Chapter Five
Ellie
Sunday 5 January
Next morning, as she sat at breakfast in the hotel which owned the lodges, Ellie smiled to herself. Not a great turnout. Three of the ten had crawled out of bed on time. She wasn’t surprised Kelsea and Lauren hadn’t, they’d been plastered, but it tickled her that those diehards who had made it to the hotel for food were her, Jess and Anouska, the three who had been chatting late last night.
Anouska hadn’t been knocking it back to the same extent as the others as far as she’d seen, and Jess must be hollow as she was chirpy and bouncy this morning. A tad annoying, actually. Not Jess herself, but the fact the alcohol had had little to no effect on her. How lucky. Ellie’s head felt as if someone was trampolining on top of it. That’s what she got for mixing her drinks. Either fizz or wine, not both. It never ended well. But she liked her food, and fortunately the sporty side of her combated piling on the pounds, so she was never one to pass up a cooked Scottish breakfast in a hotel: potato scones, hash browns, black pudding, sausage, egg and bacon.
She looked up to see Jess staring at her plate.
‘What?’ she asked.
‘N-nothing,’ Jess said, but didn’t move her gaze. When Ellie stared at her, Jess sighed and explained. ‘I wish I could eat all that and still be as slim as you.’
Ellie laughed. ‘Look at you. There’s nothing of you.’
‘Ah,’ said Jess, ‘but that’s because I treat my body like a temple. I’m a yoga and aerobics instructor and dog walker. If I were to eat a cooked breakfast, I’d balloon almost straight away.’
‘I don’t believe that for a second. Here, live a little.’ She held out a hash brown to Jess, who waved her hand to dismiss the offer. ‘No, seriously, take it. You could do with fattening up.’
‘Hardly.’ Jess looked down at her body.
‘Jess, Ellie’s right, you’re rake thin, but, well, with muscles. Must be all that aerobics,’ Anouska agreed.
‘I wasn’t always thin, though, and now I’m more careful of what I eat. Plus, I don’t like to put crap into my body.’ When Ellie looked at her then at her breakfast and went to push it away, Jess said, ‘No, no, eat your breakfast. Sorry, I’m always going on.’
‘No need to apologise, but did you really just say “my body is a temple”?’
Jess grinned. ‘I sort of did. Sorry, I sounded like a right div, didn’t I?’
Ellie nodded. ‘Just a bit. So, how did you end up as an aerobics instructor?’
‘And more to the point, how did the unusual combination of aerobics instructor and dog walker come about?’ Anouska added, smiling.
‘Well, I didn’t do too badly at school, I suppose. I passed seven NAT 5s, including one in PE, and four Highers, but I never fancied going to university or college. The concept of saddling myself with all that debt just never appealed.’
‘I can’t imagine why,’ Anouska said dryly.
Jess nodded then continued. ‘So after taking some Pilates and yoga classes, I enrolled in a yoga instructor course and managed fairly easily to get a job, even though it meant working two hours here and there, gaps in the middle of the day, then working late sometimes, but it suited me. And although it still does, I’ve recently supplemented my fitness business with a dog-walking one. And now Pawsitive Pooches is doing well too.’
‘Wow, that’s impressive.’ Ellie stopped with her fork halfway to her mouth. ‘I thought I was doing well being offered a promotion.’
‘You are doing well,’ Anouska and Jess said in unison.
Ellie resumed her breakfast and the conversation flowed, until they realised they were overstaying their welcome, the hovering waitress and the empty restaurant testament to that.
Jess looked at her watch. ‘Is that the time? Oh my goodness, we’d better get back. They’ll be sending out a search party.’
‘They’re probably still asleep,’ Anouska pointed out.
‘Let’s settle the bill and then we can text them to let them know where we are. Actually, it’s not snowing, or raining, or windy. How about we go for a walk? We’ve ages before the ferry yet, and I wanted to get a couple of wee things at that gift shop we saw last night. I wonder if it’s open today.’
‘It’s Sunday. Might be shut,’ Anouska said.
‘Worth a try.’ Ellie was determined to be optimistic. ‘I really liked that shop with the handmade soaps and stuff. Plus, I have some Christmas money to spend.’
‘That’s true.’ Jess pulled out her phone. ‘I’ll text Kelsea.’ Her phone rang. ‘Ooh, Mark, hi. I wasn’t expecting you to be up this early. You’ve been tidying? At this hour?’
As Jess chatted to Mark, Ellie pulled out her phone and said to Anouska, ‘I’ll text Kelsea.’ She nodded to Jess. ‘She may be quite some time.’ But she noticed a text from Scott. What time will you be home? I was thinking of cooking you dinner at yours. Nice bottle of wine? What do you say?
‘I say yes.’ She then typed back those exact words, before texting Kelsea the girls’ whereabouts, then allowing herself to bask in the prospect of a night of Scott pampering her.
The girls spent a pleasurable afternoon browsing in the very few shops Brodick had to offer, particularly on a Sunday, and hiding from the elements in the cafés. Whilst Ellie, Jess and Anouska nursed mugs of hot chocolate, the others tucked into brunch. All too soon it was time for the ferry and as they trudged on board, dejected at their break having come to an end, Jess said, ‘We should keep in touch.’
Anouska eyed her. ‘Definitely.’
‘Yes, we need to hear all about your plans for your leap-year proposal and how it all goes.’ Ellie winked.
‘Indeed. But who knows, maybe I won’t be the only one proposing.’
‘Maybe,’ Ellie said, a smile playing on her lips.
‘This looks fabulous,’ Ellie said as she shrugged off her coat and dumped her bags in the hall. The aroma of spices greeted her as she walked towards Scott, who was wearing a full-size chef’s apron, which was already splattered red. What was that spice? Paprika? She wasn’t sure, but she was ready to eat. It had been a long time since lunch.
Scott snaked a hand around her waist before leaning down to kiss her on the lips. ‘Did you have a good time?’
Ellie dipped her head. ‘I did. In fact, I might keep in touch with a couple of the girls I met. Kelsea and Lauren were wild as usual. Karaoke went on way too long. I enjoyed being on Arran itself, the scenery, all that, much more than I did the singing.’
Scott grinned. ‘Didn’t you have a go yourself?’
‘I didn’t have much choice. There was no reprieve for anyone. Even if Kelsea had let me off with it, Lauren never would.’
‘Sounds like quite a hen party.’
‘Oh, it was. But, I was one of the few who made it down to breakfast this morning. I’m quite proud of that fact, especially since we were still up at three.’
‘Wow, you really were going all out.’
Ellie yawned. ‘It’s starting to catch up with me now. I think Kelsea was trying to see if we could pull an all-nighter.’
‘Glad you enjoyed it. Right, why don’t you relax and I’ll pop the prawns in?’
Ellie sniffed the air appreciatively. ‘What are we having? It smells delicious, whatever it is.’
‘Prawn fajitas, but with a twist.’
Ellie raised an eyebrow. ‘Ooh, exciting. Right, I’ll wash up and then veg on the sofa, if that’s OK, until it’s ready. I’m shattered.’
As Ellie went off to freshen up, she couldn’t help thinking that when Scott behaved like this, it was so easy for all her doubts and insecurities about the future to vanish. For now she decided to live in the moment without caring what tomorrow would bring.
‘Mmm, this is incredible. Is this the first time you’ve made this?’ Ellie asked as she held her tortilla up to her mouth and took another bite.
Scott shook his head. ‘I’ve made it for myself at home a few times. You need to have good quality tiger prawns for it to taste just right. I saw these on offer and figured now was a good time to make it again.’
As Ellie chewed, she gave Scott a thumbs-up.
Later, reclining on the sofa, replete, Ellie decided to test the waters. ‘Did I tell you Trish was leaving?’
Scott sat up straighter and plumped a cushion behind him as he turned to face her, his head tilting to the side as he said, ‘No, I don’t think so. Where’s she off to?’
‘She was headhunted by Elite Holidays.’
‘Very swish. When does she leave?’
‘Not for a couple of months yet. They need to find a replacement whilst she works her notice.’
‘Surely you must be in with a chance,’ Scott said.
‘Maybe, but they’ve moved the role to Manchester.’
‘Manchester? What the hell for? What’s wrong with Edinburgh? Well, that’s that then. Better luck next time.’
A stab of irritation shot through Ellie at his summary dismissal of her applying for the role. How presumptuous of him.
Well, if he wanted her to remain in Edinburgh, he’d need to give her a damn good reason to stay. Maybe Jess had the right idea after all.
Tuesday 7 January
Ellie sat at her desk, her head spinning. She had two new proposals to submit by tomorrow but neither her heart nor her head were in it. This wasn’t her, she loved her job, but right now she was having difficulty focusing. She’d been so psyched about the very real possibility of getting the promotion, but now, with a different set of problems to face, it was beginning to overwhelm her.
She couldn’t break her thoughts away from her and Scott. Six years. It was a long time to invest in someone, a bit like investing your time in working for a company. She laughed under her breath at the irony. Now she potentially had to choose between her relationship and her dream job. Would another opportunity like this present itself anytime soon? Could she afford to risk it? Was Scott worth fighting for? The very fact she didn’t feel she could openly discuss the promotion or its terms definitely added to her stress levels. Was that telling in itself? Surely she should be able to share everything with someone she hoped to spend the rest of her life with. And there it was, the crux of the matter: Did Scott want to spend his life with her?
Ellie doodled on her notepad as the thoughts tumbled over and over in her mind. Maybe Jess did have the right idea. Maybe forcing his hand would be the way to go. Not that she thought that’s what Jess was doing. If she’d read the vibe right from Jess, Mark was definitely still into her; he just had blinkers on about getting married or progressing things. Was that the case with Scott? But then she and Scott didn’t live together, Jess and Mark did.
Aargh. Her head was pounding with it all. Round and round it all went, no solution ever presenting herself. She was sick of it. She was sick of herself right now. And most of all she was sick of her situation.
Ellie didn’t like feeling out of control in her personal life, well, her love life. She far preferred her risk-taking to limit itself to the extreme sports segment of her life. Talking of which, maybe taking some time off would help sort her head out. If she did get the promotion, she knew it would be difficult to get any annual leave for a while, and she had so many days to take.
If she worked late tonight, she could finish these proposals and still hit the slopes at Glenshee tomorrow. Although she loved her job, she was never happier than when outside, not exactly at one with nature, but just out, in the open, breathing fresh air, not being cooped up or hemmed in.
She was sure Trish would go for it and she had no other great plans as she’d been intending to work on both these proposals until close of business tomorrow.
Firing off a text to Trish, who was out of the office today, she sat back in her chair and breathed heavily. This could be just what she needed to clear her mind. She loved the conditions at the Glenshee Ski Centre and the diversity of the slopes. If Trish did give her the day off, she’d book an Airbnb and dig out her skis and snowboard.
Ellie drew her keyboard towards her and soon her fingers were flying over the keys, the proposals virtually writing themselves. What a difference motivation made. By lunch, she’d finished the draft of one proposal and was gearing up to start the next, but she was beginning to fret a little as she hadn’t yet heard from Trish. She knew she was probably in meetings, but it didn’t make her any less antsy.
She was just slurping down a homemade tomato soup she’d bought at the café two doors down when her phone pinged. Great. Trish must finally have seen her message. But it wasn’t Trish, it was Jess.
Hi, Ellie. Hope you’re well. You know how you said you’d be happy to meet up? Well, I was wondering if you’d be free on Thursday night. I’d come to you, of course. Not sure if Anouska will be able to make it as she’s all the way up in Aberdeen, but I’ll ask her, if you can make it. Would be great to see you again and I’ve had some ideas for my proposal. Squee! Jess x
Well, that was a surprise. She had actually thought they would meet up again, but not so soon. And she supposed Edinburgh did make sense as a meeting place, what with Anouska being in Aberdeen and Jess in Glasgow. Edinburgh kind of formed the right angle of that triangle. Mentally shrugging, Ellie decided why not? She wasn’t doing anything on Thursday as she had agreed to go out for dinner with Chloe on Friday and meet Scott on Saturday, so she’d originally intended to have a night in. But hey, there would be time in her thirties and forties to stay in.
She texted back: Count me in. Does half seven work for you? There’s a great café I know called Cirque. It does really delicious hearty soups and has a fab range of grilled panini. It’s in Rose Street, the street behind and parallel to Princes Street. Let me know if Anouska can make it. Will be great to see you again x
Things were looking up. Now, no matter whether Trish sanctioned her holidays or not, she felt galvanised into action. With Jess stepping up and having the courage to propose to Mark, it really hammered home to Ellie how not taking any action was the worst possible thing she could do. Perhaps she could learn something from Jess. Maybe Jess could hand her some of her bravery pills in dealing with her relationship. Despite being fearless on the slopes, when falling out of a plane, dangling from the end of a bungee rope or when base jumping, Ellie did not consider herself brave when it came to talking her mind to her other half, especially when that other half was closed-book Scott.
This was good news. Meeting the girls would do all three of them good. She was sure of it. She really hoped Anouska could make it too as she’d liked her, even if she’d come across as a little reserved.
Ellie started on the second proposal and in two hours it was done. Now all she had to do was check both proposals over, and even though she hadn’t heard from Trish, and even though she couldn’t go to Glenshee tomorrow without her approval, she didn’t care. Fate had taken her life in a new direction. At least tomorrow she’d have a more relaxed work day.
Her phone pinged again then again. Jess has set up a group chat. Leap-Year Proposals (LYP) . Ha! How perfect. Then, just as she started typing a reply, two messages arrived almost simultaneously.
Look forward to seeing you both on Thursday, Love, Anouska
Hi, girls. Thought it best to set up a group chat. See you both at half seven at Cirque in Rose Street. Can’t wait to tell you my ideas. Jess x
Ellie couldn’t wait. She emailed her proposals to Trish and gave Ramon, her colleague, a thumbs-up when he asked if she wanted a coffee.
As he passed her the coffee five minutes later, her phone rang.
‘Hi, Ellie, it’s Trish. How are you?’
‘I’m good, thanks. You?’
‘You ready to start shadowing me yet?’
‘Of course.’
‘Great, because I’ll be in the office on Friday, thought we could start then.’
‘Fantastic.’
‘That’s sorted then, and you can have tomorrow off.’
Ellie fist-pumped the air, lowering her eyes at Ramon’s startled expression as he scuttled past her open office door. ‘Thanks, Trish.’
‘You doing anything nice?’
‘Just a bit of snowboarding.’ Well, she was hardly going to say soul-searching, was she?
‘Enjoy yourself. If you land the promotion, time off will be but a distant memory.’ Trish laughed.
‘I will, and I know. Thanks, Trish.’
Ellie replaced the receiver. Time to get her ducks in a row.