Chapter 22
Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of the flat the next morning.
It was Tuesday, and a soft golden glow coaxed Bridie awake.
She had drifted in and out of sleep for most of the night, still adjusting to having the large double bed all to herself, and the unfamiliar quiet.
But when she opened her eyes properly, Barney was already wide awake, tail thumping the side of his crate in a steady, hopeful rhythm.
‘All right, all right,’ she whispered, stretching.
‘New life, new morning. Let’s see how badly we can mess this up.
’ She was feeling nervous about her first proper day at work.
The previous day had gone well, but then Hannah had been there the whole time checking she was okay and offering encouragement and helpful hints.
Bridie didn’t feel she’d done much at all, apart from restock some paintbrushes from the stock room, and make copious cups of tea and coffee for herself and Hannah, and her customers.
Today she’d be on her own, although Hannah would be just next door, setting up her new shop, so she was on hand if Bridie needed her.
She hoped that wouldn’t be the case. Bridie wanted to prove to Hannah, and herself, that she could man the fort with no problems. That was, after all, what she was there for.
Hannah had said she’d pop in, now Bridie was settled, and introduce her to the other shopkeepers in the yard. Bridie was feeling a bit anxious about meeting them all.
Barney barked once as if to reassure her before she clipped on his lead and carried him downstairs. They’d played this game several times during the night. She’d brought his crate into her bedroom soon after she’d retired to bed.
She’d been reading a book from the bookcase in the lounge.
They were all romantic fiction paperbacks.
On her way to bed, Bridie had picked one up, despite the fact that she was feeling cynical about romance.
She’d wanted something to take her mind off her intrusive thoughts about being a failure at relationships, work – everything.
Surprisingly she’d enjoyed reading the book, until a howl had made her jump and drop it on the floor.
She’d got out of bed and done just what she guessed you weren’t supposed to – looked in on the puppy.
As soon as he saw her, that was it. She’d tried telling him there was nothing to worry about, and she was just in the next room.
But Barney wasn’t having any of it. As soon as she left, his howling became incessant, until she returned.
Now she knew why her mum hadn’t wanted him upstairs.
Of course, in a flat she didn’t have the luxury of leaving him downstairs, and wherever she was in the small flat, she’d hear his lonely howling pulling at her heartstrings.
She’d moved the crate beside her bed where he could see her.
Then followed several trips downstairs, through the back storeroom and out into a small private yard, which surprisingly had a lawned area with decking and a table and chairs.
Hannah had shown her the small garden through the back window during her tour of the shop.
Bridie had asked her permission to take Barney out there to do his business, promising to clear up after him. Hannah had said the little garden actually came with the flat; she could access it from the external fire escape stairs, although she wouldn’t recommend it with the puppy.
Bridie couldn’t believe her luck – a flat and a little garden too.
She pictured sitting out there in nice weather.
Not that I’m going to be here that long, she’d thought to herself.
The novelty of her own little patch of garden soon wore off after standing outside in the freezing cold waiting for Barney, who seemed to spend a ridiculously long time sniffing around before finally settling on a suitable place to relieve himself.
‘Why didn’t Dad’s work colleagues get him a cat?’ she’d finally said in exasperation, standing outside with her coat over her pyjamas for the fourth time that night.
Now that she was getting up, Barney decided to have a nice, long nap. Bridie frowned at him. ‘Some people have to go to work,’ she’d said irritably. It was her first proper day at work and she was feeling dog-tired.
Dog-tired. Bridie frowned some more at her flatmate.
Hannah was already unlocking the shop. Although Bridie had a set of keys, Hannah had said she’d stop by early to take her on a tour of the yard.
‘Morning!’ she said brightly. ‘Sleep okay?’
‘Kind of.’ Bridie said casting her gaze heavenward.
‘Ah, I remember those nights when I first got Marlowe. He howled, so I let him sleep in the bedroom.’
‘Yeah, that – and numerous trips downstairs to the loo. Goodness, their bladders are hopeless.’
Hannah grinned. ‘Ready to meet the neighbours?’
‘I thought I’d maybe meet Maisie this morning?’
‘Ah, I dropped her off at her grandmother’s for breakfast this morning so that you and me could meet the shopkeepers before opening time.’
Bridie stiffened at the thought of two shopkeepers in particular.
But more than that, she was worried that the other shopkeepers who were Hannah’s friends wouldn’t like her, and that she wouldn’t fit in.
She didn’t know why that was bothering her so much.
Why did she desperately want them all to like her and be her friend when this was just temporary?
It suddenly dawned on her that in all those years she’d spent living in London, thinking she was living her dream, she hadn’t made a single friend she could count on.
Not one. That was why she’d gone straight to her grandad.
There was nobody else. Nobody like Hannah, or the friends Hannah said she’d made since moving to Suffolk.
Bridie was still worried she wouldn’t fit in. She hadn’t made any friends in London. Why would she here? ‘Do I have to?’
‘Yes,’ Hannah said cheerfully. ‘Think of it as … immersion therapy. Come on.’
Bridie stopped at the door just as Hannah stepped outside. She turned around.
Hannah asked, ‘What is it?’
Bridie had suddenly had a thought. She knew who could break the ice and make people like her. She glanced up.
Hannah smiled. ‘You want to bring along your pup and show him off.’
That wasn’t exactly it, but she nodded nevertheless. ‘Do you think they like dogs?’
‘I’ve had Marlowe in the shop from time to time, and that hasn’t stopped anyone visiting. Marlowe always gets lots of fusses. In fact, he gets a lot more attention that I do.’
‘Good. Great!’ said Bridie, deciding that it was exactly what she needed – a distraction to take the focus off her.
A moment later she reappeared with a wide-awake puppy, who was wagging his tail and licking her face – he was still in her arms. She’d carried him down the stairs and through the shop.
Bridie didn’t trust that he wouldn’t get up to mischief if she put him down in the shop.
She could just imagine he’d get into everything.
‘Right, are you ready now?’ Hannah asked.
Bridie put Barney down and held on to his lead tightly. ‘Yes, I’m ready.’