Tell That to My Heart

by Eliza J Scott

  ‘Shit!’

  ‘I honestly don’t know how it got there. Somebody else must’ve put it in there, or it might’ve fallen in if Catherine had left it on my desk or something.’

  ‘But don’t you remember, Honey said Catherine hadn’t seen it all morning – not that that means anything, or Honey could’ve got it wrong. But, listen, don’t worry, I believe you didn’t put it in your bag, chick, but I’m getting pretty fed up of all the weird stuff that’s going on at work; it’s unsettling as well as being bloody annoying.’

  ‘I agree, but how did it end up being in my bag of all places?’

  ‘I don’t know, unless…’ Anna was silent for a moment, Mim could almost hear the cogs whirring. ‘It’s Honey! The little witch! I’d put money on it being her, it has her nasty little hallmarks all over it. My sister said things like this started happening when she worked at White Sprite Media, and it looks like she’s up to her sly bloody tricks again.’

  Relief washed over Mim as her friend vocalised thoughts that matched her own. The last thing she needed was for Anna to start doubting her or thinking her capable of theft. ‘I must admit, Honey’s was the first name that sprang to mind, once I’d got over the shock of seeing it there. But why would she do something like that? Surely she’d know the implications for me? It makes me look like a thief; I could potentially lose my job over it.’

  ‘Yeah, well, she’s not going to get away with it, but we need to get that pen back to Catherine first thing before Honey gets a chance to start stirring things up.’

  ‘Well, that won’t give us long; she makes trouble as soon as she sets foot through the door.’

  ‘Listen, I’m going to come over to yours tonight. You can give me the pen and I’ll go to work early in the morning and sneak it back in Catherine’s room before anyone gets there.’

  ‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’ Mim sniffed and dashed her tears away with the tips of her fingers. ‘I feel bad involving you, and won’t Caleb be huffed if you leave him on his own and come here?’

  ‘Course not; he can fend for himself, he’s a big boy. And anyway, he’s in his computer room on his bloody game as per usual; I’ll probably be back home before he’s even noticed I’ve gone. But please don’t feel bad, you’re my best mate and you’re having a shit time of it at the moment so I’m coming over. All I ask in return is you save me some of what you’re having for tea; not that I’m too hungry after that awesome lunch we had at the Nutmeg Tree.’

  ‘Beans on toast do?’

  ‘Ever thought about entering MasterChef with those culinary skills?’

  Mim managed a small laugh. ‘The thought had crossed my mind. Tell you what, how about I grate some cheese on top; take it up another level?’

  ‘Sounds good.’

  ‘Fab, I won’t have mine till you’re here, we can have some wine with it, Lord knows I could do with a drink.’

  ‘Hey, don’t let anyone ever tell you we don’t know how to live; beans on toast washed down with supermarket wine.’ Anna-Lisa gave a throaty laugh.

  ‘I know, we’re a couple of stylish birds, aren’t we?’

  ‘You’d better believe it. Right, hon, I’ll see you in half an hour.’

  ‘See you, Anna. And drive carefully, it’s foggy out there.’

  ‘Will do.’

  Mim felt her mood lift a little; she was lucky to have such a loyal friend as Anna, Aidey too. She wondered what he’d make of things when he found out; she hoped he wouldn’t doubt her, think, for even the tiniest of moments, that she’d taken the pen. Her mind segued to Honey. Jeez, that girl has certainly made an impact in the short time she’s been at Yorkshire Portions.

  She pulled out a chair and flopped down, absent-mindedly sorting through the contents of her bag as she got lost in her thoughts. From the moment she’d arrived Honey had seemed determined to get everyone’s back up – well, except for the Pallister-Biggs and Caspar. And it was becoming increasingly obvious she’d got it in for Mim. But Mim couldn’t understand why. Yes, there was a history of bad blood between the two of them, but it should be Mim who felt bitter towards Honey, not the other way around. After all, it was Honey who’d stolen Mim’s boyfriend, and it was Mim’s heart that had been left shattered, her pride battered and bruised. For a fleeting moment she wondered what had happened between Honey and Rick. The only time the girl had mentioned him was on her first morning at Yorkshire Portions but, judging by her behaviour, there was nothing to suggest that they were still an item. Honey probably got what she wanted, and then, “boom!” it suddenly lost its appeal; it wasn’t shiny and new anymore and, more importantly, it didn’t belong to someone else.

  But that didn’t explain why Honey was still hounding her; why she appeared to dislike her so intensely that it had manifested in her going to such lengths as trying to make Mim look like a thief. Mim hadn’t put up a fight for Rick; she’d quietly accepted defeat without challenging either of them. She’d simply disappeared. Honey had won and Mim had melted away, humiliation and hurt haunting her for months afterwards. And if there were any tiny scraps left in the dust to fight over, she had no appetite for it. She’d moved on. But it was looking increasingly like Honey hadn’t.

  Mim heaved a sigh. If she was honest with herself she knew the answer to Honey’s latest grievance with her: Caspar. If the three friends had learnt one thing since Honey’s first day at the office, it was that she couldn’t hide her jealous and vindictive streak. But what had started out as snide comments appeared to have taken a sinister turn, and that scared Mim.

  17

  There was a rap at the door followed by a voice shouting through the letter-box: ‘Little pig, little pig, let me come in!’

  Mim smiled and jumped up from her seat, while Herbert barked and trotted off down the hall. ‘Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin,’ Mim called back, feeling suddenly brighter at hearing her friend’s voice. She opened the door to see Anna-Lisa on the step looking tiny, snuggled up in her roomy overcoat and a thick scarf, mist swirling around her in the muffled light of the street lamps.

  ‘Hair on your chinny-chin-chin, what’s that all about? I’ve told you before, you really should make an appointment with a beautician, they’ve got products that can fix that. And what’s your facial hair got to do with whether or not you can open a door?’ Anna-Lisa flashed a wide smile.

  ‘You’re a nutter.’ Mim did her best to muster up a smile as she felt the threat of fresh tears brewing. ‘But I’m so glad to see you. And, for the record, I don’t have any facial hair, well, apart from one really thick, long one that seems to appear every now and then just here on my jawline.’ She tapped the area in question.

  ‘You should make a feature of it, dye it a different colour, tie a ribbon round it, that sort of thing.’

  Mim felt her tears abate as a giggle took their place. Good old Anna. ‘Mmm. Never thought of that.’

  ‘Anyway, come ’ere, chick.’ Anna stood on her tip-toes and pulled Mim into a tight hug, enveloping her in the scent of the cold night air and a heady mix of hair products. ‘It’ll be alright, you know. I’ll make sure of it. That little witch doesn’t know what she’s messing with.’ She rubbed her hand in sympathetic swirls over Mim’s back.

  ‘That sounds like fighting talk to me.’

  ‘You’d better bloody believe it. Now, come on, let’s have a look at this flaming pen. Hello, there, Herbert.’ She bent to ruffle the Labrador’s ears.

  ‘Are you sure Caleb doesn’t mind you coming here?’ asked Mim.

  ‘Not a bit; he was ensconced in his precious games room when I got back home from work, couldn’t tear his eyes away from his bloody computer screen when I went in and said hello. He just grunted at me and carried on as if I wasn’t there. Honestly, chick, he probably hasn’t even noticed I’ve gone.’ Her voice tailed off as she cast a critical eye around the kitchen. She shrugged off her coat. ‘I see you’ve managed to keep this place tidy, well, except for the pile of junk on the table.’ />
  ‘Ah, that’s just me having a sort out of my bag.’

  ‘Your new one?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘It needs a sort out already?’

  ‘I got into the habit of just transferring whatever was in the one I’d been using to the one I wanted to use next, turns out it’s not such a good idea. I’ve found all sorts of grotty stuff, including a train ticket to Newcastle from two years ago and a packet of mints that look like they belong in a museum.’

  ‘Sounds about right, you little scruff.’

  Anna-Lisa was like a welcome ray of light. She hadn’t even got through the door before she’d already made Mim feel brighter.

  Anna walked over to the table and picked up the pen, examining it closely. ‘Well, it’s definitely Catherine’s; I don’t know anyone else who has a Tiffany pen. And I think we’re pretty certain how it got into your bag. And I think I know when the little witch did it.’

  ‘You do?’

  ‘Yeah, I reckon it was when you went along to Clarissa’s office this afternoon. I noticed Honey watching you; she jumped up as soon as you’d left the room, made some excuse about needing to look for something on your desk. I remember thinking it was a bit strange, and I did wonder at the time why she’d waited till you’d gone out. She was rooting around for a while and could have very easily dropped the pen into your bag then, with it having an open top like it has.’

  ‘The devious little madam.’ Mim took a moment to mull Anna’s theory over. ‘But why do you think she did it, what motive do you think she has? It’s not like I’ve done anything horrible to her, and she knows as well as I do that I cover for her at work; the standard of the stuff she actually completes is pretty shocking and there’s no way I could show it to Catherine. Honey knows I have to change most of it, that I’m doing her a favour, and she doesn’t seem at all bothered by it. Surely she can see that trying to set me up and essentially get rid of me, won’t be doing her any favours in the long run.’

  ‘I don’t think she thinks that far ahead. And I reckon her motive is Caspar. She’s jealous of him giving you a lift to and from work; she’s always wittering on about it when you’re not in the room, it drives Aidey and me bonkers. Plus the fact that he asked you to go to his office today and not her, it’s obviously pushed her jealousy over the edge. I’m afraid I think you’re going to have to watch her.’

  ‘Don’t say that, Anna, it makes me feel really nervous.’

  ‘Don’t be nervous; don’t let her win.’

  ‘I can’t help it, like you said, she’s devious, and she’s trying to make me look like a thief; that’s serious shit.’ Mim paused. ‘Does Aidey know what’s happened?’

  ‘He does, I called him after I’d spoken to you – I didn’t think you’d mind, and I didn’t think you’d call him ’cos you sounded like you were too upset to.’

  ‘I was, I am. What did he say? He didn’t think I’d taken the pen, did he?’

  ‘Don’t be so daft, of course he didn’t! He was furious that it had been planted in your bag but said to tell you not to let it get to you – he’s sure Honey’s behind it, too, but we’ve got your back, we just need to make sure the little witch knows it.’

  The fact that Aidey didn’t think she was a thief was a relief; it mattered more than she could express that he trusted her.

  ‘Aidey and me will watch her like a pair of hawks. We’ve already decided there’s always got to be at least one of us in the room at all times so she won’t get the chance to do this again.’

  ‘Thank you, Anna, I really appreciate your help.’

  ‘Hey, you’re my best buddy, what else would I do? And I know you’d do exactly the same if the shoe was on the other foot.’

  ‘I would, but thank you all the same, it’s like having a weight lifted off my shoulders that you and Aidey are so supportive. I don’t know what I’d do without the pair of you.’ She pulled Anna into a tight squeeze.

  ‘Watch out! You’re going to strangle the life out of me if you’re not careful.’ Anna laughed. ‘Now, I seem to recall you promised you’d feed me. Wasn’t there talk of some beans on toast with a cheeky little grating of cheese to add that extra touch of luxury?’ She put her hands on Mim’s shoulders and guided her towards the oven.

  ‘Hey, don’t mock it, beans on toast is as good as it gets here, ask Herbs. And with some cheese grated on the top, well, that’s pretty much my full culinary repertoire you’re getting tonight.’

  ‘Now don’t go selling yourself short; you’ve been known to do a mean fish finger butty, and I swear no one can slather tomato ketchup or dollop mayonnaise as expertly as you.’

  ‘Ah, so true.’ Mim couldn’t help but giggle. ‘I’ll put the beans on while you get the wine from the fridge.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan, but if it’s okay with you, I’ll skip the wine since I’m driving and the fog was like a thick pea soup on the way over here; it’s chance to be even worse on the way back so I’ll need my wits about me.’

  ‘You could always stay here for the night, the spare bed’s made up – remember, you put fresh bedding on it the other day when we had the blitz on the place.’

  Anna-Lisa smiled. ‘Thanks for the offer, but I haven’t brought my toothbrush or a change of clothes with me and I don’t think anything you’ve got will fit; last time I tried a pair of your jeans on they went up to my armpits and hung over the ends of my feet. Not a good look. And, anyway, I want to get to work bright and early so I can get that pen back in the dragon’s room.’

  ‘Oh, right, of course, thanks, Anna.’ Mim’s chest tightened at the reminder of the pen.

  ‘You don’t have to keep thanking me.’

  ‘Okay, sorry.’

  Mim slid the pan of beans on the hob again then popped four chunky slices of bread in the toaster while Anna set the table, all under the watchful gaze of Herbert who was curled up in his bed.

  ‘I quite fancy a mug of tea with my beans on toast, if that’s okay, Mim.’

  ‘Yeah, course, help yourself, you know where everything is. Come to think of it, I’ll join you; I don’t fancy drinking wine on my own like a saddo. And it’s not exactly the best accompaniment to beans on toast.’ The thought of washing her meal down with a large mug of builder’s tea suddenly felt very appealing.

  Mim hadn’t realised just how hungry she was until she sat down at the table – stress always seemed to increase her appetite, much to her chagrin. Her stomach growled in appreciation as she popped a forkful into her mouth, savouring the flavour of melted cheese as it mingled with the tangy tomato sauce of the beans. Sometimes the simple things were the best. She felt herself relax a little as the knot of anxiety in her stomach slowly began to unfurl. ‘Mmm. This is so good,’ she said with a sigh.

  ‘Mmm, it is. Cheers to comfort food.’ Anna-Lisa picked up her drink and Mim followed suit as they clinked their mugs together. ‘Cheers, chuck.’

  ‘Cheers, Anna. I’ve got a tin of rice pudding if you fancy some for afters.’

  ‘Is it that really creamy one?’

  ‘Mmm-hmm.’ Mim nodded.

  ‘Ooh, that’s my favourite; I’m definitely up for some of that.’

  Mim spooned the rice pudding into two bowls and set them down on the table before dolloping a spoonful of strawberry jam in the middle of hers. She passed the jar to Anna-Lisa.

  ‘Thanks, chick. So did you ever find out what happened with Honey and Rick?’ she asked.

  ‘Nope, no idea. And I don’t want to know. I’ve moved on and I’ve wasted too much energy thinking about him; it just used to make me feel rubbish about myself and set me back.’

  Anna-Lisa gave her a sympathetic look. ‘Don’t blame you; he’s not worth making you feel like that. And he was punching way above his weight anyway. All your boyfriends that I’ve seen have been; present one included.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You sell yourself short. Big time. Always have done.’

  Mim thought for a momen
t, casting her mind back over her dating history. She hadn’t had many boyfriends, but even she could see they all shared similarities, not just in looks but in attitude as well; they all displayed the same swaggering disregard for her feelings. And each and every relationship had ended in the same painful way, with her being taken for a mug and cheated on. Still, she thought, it didn’t mean that they’d been, as Anna put it “punching above their weight”, it was just that she had a habit of choosing men who weren’t exactly suited to her.

  ‘But that’s hardly the case with Caspar; it’s more like the other way round,’ Mim said. ‘Even you have to admit, someone like him is way out of my league. I honestly don’t know what he sees in me.’ Her thoughts swept to Anna and Aidey’s warning about him sniffing around Clarissa, then to seeing Caspar leaving Clarissa’s office, his air of coolness towards her. It was glaringly obvious that a woman as stunningly beautiful and as classy as Clarissa was so much better suited to him than raggle-taggle Mim. No wonder he wanted to keep their relationship under wraps; he knew what the reaction would be if folk found out as well as she did. They’d laugh in disbelief, and say that it was Mim who was punching above her weight. Of that she was certain.

  Anna gave Mim a stern look. ‘It so isn’t the other way round. He’s the one who’s punching, not you. And you need to keep that in mind, my girl.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  Anna shrugged. ‘Just that feeling he gives me I keep telling you about; call it women’s intuition. But promise me you’ll not be totally blinded by him; if you ever get a little niggle – no matter how tiny – you must listen to it. Don’t let that heart of yours rule your head like it usually does. Promise me, Mim.’ She was looking at her so intently, Mim found it slightly unsettling.

  ‘Okay, I promise.’

  ‘Good, I’ll hold you to that. Now, on a more palatable subject, is there any more of that rice pudding left?’

  ‘There is.’