In Just One Day

by Helen Mcginn

  ‘Not at all, it’s very kind of you to come and help. And I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you, but your daughter and son-in-law have both been wonderful. I really thought it was the end of the wine road for me but these two absolutely refused to give up.’

  ‘Well, I’m not sure they had much choice, to be honest,’ replied Kate.

  Flora shot Johnny a look and he gently shook his head. She rolled her eyes before turning back to Kate.

  ‘OK, Mum, that’s enough chit-chat.’ She handed her a cloth. ‘We’ve got work to do. Just mind the bottles.’

  10

  ‘Can you please not eat those straight from the packet?’ Johnny took the cereal box from Pip, passing her a bowl. ‘Sit down and pour them properly, please.’

  ‘Are you taking us to school today?’ Tom spoke through a mouthful of cereal, his face hopeful.

  ‘Yes, Tom, my turn today… and it’s a big day for your mother. She’s got one of her wine exams today.’

  Flora rushed into the room, bags already over her shoulder. She looked terrified. Johnny put his arms on her shoulders. ‘Hey, how are you feel—’

  ‘Have you got everything ready for school? Did you finish your homework, Pip? Tom, have you got your—’ Flora stopped, turning her attention to whatever she was rummaging for in her handbag.

  ‘Relax, they’re here.’ Johnny grabbed the keys from the side and handed them to Flora. ‘We’re on it, seriously. You go, you don’t want to miss your train. What time will you be back?’

  Flora kissed him briefly on the lips. ‘Hopefully around six, unless I decide to drown my sorrows somewhere.’

  ‘Come on, you know you’re as prepared for this as you possibly could be. You’ve done loads of studying.’

  ‘Yes, but it’s the last tasting paper today, and I feel like I’ve totally forgotten what anything smells like, let alone what it tastes like. And what if they put really random wines in?’

  ‘In which case, go with whatever comes into your head first, you know, gut feel. It’s your best bet.’

  ‘How come you’re suddenly the expert?’ Flora managed a laugh.

  ‘I’m not. But I know you. Just don’t overthink things. Go with your instincts and you’ll be fine. Better than fine, you’ll be brilliant. Now, go.’ He kissed her again.

  Flora kissed both the children then headed for the door. ‘Thank you. See you later!’

  ‘Bye, Mum!’ chorused the children. The front door thumped shut behind her.

  ‘OK, let’s get going. Ten minutes and counting. Off you go and brush your teeth when you’ve finished. I’ll be back in a minute.’ Johnny stepped into the back garden, mug of tea in hand. He looked up at the trees at the back, now thick with bright green leaves against a light blue sky. The sun was already warm on his face. He took a last slug of his tea, the liquid now lukewarm.

  A robin flew down in front of him and landed not far from his feet. He watched the bird hop across the lawn. ‘What do you think? Do you reckon she’ll be OK? I reckon she’ll ace it.’ He sighed, closed his eyes. ‘Now, if we can just make the shop work…’

  Johnny had spent the last few weeks honing the business plan, negotiating terms with suppliers both new and old, sorting out the accounts and setting up a shiny new website. The newly laid-out shop was looking good, freshly painted, and the copper-topped counter and tasting table were the smartest finishing touches. If – and it was a big if – they could take the business from a small neighbourhood wine shop to one that also operated profitably online, sold to restaurants and other businesses wholesale and ran wine courses Johnny felt they were on to something that might just allow them to earn a decent living. At least, that was the plan. The last thing he wanted to do was put Flora under pressure, but the truth was there was a lot riding on her gaining her diploma.

  Flora took another long sniff of the liquid inside the glass in front of her and looked at what she’d written. Taking a furtive glance around, she thought everyone appeared far more comfortable than she felt. One candidate sat back in his chair, casually tapping his pen on the table. Another went along the row of wines in front of her, sniffing each one furiously, smiling as she scribbled down her notes. It took Flora all her willpower not to cross out everything she’d written and bolt for the door.

  You know this is Fino sherry, she told herself. You’ve tasted this a hundred times before. That unmistakable tang, the searing acidity that whips across the taste buds quite unlike anything else…

  Flora forced herself to put her pen down and move along to the next drink. Picking it up, she tilted the glass and looked at the wine. Closing her eyes, she stuck her nose in the top of it and inhaled deeply. Booze-soaked nuts and raisin aromas hit her immediately, so powerful she felt slightly intoxicated. ‘Light tawny red fading to brick at the rim,’ she wrote. Tawny port, final answer, she thought as she continued with the tasting note, describing its aromas and palate before assessing the wine’s overall quality in detail.

  She glanced at her watch. Twenty minutes left and she still had another flight to go. It was going to be tight, but if she could just keep her focus…

  By the time the invigilator called time, Flora felt like she was burning up. Whether through panic or just because the exam room was unbelievably stuffy, she couldn’t quite tell. Either way, relief flooded through her. As they left the room other students talked excitedly, comparing verbal notes on the wines. She heard snippets, enough to make her doubt every word she’d written. Given most of her tutorials had been completed online she didn’t really know anyone else on the course, but the last thing she wanted now was a ‘What did you think wine number six was?’ kind of conversation.

  Five papers down, one assessment to go. And that didn’t have to be handed in for a while yet. Flora hitched her bag onto her shoulder, popped a piece of chewing gum into her tannin-coated mouth, took a deep breath and headed out of the building. As she waited to cross the road, staring mindlessly at the red light, she saw someone waving at her from the other side of the road.

  ‘Billy!’ She crossed over to meet him, giving him a great hug when she got there. ‘What on earth are you doing here?’

  ‘I asked Johnny what time you finished and thought you might like a quick drink before you head back. I’m working not far from here at the moment. Don’t worry, he said not to rush back; said he’ll sort the kids out. And I know a great pub just round the corner.’ Billy grinned.

  ‘Actually, I really need a gin and tonic after all that tasting, but I’m driving at the other end, so I’d better stick to tea.’

  ‘Well, I’m gasping. Come on.’

  They sat at a small table in the corner of the pub, all dark wood and old paintings. Billy returned from the bar with a tray holding a pint, a pot of tea and four different-flavoured bags of crisps.

  ‘So, how did it go?’ He put the pot and empty cup and saucer in front of her. ‘Sorry, they only had these.’ He pointed to the tiny carton of milk on the table.

  ‘No, honestly, that’s perfect. Thank you.’ Flora reached for the tea. ‘It went OK, I think. But you never really know, do you?’

  Billy laughed, remembering his own exam performance. When it came to studying for exams, he had always left everything to the last minute, somehow scraping through by the skin of his teeth. ‘You’ll be fine, you know you will. I don’t think you’ve ever failed an exam in your life. Well, apart from your driving test. How many times?’ He laughed, knowing how much this annoyed her.

  ‘Oh, shut up, it was just bad luck!’

  ‘Three times?’

  ‘Actually, I passed third time. All the best people do.’ She shot him a look.

  ‘Whatever.’ He chuckled, then took a noisy sip from his pint.

  ‘Anyway, how’s it all going with Ruby? Is it back on?’

  ‘Yeah, I think so. I do really like her, actually. She’s… gorgeous.’ He grinned.

  ‘God only knows what she sees in you,’ Flora teased.

  ‘Well, c
learly it’s my sparkling personality and devastating good looks.’ He gestured to his face.

  ‘Yeah, right.’ She laughed.

  They sat and exchanged news, Billy asking about the children, Flora about his plans for the summer in the hope she might get him to commit to coming to stay for a few days at some point. They talked about their parents, including the obligatory moan about their mother whilst agreeing they wouldn’t have her any other way. It was all part and parcel of family life, however old you were.

  Flora glanced at her watch. ‘Oh my God, I didn’t realise it was so late! I’ve got to go or I’ll miss my train and I don’t want to be on the later one: it’ll be so crowded.’

  Billy drained his pint. ‘Go on, go!’ He shooed her away.

  Flora hugged him and thanked him for the tea. ‘Just what I needed, thank you.’

  ‘Next time, it’ll be a gin and tonic.’

  ‘Definitely. Doubles.’

  ‘Of course.’ He waved her off and Flora ran all the way to the station.

  She made the train with a minute to spare but managed to find a seat. Plonking herself down, she rested her head against the glass window and settled in. She scrolled through her phone. Five new messages in her group chat with Susie and Tilda – both wishing her luck along with a couple of random GIFs involving people drinking enormous glasses of wine, together with a couple from Johnny telling her he was thinking of her and asking how it went. She tapped out her responses and sent one to her parents, letting them know she’d got the last exam out of the way.

  She put her phone in her pocket and picked up the paper in front of her, the words a blur. Her eyes ached. The sound of a ping had her reaching back into her pocket. Looking at the screen she saw a message from Billy.

  Good to see you, sis. Bet you smashed it. See you at the party next week xx

  She smiled to herself, her thoughts turning to the shop. At least now she had a bit of time to focus on getting the launch organised. An email had gone out to the few current customers Mack had email addresses for, as well as to friends and family. Suppliers old and new had generously donated a few bottles each to the opening so that customers could try different wines. If the weather continued as it was, they’d be able to use the courtyard at the back, too, which would provide a bit more space.

  She checked her emails before opening the Instagram page Johnny had set up for the shop, now populated with before and after pictures of the shop makeover. There were bottles, winemakers and even pictures of her, Mack and Johnny. She felt guilty for not having helped more with this side of things, but Johnny had been insistent (‘You’ve got exams and, anyway, you never post anything on Instagram. And you hate Facebook’). She wouldn’t have known where to start but he’d made it look fantastic.

  Her job, he’d told her, was to pass her diploma. Then she could start teaching wine courses from the shop, bringing in an additional income stream. She felt her stomach flip at the thought of getting her results, even though it was months away still.

  The train rattled slowly through the suburbs. Flora distracted herself by peeking into the passing gardens and extensions stuck on the back of houses like enormous concrete barnacles. The train picked up speed as it headed to the coast and, as it did, so her worries about the exam began to fade. No good worrying about something you can’t change, as her mother was in the habit of reminding her on a regular basis.

  Again, her phone pinged. Flora picked it up and looked at the screen. A message on the ‘Family’ group chat from her mother:

  Hi Darling, well done! We’ve got everything crossed for you. Xxx

  Flora started typing.

  Thanks Mum, I’m just glad it’s all done for now. See you at the party next week. Did you get the email about it from Johnny?

  Flora waited for a reply. She could just imagine her mother asking her father about the email. ‘Did we get an email, Robin? I didn’t see it… Can you have a look? Print it off?’

  The guard’s voice interrupted her train of thought, announcing the next station. It was the one before her usual stop, but that morning Flora had decided to go from a different station. The car park there was bigger than at her usual one and she hadn’t wanted to risk not being able to get a parking spot. She reached for her bag, folded the paper in half and tucked it inside. Standing by the door as they pulled into the station, Flora realised she was feeling something she hadn’t felt for a while. Taking a second to register it, she was stunned to notice that the tight knot that had been in her stomach, seemingly for months, just wasn’t there any more. Relief, that’s what it was. At last.

  Stepping onto the platform, she joined the snake of people climbing the stairs, placing one foot in front of the other, head down. When she got to the top, she saw a familiar figure walking a few steps in front of her. It was her father. She went to call out, but something stopped her. He turned to speak to the person next to him, a woman she didn’t recognise. Flora slowed down, watching as the woman turned her head to his, lifting her face. He kissed her cheek, saying something that made her laugh. She put her hand gently to his face and smiled again before they both started walking in opposite directions across the car park.

  Flora stood rooted to the spot, people passing either side of her. Trying to make sense of what she’d just witnessed, she racked her brains. Who could this woman possibly be? Perhaps it was an old friend he’d bumped into on the train, she told herself. But then what was he doing on the train in the first place?

  Flora’s legs felt weak. She knew, deep down, that what she’d seen wasn’t a goodbye kiss between friends. It was one between lovers.

  11

  ‘Here you go…’ Susie held out two paper cups, bubbles threatening to escape over the sides. She’d instigated a trip to the beach after school, determined to make the most of the warm spell, and she and Tilda were wanting to toast Flora finishing her exams. ‘Here’s to you, Flo.’

  They raised their paper cups in unison.

  ‘Thank you, but you really shouldn’t have. Technically, I haven’t quite finished them and I’m sure we shouldn’t be doing this until I actually pass this damn diploma.’ Flora laughed.

  ‘Nonsense, just getting this far is a real achievement in itself and we’re going to bloody well celebrate it. Talking of which…’ Tilda shifted back on the blanket they’d laid on the pebbles, ‘… I’ve been thinking about the party again. We could do a raffle to raise money for a local charity, get people’s email addresses so you can add them to your database, Flora. Also, if you do a raffle after everyone’s had a few glasses, you’ll sell loads of tickets.’ Tilda took another long sip from her cup.

  ‘Ooh, good idea.’ Flora sat up, lifting her sunglasses as she did so. ‘Hey, Pip! Try and persuade Tom to come in with you!’ Pip threw an enthusiastic thumbs up back to her mother from where she stood in the water, now up to her knees. Tom was at the water’s edge, crouching down to examine stones in the sand. ‘And what about doing some sort of actual wine tasting? Or do you think that’s too formal?’

  ‘I think you just need to get a good crowd in and let people know you’ll be doing wine courses and talks, that kind of thing, in future.’ Susie passed a packet of opened crisps. ‘Take them away from me, someone, please, before I eat the lot of them.’

  Tilda took the packet. ‘I think Susie’s right. You want this to be about showing off the shop, get people trying a few wines. Make sure they sign up for the newsletter, you know? And, Susie, you do not need to worry about eating too many crisps. For heaven’s sake, there’s nothing of you – which is very annoying – and sadly cannot be said for me.’ Tilda grinned, shoving another handful in her mouth as she did so.

  Flora took a sip, then another. Flavours of citrus and just-crushed biscuits filled her mouth. ‘God, this is delicious. Did you bring it, Susie?’

  ‘Yep, I nicked it from Jules’ wine rack. It is rather nice, isn’t it?’

  ‘Pass me the bottle…’ Flora reached across, turning it to look at t
he label. ‘Bloody hell, Susie, this is a really good champagne.’

  ‘Oh, shit, is it?’ Susie grimaced.

  ‘What is it?’ Tilda took the bottle from Flora to take a closer look.

  ‘It’s a Blanc de Blancs. Vintage, as well. And this producer is really good. I mean it goes for about £120 a pop.’

  There was an awkward silence.

  ‘Well, it is bloody delicious. Even if I did think we were drinking Prosecco.’ Tilda laughed throatily. ‘Sorry, Flo, totally wasted on me.’

  ‘No, it’s not, you said it yourself! You knew it was better than your average. But, Susie, will he mind?’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry. I’ll replace it before he’s even noticed. He doesn’t even really drink. It’s only there so he can impress people when they come round…’ Susie tailed off.

  ‘Suse, is everything OK?’ Tilda spoke softly.

  Susie looked out towards the children, now splashing in the surf as the waves broke gently on the shore. ‘It will be.’ She turned back to her friends. ‘I can’t talk about it yet. But I will, one day, I promise.’ She tried a small smile.

  Flora reached her arm across to take Susie’s hand. ‘Ready when you are.’

  ‘Absolutely.’ Tilda topped up Susie’s cup. ‘Here, you’d better have this.’

  Susie dropped her head, took in a deep breath and looked up at the clear blue sky above them. ‘I know it doesn’t have to be like this. I just don’t know how to get out of it.’ Fat tears fell from the corners of her eyes, rolling slowly down her face.

  ‘Is there anything we can do? I mean…’ Flora stopped herself, not wanting to push her friend too hard.

  ‘Honestly, it’s fine. Well, it’s not fine, but… we’re just two people who don’t really like each other any more. And we haven’t for a very long time. I just need to find the right moment to do something about it.’ She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘I know he could make life difficult if he wanted to.’