Calling All Customers (Calling All... Book 3)

by Tara Ford

  “Me?” The man rubbed his plastic leg. “I don’t want nothing. You came to my door… remember?”

  “Yes I did. You’ve sent me two notes. I came to talk to you about them and see if we could come to some sort of agreement over the canopy and about the noise.”

  “Ah, forget it. Just bored – gave me something to do. Little moan here and there… does everyone good.” The man stared hard at Jenny. “Get over yourself. You’re not that important.”

  “Pardon?” Jenny didn’t understand how this man was so hostile one minute and then so disinterested the next.

  “Ignore the notes.”

  “Why the change of heart?”

  The man shrugged his shoulders again and pushed out his bottom lip. “Got rhyming names…”

  “Your name is…?”

  Shaking his head, the man said, “Denny. And that’s all you need to know.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Denny,” said Jenny, extending a hand out, across the table.

  Suddenly, Denny stood up and glared down at her. “Time to go. Goodbye.”

  Rising to her feet, shakily, Jenny looked at Denny pitifully. “Look, if there is anything I can do to help you out… at any time… please let me know.”

  “Don’t need it, won’t need it… will never need it. Goodbye.”

  Walking across the room, Jenny opened the door leading to the corridor. She now understood the thumping noise and could trace the pathway of noises by the layout of the flat. “Well, like I’ve just said – let me know if you need anything.”

  “Naa. Go.”

  Jenny hurried along the gloomy corridor, as fast as she could. Reaching the front door, she opened it quickly, allowing the daylight to flood in. Turning her head, she could see Denny stood at the other end. “I’ll close the door for you.”

  Denny said nothing but his beady eyes continued to glare.

  “Thank you for seeing me. Goodbye,” said Jenny, as she stepped outside and closed the door behind her.

  Inhaling a deep breath of cold air, she held it for a moment before letting out a long sigh. “Phew!” she breathed, before descending the staircase with shaky legs, and a puzzled mind. Returning to the safety of her shop, Jenny realised how terrified she had been only moments ago.

  “I was just going to send a search party out, Jen. Did it go ok? You look very pale.”

  Jenny nodded. “Err… I think it went ok…” Jenny felt the blood rushing back to her face and limbs. “…Actually, I’m not really sure at all.” Moving across to the counter, she leant a trembling arm on the top of the till. “It was a very strange experience, Day. Really scary too.”

  “Go and enjoy the rest of your lunch break. You look like you need it. Put your feet up and I’ll make a coffee. Then you can tell us about it,” said Dayna, grinning. “I do like a bit of gossip.”

  Winking an eye at Tasha, Dayna left the counter and trotted off to the staffroom, two mugs chinking together in her hand.

  “If there’s no one in the shop, you come down too,” said Jenny, forcing a smile.

  Tasha nodded her head and smiled back. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

  “Right, I’m off,” said Dayna, reaching for her coat, hanging on a hook. “Hope you don’t get any more weird notes before I return tomorrow… but if you do… let me go up there… please.”

  “I’m sure I won’t… but if I do… no, you cannot go up there,” replied Jenny sternly, but jokingly. “This is my problem if it continues, not yours.”

  “Only trying to help,” Dayna smirked. “See you tomorrow then – Woohoo!”

  Jenny looked at her friend, puzzled. “Why are you woo-hoo-ing?”

  “Thursday,” said Dayna with a surprised expression on her face, as if Jenny should know what she was talking about. “Tomorrow is closer to Thursday.”

  “What about Thursday…”

  Dayna tutted and rolled her eyes upwards. “Thursday… Will…”

  “Thursday will be what?”

  “Will!” Dayna snorted. “You’ve forgotten haven’t you? Mind you, it won’t affect you anyway as I don’t work Thursday afternoons.”

  “You’ve lost me, Day.”

  “Will – dentist – Xaylan’s tooth – remember?”

  “Oh, yes.” Jenny smiled. “I did forget. Sorry. Woo…hoo.”

  Dayna tutted again. “See ya laters,” she said, winking her mascaraed lashes, before walking out of the staffroom.

  Hey, how are things going with you? Any more calamities since I’ve been away, lol. Aaron x

  Jenny hugged her phone to her chest, while composing a reply in her head.

  Not really any calamities, unless you can call the terrifying experience I had at lunchtime today, a public relations disaster? Jen x

  Waiting for a reply, Jenny sifted through the paperwork on her desk. She came across the two handwritten notes from Denny, screwed them up and threw them in the bin. As far as she was concerned, the matter had been dealt with. As for the thumping sounds, well, they would be something she would have to live with and vice versa, Denny would have to live with the canopy being opened from time to time.

  Sorted.

  Jenny picked the garage repair bill up and looked at it. Reaching for the phone, she dialed the garage’s number.

  “Hello, my name is Jenny Fartor. I would like to pay a bill please. Do you take debit cards over the phone?”

  Sorted.

  Going in to a meeting now but I can call you later if you want to talk. Aaron x

  Cool. Close at 8pm – should be home by about 8.45 at latest. Jen x

  Something to look forward to. A chat with Aaron, this evening. Jenny was excitably-happy, at last.

  Sorted.

  Chapter 26

  The hours ticked by way to slowly in the afternoon. The dreary weather seemed to have kept people away from the shop and the takings had slumped to a record low. Jenny kept both herself and Tasha busy with menial tasks of re-stocking, cleaning and dusting shelves, tidying the store room and sweeping the floors.

  Peering up at the clock on the wall, Jenny noted the time was approaching five o’clock. “Thought the Bits & Bobs rep was coming out today,” she mumbled. “Don’t expect anyone will turn up now,” she huffed, loudly.

  “Ooh, I love their savoury snacks,” said Tasha, cheerily. “I’ll be buying loads of that stuff from you… my mum loves their stuff too.”

  “Hmm…” Jenny replied. “Well, it doesn’t look like they’ll be here today… unless of course they went to Marj’s house instead. Now that wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

  Tasha let out a snigger. “No, wouldn’t surprise me either. Have you seen her lately?”

  “No, I expect she’s too scared to come in – especially now that her daughter has been in here.”

  “The horse-woman.”

  “Hmm… Hee-haw.” replied Jenny, with a wry smile.

  “Ooh!” blurted Tasha. “I get it. Hee-haw!” As soon as she’d said it, Tasha let out a burst of consecutive hee-haws, each one louder than the one before. She couldn’t stop it. The more she tried the worse it became.

  Jenny laughed too and soon came to the conclusion that Tasha’s hee-haws were the highlight of their very dull afternoon.

  "I'll see you tomorrow, Jen," said Tasha. "Is it ok if I call you, Jen?"

  "Yes of course you can." Jenny laughed. "Call me whatever you like - I answer to most things."

  Tasha smiled and walked out of the door.

  As Jenny approached the door to lock it, a figure appeared from the darkness on the other side. The tiny silhouette of Marj stood against the door, peering in through the glass.

  “Oh my God, Marj – you made me jump,” said Jenny, pulling the door open wide. “You’re lucky, I was just about to close.”

  Marj grinned sheepishly and stepped through the doorway. “I need some bird seed, dear.”

  Shaking her head, Jenny replied, “I still haven’t got anything like that, Marj. Sorry.”

&nbs
p; “Oh, never mind – just some toilet rolls then. I really must have a clear out…”

  “Sorry?”

  “A clear out. The cage. They’re messy little birdies.”

  “Oh, I see,” laughed Jenny. “For a moment there I thought you meant that you needed a clear out…” Jenny laughed out loud. “You know, what with asking for toilet rolls. For a clear out” Bursting into a raucous guffaw, Jenny crossed her legs and held on to the open door. “Sorry Marj – I’m going hysterical these days.” Then she laughed some more.

  Shooting a swift, confused glance in Jenny’s direction, Marj moved away and proceeded down the first aisle. “I’ll just get some toilet rolls, thank you. I’ll only be a minute and then you can close up.”

  “Ok,” squeaked Jenny as tears rolled down her face. “Tell me, Marj, how do you use toilet roll?” She closed the door and stood at the top end of the aisle with her hands on her hips.

  Marj turned and glared. “I beg your pardon?”

  Jenny let out another roar of laughter and held her stomach as she leant over. “Oh dear,” she spluttered. “You do make me laugh.” Jenny looked up to see Marj scowling at her, whilst clutching a four-roll pack of turquoise toilet-rolls. This made Jenny laugh even louder. “Oh God, I’m sorry Marj – I’ve got a fit of the giggles tonight.”

  Marj frowned, fiercely. “I need toilet rolls to clear out the bird’s cage.” Marj thought for a moment and then added, “And you use our dear Lord’s name in vain, far too often.”

  “Ok, I apologise,” said Jenny, desperately trying not to laugh again. “While you’re here though, could we have a very quick chat?”

  “About what?”

  “Your daughter came in to see me the other day…”

  “Did she?”

  “Yes, she’s quite concerned about you.” Jenny sensed that Marj already knew that her daughter had been into the shop.

  “Huh…” huffed Marj. “You have to watch her you know. Trouble-maker, she is.”

  “I’m sure that she’s just worried about you… and she cares about you.”

  “Huh.” Marj tottered up the aisle and walked over to the counter. “She’s trouble. Watch out my dear. Trouble with a capital T.”

  “Well anyway, I wanted to talk to you about the shop, not your daughter.”

  “I’m not giving you any more money for your shop, my love.”

  Jenny scowled, “What do you mean ‘more money’ for my shop?” She moved behind the counter and scanned the toilet rolls. “To be brutally honest with you, Marj, I’m surprised that you are actually paying for these toilet rolls today, let alone anything else.”

  Marj gave a questioning look and then pulled her fat purse out from her coat pocket. “Well they’re not free anymore, are they? So that’s why I’m paying for them.”

  Jenny clenched her teeth and puffed out her cheeks. Exhaling through gritted teeth, she rolled her eyes. “Marj, I think there has been an awful mix up somewhere along the line. My toilet rolls were never free.”

  “I see,” said Marj, routing through the coins in her purse.

  “No, I don’t think you do see… And what did you mean about ‘more money’?”

  “You want more money?” Marj pulled a five pound note from a zipped compartment. “This is all I’ve got – will that do?” she asked, handing the note to Jenny.

  “Yes, that will pay for the toilet rolls.” Jenny quickly counted out some change and gave it back. “And here’s your change.”

  “Oh, why thank you my dear. I get some change – that’s very good of you.”

  “I always give change where change is due.”

  “Hmm,” muttered Marj.

  “Now, what about this money that you’re on about?”

  “I’ll get it from the bank tomorrow, dear.”

  “Argh!” screeched Jenny, making Marj look up with a horrified expression on her powdered face. “I do not want your money, Marj. I really don’t know where you have got this idea from.” Clapping her hands to her cheeks, Jenny peered despairingly at the little old lady. A sudden fear rose in her stomach. What would she do if Marj did go and get money from the bank? What wacky notion would Marj come up with next? “This has got to stop Marj – please.”

  “You don’t want the money now?” asked Marj, quite innocently. “Then why did you ask me about it?”

  “I didn’t. I never have. I never will. This has all been one humongous mess-up. I… do not… want… your money!”

  “It was all your idea, dear. I really don’t know why you are getting yourself so worked up about it. Being so het up is no good for you.”

  “Ok, Marj, let’s just leave it at that shall we? I can’t handle this anymore.” Jenny sighed. “You’re right, I really shouldn’t be getting so worked up about it.”

  “You must be working too hard, dear. Take some time off – have a rest.”

  Jenny nodded her head in agreement but said nothing. Deflated and numb, she realised that she had been out-done by a little, old lady. She didn’t have the will or way to fight against her anymore. “Will that be all, Marj?”

  Marj nodded and grinned. “Yes thank you, dear. I’ll be off now and don’t forget to get some rest. Maybe a check-up at the doctors is in order. You seem to be deluded my dear – deluded I say…”

  “I’m what?” Jenny’s face burned with frustration but it was too late, Marj had scuttled out of the door and disappeared, leaving Jenny scowling alone.

  The muffled ring of her phone made Jenny tut. Damn, it’s probably Aaron calling. Her phone continued to ring inside her bag on the back seat of the car. She was late getting home and it was all due to Marj once again. After the silly old woman had left the shop, Jenny had flapped about in a furious frenzy, trying to concentrate on cashing up, ordering the milk delivery for tomorrow and locking up. She’d gone to pieces – maybe she did need to see a doctor. Maybe she was deluded. She wasn’t sure that she knew anything about anything any longer.

  After the third attempt to call Aaron’s phone, Jenny sighed and gave up. She was too tired to care anymore and resigned herself to the fact that she needed a bath and bed as soon as possible. Another day at J’s Convenience Store would be here before she could blink.

  Sorry I missed your call, Aaron. Marj came in the shop late (just as I was about to lock up, actually), which made me late home, but that’s another story. Hopefully catch up with you soon. Jen x

  Opening her eyes in the darkness, Jenny glanced at the alarm clock. Great, it’s 4.15am, she thought and turned over. And then she began to think about everything. Think, think and think. She could not get back to sleep. By 4.35am, she was angry. She had to be up, at the very latest, in 55 minutes. Think, think and think some more. What was she thinking about? Nothing really. She was just thinking about thinking which stopped her from sleeping. She sat up in her bed, in the darkness and sulked for a while. Then she laid back down… and began to think even more.

  Shuffling through to the living room, Jenny picked her phone up from the coffee table and looked at it. A message from Aaron must have come through after she’d gone to bed last night (well, just a few, sorry hours ago, in fact).

  Hi Jen, sorry couldn’t get back to you, battery died and I ended up down in the bar having a few drinks until late. Aaron x

  No problem, hope this message doesn’t wake you up. I’m up at a ridiculous time of the morning, can’t sleep. Speak soon, Jen x

  Chapter 27

  The familiar thumping noise was somehow comforting this morning. Jenny looked up to the ceiling and pictured the man upstairs, hopping from one room to another. She imagined that it must be incredibly hard work to hop around everywhere. Smiling to herself, she carried on sorting Jordan’s newspapers, ready for his delivery, while the thumping continued above her head. It really didn’t bother her anymore.

  Jenny had used the extra hour awake to convince herself not to let things bother her so much in the future. After all, they never used to. She seemed to have lost th
e plot just recently, hardly surprising though, when she’d had to contend with the likes of the nursery manager and owner, the man upstairs, Marj and a strained income to boot. And then to top it all, Aaron had swanned into her life causing no end of confusion to her new, self-created, celibate existence.

  Tasha arrived punctually, as always and wafted past the counter with a big grin on her face. “Morning,” she chirped, before disappearing down the aisle.

  The usual clique of oldies, chatted in a circle in front of the counter, while several dogs sulked or snarled outside, tied up to the rings under the windows.

  Andrea from the nursery breezed past the window with a snooty air about her, carrying several carrier bags of shopping which she’d obviously bought from the KO Store.

  Jenny chuckled to herself, if the stuck-up cow wanted to spend more time, money and effort getting her groceries down the road, then so be it. Jenny’s laid-back attitude was going to get her through the morning, through anything that might crop up in this crazy neighbourhood and through the rest of the day. She hoped.

  Lunchtime arrived before Jenny had realised how quickly the time had gone. Lost in her own little world out the back, in her office, she had drifted through the morning on auto-pilot.

  Having placed an order with the Bob’s Bits & Bobs rep earlier (the rep had apologised for not turning up yesterday because his grandmother had become ill suddenly. Hmm – not convincing), Jenny proceeded to do a bulk order of Christmas lines from her other suppliers. It was very late to be getting Christmas stock in but she had to at least make an effort to stock those festive essentials.

  “Yoo-hoo, only me,” said Dayna, poking her head around the door. “It’s lunchtime, you know.”

  Jenny looked up through glassy eyes. “Yeah, I know. Been busy ordering Christmas stuff.”

  “Already?”

  “No not already, Day. I should have ordered it back in September and got it straight out onto the shelves then.”

  “Hmm, suppose so. They all do that don’t they? Bit stupid if you ask me. Some places put their Christmas stuff out while the kids are still having their school summer holidays.”