Chapter 15
15
LISA
‘Mum, she’s getting cold.’ Jess glanced across at Eloise who, having talked non-stop for the last twenty minutes, was looking slightly pale. ‘We need to get her back inside; it’s lunchtime.’ Jess rubbed at her own hands. ‘I need to get back down as well.’ She glanced at her phone where a message had just pinged through. ‘Kamran Sattar’s just arrived and is waiting outside my office.’
‘Come on, Eloise.’ Lisa smiled, offering a hand. ‘Are you hungry?’
The older woman pulled a face. ‘Not overly. Goodness, as a girl I was always hungry. Those potted-meat sandwiches! Potted dog, the girls used to call it…’
‘Your girls?’
‘ My girls? No, no.’ Eloise was irritable now. ‘Janice and Kath and Gail… The girls… What was she called, the little dark-haired one? Her fringe was right over her eyes…’ She laughed girlishly herself. ‘I did buy some potted meat once, you know. Beef spread, they call it now. In Waitrose. Of course, that man turned his nose up, actually sneered when he saw it in the fridge.’
‘That man?’ Lisa and Jess took an arm each, taking Eloise down the less muddy route back to the house.
‘I’m more than capable making my own way home,’ Eloise said crossly, pulling her arms from where Lisa and Jess were attempting to steady her. ‘Goodness me, anyone would think I’d been drinking. Or you were arresting me.’ Eloise suddenly stopped walking. ‘What do you mean, that man?’
‘You said that man turned his nose up when he saw the potted meat. Even though it was from Waitrose?’ Lisa attempted an explanation.
‘Mum, don’t confuse her,’ Jess warned.
‘You know, that man I lived with? Have to say I wasn’t keen on him. Never was. Friend of my brother Brian. Can’t say I was keen on him much either. But Mummy said I had to marry him. Not my brother, of course. I certainly would have put my foot down if I’d had to marry Brian.’ Eloise laughed and then tutted. ‘Should have put my damned foot down when they said I had to marry the other one… You know, that man…’ Eloise stopped, frowning, obviously trying to recall her husband’s name. ‘D’you think I could have a potted-meat sandwich for my lunch?’
‘Ooh, there’s lovely roast pork for lunch,’ Jess said, slipping slightly on a patch of mud.
‘Tell you what, Eloise,’ Lisa said, ‘I’ll bring you some, next time I’m here. The butcher in the village does a lovely home-made beef spread.’
‘Mum.’ Jess lowered her voice, nudging at Lisa’s arm that was round Eloise’s back helping to steady her. ‘You were upset when you arrived. Do not head off home without telling me what’s happened. Look, can I leave you to get Eloise back to the day room? Lunch in ten minutes if you’d like to help there as well? We’re really late with serving. Goodness, it’s almost afternoon tea time. So, can you give us a hand? But only if you’re up to it. I still think you’re doing too much. Mind you, it’s so helpful having you here. I need to speak to Mr Sattar, although I really don’t know what it’s got to do with me . I only work here.’
‘It’s Sorrel.’ Lisa lowered her own voice as they arrived back at the kitchen door.
‘Sorrel? What now?’ Jess sighed deeply. ‘She’s not refusing to go to school again? I thought we’d sorted her out – you know, with this audition in London? We can really do without going through all that again.’
‘No, no, it’s not that…’ Lisa broke off as a dark-haired man stood and stepped forward from where he’d been sitting outside Jess’s office. She recognised him instantly as one of the two men who’d come into the coffee shop when she’d been in there with Fabian.
‘Hello, Mr Sattar, I’m so sorry to keep you waiting. Do come through.’ Jess was immediately back in professional mode, politely welcoming the visitor. ‘Mum—’ she turned back to Lisa as the man went through the open door and Jess made to follow him ‘—don’t go anywhere, will you? I need to know what’s going on at home.’
* * *
Lisa spent the next hour helping to serve a very late lunch of roast pork and apple pie to the residents – she really did enjoy being needed, and it stopped her brooding over Sorrel’s problems. What did they say? You were only as happy as your unhappiest child? But it was almost impossible to fill your head with whatever might be wrong with your youngest daughter when there was a shaking hand to direct to a plate; when there was a resident who was telling her a funny story about her husband, Cyril, getting an electric shock from the Christmas tree lights thirty years earlier.
‘Goodness, was he all right, Sylvia?’ Lisa laughed along with the woman, who was chortling now. ‘More custard on that pie?’
‘All right?’ Sylvia put down her spoon, smiling impishly in Lisa’s direction. ‘He was dead . Very dead. Which was all right with me. Meant I could marry his brother, Rodney, who I’d always fancied.’
‘Right?’ Lisa glanced across at Bex who, obviously a party to Sylvia’s history, grinned, nodding her confirmation of the story.
‘Now then, guurl.’ Lisa’s wide-eyed appreciation of Sylvia’s story was interrupted by a slow, lilting Caribbean accent, smooth as milk chocolate, from Denise Donoghue sitting across the table from Sylvia. ‘Talking about fancying people, what happened between that daughter of yours and my grandson?’ Denise’s eyes twinkled. ‘Mason cut up that she’s back with that barrister boyfriend of her. That southern man come between what was hotting up into nice little romance…’
‘Hang on, Denise,’ Lisa protested. ‘Mason went back to his wife. Nothing to do with Fabian – that’s Robyn’s boyfriend from London?—’
‘I know who is Fabian Carrington,’ Denise interrupted. ‘I read the paper. Big-shot barrister from London defending the Soho Slasher. How do he do that? Hmm? Defending that bastard. She better off with Mason…’
‘I’ll stop you there, Denise.’ Lisa frowned, but she could see the old woman’s eyes were mischievous. ‘Mason’s back with his wife – Angel, isn’t it? – and Robyn and Fabian are very much together. So,’ she added, laughing now, ‘don’t you start meddling and matchmaking, Denise.’
Eloise, sitting at the far end of the dining room, aloof and refusing pudding, closed her eyes on the noise and people around her, distancing herself, it seemed to Lisa, from her situation and all that it entailed.
* * *
Lunch over, Lisa texted Robyn to make sure Sorrel had stayed in school once she had dropped her back off there after the bout of vomiting. She was relieved when Robyn immediately texted back to say that when she’d spoken to her at the start of the lunch break, before going off to meet Fabian and the estate agent, Sorrel had appeared well and much more like her old self.
Lisa made her way to Jess’s office, but the door was still closed. She was about to turn back to the day room where the residents were being organised for the afternoon’s activities, as well as a visit from the chiropodist, when the door opened and Kamran Sattar came through, followed by Jess.
‘My mother, Lisa.’ Jess made introductions.
‘Hi, Lisa. Goodness, your mother , Jess?’ He turned back to Jess but then immediately turned back to concentrate on Lisa, taking in every aspect of her while holding out his hand. ‘Weren’t you in the café in the village yesterday?’
‘Oh, yes, yes, I was.’ For some inexplicable reason, Lisa found her heart beginning to race; her pulse speed up. Hell, was she on the verge of one of her seizures? No, this was a quite different sensation. She’d experienced this before – when she’d first set eyes on Jayden Allen performing in that nightclub in Bradford. Oh God, was she regressing to being a teenager?
‘You all right, Mum?’ Both Jess and Kamran Sattar were staring at her and she flushed, probably most unbecomingly, she’d think afterwards when she recalled the moment.
‘D’you work here, Lisa?’ Kamran’s hand was outstretched and she put her own into it, feeling it warm and dry, looking up into the most beautiful pair of brown eyes she’d ever seen, taking in a subtle scent of some expensive aftershave.
‘Just helping out,’ she found herself breathlessly twittering, while Jess continued to stare at her pink face. ‘You know how it is.’
‘Er, not really.’ Kamran smiled. ‘I’m afraid I know nothing about care homes.’
Despite this man’s presence totally flooding her senses; even while there was a strange but vaguely familiar feeling in her nether regions she’d thought she’d locked away for ever, Lisa suddenly remembered who this man was and why he was here. Yes, he certainly did know nothing about care homes! Not concerned how Sylvia and Denise and Ted – constantly wandering the place in his rolled-down undercrackers – would have to be looking for a new home if Kamran Sattar got his way. How Jess was going to be thrown onto the dole; not have the job she loved, despite her often moaning about it. How that beautiful neglected garden, the orchard, the herb and vegetable plots would be bulldozed just for the sake of a few more bloody Turkey Twizzlers and frozen fucking fish fingers.
‘I believe you’re about to destroy the lives of the residents here, Mr Sattar?’ Blimey, it was very difficult not to melt in the face of such a gorgeous man looking down at her with some humour, but she’d got her lippy on and she was going for it. ‘Do you not realise the lives you’re ruining? Who’s going to take Ted, with his bum on show to the world most of the time…?’
‘Sorry? Ted?—?’
‘Mum—!’
Kamran Sattar and Jess spoke as one, but Lisa ploughed on. ‘And there’s Eloise. She’ll have to go back to a husband who won’t let her have potted dog when she wants it…’
‘Potted dog?’ Kamran’s face was a picture.
‘And there’s Denise – St Mede’s headteacher’s grandmother…’
‘Right?’ Lisa could see Kamran was trying unsuccessfully to follow Denise’s lineage and the woman’s relationship to the school, Lisa suddenly remembered, he was also intent on razing to the ground.
‘…And she won’t be able to go back to Grenada, because she left when she was eight – even though she still has that lovely Caribbean accent. Actually, I do think she puts it on a bit for effect… Or she’ll have to go and live with Mason and that dreadful wife of his, Angel, who always has her enormous chest out on display…’
‘Mum, enough already.’ Jess took Lisa’s arm, pushing her into her office. ‘Mr Sattar, I have work to do. If there’s anything else I can do for you?’ She closed the door on Lisa, who, suddenly realising the little contretemps she’d created out there, started giggling nervously.
Thirty seconds later, Jess let herself back into the office, closing the door once more. ‘Bloody hell, Mum, what was all that about?’ Then, seeing Lisa rolling around in hysterics on the small sofa to which Jess always directed the families of prospective residents, joined in herself.
‘God, that was priceless,’ Jess finally hiccupped. ‘You know, Mum, you were always feisty when Robyn and I were kids. Even with Jayden, when he was off again. I think that’s what he loved about you.’
‘Until I became a doormat, you mean?’ Lisa wiped unsuccessfully at the tears of laughter and smudged mascara.
‘Until you became ill.’ Jess smiled.
‘Yes, I suppose I did have a bit more about me when I was in my teens and my twenties.’
‘Ted and his bum hanging out, for heaven’s sake! Accusing Denise Donoghue of a fake West Indian accent. Telling him Angel Donoghue got her tits out…’ Jess started laughing again.
‘I didn’t say “tits”, did I?’ Lisa was horrified.
‘As good as.’ Jess nodded.
‘So, why was he here? To gloat? To claim ownership? To put his stamp on the place?’
‘To get you into a bit of a tizz, Mum.’ Jess chortled. ‘I’ve never seen you behave like that.’
‘I was just cross,’ Lisa said, not looking at Jess.
‘You fancied him.’
‘Did not.’
‘Yes, you did.’
‘Didn’t.’
‘Well, I did.’
‘Really?’ Lisa’s head shot up.
‘Well, if he was twenty years younger. Or I was twenty years older. I wonder if he’s got any sons?’
‘So, why was he here?’
‘To ask if I knew what was going on.’
‘Going on?’
‘John Richardson phoned him this morning to tell him there was someone else after the place.’
‘Oh?’
‘He wanted to know if I knew anything, wanted to know if it was just a ploy on the Richardsons’ behalf to get more money.’
‘Have any estate agents actually been round?’
Jess shook her head. ‘I think the sale was going to go through privately. I don’t think the Richardsons were even really considering selling up until the Sattars approached them face to face. Same golf club apparently – you know how it works. Right, OK, Mum, what had upset you when you got here today?’
‘I told you: Sorrel.’
‘She’s at school, Mum,’ Jess said. ‘Well, she was. I rang her at 9a.m.’
‘She came home around ten. In an Uber.’
‘An Uber? How much is that costing her? And why did she come home?’
‘She says she’s not well. And Robyn said she’d not been well at school yesterday – she even left the lunchtime practice session Robyn’s been putting her through. She paid for an Uber to get herself home then too. The audition’s next week, you know.’
‘I do know.’
‘And then, as I say, she came home from school again this morning. That’s twice now she’s come back home feeling ill. She threw up.’
‘Actually vomited? Or just told you she had so she wouldn’t have to go to school?’
‘Jess, I held her head. She was sick.’
‘A bug?’
‘Dunno.’ Lisa sighed. ‘She’s got herself into a bit of a state, Jess. She’s been googling porphyria and now realises it can be a hereditary condition, although we’ve always denied it. She’s terrified she’s starting with it.’
‘Oh no, poor kid. It’s something Robyn and I have known for years. Something we’ve had to live with.’
‘So, let’s get Matt to talk to her. Reassure her. Maybe even do some tests?’
‘That might be a bit difficult.’ Jess pulled a face.
‘Oh?’
‘I’m not seeing him any more, Mum.’
‘Oh, Jess.’ Lisa tutted. ‘But he’s perfect: he’s kind, he’s clever, he really liked you.’
‘I’m sorry, I know all that. But it just wasn’t right. And there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t approach him directly – he is your consultant, after all.’
‘I wondered why we hadn’t seen him for a while. Is he upset?’
Jess nodded. ‘The thing is, Mum, I see how Robyn is with Fabian, how you used to be with Jayden, how I used to be with Dean…’
‘Oh, please don’t tell me you’re having Dean back? I just wouldn’t be able to be civil to him over the dinner table.’ Lisa felt her heart plummet.
‘Now you know why my relationship with Jayden is shot. I’ve hated seeing the way he messed you around all these years. Why I find it difficult to be friendly, and, yes, civil, to my own father.’
‘I know, I know.’ Lisa suddenly felt thoroughly depressed at the wasted years.
‘But I can see you’ve got the hots for Kamran Sattar.’ Jess was laughing at her.
Lisa perked up. ‘Is he married, do you know?’
‘I’ve really no idea. Talking to him face to face, he’s totally different from what I expected. And, he couldn’t stop looking at you, Mum.’
‘Don’t be daft… really?’ Lisa felt a flicker of excitement and then, remembering Sorrel, said, ‘OK, I’ll speak to Matt. Ask his advice on how we can reassure Sorrel. I think it’s just stress. She’s worried about whether Joel is to be remanded as well as stressed at her mock GCSEs when she’s got herself so behind not going to school. And, of course, the audition next week. Right, I’m going home and I’ll ring Matt.’
Lisa turned at the door. ‘Oh, did Mr Sattar let on who was after Hudson House?’
Jess shook her head. ‘He wouldn’t say and, to be honest, I don’t think he knew. I had to say I’d absolutely no idea. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you three guesses, Mum.’
‘Fabian? With this mad idea of a restaurant in the white house?’
Jess nodded. ‘Must be him. Fabian seems absolutely obsessed with the idea.’