by CJ Morrow
Sam gasped, put her hand to her mouth. ‘I’d completely forgotten. How’s it going?’
So Ella told her, exactly how it was, including Hal and Nathan’s apparent hostility.
‘So they know each other?’ Sam was puzzled.
‘Hal says not. But Nathan swore when he saw him and stomped off in a huff.’
‘Bit strange.’
‘Anyway, Nathan is listing all the work that needs doing and estimating the cost but Hal has told me not to use him.’
‘What will you do?’
‘I’ll see what the estimate is. Then I’ll decide what I do. Oh Sam, we’ve done so much painting and cleaning, as soon as you’re out of here, you’ll have to come and see.’
Sam sighed. ‘It might be a while before I can venture that far.’
‘Sorry Sam, I wasn’t thinking. You just stay here and get better and keep growing my little God child.’
Sam smiled, but it was a sad, faraway little smile that made Ella feel uncomfortable.
‘Anyway, enough about me,’ Ella said, feeling selfish.
‘No, keep talking. Your adventures are a lovely distraction from this.’ She waved her arms around the ward; a loud snore came from the corner.
‘I saw Nathan outside,’ Ella said.
‘Yes, sweet of him. Have you seen his hair? I hardly recognised him. He looks pretty hot.’
‘Yeah. No.’ Ella said, thinking of how much she had liked his enigmatic rock star look.
It was after nine by the time Ella got to Hal’s, she’d messaged him, so he knew when to expect her. He opened the door wearing an apron; it said World’s Best Chef.
‘Is that true?’ Ella said, pointing to it and laughing.
‘I’m the best everything,’ he said, bending down to kiss her briefly on the mouth. He tasted of brandy. ‘How’s your friend?’
‘Okay. I think.’
‘Good. I hope you’re hungry; I’ve made my signature steak. I call it Steak au Hal.’
‘Sounds intriguing.’ Ella forced a big smile, in truth she wasn’t hungry at all, she’d lost her appetite the instant Tiffy had dropped the bombshell about Sam. Even seeing Sam hadn’t restored it.
If Hal had planned an evening of seduction he soon gave up when Ella fell asleep at the dining table while he was bringing desert. The true gentleman that he was he escorted her back to her place and even helped pull out the sofa bed, then kissed her softly on the mouth and left her on her own.
‘Sleep tight,’ he called, then laughed. God, he had such a sexy laugh.
Ella fell asleep with Hal’s face floating in her dreams. Sweet dreams.
Her phone went off and she was suddenly, horribly awake. She reached for it only to discover that it wasn’t the alarm but Tiffy calling. Was it eight-thirty already?
‘Morning, Ella,’ Tiffy’s voice said, with a layer of jolly cheerfulness that didn’t suit Tiffy or the time of day.
‘Hi,’ Ella said, getting out of bed and walking the few feet to the kitchenette to get herself a drink.
‘Did you have a nice evening?’ Tiffy was starting with the small talk again.
‘Yes, I will come back in. Only one day this week. Friday.’ Ella said, without wasting any more time. ‘After that, we’ll see how it goes.’ I want cash in hand – at least then she could repay Walt for the paint he kept finding – and I want to know exactly how much I’ll be getting paid on payday. So get Gwynnie organised on that. I’ll see you Friday at half-eight.’
‘Thank you. Thank you so much.’
‘That’s okay. Bye.’ Ella put the phone down, rubbed her eyes and knew, even though she wanted to, that she couldn’t go back to bed.
The following days went in a whirr of activity at Spring Cottage, more ceilings were painted – Ella had to stop them from painting the walls because she didn’t want everything white. There was more digging in the garden, not by Ella, but she was being given a comprehensive lesson in vegetable gardening by Walt. Ella winced every time he took her outside to instruct her further; she was growing to love the cottage but the garden was something else. Gardening was for old people.
‘Do you think they’d like to take this on permanently if I paid them?’ Ella said, nodding at the two old men who seemed happy in their digging work. ‘And you, for your expert advice.’
Walt pondered awhile. ‘Yes, I think they might. We’ll have to ask them. But you don’t need to pay me for my advice.’ He clapped his hand on Ella’s shoulder and laughed.
She wrapped her arms around him while he hugged her back. She was grateful but it was more than that; he was like a father figure to her – a father figure she’d never really had.
‘They’ll be ready to plant on Friday. We’ll get on with it while you’re working. There’s not much more we can do inside now.’
‘What are they planting?’
‘All sorts. Don’t you worry about it.’
‘Who’s paying for the plants, the seeds or whatever it is?’
‘Don’t you worry about it.’
‘Right, Walt. I want you to list out everything you’ve spent, including all those pots of unopened paint you keep finding.’ Ella gave Walt a don’t think you’re fooling me look. ‘I am going to repay you. It’s the very least I can do.’
‘Don’t worry, Ella.’
‘No, Walt. I mean it. I want to know exactly how much you’ve spent. It’s bad enough that you are all giving me your time and energy, without you spending out of your own pocket.’
Walt shook his head.
‘If you don’t give me the list, today - after lunch if you can – I’m going to lock you all out.’ Ella pursed her lips.
Walt laughed. ‘All right, all right. Talking of lunch, I think it’s arrived.’
‘Talking of lunch,’ Ella said, running to keep up with him as he marched back up the garden towards the house, ‘include the cost of that too.’
‘I’m not paying for lunch. I told you, the pub is very happy, very, very happy to donate it.’
‘Then I’ll have to pay them back.’
‘No. Don’t. They’ll get it back tenfold.’ Now Walt pursed his lips and the look on his face was enough to tell Ella to leave it at that.
Ella woke up early on Friday morning. Too early; it was still dark. She showered and dressed in her work clothes, made her face up – which was something she’d never normally do for work and surveyed the result in the mirror.
‘You’ll do,’ she said to her reflection.
Grin and bear it, the voice in her head chimed back.
She arrived at the office at exactly eight-thirty, but they were already waiting for her, all of them. Ben gave her a sly smile which Kevin echoed. Tiffy beamed like a Cheshire cat and Gwynnie smiled with her mouth but most certainly not her eyes.
‘We’re so happy you’ve come in,’ Tiffy said, rushing towards Ella. ‘Would you like a coffee?’
‘No, thanks. I’ve just had one.’ This was not how it used to be.
‘When you’ve settled in,’ Gwynnie said over Tiffy’s head, ‘can we catch up for ten mins.’ The words were phrased as a question, but the intonation made it clear it was a command.
‘Sure.’ Ella smiled, thinking that if Gwynnie started with her, she’d just get up and leave. They had no hold over her now, she was here as a favour.
After about thirty minutes during which Ella had given Tiffy a very comprehensive run down of one small process and was now supervising her doing it, Ella glanced over at Gwynnie. She was concentrating, her brow furrowed as she compared figures on her screen with notes she had made. Ella couldn’t suppress a smile, she knew what Gwynnie was doing, checking potential new lines on the inventory against scrappy notes she had made. Ella knew there was a better way to do it, and she would explain it, but not yet.
‘I’m ready when you are,’ Ella said, watching Gwynnie jump.
Gwynnie stood up, grabbed a folder from her desk drawer, waited for Ella then walked with purpose to the nearest meeting roo
m. Ella wondered what was coming next.
Gwynnie opened the door for Ella and then closed it behind them. She leant against the door.
‘First Ella, I’d just like to say how very mature it is of you to come in and help us out. Thank you.’
Ella smiled her response.
‘Also, here is your payslip, we don’t get paid for another week or so, but HR agreed you could have this now, so at least you know what you’re getting. And..’
Ella held up one finger, silencing Gwynnie, then tore open her payslip. If the amount wasn’t what she considered fair, she’d be off right now. She looked at the figure, read the accompanying explanation; paid to the end of the month and a month’s pay in lieu of notice.
‘That seems to be in order,’ Ella said, trying her hardest to contain her pleasure.
‘Good. Finally we agreed that you’d be paid double in cash today. Here it is.’ Gwynnie handed over a brown envelope.
Ella opened it, counted the notes and smiled. ‘Thank you.’
‘I’m trusting you, Ella, because obviously you’ve only been here less than an hour, but I’m trusting you to stay all day. It’s..’
‘Stop,’ Ella said. ‘Firstly, I’m here for the day. That’s what I agreed, that’s what I will do. After that, we’ll see. I’ve taken time out of my busy life to come here, time I could put to much better use. I came after Tiffy begged me and from what I’ve seen so far, you’ll all benefit from what I can teach you. Secondly, don’t patronise me, don’t think you’re doing me a favour. I realise it must really stick in your throat to have me here, but it’s of your own doing. If you had paid me fairly we wouldn’t be in this situation.’
‘But…’
Ella held up her finger again, silencing Gwynnie. ‘Thirdly, I don’t have the energy for fighting with you, so let’s just walk out of here, smile and be pleasant to each other. When I’ve finished with Tiffy, there are a few things I can show you to make your job easier. Okay, let’s go. Smile.’
The two walked side by side back to their desks, grinning inanely, and got on with their work.
‘How was your day?’ Hal asked when he knocked on Ella’s door early that evening.
She’d had the foresight to tidy up so wasn’t too embarrassed to invite him in.
‘Better than I expected,’ Ella said. ‘I’ve agreed to go back next week, which is pretty good of me really.’ She allowed herself a little smug smirk.
‘I forgot you wouldn’t be at your cottage and called round. The old people were gardening and singing, weird singing.’ He shook his head. ‘That jolly one, the leader, he gave me this to give to you.’ Hal handed over a brown envelope – her second one today.
Ella knew what it was, she’d been expecting it. She didn’t open it in front of Hal, just pushed it into her handbag.
‘Dinner. I’m taking you out right now, while you’re still presentable and don’t have to rush off on some emergency and you can tell me all about it.’
Over dinner, Ella did tell Hal about her day. How she’d enjoyed lunch with Ben and Kevin, how she’d made some sort of peace with Gwynnie and Tiffy, and most importantly, how she no longer resented them, because now everyone knew the truth.
‘You can put it all behind you,’ Hal said, giving her a devastating smile.
‘And I intend to.’
‘I’ve been talking to my lawyer pal,’ Hal said, ‘about your predicament.’
‘What predicament?’
‘Your spring. He thinks there’s a way round it.’
‘Round what?’ Ella tucked into her pudding – chocolate fudge cake.
‘Being able to bottle and sell it.’
‘I’m not sure I want to do that. It’s against the rules.’
‘That’s what I’m telling you. He thinks you can have those rules relaxed.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. I’m not sure selling it is a good idea. Anyway, did you know that I still have to pay water rates on it? I thought it would be free, but apparently not.’
‘All the more reason to sell it then. I’ve thought some more about the marketing, the name has definitely got to be Spring of Life, then maybe some fountain of youth image. All green. Everything should be green, green bottle, green label, green lid.’
‘I don’t know, Hal. I’ll have to think about it.’
‘Then think about it, Ella. It’s a great idea.’
‘How’s your spa going?’
‘Still sorting out the finance. These things always take time.’ He turned to call the waiter, ask for the bill. ‘I can’t hang about after this,’ he said, ‘I have some business to attend to early tomorrow morning.’
‘On a Saturday?’
‘Yeah. That’s what it’s like when you’re in business for yourself.’ He laughed and raised his eyebrows.
‘That’s okay, I’ve got a busy weekend myself; packing and moving.’
‘Damn, I probably won’t be able to help you.’
‘That’s okay, Charlie is arranging transport for the furniture I have in their garage and the rest will fit in my car. Might take a couple of trips though.’
After dinner Hal drove them both home and, in his usual well-mannered way escorted Ella to her door. He kissed her; delicious. Then he said goodbye, looking back as he turned to walk up the stairs to his flat; he gave her a knock-out smile and blew her a kiss.
Once inside her own place she thought about Hal. He kissed her like he meant it, he took her out to dinner and always insisted on paying, but he didn’t seem to want to take their relationship – if that’s what it was – any further. Ella wasn’t too sure how she felt about that.
She got ready for bed – freshly washed frog onesie on because it was cold in her place and pulled the brown envelopes from her handbag. Plenty of cash in one; it felt like a bribe, which it was, of sorts. She’d be paying Walt back for the paint pronto. The second envelope contained a very detailed break down of all the work needed in Spring Cottage, including the costs – eye-watering, and a handwritten note from Nathan. E, Suggest we discuss further. Also suggest we do the work in stages, especially as you will be living in it. N.
He seemed very sure he’d be getting the job, and he couldn’t even be bothered to sign his full name, or write hers in full either. Arrogant bastard.
Ella woke up feeling excited. Today was the start of the big move to her new life. She looked forward to seeing how the few items of furniture she had kept from her mum’s house would look in Spring Cottage. There wasn’t much, a sideboard, a table, a few chairs, bedside tables and some lamps.
Charlie messaged to say the furniture would be at her place at eleven.
Ella messaged Sam, hoping she was well and thanking her for Charlie’s help. Sam sent good wishes back.
It was going to be a great day.
Ella made her first trip to the cottage with as many things as she could stuff into her car. All her mum’s boxes balanced precariously in the back, pots and pans and everything from her kitchenette. They would be ridiculously lost in the cottage kitchen.
She’d just arrived with her second load and was unlocking the front door when she saw a van approach. Charlie. Great. He was right on time.
The van pulled up outside and Ella turned and waved. But it wasn’t Charlie who got out of the van, it was Nathan. And he was on his own.
Thirteen
‘I was expecting Charlie,’ Ella said as Nathan opened the van’s back doors.
‘He’s a bit busy, doesn’t have a van and is office worker weak.’ He laughed. Ella didn’t. ‘I was joking,’ Nathan said when he saw Ella’s face. ‘Sam might be coming out of hospital today, so he wanted to get the house all spic and span.’
‘Oh.’ Sam could have messaged her. ‘I thought she’d be stuck in there for weeks.’
‘I don’t know.’ Nathan shrugged. ‘Where do you want this stuff?’
Ella’s furniture was stowed inside and wrapped in old blankets.
‘I think that should go in the dining ro
om.’ Ella pointed to the sideboard.
‘Okay. And which room is that?’
‘Um.’ How ludicrous, she hadn’t really thought about the purpose of each room. There were several downstairs rooms and since access went around in a circle almost any could be the dining room. ‘I’m not sure.’
‘Go for the one at the front. That way you can have the back as your sitting room and keep it nice and private. Also, isn’t that where the best fireplace is?’
‘Yes. I think so. Good idea. We can always move it in the future if it doesn’t work there.’
He raised his eyebrow and smirked.
‘I mean I can always move it in the future, obviously.’ Ella felt her face redden. ‘It would have been good if Charlie had let me know he wasn’t coming,’ she said, to cover her fluster.
‘Tell Charlie,’ Nathan said, as he moved the sideboard to the front of the van.
‘Do you need me to help?’ Ella looked on in alarm as the sideboard teetered over the back edge of the van.
‘No, you go inside. I can manage. I have a trolley.’
Ella hoped his faith in his abilities wasn’t misguided but went back into the cottage, back to the kitchen where she began to unload her pots and pans and put them away in the horrible – though clean – cupboards. She unpacked the contents from her bedsit fridge, but without a fridge in the cottage she wondered how long the milk would last.
Five minutes later Nathan called her to the dining room where he’d placed the sideboard against the far wall. A thin shaft of sunshine shone on it like a spotlight. Ella smiled. She couldn’t help it. She ran her hand over the sideboard’s oak surface, breathed in the scent of home.
‘It’s a good piece,’ Nathan observed.
‘Thanks. It was my mum’s. She inherited it from her mum.’
‘Fits well in here.’ He headed back out to the van and Ella went back to the kitchen where she filled her kettle from the cold tap, careful not to even look at the hot tap – fearful it might turn into a fountain again – and plugged it into the only electric socket she was able to use.