Chapter 9
‘How did you get on with Phyllis?’ Pam asked the next morning. ‘Are you going to let her have the room?’
Nancy put her bag down and took off her jacket. ‘Yes. She seems nice and I can’t bear to see her on the streets, plus I do need the money.’
‘It’s all happened very quickly, hasn’t it? Maybe that’s a good thing, though. It gives you less time to dwell on what’s happened, and the company will be good for you too.’
Nancy nodded. Clifford had been gone just over two weeks and Nancy felt like her world had been turned upside down and spun around.
It was strange to go home every night to an empty house, she kept expecting Clifford to walk through the door.
‘I think we’ll all get on fine. And we’re helping each other out too.
I’m looking forward to it.’ She was determined to be positive about this, despite Val’s warnings.
Suddenly the shop door opened and Jackie came dashing in.
‘Shouldn’t you be at work, Mum?’ Pam asked in surprise.
‘I’m in a bit later today. I need to talk to Nancy – urgently.’
Nancy’s heart sunk. Please don’t say she’s going to back out of having the room.
‘What is it?’ she asked.
‘Would you be willing to let out one of your other rooms? Just for a short while?’
‘Er…’ Three rooms rented out would more than cover the monthly mortgage payments leaving her with just the bills to pay, but it would mean she had to empty the study. And where would she put it all?
‘It’s only for a week or two. Marvin, one of the adult education tutors at the library, is house-sharing with a friend, but now the friend’s girlfriend has moved in and poor Marvin feels like a third wheel so is desperate to find somewhere else to live.
He’s a lovely man, very helpful, and I know won’t be any trouble.
It will only be temporary until he can find a flat. ’
If Nancy knew him, and he was an adult ed tutor, he must be okay. And it was a shame he felt so uncomfortable he wanted to get out of his home as soon as he could. Plus, it would only be short term. ‘I could but the room is used as an office now and there’s no bed or anything.’
‘Oh, that won’t bother him, he’ll bring his own. Could he come around tonight after work and you can both talk about it?’ Jackie asked. ‘I’ll come with him if you want? Introduce you both?’
Nancy looked questioningly at Pam. ‘I’ve met Marvin a few times when I’ve popped into the library. He’s a real gent,’ Pam told her.
‘Well, in that case, yes, I’m happy for him to look at the room. I’ll see you both later. Can you make it about seven?’ she asked.
‘Excellent. Thank you. He’s a nice man. He won’t be any trouble.’ With a quick wave Jackie was off again.
Nancy looked worriedly at Pam. ‘I hope I’ve done the right thing. The rest of my lodgers are women. It might be a bit awkward sharing the bathroom and stuff.’
‘I’ve met Marvin – he’s the type to respect your privacy,’ Pam assured her.
‘I’ve often wished he and Mum would get together but since she divorced Dad she goes for younger men, says she doesn’t want to look after an old man again.
’ Nancy remembered that Pam had mentioned her mum’s dating escapades a few times and how she wished she’d settle down.
‘Well, I guess he might come in handy for DIY jobs. And I would feel safer with a man in the house,’ she admitted.
* * *
Val popped in during her lunch break to let Nancy know that Dennis would come around on Saturday and put locks on the bedroom doors.
‘You don’t want anyone wandering into your room while you’re at work.
Or anyone else’s room for that matter. Some people have no respect for other people’s property and think it’s okay to borrow hair dryers and other things. ’
‘That’s very good of him,’ she said. ‘I guess we should all have a lock on the door.’
‘Definitely. What if your male lodger sleepwalks in the middle of the night.’ Pam winked.
‘Male lodger!’ Val repeated aghast. ‘Do tell me she’s joking, Nancy? You can’t seriously be thinking of letting a strange man live in your house!’
Trust Pam! Nancy wasn’t going to mention Marvin to Val, as she knew her sister would freak out.
‘Nothing’s decided yet. He’s coming around tonight and we’ll see how it goes. Besides, Jackie knows him; he runs courses at the library. She’s accompanying him tonight – and I’m sure he isn’t “strange”.’
Val looked aghast and grabbing Nancy’s arm she pulled her to one side. ‘Honestly, you’re so na?ve. You can’t just give a room to anyone. They need to be checked out. I’ll come around after work to vet him for you.’
‘There’s no need. I’ve told you that Jackie will be there too. I’ll phone you later and let you know how it went.’
Val gave her a concerned look. ‘Even more reason for me to be there. You won’t want to say “no” to Jackie in case it causes bad feeling. Whereas, if you don’t feel comfortable about this Marvin moving in I can pretend my friend has texted me asking if she can have the room.’
Nancy hesitated. Maybe it would be better if Val was there too. ‘Okay, come around about six thirty,’ she said.
Pam shot Nancy an apologetic look as Val left the shop. ‘Sorry. I get the feeling you weren’t going to mention him.’
‘Nope, and I’m sure you can see why,’ Nancy told her. Honestly, Val could be so bossy. Although she knew that her sister meant well and only had her best interests at heart.
She could understand why Val was so worried about how quickly things were moving.
Clifford had barely left and already Nancy had two, maybe three, lodgers moving in – and one of them, a man.
But Clifford had left her in a mess and she had to find extra money somehow.
Anyway, they were ‘guests’ – that’s what she would tell anyone who asked.
She wasn’t doing anything wrong. She was only helping friends out for a few weeks.
Then she’d see what other options she had.
* * *
Nancy had an appointment with her new solicitor, Paul, about the divorce at lunchtime.
Paul was very sympathetic and efficient.
He told her that she could demand full financial disclosure, and was entitled to half the savings and half of Clifford’s pension.
‘We can fight this – you have rights,’ he told her. ‘But it won’t come cheap.’
She winced when he told her the estimated fee. ‘There’s no way I can afford that. I’ll settle for keeping the house.’ Practical as ever, she couldn’t see any reason to drag this out and run up the solicitor’s fee. She was in enough debt as it was.
So they’d agreed to get Clifford gone, make sure he had no claim on anything of hers and that she kept the house as an asset.
‘Can you afford to pay the mortgage by yourself until the maturity date?’ Paul had asked and she’d replied that she hoped so.
She knew better than to tell him about her temporary ‘guests’ as she was sure he would disapprove.
So that was it. She and Clifford were getting divorced. Marriage over.