Looks Unimportant...Sense of Humour Essential

by Evie Evans

  By nine o’clock she hadn’t found a single relevant reference to Leander Brooke and Torey Lincoln’s pregnancy so she decided to call it a night.

  *

  A bleary eyed Lucy was up early the next morning to catch her train home to Norfolk. When she’d finally got to bed, after a quick sandwich and throwing a few things in a bag ready, she hadn’t been able to sleep. Her late night at work hadn’t helped but it was anxiety over the wedding that was keeping her tossing.

  When she’d been doing the online dating at least there’d been a glimmer of hope. No matter how bad the dates were there was always the hope, sometimes vague admittedly, that the next one would be better. Now there was no chance of getting a date. Not unless she booked an escort and that had disaster written all over it.

  How was it possible that a single, sane, nice-looking young woman could fail so dismally to find a likewise man under the age of forty she could have reasonable conversation with? Her job was too demanding to enable her to join social clubs and groups, she didn’t work with any eligible men and the few female friends she’d formed were in relationships and not interested in going out ‘on the pull’. No wonder dating websites were becoming so popular.

  She was admitting defeat. Why was it such a big deal if she went on her own to the wedding anyway? There were probably going to be lots of people there on their own. Well, some. Okay, maybe only a couple. She had done a lot of tossing and turning before her alarm went off that morning.

  The train journey only gave her time to dwell on things further. It was a relief to see her dad was waiting at the other end, giving her a break from her negative thoughts. She put a smile on her face.

  “I think you’ve grown, choc chip” her dad said as he gave her a hug.

  “No Dad. Maybe you’re shrinking,” she laughed. He’d never been that tall and it was a joke with them that she was only an inch or so shorter than him. His hair had been slowly turning from steel grey to white over the last few years and the lines on his face were a reflection of living life by the sea with its strong gales and salt sprays during the winter.

  “Have you taken your suit to the dry cleaners?” she asked when they got in the car.

  “Yes, and Uncle Frank’s too. He’s coming over tonight for tea.”

  “Good, how is he?” she asked rolling down the window for a hit of fresh air. She didn’t get enough of that in London.

  “Still an old fool. Bit like me really.”

  “Don’t be silly,” she told him, staring out the window. The countryside around here was breath-taking and because the land was so flat, there was a lot of it. How had she given this up to live in London?

  “How’s work?” her dad asked.

  Amidst all the negative thoughts she’d almost forgotten about Winston. “Good. Dad, I won a case yesterday.”

  “Choc chip!”

  “Only a pet custody thing but it was great.”

  “Well done. We’ll have to open a bottle of wine tonight to celebrate.”

  “If Uncle Frank’s coming over it’ll be more than one!” Lucy sat back in her seat, her mood lifting. This is what she needed. A weekend away from it all having some fun with her dad and Uncle Frank.

  “How’s your work been?” she asked him. He was a supervisor at a small factory. It was hard and monotonous work, he didn’t enjoy it much.

  “The usual,” he replied pulling a face.

  “So things are okay then?”

  “Depends on your definition of okay. Your Aunt Suzi keeps ringing up about one thing or another. She asked for your number the other day.”

  “I know, she rang me.”

  “Everything alright?” her dad asked shooting her a quick glance.

  “Yes, everything’s fine. I didn’t have much time to talk so she couldn’t go into too much detail about the groom’s high-flying friends and family. No doubt we’ll be bored rigid with it on the day.”

  Her father grumped. “Are you bringing someone then?”

  “Um, I don’t know yet.” Lucy looked away, out the window so her father wouldn’t see her lie. “I’ve been so busy with work, winning that case, I haven’t had time to sort anything out.” Her father gave her another glance. “I may have left it too late.”

  “Well as it’s this Friday I think you have!”

  “Yes. Oh well.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it. Probably better not to subject your friends to your Aunt anyway.”

  “You could be right there.”

  A couple of minutes later they were pulling up outside the small two up two down she still thought of as home. Looking around it now she realised the place really hadn’t changed since she was a girl. That’s what she loved about it. She looked a little closer, okay perhaps the place could do a little surreptitious cleaning.

  “Right, let’s get that kettle on,” her dad said dumping her bag in the hall and making his way to the kitchen, “…then you can hear about what nextdoor have been up to.” He paused for a minute and turned back. “You know, in one way it’s a bit of a shame you’re not bringing someone to this wedding.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Frank and I’ll have to dance with you now.”

  “Yes, I can’t wait to drag you onto that dance floor.”

  Her dad pulled a face. “I’m really looking forward to this wedding now.”

  *

  Lucy had figured she probably wouldn’t get through the weekend without bumping into Aunty Suzi or someone from that side of her family. They didn’t live in the same village but that didn’t stop them knowing everything that went on.

  Sunday morning had dawned as a lovely August day, blue skies and early sunshine so Lucy and her dad walked down to the bay. It was an old walk of theirs but one they hadn’t done for a while. She was just enjoying watching the waves crashing on the shore when she heard someone calling out behind them.

  Turning round they saw Aunty Suzi and one of her daughters. It looked like they had Lucy and her dad in a pincer movement.

  “Aunty Suzi, Amy. Surprised to see you here,” Lucy greeted them. Amy looked at her coldly, making Lucy wonder, not for the first time, if she really were related to these people. There were bags under Aunty Suzi’s eyes which hadn’t been there the last time she’d seen her. Perhaps the wedding was taking its toll. “Thought you’d be busy with last minute arrangements.”

  “We are,” Aunty Suzi began in an irritated tone. “I thought you were going to let me know if you were here. I thought you might have offered to help, you know how busy we are.” Before Lucy could say anything she ploughed on. “But never mind, you can start making up for it now. We need help making up the favour bags, they’re taking longer than we thought. I’ve got the stuff in the back of the car. The instructions are with it, you just have to put the candles in the boxes and tie them up with ribbon.”

  Lucy wasn’t going to feel guilty about not offering to help and Aunty Suzi’s rudeness just made it easier for her to reply. “Sorry, there wasn’t time to let you know. Plus my weekend’s already al booked up. We’re off out in a bit and I’m going back to London this afternoon. Sorry.”

  Aunty Suzi stared at her stonily. “I would have hoped family meant something to you,” she remarked acidly.

  “It does,” Lucy replied putting her arm round her dad and giving him a cuddle. “We’ve got to get going now,” she said starting to move away. “Looking forward to next weekend though. Good luck.” With a final smile Lucy and her dad walked away leaving Aunty Suzy behind them seething.

  “Why are we going to this wedding again?” she asked her dad when they were out of earshot.

  “If we don’t I won’t hear the end of it,” he informed her. “It’s alright for you in London but me and Frank are within shouting distance.”

  “Fair enough. I only hope there’s a lot of alcohol at this do.”

  “Me too,” he told her.

  16 Parrot

  Back at work Monday morning Lucy was all too so
on in the middle of legal casebooks and her online investigation into Leander Brooke. Within an hour or two it was hard to believe she’d ever been away for the weekend. She was becoming an expert on Mr Brooke, where he’d grown up, where he’d gone to school, his first deal. None of it related to Torey Lincoln’s pregnancy though. Disappointingly none about the woman who’d (allegedly) stolen his business either. She was trying to monitor social network sites as well but it was an almost impossible task.

  In the middle of a webpage her phone rang. “Lucy Davenport,” she answered.

  “Miss Davenport, it’s Mr Lewis.” Lewis? She ran through her list of clients. Oh yes, the parrot.

  “Hello Mr Lewis, how are things?”

  “There’s been a development.”

  Perhaps it was the time of the year but everyone seemed to be having ‘developments’. “Right, what’s happened?”

  “I’ve had a note from my neighbours. They say they want to meet to discuss the problem.”

  “That’s good, they’re admitting there’s a problem now.”

  “Yes. I don’t want to meet them on my own though. Not that they’re scary or anything but there’s two of them and one of me. I’m worried they’ll, well, be a bit intimidating.”

  “I understand, that’s no problem. I can be there with you if you’d like. Why don’t you tell them we can meet at your house?” Lucy suggested. “It might give us a tactical advantage and they can hear how loud their parrot is from your side.”

  “Yes, good idea. Thank you.”

  She checked in her diary on the desk. “It looks like I could make tomorrow or Wednesday this week if that helps?”

  “I’ll write a note and take it round now. I’ll let you know what they say.”

  “Okay then, speak to you soon Mr Lewis.”

  She gave up on the website she’d been searching. She was going to have to report to Katherine that she couldn’t find the source of Mr Brooke’s latest rumour.

  “Well, if we can’t find anything, we can’t confront anyone,” Katherine commented, resignedly. “At least it means it’s not all over the internet for everyone to see. I’ll let him know shall I?”

  “Oh yes, good idea.” Lucy wasn’t keen to spend any more time with Mr Brooke than she needed to.

  “I’ll ask him if there are any business forums we should try, just in case.”

  Lucy wondered why Leander hadn’t asked Sebastian to search the internet, a teenage boy was probably perfect for the job. He probably wouldn’t want him to know about it though. “Right, I’ll get on with the rest of my work shall I?”

  *

  Leander had been looking forward to relaxing after work with a nice glass of wine. The deal he was working on was taking its toll, long hours, endless reports, hours of research. It would be worth it in the end if they landed the account, it could take the company into another stratosphere, but not without a lot of hard work first. If only the legal team had been able to trace the source of the rumours about him, it would have been something less to worry about. He might try looking online himself, he had enough profiles on the social media sites he used for work, perhaps he could use those?

  After Sebastian had turned up he knew the dream of a quiet evening was over. Following much badgering he’d poured a very small glass for him and advised Sebastian to sip it slowly as it was all he was getting. The movie was just starting but he could already tell it wouldn’t be his sort of thing, it never was when Sebastian chose it. He’d need another glass of wine to get through this one.

  “You know in France they let kids drink wine all the time,” Sebastian told him.

  “Then bon voyage. Over here that’s all you get.”

  “You look tired,” Sebastian commented after seeing Leander rubbing his face.

  “Yeah, there’s a lot on at work.”

  “Why don’t I be your intern over the summer? I’ll help you sort it out.”

  Leander coughed into his wineglass. Sebastian let loose in his office? “There’s an idea. Why don’t we talk about it sometime. When I’m not so tired.”

  “No problemo.” Sebastian told him, looking pleased. “By the way the presentation ceremony is the 17th, don’t forget.”

  “Next month?”

  “No, this month.”

  “This month? That’s only a few days away!” Leander exclaimed.

  Sebastian rolled his eyes at him. “I told you ages ago it was the 17th. Does this mean you’re not gonna be there?”

  “No, of course I’ll be there.” Leander saw Sebastian’s expression. “I will. I just thought it was next month. Don’t worry, I’ll sort it out.” He grabbed his blackberry from his pocket and checked his calendar. He’d have to move a couple of meetings. It couldn’t have come at a worse time with the big deal going down. “Is Dad and your mum going?”

  “So they say. Look don’t worry, it’s only a school award thing. It’s not the end of the world. Only the only thing I’ve ever won in my whole life.”

  “You’re really good at this emotional blackmail stuff aren’t you?”

  “What d’you think I’m getting an award for?”

  “I’ve said alright haven’t I? I’ll be there. I may miss out on the biggest deal of my career and the business will go down the drain but I’ll be there.”

  “And you wonder where I get my talent from.”

  “Where did you put my invite anyway?” Leander asked looking around.

  “You didn’t get one, they sent it to Mum and Dad.”

  “That’s nice. How am I supposed to know where I’m going then?”

  “Because I’m going to tell you,” Sebastian told Leander in a smart arse way that would have earned him a clip round the ear if he hadn’t ducked in time. He reached for the bowl of jelly beans.

  Leander was still tapping away on his blackberry. “I’ll have to rearrange a couple of very important meetings so I hope you appreciate it.” He wasn’t going to have time to investigate these rumours himself either. Damn.

  “Okay, okay. Enough of the guilt stuff already.”

  “So where is it?”

  Sebastian pulled out his own phone and looked it up. He read out a postcode. “Put that in your satnav. It starts at 2pm. Mum and Dad are driving me down but Mum wants to have lunch somewhere first. D’you want me to find out where we’re stopping?”

  “I can’t really make lunch as well kiddo. Sorry but there’s so much on with this deal I can’t take the whole day off. I’ll be there for two o’clock, I promise.”

  Sebastian seemed happy with this and shovelled more sweets into his mouth. A particularly violent part in the film came up and he insisted on rewinding it sure that Leander had missed it.

  “I think it’s customary to give a present to award winners. Oh, look at that,” he commented as someone on screen was run through with a stake.

  Leander wondered when this level of violence got a 15 rating. “You’re not pulling that one on me. Where is this place? The postcode you gave me isn’t anywhere in London.”

  “No, it’s this other school they take us to sometimes, out in the country to give us London boys some fresh air. You’ll love it, it’s very historical, very old. A bit like you.”

  “Funny.”

  “How about taking me for a drink in your bar afterwards to celebrate?”

  “You’re still not old enough.”

  “But if you’re the owner–”

  “Part owner. Maybe I’ll get some champagne and we can celebrate after. How about that?”

  “I guess so,” Sebastian agreed with typical teenage enthusiasm.

  “Whatever,” Leander told him to wind him up. It looked like the rumours would have to wait.

  *

  Mr Lewis had arranged their meeting with his neighbours for Tuesday afternoon. Fortunately his address in Swiss Cottage required only a couple of line changes on the underground. His house by London standards was a mansion but in any other part of the country would be described as a small terra
ce. Lucy could hear vague squawking sounds as she waited for him to open the door.

  “I can see what you mean,” she commented as he showed her in. “The bird is quite loud.”

  “Yes, it’s worse early in the morning when the house is quieter. You can hear it a lot more.”

  He led her into a small but comfortable reception room, offering her a seat at the dining table then left to make some coffee. She got her notes from her bag and laid them out ready

  “You have a lovely home,” she commented politely as Mr Lewis came back with a tray of mugs and a plate of biscuits.

  “Thank you. I’ve got some mugs out for them when they come.”

  “Before your neighbours arrive, can we just go over a few points?” she asked him.

  “Oh yes, of course,” he said and sat down abandoning the tray for a moment.

  “You neighbours may offer to make some changes or a compromise. If they do, please check with me first before agreeing to anything. If they want to talk about their parrot’s ‘rights’ let me handle that as well.” Mr Lewis nodded. “Negotiations can get a little heated sometimes, if you feel you’re starting to get angry, just leave the room. It’s better to walk away than get into a real bun fight. Not that you would I’m sure,” she smiled at him.

  “Okay, I’ll try to remember that,” he told her.

  The neighbours, Mr and Mrs Fryer, arrived and the atmosphere changed, becoming more businesslike and slightly tense. They were a little younger than Mr Lewis but not by much. They were friendly enough to begin with though which was a good sign. Mr Lewis provided everyone with coffee and biscuits which helped the meeting start on the right footing.

  “Marcus is just expressing himself,” Mrs Fryer explained to them.

  For a second Lucy thought Marcus was her husband before realising Mrs Fryer was talking about the parrot.

  “His screaming is very loud and disturbing for Mr Lewis.” She had to talk loudly as Marcus was at that very moment busy demonstrating just how loud he could be shouting his head off next door.