Seaside Manor Bed and Breakfast

by Lilly Mirren

  “Ethan, this is Sam, I just left you and got a call from my boss. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to back out of the deal we made, mate. I’m sure you’ll hear why soon enough. Good luck to you. Call me when you’re out of this mess.” The sound of the dial tone buzzed in his ear.

  What mess? What was he talking about?

  The next message was from his own boss, Chester Vancroft. The man’s thick British accent always sounded vaguely odd over the telephone, as though he was putting it on.

  “Ethan, this is Chester. Give me a call when you get into the office. I’m on my mobile. It’s important.”

  Ethan’s lips drew into a tight line. He hardly ever heard from Chester. His boss took a hands-off approach when it came to his staff. A weekly status meeting was about all the attention he gave them unless something went wrong. If something went wrong, he was on them every single moment of the day.

  Something was clearly wrong.

  Ethan dialled Chester’s number, it seemed like he wasn’t going to answer it rang so long. Finally, his boss’s voice filled his ear. “Ethan, thanks for calling. Just wanted to let you know that the company, I’m afraid, has had its day. I appreciate your loyal service, but it’s time for us all to move onto something new.”

  Ethan’s brows pulled low over his hazel eyes. “What do you mean? What’s going on Chester?”

  Chester sighed. “I’m afraid a few things have caught up with us. I can’t say more than that, solicitors you know, anyway. I’ll be at the office in a few minutes, we can talk more then.”

  Before he could say another word, Chester had hung up the phone. Ethan set the hand piece in its cradle and leaned back in his chair. He leapt to his feet, paced down the length of the hallway and found a man standing in the reception area, a messenger, dressed for cycling, his helmet still on his head and hands full of manila envelopes.

  “Are you Max Woods?” asked the man.

  Ethan shook his head.

  “Lee Nguyen?”

  Another shake.

  “Ethan Flannigan?”

  Ethan’s stepped forward. “Yes, that’s me.”

  The man pushed an envelope into his hands. “This is for you.” He spun on his heel and click clacked down the concrete hallway in his clip-in cycling shoes.

  Ethan slid a finger beneath the end of the envelope and ripped it open, his heart thudding against his ribcage. What was this about? He felt as though he’d walked into the middle of something he didn’t understand.

  He scanned the single sheet of paper in the envelope. It was a letter from the CEO expressing sorrow at the dissolution of the company, thanks for the work Ethan had done, and luck for the future. There was a veiled reminder that they’d all be in this together and anything that befell one would have an impact on them all.

  Ethan folded the page and shoved it into his suit pocket then hurried back to his desk. He spoke to a few colleagues along the way, but no one seemed to know anything more than he did, although many of them didn’t seem as surprised. Had he missed something that was obvious to everyone around him?

  Even as he packed up his desk, staff streamed from the office, boxes and bags tucked under their arms. The whir of the paper shredder continued and someone from the IT department was going from workstation to workstation wiping computers. He emailed himself some key contacts, emails, and client details. Unsure of what else to do, he shut down his computer, picked up the briefcase he’d packed his few personal items into and walked away.

  At the lifts, he waited patiently with a group of staff. They made idle chitchat, and one woman sniffled into a tissue. Most looked glum. When the lift doors opened, his boss, Chester stepped out, a harried expression on his usually cheerful face.

  “Chester, we need to talk.” Ethan fell into step beside his boss who marched along the hall towards the fishbowl he called an office.

  “Righto, Ethan, what can I do for you?”

  Ethan frowned. “I want to know what’s going on. Why is the company going under? We’ve got more business than we’ve ever had, I landed a big contract this morning. I don’t understand.”

  Chester stopped, faced him with a sigh. “The owner’s being charged with fraud, I’m afraid.”

  “Hank Mammoth?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Fraud, what did he do?”

  Chester cocked his head to one side. “I can’t really talk about the specifics. He’s under investigation. I’d suggest you make sure all your contracts are in order… these things tend to spread once they get started.”

  Chester spun around and strode away.

  “What do you mean by that?” Ethan called after him.

  Chester didn’t respond. Ethan stood in the hallway for several moments, hands clenched at his sides. Now what would he do? He’d spent years getting to this point in his career. He’d worked hard to build a name for himself as a Mammoth engineer and now that name might tarnish everything he’d done. He wandered back to the lifts, now almost entirely alone in the empty office. Suddenly he felt very tired. All he could think about was going home. He adjusted his hold on the heavy briefcase and stepped onto the lift.

  Emily

  “You seem a bit down today. Are you feeling all right?” asked Helen as she wiped the last of the tables down with a damp cloth.

  The cafe doors had been shut thirty minutes earlier and Emily was helping clean up before she left for the dark walk home.

  “I’m okay.”

  “Have you heard from Callum?”

  Emily shrugged. “He’s called a couple of times, but I haven’t answered. I don’t really want to talk to him.”

  “That’s probably for the best…” Helen’s cheeks flushed pink and her gaze dropped. “I mean, I’m sorry… You’re probably hurting. It’s a difficult thing… going through a break- up.” She busied herself stacking chairs on top of the small, round tables.

  “What did you mean by that?” asked Emily, one hand pressed to her hip.

  “What?” Helen’s face flamed.

  “That it’s for the best…?”

  “I don’t know… just the stuff he was involved in. You know…”

  “Actually, I don’t… well, not officially. Drugs? Is that what you’re talking about?”

  Helen dipped her head. “Yeah that, and other stuff. Look, I’m not sure of any of it… not my scene you know. But I’ve heard the rumours.”

  Emily couldn’t believe it. Everyone in town seemed to know about Callum’s vices except for her. How could she have been so naive? So blind to what was going on right under her nose? She’d never moved in with him. He’d wanted her to, but she liked having her freedom. If he wanted to live with her, she’d taunted him with a flirtatious smile, he’d have to marry her. He’d laughed at that and kissed the tip of her nose, vowing that he’d get around to it one day. But he had never asked, and she’d stayed in her single bedroom unit alone while he… she wasn’t sure what he did. But right before he left, she’d found drugs in one of his guitar cases.

  She hadn’t been looking for it, wasn’t nosy by nature. But he’d promised to meet her at his place and was running late, so for a lark she’d decided to have a go at strumming one of his guitars. Maybe she had an undiscovered natural talent for it. She’d never know if she never tried. So, she pulled it out then searched the lining of the case for a pick. When she found the small bags of white powder, at first she’d been confused. Was it something to do with guitar playing? But then it’d all come into sharp focus in a matter of moments — memories dripped like water from a leaky tap into her conscious mind. Callum with white powder on his sniffling nose. His mood swings, highs and lows that surprised her with their depth and intensity. The way he carried a guilty look on his face when she surprised him by walking into the room.

  “I didn’t know… but I guessed right before he left.” Her vision blurred as tears swam in her eyes.

  Helen patted her arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know if I should say anything. I fi
gured you were a part of it all, though you sure didn’t seem the type.”

  “Thanks.” Emily sniffled and wiped her tears away with her sleeve. “I thought I knew him…”

  “Do we ever really know anyone?” Helen offered a half smile.

  “I suppose not.” Emily sniffled again. “What a sad thought.”

  Helen shrugged. “I guess, but I’ve come to terms with it. I’ve been hurt often enough to know that expectations are a killer. So now I don’t have any.” She chuckled and continued stacking chairs.

  “I don’t want to live that way.” Emily shook her head. “But I understand.”

  She should’ve known something was up. But she hadn’t. She only wondered if the drugs were the only thing he was hiding from her or if there was more. So, when he left without notice for Queensland, she’d been hurt, heartbroken in fact, but she hadn’t followed. And now, she avoided his phone calls. She missed him. His laughter, his dimpled smile, the way he embraced life and loved her with a passion she’d never known. But she didn’t want to be part of the lifestyle he’d fallen into.

  When they were finished cleaning and setting up the cafe for the next day, Emily waved goodbye to the other staff and set off on the short walk to her unit. She tugged her jacket tighter around her body and shoved her hands into the pockets, hunching her entire body against the frigid wind that whistled up the beach and through the blowing wisps of her hair.

  Her mobile hummed in her pocket and she pulled it out, squinted at the screen in the dark.

  “Hello? Aunty Di? Is that you?”

  Her aunt’s voice brought more tears to her eyes. A lump swelled in her throat. “Yes, dear it’s me. How are you?”

  She could hardly speak. It was so good to hear her aunt’s voice. She wished they were face to face so she could give her a hug. “I’m fine.”

  “Good to hear, my dear. There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes, you know, Uncle Rupert and I are getting older…”

  “You’re not that old,” objected Emily, finding her voice again as the lump faded from her throat.

  “That’s kind of you sweetheart, but entirely untrue. We’re getting older and the Manor is too hard for us to maintain on our own. We’re going to have to sell the place, make way for someone younger to have a go at running it I’m afraid.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, I always loved it there.” Emily’s heart sank. Another change, another memory from her childhood lost.

  “Yes, well that’s why I called dear. Rupert and I hate to sell the old place. It means so much to us, after all the years we’ve put into it. It’s part of our family, really. So, we wanted to offer half of it to you before we do anything else.”

  Half of the Manor? Emily swallowed, her heart racing. “Really?”

  “Yes, you’re our only family and we know you’d do a great job. Of course, we understand that you have your own career and life down in Coffs Harbour, but we wanted you to think about it. We’ve decided to offer half of the business to a buyer, because we need the money for our retirement.” Diana chuckled. “So, you’ll have a business partner, but instead of selling the whole thing we wanted to keep at least part of it in the family. You don’t have to give us an answer right away. Think about it and give me a call back when you’ve got questions or have made a decision.”

  Emily shook her head slowly as disbelief flooded through her. She could be part-owner of the Seaside Manor Bed and Breakfast. It didn’t seem real. She’d stayed with her aunt and uncle during the summer holidays many times when she was a kid, and she loved it there. The atmosphere, the freedom, the beach… they were some of the happiest memories of her life.

  “I don’t have to think about it,” she replied suddenly. “I want to do it. I’d love to accept. You have no idea how much this means to me.” Her voice thickened with tears.

  “That’s wonderful!” Diana replied. “I’m so glad to hear it. When do you think you could come?”

  “I’ll be there on Monday.”

  “That soon?”

  “Yes, that soon.”

  “I thought you’d have things to finish… you don’t have to rush my dear, not if you don’t want to.” Diana’s voice was warm, kind — it only made the decision easier.

  “There’s nothing here for me anymore. I’ll give my notice tomorrow at work and tell my landlord, the weekend should be enough time for me to pack up.”

  “Well, what a surprise! Rupert will be delighted. We’ll see you on Monday.”

  She hung up the phone and stood in the darkness, shivering as the cold seeped through her thin jacket. Her teeth chattered and she pressed the phone back into her pocket, her mind racing.

  The Manor. Diana had offered her half of the Manor. It was a lifeline, reaching out through the loneliness, the darkness her life had become, and she would cling to it. Her only concern, the investor who would buy the other half of the business. She should’ve asked more questions — would they be a silent partner? Could she have a say in who they offered it to? Whatever the situation, she’d deal with it. This was a gift, an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. The chance to have a family close by again, something to invest her life into that had meaning and purpose. With a smile she squeezed her eyes shut and jumped up and down on the spot. She laughed out loud, then buried her hands in her jacket pockets and trudged home.

  Chapter 5

  Ethan

  Their feet slapped the pavement in a steady rhythm. Ethan found his breathing matching the rhythm, almost like a musical piece. Beside him, Tim’s pace matched his own, long legs striding, arms pumping.

  “So, what are you going to do now?” puffed Tim.

  Ethan grimaced. “I have no idea.”

  “I asked around at work,” replied Tim. “They said they wouldn’t consider hiring anyone from Mammoth.”

  Ethan grunted. “I know. I’ve made a few phone calls myself. No one will touch me, it seems. Tainted by the same brush as my bosses, even though I had no idea what they’d been up to. I still don’t understand what’s going on. I’m hoping when I meet with a solicitor, I’ll be about to find out more.”

  “I guess you’ll have to take some time off then.”

  Ethan punched Tim in the arm. “Thanks Captain Obvious.”

  Tim chuckled. “I wouldn’t mind a break myself. Things are crazy since Mammoth went under. I think we’ve landed half of your contracts. We can’t keep up.”

  “Which is exactly why your company should hire some Mammoth engineers, to help with the workload.”

  “But the clients wouldn’t want that… they’re all talking about it.” Tim shook his head. “You really landed in it this time.”

  “Yeah, I did. Anyway, I think I’ll go home for a while. Take some time off to do some surfing, maybe build something with my hands. I miss it. I’m not sure I’m really cut out for the office life, doesn’t really suit me. I get restless.”

  “I know what you mean.” Tim stopped, pressed his hands to his hips breathing hard. “But there’s no out for me. We put a deposit on a house.”

  “Hey congratulations, mate! That’s great news.” Ethan smiled and slapped Tim on the shoulder.

  “Yeah, I know. I feel panicked thinking about it though.”

  Ethan laughed. “You’ll be fine. Marrying Lisa is the best thing you’ve ever done.”

  “So, Emerald Cove huh? Will you stay with your mum?”

  Ethan nodded, walking forward. Time fell into step beside him. “Yeah, it’ll be great to be home. I haven’t been back much in recent years, always working. But now I can actually relax.”

  They said their goodbyes. Tim wished him luck. Ethan set off at a jog in the direction of his unit. Just as he found his rhythm, his mobile phone rang.

  “Hi, Mum, how are you?”

  His mother’s voice always brought a smile to his face. He pictured her sitting in her kitchen looking out over the backyard, the scent of the ocean in the air. �
�Hello darling, I’m well, thank you. And you? Anything new in your life?”

  Ethan inhaled a sharp breath. “Yeah, lost my job.”

  “What? What happened? You were doing so well there.” Cindy’s cheerful tone quickly changed to one of concern.

  “The owner has been charged with fraud, and the whole company has gone under.”

  “I’m so sorry, darling. I’m sure you’ll come through this better than ever — any company would be lucky to have you.”

  He didn’t have the heart to correct her. “I thought I might come home for a while, have a holiday before I look for work.”

  “That’s a great idea. Come home, I’d love to see you.”

  “Thanks, Mum. I’m out jogging but I’ll head home now and pack a bag. Should be there this afternoon.”

  “What a wonderful treat. You’ve made my day.”

  Ethan laughed. “I’m glad. I’m looking forward to seeing you as well.”

  “It seems like everyone is going through big life changes at the moment,” mused Cindy.

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yes, well there’s me — of course. And now Diana and Rupert are going to sell the Manor and move into a retirement home — can you believe it?”

  Ethan’s brow furrowed. “Really? I never thought I’d see the day they’d let go of that place. Wow, things really are changing.”

  “I know, it’s hard to imagine us having different neighbours. Well, not entirely — Diana has asked her niece, Emily, to take over running the Manor, and she’s going to give her half of the business and sell the other half to an investor to fund their retirement.”

  Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. He’d always admired the Manor, looked at it over the fence in the backyard many a time, dreaming of owning it, of living in the Cove and running a bed and breakfast.

  “I wonder how much they’d want for it?” he mused.

  “I don’t really know… I could ask if you like.”

  He smiled to himself. “No, that’s okay. I’ll give her a call when I get home.”