Love or Money?

by Carrie Stone

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Well don’t be too judgemental of her, dear; Dan did briefly mention to me that she’d accompanied you to the hospital that night. But apparently he had told her to go home and said he’d keep her updated on your progress.”

  Felicity’s ears pricked up. She settled herself hastily into the sofa.

  “Good for him.”

  Glenda glanced curiously at her daughter. Fee had been acting rather peculiar since she’d been discharged from the hospital. The car journey home would have been silent but for Glenda’s insistence on small talk. It unnerved her seeing her daughter so withdrawn and unmotivated.

  Zara would know what to do. If anyone could get to the root of Felicity, it was Zara. Thank goodness she’d had the foresight to tell Zara they’d be arriving home at lunchtime. Despite one of the children being off school with a tummy bug, Zara had insisted she’d drop by to check on Fee. Busying herself with making some sandwiches, Glenda pushed her frets to one side.

  Felicity closed her eyes in the other room, giving up a silent plea of mercy that her mother would shove off home once she’d finished fussing in the kitchen. Hearing a familiar rumble from a car engine outside her window made her heart sink a notch further. Zara, in her clapped out Ford Mondeo.

  The doorbell rang just as Felicity swung her legs off the sofa and tried to make herself more upbeat and presentable. No doubt her mother had brought Zara up to date on the latest ongoing with Dan and quite frankly, she didn’t feel her emotional state could deal with the pitying looks from her best friend quite so soon.

  “Hello, Zara love, so nice to see you” Glenda gushed as Zara waddled into the hallway and greeted her.

  “Where’s Fee? I can’t stay too long as my neighbour’s keeping an eye on Lexi for me whilst I’m here.”

  “She’s in the living room, lying down. Oh Zara, there’s definitely something not right about her. Have a chat with her and let me know what you think. She’s really out of sorts. She hasn’t stopped calling me Mum! And now all this funny business that she isn’t going into work today...”

  Felicity discreetly listened to the conversation from the other room, biting down silently on her lip as Zara and her mother discussed her. Her mother was right, she wasn’t feeling herself, and yet she couldn’t quite pinpoint why. Aside from the obvious shock of Dan and needing to concentrate on her own emotions, she was aware of an underlying feeling of desolation and hopelessness around her. She felt a strong desire to run away and hide.

  There was only one way to deal with the situation. Standing up, she rubbed her eyes, put on a smile and walked towards the kitchen.

  “Zara! Hi! What are you doing here? I didn’t even hear you come in.” Felicity hugged her friend tightly and stood back, yawning for effect.

  “Well I had to come and see how you were, of course” Zara replied, eyeing Fee suspiciously.

  Glenda set down a tray of dispirited looking sandwiches on the dining table, alongside a bowl of crisps. Fee resisted the urge to smirk. Her mother certainly wasn’t one for knowing how to accommodate lunch guests.

  “Mmm, looks lovely, Glenda” Zara said, seating herself opposite Felicity.

  Despite the nauseous uncertainty that plagued Felicity’s emotions and energy, she grabbed a handful of crisps and two varieties of sandwich, noticing the surprised look that passed between her mother and friend.

  Forcing herself to take a large mouthful, she ahhed with appreciation. “So nice to be home and feel myself again. I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things” she lied.

  Catching her mother eyeing her in surprise, she continued on.

  “I feel I was a little too hasty on the phone to Maurice earlier. After lunch I’m going to check my work emails and try to get a bit of the backlog cleared before tomorrow.”

  Zara set down her sandwich, her forehead furrowed in concern.

  “Fee, you should take it easy - you’ve only just got home.”

  Felicity put down the sandwich she was eating. “True. I’ll be sure not to stay up into the night working on things. I’ll just get enough prepped for the trip I’ll be taking to Brussels next week with Maurice.”

  Neither Glenda or Zara knew what to say. It appeared that Felicity was back to normal.

  Lunch over, Zara made her way to her car, mind concentrated on seeing if her daughter Lexi had behaved herself in the care of her neighbour. She suspected that Lexi was over-acting her tummy bug; she was far wiser than her eight years and Zara had noticed a clinginess of late with her daughter. She wondered if it had anything to do with the new baby coming, sibling jealousy perhaps. But then Lexi was the oldest of the girls and hadn’t behaved the same way throughout her other pregnancies. Zara tried to push another thought away as fast as it came...

  Surely, the girls weren’t picking up on the problems between her and Steve?

  Chapter Seven

  Felicity sat alone in the darkness of her living room, the only sound from the ticking of the antique ornate clock she had purchased on a business trip to Paris.

  Her mother’s departure had given her an entire evening to be alone with herself and her thoughts, something that she realised with great clarity she hadn’t allowed in a long, long time. The hours had ticked past as her body seemed to undergo every emotion possible. From deep within her, it had felt like a great wave had been unleashed; something so strong it had almost taken her breath away. The pain of her relationship breakdown with James surfaced, combined with the pain and guilt of the pregnancies she had terminated and the numbness she had encountered ever since. After hours of tears and a feeling of despair and hopelessness in her throat and heart, a great sense of peacefulness seemed to wash over her.

  She smiled to herself, despite her headache and puffy, swollen eyes. Finally she could feel again.

  Her phone shrilled in the darkness, breaking her calmness. Padding across the luxurious thick pile cream carpet, she reached for the handset, glancing at the caller ID. Maurice.

  “Hello Maurice.”

  “Oh, so you finally decided to answer my calls. How very generous of you” came the sarcastic response.

  Making a mental note to keep her voice steady, Felicity took a deep breath.

  “I’m sorry Maurice, but I just haven’t been well enough today to respond to anything. After our phone conversation this morning, I was discharged with orders to rest.” Her voice took on a challenging tone.

  “Well I’m certain by now you’ve had enough rest, so I shall be expecting you in the office tomorrow. My flight leaves at 6am. I have already sent you a list of pending matters I need you to deal with in my absence. Donaldson also needs attending with urgency. First thing. Get him off our backs please.”

  Felicity listened with rising frustration. For as much as she was close to Maurice on a business level and had often enjoyed his sarcasm, he could never be labelled as altruistic. Did he really not have the slightest ounce of empathy with her on any level whatsoever? How had she been so blind to his selfish and egotistical ways for so long?

  Vaguely aware of Maurice’s voice still rattling along with his list of demands and disregard for anything other than the business, Felicity found herself suddenly cutting him off.

  “I’m resigning.”

  Momentarily stunned by her outburst, Felicity held her breath noting that a deathly silence had ensued from the other end of the line.

  Heart pounding in her chest, she stared at the handset in horror. Where on earth had those words sprang from? Had they really escaped from her mouth?

  “You’re what?” Maurice’s tone had taken on a shocked and icy edge.

  Felicity tried to calm her nerves as she repeated herself, still astounded by her own admission. Never had the thought crossed her mind to leave the one thing which she held so dear to her, and yet her intuition was telling her to stand firm by her decision. Ignoring the rush of panicked thoughts that were flittering through her head, she gripped the handset tight
er.

  “I’m sorry to do this to you at such a vital time but I need some time away from everything.”

  “Well, all I can say is that this bang on your head must be a lot more serious than I had thought! You have quite evidently lost your mind Felicity” Maurice replied condescendingly.

  Irked by his response, Felicity retaliated.

  “It’s nothing to do with the accident. It’s more to do with my desire to travel and explore the world actually.”

  Travel? Felicity frowned to herself. Where on earth were these absurd ideas coming from? She had no intention of travelling... or did she?

  Maurice scoffed. “Don’t talk such nonsense. You do more business travel with me than you care for and that is travel of the highest standard in luxurious hotels and restaurants! Do not expect me to believe you’ve developed a sudden desire to trek mountains in Honduras.”

  “How dare you question my intentions” Felicity retorted heatedly. It didn’t matter that she had no desire to become at one with the earth and the world’s nature. She certainly didn’t agree with Maurice undermining her ideas.

  “Clearly you have taken leave of your senses, dear. So on that basis I feel it is best that I accept your request for a leave of absence. Let’s say, three months. Surely that will be enough time for you to realise how grand a mistake you are making by throwing away your career. Three months and you’ll be more than happy to return to work again. Mark my words.”

  Felicity stayed quiet, considering Maurice’s proposal. Three months was a long time to be without her work. Her heart sank a little before leaping into her throat as the realisation of her words dawned upon her. Only moments prior she’d almost resigned. Resigned! Maurice was right, she had clearly taken leave of her senses.

  “Ok, three months sabbatical after which I resume my position alongside you. That sounds fair.”

  Maurice chuckled.

  “More than fair, Fee, but I value your work ethics and commitment. So therefore I am willing to allow you the time to go on your wild goose chase of whatever it is you feel you are lacking. I just hope you don’t regret it.”

  Felicity reluctantly agreed to attend the office the following morning to tie up loose ends and find an administrative temp to cover her. Replacing the phone handset into its holder, she stared ahead into the darkness that surrounded her.

  Had she imagined it or had Maurice just complimented her on her loyalty and ethics? Had she really just agreed to three months leave of absence? And was she really going to travel?

  Glenda sighed quietly as she began unloading her shopping basket onto the checkout belt. She usually enjoyed her weekly supermarket shop but today her mind was elsewhere. In the four days since Fee had been discharged from hospital her daughter’s behaviour had gone from slightly strange to totally out of character.

  “Good morning, Madam. I’m Susan and I’m your checkout assistant today. Do you need any assistance with your packing?”

  Glenda finished loading the final items onto the belt and moved across to the end of the checkout, giving a small smile to the young woman serving her as she did so.

  “No thanks, love, I’m okay to do my own packing.”

  Taking her well-worn shopper holdall from her small handbag she shook it open.

  “Excuse me, are those yours?”

  Glenda turned sideways towards the male voice. The grey haired gentleman behind her was pointing towards a packet of custard cream biscuits that had lodged themselves in the magazine bracket.

  “Oh, yes, they’re mine! Thanks ever so much - I can’t be without my custard creams. The mood I’m in, I’ll forget my head today if I’m not more careful” she laughed, picking up the biscuits and handing them to the checkout assistant.

  The man laughed beside her. “Well, just make sure it’s properly screwed on and I’m sure you’ll be safe” he said with a small wink in her direction. Glenda noted he had kind, gentle eyes.

  Loading her goods into her bag, Glenda felt the man staring at her. She looked up and sure enough, he was smiling at her. The checkout girl pointed towards the till screen. “That’s forty-two pounds and fifty-seven pence please, Madam.”

  Opening her purse, she handed over the money, sighing. Another fifty pounds spent. She would have to be more careful in future and try to cut down on her expenses. Especially now Felicity had dropped her latest bombshell.

  Picking up the heavy shopper bag, she said goodbye to both the man and the checkout assistant and made her way out of the store and towards the bus stop.

  It wasn’t so much that she had concern for Felicity’s welfare, as she knew her daughter would cope fine with her latest idea; but it was so out of the blue that she had begun to question if Fee was having a mini breakdown.

  Picking up her pace, she noticed the number twenty-nine bus approaching on the opposite side of the road. If she didn’t run, she’d miss it and be forced to wait another thirty minutes for the next one.

  “Wait up” came a familiar voice from behind her.

  Looking over her shoulder, she was surprised to see the man from the supermarket coming up close behind her. Had he followed her?

  “Hello again?” she said distractedly, eyeing the approaching bus in the oncoming traffic. She couldn’t be rude but he hadn’t picked the finest moment to stop her. What in the world did he want?

  Puffing from his haste in catching up with her, the gentleman took a moment to take a few breaths.

  “I wasn’t sure if it was you in the supermarket, but then I saw you walking in this direction and I realised it must have been you” he said still fighting for his breath.

  “You’ve lost me. Do we know each other?” Glenda asked in confusion. She was almost certain she hadn’t met him prior to today and yet he was looking at her now in such recognition. Surely she would have remembered those kind eyes?

  “Johnson House, second floor?” he said with a smile.

  Glenda looked at him oddly, how did he know which block of flats she lived in?

  Realising his comment had unnerved her; the man was quick to clarify.

  “I’m Bill, the brother of your neighbour Janey. I live on the fifth floor, I only moved in a few weeks ago.”

  Glenda smiled. Janey’s brother, what a small world! Her pint-sized neighbour was a quiet woman and although they always exchanged pleasantries, interaction had been sparse since Janey had moved in three years previously. Glenda certainly hadn’t seen Bill before.

  “Well fancy that, us living in the same block.” Glenda said, pleasantly surprised. The feeling was short-lived however. Looking to her left, she watched in dismay as the number twenty-nine bus roared past her on its journey.

  “Oh no! I’ve just missed my bus.” Glenda shifted the weight of the heavy shopper bag to her other arm in disappointment. She had a list of things to get done today and waiting thirty minutes for the next bus hadn’t been on it.

  “Don’t worry about that, I’ve got my car parked in that side street there. I’ll give you a lift home.” Bill offered kindly.

  Glenda’s face lit up. What a stroke of luck meeting Bill - it would take less than half the time to get home by car than it would have by bus.

  “Thank you, that would be wonderful.”

  Following Bill to his car, Glenda gave up a small thanks. At least one good thing had happened so far in her day. It made up for the other concerns she was harnessing.

  Approaching the car, Bill took the shopper bag from Glenda’s shoulder and opened the passenger door.

  “Take a seat, I’ll pop this in the boot alongside mine.”

  Glenda made herself comfortable in the new-looking car. She noted it featured all the mod cons that Felicity’s convertible had.

  Getting into the driver’s seat Bill started the engine.

  “My daughter has a Mercedes too” she said conversationally.

  Putting the car into gear and pulling carefully onto the main high road, Bill answered keeping his focus on the oncoming traffic.


  “Yes, I thought Janey mentioned you had a daughter. Where does she live then?”

  Time seemed to stand still as Glenda considered her answer. The familiar concerns and emotions that she’d been experiencing for the last few days, resurfaced themselves.

  “Well, it’s funny you ask actually. She lives locally but I’m not sure for how much longer.”

  Noticing Glenda’s sudden change in nature, Bill glanced sideways.

  “Oh, and why’s that then?” he asked flippantly.

  Glenda smiled despite herself. Still unsettled by her daughter’s decision, she answered carefully. “She’s decided to take a three month sabbatical and travel Australia.”

  Bill’s eyes widened.

  “Blimey, good for her, that’s the key these days. Don’t settle young, travel the world and see a bit of life first” he replied good naturedly.

  Glenda bit down on her lip. Bill was right - she agreed with his comment. The problem was, he hadn’t met Felicity. Maybe if he knew her daughter, he would understand Glenda’s concerns.

  Glenda half listened as Bill chatted about his life, her mind thinking of Fee and Australia. Whatever had possessed her daughter to give up her beloved job and make a drastic decision to travel to the country furthest away?

  She was still pondering the thought as Bill pulled into their flats.

  Chapter Eight

  Dan lit another cigarette and putting it to his mouth, drew in deeply on the nicotine. Day six and Felicity still hadn’t been in contact. He hadn’t expected her to come running, especially given the fact that she’d been aware of Stacey and him together just before she’d passed out. But a thank-you text for his support accompanying her to the hospital would have been nice. It’s just a shame Stacey had insisted on also joining them. For all of her quietness, Glenda wasn’t a push-over. Once she’d arrived, he’d seen the way she’d looked at Stacey’s actions towards him and he was certain she’d put two and two together.