Chapter Thirty-Five
Jessica decided to make the most of her day off and go into town.
It had been years since she had been into Glasgow’s city centre, and she couldn’t believe how much it had changed.
It was also mobbed, which made sense given the limited number of shopping days until Christmas Day.
She was glad she had decided to come in by train rather than try and get parked in one of the multi-storey car parks in the centre.
Fortunately, her parents had been doing their final big supermarket shop before Christmas at the big Tesco in Milngavie and they had dropped her at the train station there.
She walked upstairs to the main concourse at the new and revamped Queen Street station and on to George Square which was home to a Christmas market.
It had a huge gold-and-blue tree and an ice rink and was bustling with shoppers and people soaking up the festive atmosphere.
She could smell the scent of vanilla, ginger and frankincense in the air.
Jessica had always enjoyed people watching and she stood for a few minutes doing just that before the damp air made her shiver and move on to keep warm.
She made her way towards Buchanan Street, which was a long pedestrianised thoroughfare, and weaved her way in and out of the crowds, feeling slightly alarmed at the number of people who, like her, had left their shopping until the last minute.
Jessica wasn’t sure she liked being back in a city having now been used to a quieter village life where there was plenty of space and she could see Loch Lomond every day.
She chuckled to herself. Who would have thought that she could become a country bumpkin?
She headed to the fancy chocolate shop at the entrance to Princes Square to pick up some whisky truffles for Murray and her dad and also some chocolates for her mum.
She just hoped that Lexi would like the fairy costume she had bought for her.
As she glanced at the rows of different types of chocolate, the millionaire shortbread chocolates made her think of Reuben and their afternoon at the coffee shop at Balmaha.
Impulsively, she picked up a box. She wasn’t sure if she would see him at Christmas or even before she returned to London, but surely it would be better to be prepared and have a small festive gesture for him.
Her mum hadn’t said one way or the other if he was joining them, instead saying it was an open invitation.
Murray was equally non-committal and said he didn’t know what Reuben’s plans were and that he had mentioned he may take himself off to the sun. She couldn’t blame him.
Joining the queue to pay, she listened in to the shoppers in front chatting excitedly with each other.
After navigating the tills she went out the back of the shop and strolled into Princes Square shopping mall.
As she looked around, she couldn’t believe how much it had changed.
The interior hadn’t changed, but the shops all seemed different to when she was last there and there was a small café to the left which she couldn’t remember having seen before.
Unsure where to go next, she paused for a moment by the escalator and, seeing that someone had just stood up and left their table, she quickly decided to grab it.
She would stop and have a quick coffee before deciding where to go next.
She smiled as she sat looking over at the carol singers who were gathered in the courtyard below singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and soon found herself humming along in time to the music.
This was what she used to love about Christmas.
The traditions she used to embrace when she was younger and coming in here to listen to the carol singers had been such a part of that.
She pulled out her phone to check her messages then saw her email notifications.
She hesitated when she saw two from Dana Matthews.
She’d really hoped that the conversation the other day had drawn a line under things and that she wouldn’t be back in touch. She opened the first email.
Greetings,
I hope you have a peaceful holiday season and happy new year.
Thanks for your business this past year. I am moving on to pastures new and will no longer be at this email address as of December 20. If you would like to stay in touch do email me for my new contact details.
Season’s Greetings,
Dana
Jessica frowned. It looked as though she had sent it to all her contacts. Maybe she had actually listened to Jessica on the phone the other night. Maybe she was actually going to move on. Then she clicked on the next email.
Dear Jessica,
I wanted to reach out and thank you for taking the time to talk to me the other night. I know Tim’s death hasn’t been easy for you either.
I’ve had some time to process our conversation and wanted to let you know I’m sorry. I’m sorry for taking my anger and grief out on you this past year.
I now finally accept that you didn’t know my husband was married.
I’m moving on to a different chapter in my life, and I hope we can both find peace with what’s happened.
Wishing you all the best,
Dana Matthews
She read the email again and again before deleting it. There was no need for them to keep in touch. Jessica had said all she wanted to and more to the woman this past year. She truly hoped that she found some peace with whatever she chose to do next.
Jessica felt the knot of tension in her chest loosen and as she sipped her latte, she actually felt not just relief but .
. . content. Sighing deeply, she had a feeling that everything was going to be okay.
Coming home for Christmas had been the best thing she could have done.
And telling her brother the whole story about Tim had lifted a huge burden from her shoulders. She just wished she had done it sooner.
‘Well, well, well,’ said a nasally voice behind her. ‘Look who it is. If it isn’t Ms Stewart.’
Jessica didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
It was bloody Zander Harrison. The patronising client from work who Ivan had talked to her about just before she went off on leave.
But what on earth was he doing here? In Glasgow?
This was the very last place she would have expected to see him. He took a seat across from her.
‘Fancy seeing you here. Mind if I join you?’ he said with a smirk, not letting her answer. ‘I had heard you were on some kind of extended leave of absence.’
‘Hello, Zander,’ she said, through gritted teeth. The man was a complete prick, but she had to remind herself that he was still a work client. ‘What brings you to Glasgow?’ She forced a smile.
‘Business,’ he said with a shudder. ‘Glad to say I’m off to catch the train back to London soon. And it can’t come fast enough. This is a ghastly place.’
She bristled at how rude he was being. ‘Right. Well, don’t let me keep you.’
He glanced at his watch. ‘I’m not in a rush. I’ve time to join you for a drink. Though do you fancy something stronger? A wee nip of whisky perhaps?’
She shook her head. ‘No thanks. I’m fine with my coffee.’ She wanted to throw the rest of it in his lap and now felt herself growing edgy as he continued to leer at her.
‘Well, that’s not very social of you. But I suppose I could have a coffee too.’ He clicked his fingers into the air.
‘It’s self-service,’ she said witheringly. Eejit.
He rolled his eyes in despair and strode over to bark his order at the waitress behind the counter. All too soon he had sat down again. ‘Back at work soon, I hope. I did say to Ivan I’d been missing your company.’
‘I’m sure that you’ve been well looked after by my colleagues,’ she said curtly.
He leaned in towards her. ‘Yes, but they’re not quite like you, are they? You’re a feisty wee thing.’
She wished he would stop saying the word wee. She had never before heard him use it. Did he think he had to keep slipping it into the conversation because he was north of the border? He really was an utter knob.
He sat back. ‘Though your colleagues do seem to be more experienced. At least I don’t have to keep explaining myself to them.’
Jessica was starting to lose her patience. ‘Is that so?’
‘I’m only winding you up, of course. But you do always, without fail, take the bait.
I rather like that about you, Jessica. You’ve got a real fire in your belly.
It’s just a shame that I don’t have longer until my train leaves for the big smoke.
Otherwise we could have made an evening of it. ’ He raised an eyebrow suggestively.
Jessica couldn’t quite believe what he was saying. He had always been a patronising prick but the fact he was now trying to flirt with her and actually suggest they spend the evening together made her want to vomit. She felt bile rise to the back of her throat and her cheeks flamed in indignation.
‘But you do know that I can change my plans? I can get a train in the morning if you catch my drift. I think you’d like that, wouldn’t you?’
How dare he. Jessica knew she needed to get out of here now before she punched him.
She took a final sip of coffee and put her cup back on its saucer and stood up.
‘Actually, do you know what I want, Zander? I want you to piss off. You have crossed a line for the final time.’ She pulled on her coat and gathered her bags. ‘Make sure you don’t miss your train.’
But just as Jessica turned to go, Zander leaned forward and gripped her wrist hard. ‘Not so fast. Remember I am the client and the client always gets what they want.’
Jessica flinched and tried to pull away.
‘It would be extremely rude of you to leave like this and I’m sure Ivan wouldn’t want me to complain again now, would he?’
‘Get your hands off me,’ she said calmly and firmly, trying to pull her arm away, but he dug his nails into her. He licked his lips and she shivered in disgust. ‘Get off me, Zander. Now.’