set as inured in the 1980s as Mr Fox’s shell suit. It didn’t look like they were an affluent family but they didn’t seem particularly badly off either. Squashed in a corner behind the table and chairs was a cream two-seater sofa. Gemma sat down without inviting Ellie to do the same, but Ellie followed and sat next to her anyway.
‘You’ve read the newspaper coverage then?’ Ellie asked.
‘Yes,’ she said simply.
‘But you haven’t been to see Ben.’
‘No. I didn’t want to give him false hope. I thought he would give up and go home after a night.’
‘I don’t think he has any intention of doing that.’
‘I can’t send a clearer message than I am already.’ Gemma curled a lock of hair around her finger as she watched Ellie produce a notepad and pen.
‘Maybe he thinks,’ Ellie said, ‘however misguided the belief may be, that he can change your mind.’
Gemma sniffed but didn’t reply.
‘You must have been fond of him once?’ Ellie pressed.
‘Yes… of course.’
‘So what changed?’
‘Things got stale. I felt so trapped in that flat with our lives of doing nothing. Ben had dreams, but they seemed a long time coming true and we had no money –’
‘Money isn’t everything.’
‘Try telling that to someone who has none.’
‘Just because there’s no money now, doesn’t mean it will always be so. Lots of couples start off a bit broke. Things change along the way. What about his plans for a music school? Things will be better when that gets going.’
‘You mean if that gets going. I had thought his band would make it… they came close and I was so excited for him, you know. His passion is music and he’s always wanted to work in the industry in some way. But then it all came to nothing. I think he was more gutted than he says but his nerves let him down…’
‘Performing didn’t suit him – he told me that. But the music school is a very different proposition.’
Gemma didn’t reply immediately. And when she did, Ellie was taken aback by her change of tone. She sounded far less certain of herself than she had when Ellie arrived. ‘I suppose you think this is all my fault. I look like the villain here. It doesn’t matter…’
‘I hadn’t meant to make you look like a villain,’ Ellie said, the dry heat of the room now making her feel flustered. She was beginning to think coming here was a bad idea. Driving over she had felt so sure of how the conversation was going to go, but now, meeting Gemma, she was more confused than ever. What if Gemma was the victim here? If there even was a victim. Hundreds of relationships fizzled out, every day; what made theirs different? Did Ellie have the right to interfere in their lives this way? Perhaps some relationships were better off dead. Like her parents’ for instance… She shook herself. No, she decided, she wasn’t giving up on this one just yet. Not when there was a man as determined as Ben to make it work. ‘If you want, now might be the time to tell your side of the story…’
Gemma paused and appraised Ellie thoughtfully. ‘Maybe that’s not such a bad idea. Is this just me telling you or for the paper?’
Ellie frowned. ‘I suppose it’s whatever you want it to be. Would you mind terribly if it went in the paper?’
‘I suppose you could print some. Not all of it though.’
‘Why, was he a bad boyfriend?’ Ellie asked with an unexplained sense of dread.
‘Oh no,’ Gemma said. ‘He didn’t knock me about or anything.’
Ellie heaved a silent sigh of relief. ‘So what’s your version of events then?’
Gemma shrugged. ‘He never had time for me. There was always something else to do: band practise, his bar job, volunteering at Millrise High –’
‘He volunteered at the high school?’ Ellie interrupted. Ben hadn’t mentioned that to her.
‘Yeah, he taught some of the kids guitar. They don’t have a school budget for it and he agreed to help out once a week with the ones who couldn’t afford private tuition.’
‘Once a week doesn’t sound too bad,’ Ellie said. Instead of being appalled by his supposed neglect of his girlfriend, she was becoming increasingly impressed by him. ‘I suppose that’s his way of coping with his own tragedies in life,’ she added.
‘You know about his parents?’ Gemma asked.
‘It’s my job to find things out,’ Ellie replied serenely, trying not to think about how she’d actually done nothing of the sort.
Gemma seemed to consider the point for a moment. ‘I felt so sorry for him when I found out. I suppose, in some ways, it was the reason we moved in together. He didn’t ask for sympathy, of course, but once you know about something like that it’s hard not to think about it.’
‘You didn’t love him?’
‘No, no, that came out wrong. Of course I loved him. I adored him but… I’m not sure we were ever suited to go the distance.’
‘Well…’ Ellie said, scribbling on her pad, ‘If you love him then surely that’s worth a second chance. Nobody can know if a relationship will go the distance but if we all thought like that nobody would ever get married. I mean, look at how he’s trying to show you he loves you. Not many men would do what he’s doing.’
‘Hmm,’ Gemma mused. ‘I want to go back but…’
‘But what?’
‘It’s hard now this has all come out. I’ve left him there so long… Everyone will be watching and judging. They all think I’m a cow.’
‘No one thinks that. And if they do then my article will put them right.’
‘How do you go back to what we had after all that’s happened? I just don’t think we can.’
‘You won’t know unless you try.’ Ellie chewed on the end of her pen for a moment as she regarded Gemma. ‘Pretend none of the news reporting had ever happened and it was just down to you and Ben – do you think you might have given him another chance?’ she asked finally.
‘I honestly don’t know. But the longer this goes on the harder it gets.’
‘You have the power to put the brakes on it now. He’s waiting, desperate for you to go to him.’
Gemma’s reply was cut short by her dad who came in with two large earthenware mugs emblazoned with the name of a local haulage firm. ‘Two teas, ladies,’ he said as he handed them over with a huge grin.
‘Ta, Dad,’ Gemma said.
Ellie grimaced at the film of grease on the surface of her drink and tried not to think about the germs as she gingerly took a sip.
The man nodded before leaving them alone again.
‘What if I ran that story telling your side?’ Ellie asked. ‘Do you think it might even the odds a little?’
Gemma gave her a small smile. It lit her face in a way that made her unbelievably pretty – like a doll Ellie had once owned. She could see why Ben was besotted with her. And the fact that she seemed so sweet-natured had thrown Ellie a real curveball when she had arrived expecting to find a vain and shallow airhead. She was struck by guilt for all she had presumed before. And she wasn’t entirely sure that opening up both sides of their relationship for scrutiny was a good thing. Still, if it got them back together then it couldn’t be all that bad, could it? There were so many things in her own life she was powerless to influence so perhaps if she could do this one thing she wouldn’t feel like such a monumental screw up.
‘We could do a small interview now,’ Gemma said. ‘I have time if you do.’
‘I’ve always got time for a story,’ Ellie smiled. ‘And I’ll call my colleague as soon as we’re finished here so he can pop round to get s
ome shots,’ she added.
Gemma beamed at her. ‘Do you know when? I’ll need a bit of notice to get my hair done.’
‘Not yet,’ Ellie said, a little taken aback by the request. But I expect he’ll phone you first to organise a time when I’ve spoken to him.’
‘Great. I’d better let you have my number.’
‘Here, write it down on my pad,’ Ellie said, handing it over. Gemma scribbled down her number and handed it back.
‘Do you think he’ll be upset? About me being in the paper too?’
‘Ben?’
Gemma nodded.
‘As long as you don’t say anything dreadful about him,’ Ellie smiled.
Gemma gave her a shy smile in return. ‘I’ll try not to.’
Ellie tapped her pen against her front teeth thoughtfully. ‘What’s really stopping you from going to that corner right now?’
Gemma shrugged. ‘I don’t know how to put everything right. If I go to him, that’s it, we’re back together, and I’m not ready to make that decision yet. So, you see, I can’t go there at all without confusing things.’ She frowned. ‘Don’t put that in the paper.’
‘Of course I won’t,’ Ellie replied with a reassuring smile. ‘I think you’re wrong, though. I think he’d be happy just to talk it through, as long as you gave him the chance.’
‘I will go to him… I want to… but…’ She sighed. ‘Ellie…’
‘Hmmm?’
‘Don’t tell him about what we’ve discussed, will you?’
‘If you don’t want me to then I won’t.’
‘Not just yet. And thanks…’
‘For what?’
‘For listening to my side of the story.’
Ellie smiled. ‘It’s what I do.’
Back in the car, Ellie ended her call to Patrick and stared at the road ahead, deep in thought. She was beginning to wonder if she was getting too personally involved in this story. Hell, there was no beginning about it – she was already far too involved. But she pushed all doubts to the back of her mind, convinced that this time she was going to make a difference. Even though her head ached and her eyes were heavy, the thought raised a smile. If it had anything to do with her, Ben and Gemma would be back in their flat by Valentine’s Day.
Six
Patrick leapt out of his car and bounded across the car park with a grin. The day had been bright and mild for the time of year but now, as the shadows lengthened across the tarmac, the temperature was dropping rapidly. Ellie shivered slightly as she waited for her colleague.
‘How can you be that lively after last night?’ Ellie frowned as he drew level. ‘It’s just not fair, you know. I feel like a dead dog. I’m even worse than this morning and if I don’t get to my bed soon I’ll collapse.’
‘What can I say? I love my job so much it makes me bounce with enthusiasm!’
‘Even when it involves reporting Millrise Businessman of the Year?’
‘Especially when it involves Millrise Businessman of the Year. I can’t get enough of businessmen, me.’
Ellie laughed. ‘Shut up and let’s get this done.’
Patrick followed her into the tiny office of Delaney’s Fresh Produce. An earthy smell filled her nostrils – one that took her right back to visiting her granddad’s allotments as a kid – and the distant clattering and whistling-along-to-the-radio of the busy warehouse beyond the front entrance met her ears. Behind a desk littered with a chaotic looking array of paperwork sat a rather more attractive man than Ellie had been expecting. Max Delaney, the proprietor, was young – not more than his early thirties – tall and slim with blond hair that dropped almost foppishly over one eye and a warm smile. He jumped up to shake hands with both of them.
‘You’re from the Echo?’ he asked.
‘Yes, how did you…?’ Ellie began with a note of surprise in her voice.
Max Delaney grinned and nodded at Patrick’s camera. ‘Either I’m being scouted as a model for Plums Weekly, or that’s for newspaper photos.’
‘And we phoned to make an appointment, didn’t we, Ellie…’ Patrick reminded her with a half-frown.
Ellie nodded, shaking herself. She really did need to lie down in a darkened room. Something was eating at her today, and she couldn’t put her finger on what it was.
‘You’ll have to excuse my colleague,’ Patrick said with a conspiratorial grin. ‘We only took her on as part of the Care in the Community initiative.’ His voice dropped into a stage whisper. ‘You can see that it’s not really working out.’
‘Oh dear,’ Max laughed. ‘Can I get you anything to drink… tea, coffee?’
‘Coffee would be fantastic,’ Patrick said.
‘Not for me, thanks.’ Ellie pulled her notebook from her satchel as Max disappeared into a small room behind the office. They heard the sound of a kettle being filled. Max appeared again.
‘I must apologise for the mess,’ he said, gesturing to the stacks of paperwork on his desk. ‘I would ask my secretary to sort it but I can’t… on account of not being able to persuade my girlfriend to come and work for me. I’d pay her far more than the miserable pig she works for now.’ He smiled broadly. ‘She seems to have some daft notion of making her own way in the world and not living off my money. She doesn’t seem to get that she wouldn’t be living off me if she was contributing to the business. So I run the office on my own as I haven’t got round to recruiting yet. I have a few warehouse lads, but that’s it. As the business grows, though, I am going to need someone…’ He gave Ellie a cheeky smile. ‘I don’t suppose you fancy a Saturday job?’
‘I think I might be the worst secretary you’ve ever seen…’ Ellie said. ‘You do a great job of running the business on such a small staff though,’ she added absently, her mind not on Max Delaney’s business at all.
‘I love my Bonnie to bits for her independence, even though she won’t work here with me,’ Max said with obvious pride, his mind clearly, if only momentarily, not on his business either. ‘She’d been on her own for a while before me and when she had a fella before that he was a complete waste of space. It’s marvellous how strong that’s made her.’
‘Have you been together long?’
‘Around a year.’ He opened a desk drawer and rifled for a moment before producing a stained teaspoon with a look of triumph. Ellie realised she’d had a lucky escape – one questionable drink a day was quite enough. ‘I’ll just get those coffees and then we can settle down.’
‘That wasn’t so bad,’ Patrick said as they walked back to their cars. ‘I liked him; he was the sort of bloke you’d be happy to go for a pint with.’
‘He wasn’t like the people who usually get nominated for the businessman of the year award, that’s for sure,’ Ellie said.
‘I wouldn’t mention that to any of the other candidates,’ Patrick laughed.
Ellie gave him an absent smile.
‘So, come on,’ Patrick said, his tone more serious, ‘what’s bothering you?’
Ellie glanced across at him as they walked. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Yes you do. You’ve been behaving like you left your brain on a bus seat all afternoon. Something isn’t right. Do I have to set Fiona on you again?’
Ellie sighed as she stopped next to her Mini. ‘Did you get a chance to go and do the photos of Gemma?’
Patrick shook his head with a slightly bemused expression. ‘Gemma?’
‘Ben Kelly’s ex.’
‘Ohhh, that Gemma! The original Foxy Lady. Oh yes,’ he grinned.
‘And…’ Ellie fought the impulse to ask, but it came out anyway. ‘What did you think of her?’
He shrugged. ‘She seemed really nice to me. Very attractive. Not my type, of course,’ he added quickly, seeing Ellie’s frown. ‘How come you ended up going there anyway? I mean, as another angle to the story, it’s inspired, but I’m surprised you didn’t mention your plans to me before.’
‘It wasn’t exactly what I had planned. I was going
to go and see if I could persuade her to take him back, and before I knew it I was doing a story on her.’
‘Ellie…’ Patrick said gently, ‘I don’t know how to ask this but… do you think you might be getting a bit… attached to Ben?’
‘He’s had a terrible time. I’m just concerned for him. I can be a journalist and a nice human being at the same time, can’t I?’ Ellie’s tone had become somewhat defensive. Patrick opened and closed his mouth, seemingly uncertain of the correct response.
‘Of course,’ he said finally. He rubbed a hand across the fine stubble on his chin. ‘I’m just not sure it’s a great idea to play agony aunt between them.’
‘I can’t ignore what I know about him.’
‘It’s tragic, sure, but none of our business,’ Patrick shot back. ‘You can’t fix his life, Ellie, this is between him and his girlfriend.’
‘Ex-girlfriend,’ Ellie corrected.
‘Whatever. I’m saying this to you now as your friend and it’s up to you whether you choose to listen or not. If the situation makes you this crazy then you should stop going over to Constance Street. Let Ange follow the story from now on.’
Ellie gave a snort and turned away from him, rifling savagely in her bag for her car keys.
‘This is not the Ellie Newton I know.’ Patrick laid a hand on her shoulder and pulled her around to face him again. ‘Whatever this is about, you need to let go of it.’
‘How can I?’ Ellie stared up at him. She swallowed hard and ran a hand through her hair. ‘They belong together and I can help them.’
Patrick gave his most severe frown. ‘Are you sure that’s not just you thinking about your mum and dad?’
‘OK, you’re right,’ she sighed. ‘Ange can follow up. I suppose all the stuff that’s going on in my own life is getting to me and I’m not thinking straight.’
‘Good girl,’ Patrick said. ‘You know it makes sense.’ He held his arms open. ‘Hug for the big guy?’
Ellie gave a watery smile. She felt like crying and she wasn’t entirely sure why. ‘Thanks,’ she whispered as he folded her into his arms. She closed her eyes and hugged him back. ‘Thank you, Patrick.’
Worth Waiting For: A heart-warming and feel-good romantic comedy Page 8