by Fanny Blake
The few times she had lent him cash when he needed to go to the cash point, or paid for a meal didn’t concern her. Once this job was up and running, he’d pay her back. ‘That’s different. And you’re not asking me, I’m offering.’
He looked thoughtful. ‘No, no. I can’t let you do that. It’s too much of a risk.’
‘But you’ve just spent ages showing me how risk averse it is. I need to make some money over the next few years, and I’d like to be involved in it with you.’ And how Charlie would approve. This was a way of doing her bit to better the world as well as being the gateway to a new future for both her and Tony. ‘I want to do this.’
‘You don’t want me to try my other leads first?’ She could hear the hope in his voice.
‘No. I’ve made up my mind. I’ll transfer the money straight away. That shouldn’t be a problem. Who to?’ This would make up for her mother leaving her nothing. Not that she had been relying on that, but he was giving her a helping hand.
‘Why don’t you transfer to me and I’ll make the investment arrangements for you. I’ll tell Don. He’ll be delighted. And you must meet him soon.’
He leaned forward and kissed her. In the background she heard a whoop from the doorway. He pulled away. ‘Thank you. I really wasn’t expecting you to do this. But you won’t regret it, I promise.’
‘I’d better not,’ she said, feeling a warm bubble of happiness burst inside her.
26
When Charlie eventually came down to the bar, Isla stared at her, shocked. The ends of her hair were dyed a deep purple that faded upwards to the level of her chin.
‘Like it?’ Charlie twisted her head from side to side so the full extent of her handiwork could be appreciated.
‘Actually, I do.’ She came round to it quickly. It was fun. ‘I wouldn’t do it myself though.’
Charlie laughed. ‘If only. I’ve been dying to do this for ages but Mum always said no.’
Isla’s heart sank a little bit. ‘So what makes now different?’
‘You’re not as strict as she is.’
Did that made her feel better or worse?
‘Anyway, I can always wash it out or cut it off.’ She passed over her phone. ‘Will you take my photo, Gran.’
‘Again?’
‘Yes. I want Alice and Tilly to see the hair and where I am.’ She tipped her head to one side and pouted.
‘That really doesn’t suit you.’ Isla waited for her to choose another expression.
‘You’re sounding like Mum again. Rule broken.’ She was triumphant. ‘What’s the forfeit? Anyway I like it. Look!’
‘Backgammon?’ Isla had taught her to play on a family holiday a couple of years earlier.
Charlie looked out of the window where the rain had slowed to a steady drizzle. ‘There’s nothing else to do.’ As they settled down to the game, with cups of tea and slices of sponge cake (the forfeit) sandwiched together with lashings of cream and jam (photo taken of that too) Isla said, ‘I must tell you what I’ve done. I think you’ll be pleased.’
More than anything she wanted Charlie’s approval of her involvement in this new company and by extension, of Tony.
But as she explained, and watched Charlie’s expression change to one of astonishment, she began to wonder what the hell she had just committed herself to.
She could hear her family: judge and jury.
May. ‘You hardly know the man. I hope you’re not making a terrible mistake.’
Her father. ‘If that’s what you want to do, I’ll support you but…’
Morag. ‘Shouldn’t you at least have someone do some background research before committing.’
Lorna. ‘Oh, Isla. Is this wise?’
Had she been too rash? She didn’t care. She wanted to support Tony, and this was a perfect opportunity. And she needed to build a nest egg for her old age – this gave her the chance. Yes, she had made a quick decision, but what was life about if you didn’t throw in a bit of spontaneity and risk every now and then? She was excited about seeing Tony do well and watching the business develop. She couldn’t wait to meet Don and hear more about it.
‘Gran! That sounds a bit mad to me.’ Charlie grimaced. ‘Maybe in a good way.’
‘But why? I thought you’d be the first to think it was a good idea.’ She was disappointed not to have the eco-warrior’s support. She jumped her black checker a two and then six, to take one of Charlie’s white ones off the board.
‘Well, the idea sounds good.’ She retaliated by blocking Isla’s exit from her side.
‘Well then?’ Isla threw badly so one of the dice bounced out of the box.
Charlie scrambled to pick it up. ‘Whatever. I heard Tony talking when you were getting ready for lunch. He said he would have the “table, etcetera” ’ – she bracketed the words with her fingers – ‘picked up on Tuesday, and he gave your address. Are you moving?’
Isla frowned then laughed. ‘You must have misheard.’
‘But you live there.’ She threw and moved again. The game was moving too fast for Isla’s liking.
‘But so does he at the moment.’ She felt herself blushing, wondering what Charlie might be thinking about her. ‘He must be getting rid of some of the clutter he brought with him.’ She wasn’t proud of the welcome she had given the few belongings he had brought from his place, but her house was small and was… well, hers. If he had got the message and was doing something about it, then good for him. She liked him all the more for it.
‘Even the painting you got from Braemore?’
Isla stopped shaking the dice. ‘Charlie, stop it!’
Charlie looked dubious. ‘If you say so.’
Charlie moved her last checker into her home section. ‘Well, I hope he’s not getting rid of it then.’
‘Stop it!’ Isla’s throw failed to get her last piece out of her starting quadrant. ‘Why are you so determined to think the worst of him?’
‘I’m not.’ She shook the dice hard. ‘I just know what I heard. There.’ A double six cleared her side of the board. ‘Best of three?’
‘All right.’ Rising to Charlie’s bait would only make things worse.
‘Can anyone join in?’ Tony had snuck up behind them without either of them noticing. He put his hands on Isla’s shoulder, his fingers reaching round her throat, pressing on her collarbone.
‘I wish you wouldn’t creep up on me like that.’ She smiled up at him.
He noticed Charlie’s hair. ‘What have you done?’
‘Don’t you like it?’ said Isla.
‘Not much.’
Isla could have killed him. Again, why couldn’t he try? ‘I do. It’s pretty.’
‘I’m going back upstairs. I want to see what Tilly’s been up to.’ Charlie left the table.
‘You don’t have to…’ Isla didn’t want her to go.
‘I know. But I like it there.’
‘And I like it when she’s there too,’ said Tony softly once she had gone. ‘I like having you to myself.’
‘We’ve got plenty of time. Did you have to be so tactless?’
‘Sorry. But honestly. She looks awful.’
‘She’s young. Give her a chance. You’ll never guess what she’s got into her head now.’ Isla laid out the checkers for a new game.
‘What?’ His finger traced down the length of her hand.
‘She’s convinced you’re selling some of my furniture.’ The idea was so ridiculous, she couldn’t help laughing.
The finger stopped. ‘Where on earth did she get that idea?’
‘She overheard you on the phone.’
His hand went to his eyebrow, smoothing it. ‘When? Isla, this has got to stop.’
‘While I was getting ready for lunch.’
His face cleared. ‘Oh that! She’s got completely the wrong end of the stick, of course. Now I’ll have to tell you. I was going to surprise you by having your oak table restored.’
‘You don’t need to do that.’ She
loved her table with all its scratches and dents from long use. ‘I like it having history.’
‘Just as well she overheard me then.’ He clicked his fingers. ‘There’s time to cancel. I’ll do that now.’
She watched him leave the bar, simultaneously finding a number and putting his phone to his ear.
When he returned, he was smiling. ‘All done. They were fine about it. But I’m disappointed because that was my treat after all you’ve been through. Now Don’s come through, I can afford to treat you.’
‘No need,’ she said. ‘You’ve done more than enough.’
‘I’ll think of something else then. But right now, I’m going to thrash you at this.’ He sat in front of the backgammon board. ‘And then, if it ever stops raining, we’ll go for a walk.’
The rest of their stay passed relatively peaceably. Tony and Charlie kept their distance and Isla didn’t try to change that. She was resigned to the fact that they weren’t going to find a common ground. Whatever Tony did or said, Charlie was ready to find fault. Not that she said much, but a raise of the eyebrow, a click of the tongue was enough.
The weather improved until they were back in their summer clothes, wishing for the respite of rain again. On Sunday, it was too hot to do anything much. Neither Tony nor Isla wanted to explore, they were quite happy where they were and Charlie seemed to have adapted to it too, especially when the twins offered to take her fishing for a couple of hours. They came back empty-handed but Charlie was beaming. Isla caught her taking a selfie beside the cabinet containing the dead-eyed perch. She just smiled.
On their final night, she and Tony were in bed when she said, ‘I’d love to stay for longer. Just a day would do.’
They lay facing each other, each with their head propped on their elbow.
‘I’ve got to get back to see Don.’
His reply disappointed her but she shrugged it off. ‘Of course, you have. The money should be transferred to you by then. You’ll let me know how it goes?’
Suddenly his arms were round her and he was showering her with kisses. She felt as if she were in her twenties again, giddy with love.
‘That’s so generous of you, my love. I’m so thrilled we’re in this together.’
My love.
‘And you’ve got work of your own to do.’ He pulled away from her as he reminded her.
She sighed. This weekend had almost taken her mind off her family dilemmas. But she was as determined as ever to get to the bottom of things. ‘If only I could find the key to it all. There must be one.’
* * *
Isla finished loading Betty while Charlie lolled by the front passenger door and Tony took the wheel. The smell of sick was still strong but Charlie pulled an atomiser from her bag and sprayed through the door into the interior. ‘That’s better.’
‘God! What is that?’ Tony waved a hand in front of his nose.
‘It is quite strong.’ Isla felt the atmosphere change.
‘Bare Vanilla,’ said Charlie, clearly irritated that they didn’t like it. ‘Body mist from Victoria’s Secret.’ The way she said it suggested the scent was most desirable.
‘Well, I wish it had missed my body.’ Tony coughed, and wound down his window. ‘Isla, get in or I’ll miss my train.’
‘It’s not that bad,’ she said, trying to diffuse things.
‘See what it’s like inside the car.’ He put Betty into reverse. ‘Get in. I’ll make it easier for you.’
As he began to reverse, Charlie was half in and half out. ‘Hey! Hang on.’ She jumped back, knocking her head on the doorframe. As she stumbled, she slammed shut the door so it didn’t hit the neighbouring car. At the same time, she dropped her phone and Betty’s front tyre rolled slowly back over it. There was a crack.
‘Nooo!’
The wail was loud enough to make Tony brake suddenly.
‘Back up some more!’ Isla yelled, having seen the whole thing. Charlie was close to tears.
‘What’s happened?’ Tony leaned out of the window.
As Isla explained, Charlie was on her hands and knees, waiting as Tony reversed until she could pick up her phone, her face disbelieving.
‘Okay?’ Isla asked.
‘Of course it’s not okay!’ Charlie shouted, white with anger. ‘He’s just driven over it! Look!’ She held the phone out to Isla.
Isla could see the face was crazed with cracks. ‘Can you use it?’
‘No! Of course not!’
‘Not the end of the world.’ Tony got out and came round to look. ‘You can get the screen replaced. Easy.’
She took a step back, her face puce with fury. ‘Where?’ She looked around her. ‘Over there?’ She gestured towards the other side of the green. ‘Oh! There doesn’t seem to be a repair shop. Can you see one?’
‘That’s enough!’ he snapped. ‘I’m sorry but it was an accident. I wasn’t the one who dropped it.’
‘No. But you drove right over it.’ Charlie’s face was red, her eyes bright with tears.
‘Calm down.’ He put his hands up, defending himself. ‘It’ll be good for you not to rely on it for a bit.’
Isla wanted to punch him. He knew exactly how much the phone meant to Charlie. ‘I’m sure we’ll find somewhere in Preston,’ she said. She put her arm round Charlie’s shoulders, feeling her shaking. ‘We’ll get it sorted, don’t worry.’ How could he let her down like this?
‘Can you please get into the car,’ Tony was standing by the driver’s door, looking at his watch. His fingers rapped against the roof with impatience.
The look Isla and Charlie exchanged spoke volumes. This would be over soon.
Isla wound down her window in the hope that the lingering smell of Bare Vanilla and sick would disperse. Tony followed suit.
Neither Tony nor Charlie uttered a word on the way to the station. Isla’s ‘Take it easy’ as he tore down the country lanes was ignored. She understood he was upset but killing them all wouldn’t speed things up.
Charlie sat pressed against her door as if she couldn’t get far enough away from him. Any possible rapprochement between the two of them had been forgotten. The countryside flashed past in a blur, too fast for them to appreciate it, and they were soon back in the outskirts of Preston.
At the station, Tony jumped out of the car, grabbed his bag from the back seat, and ran ahead of Isla as if he couldn’t wait to get away. Charlie and Jock stayed behind. When Isla caught up with him, he was checking his watch against the departures board. ‘Thank God, it’s ten minutes late. I’m sorry, darling,’ he said to Isla.
‘Well, I’m sorry it hasn’t been quite the weekend we planned.’ She didn’t point out that he could always have taken another train.
‘I’m just tense about a meeting this afternoon. I was frightened I’d miss it.’ As if he’d read her mind. ‘I’ll make it up to Charlie somehow.’
With some relief, Isla saw the train pull in alongside them.
He picked up his bag and was opening the train door when she touched his arm, wanting that reconnection before he left. He turned to look at her with an expression she didn’t recognise, almost as if he didn’t know her. Within a moment, it transformed to the face of the man she knew and loved.
‘It wasn’t all bad,’ he said with a grin.
‘No it wasn’t.’ She slipped her arm around his waist. ‘And we’ll do it again.’ Everything would be all right. She would make that effort.
They kissed quickly, and she was reminded of how when things did go well with him, they went very well indeed.
He climbed onto the train just before the whistle went and, with a long sigh, the train began to inch forwards, gathering speed. Tony leaned out of the window waving till they left the station.
When Isla got back to the car, Charlie was smiling. ‘Can we go now?’
‘Yep. Next stop, Scotland.’
‘Next stop, phone repair,’ Charlie corrected her. ‘Please.’
‘Of course. How could I forget!’ I
sla was surprised to feel a weight had lifted from her, as if all was well with the world again. At least when she and Charlie were alone together she was beginning to know where she stood.
The two of them had a coffee in Fishergate while a repair shop replaced the phone’s screen. Charlie was thrilled to be back in a Caffè Nero, sitting on a battered brown leather sofa with a cappuccino in her own cup, delighted with more loyalty stamps, watching people passing by the big plate glass windows beside them. Without no phone for distraction, she had to talk to Isla.
‘Favourite bit of the weekend?’ Isla organised the drinks and slices of cake on the small round table, and began the game that she and Helen had always played on the way home from a holiday.
‘Being in my room with the TV and Jock. We watched almost all of Sex Education on Netflix,’ she said as if it was something to be proud of. She tasted her gingerbread latte and a satisfied smile crossed her face.
‘God knows what your mother would say.’ Perhaps Isla should have laid down some viewing rules. She knew Helen was quite strict about what Charlie watched. But how did she even keep track? Oh for heaven’s sake! They were on holiday. Charlie was happy. What did it matter?
‘Oh, I told her.’
‘You’ve spoken?’ Isla hadn’t even rung Helen again. Her mind had been elsewhere.
‘She emailed. She got the gig and she’s been meeting all these people.’ Charlie didn’t sound too happy as she stirred sugar into her coffee. ‘She loves Hollywood!’
‘But that’s good isn’t it? In fact that’s absolutely brilliant. Good for her.’
‘I guess, except she’ll be there all the time.’
‘No she won’t. She’ll work from home and may have to go over to visit every now and then.’ Isla had no idea what she was talking about but wanted to lift Charlie’s spirits. ‘And if she does, you can always come and stay with me, work in the museum and earn some money.’
Charlie brightened. ‘Really?’
‘Why not? You could work on the desk, I’m sure. And worst bit of holiday so far?’ She was going to play the game to the end. ‘The car breaking down was mine.’
‘Being sick in the car.’ She picked up her cup. ‘And Tony.’ She looked down as she spoke so Isla only just heard her.