Chapter 33 #2
Bridie glanced up ahead. If George had heard that argument, he didn’t appear bothered. George was kneeling, giving Barney a fuss.
Bridie turned her attention back to her sister. It was little wonder she and Andy had rowed about it. They obviously hadn’t discussed it before she’d turned it down.
Kate said, ‘I told them what they could do with their job offer, and then packed up my things and walked down the road to an investment bank where I know a woman through networking who said I’d be head-hunted if I ever chose to leave my current job, and they’d hire me on the spot.’
Bridie wondered why they hadn’t.
‘Their head office was just two blocks away. The woman was busy, even though I said I’d wait, which I did, in the foyer.
While I was there, I got on to LinkedIn, updating my profile, expecting the head-hunting to begin, and the offers to flood in.
I was sitting there rather pleased that she was in a meeting, and I had to wait, because I was anticipating all these job offers, and then negotiating a big fat pay rise, along with a new job. ’
Unfortunately, although Kate was very driven, and she really was hard-working, she had always been a bit too full of her own self-importance to the point of being a bit arrogant.
Bridie said, ‘She didn’t come out of her meeting, did she?’
Kate shook her head. ‘I waited and waited.’
‘And no job offers through LinkedIn?’
‘No. I did sit there until the end of the day. When she walked out of the lift from her office on the top floor, I ran over to greet her and was surprised that her assistant hadn’t told her I was still waiting to see her.’
‘What happened? Did she give you a job interview?’
‘No. She said things had changed since our last conversation, and there was an industry-wide reduction in workforce, and to stay put where I was if I wanted to stay in work.’
Bridie’s heart sank. ‘Oh. You hadn’t told her you’d already been offered another job and had turned it down.’
Kate heaved a sigh. ‘I’ve made a huge mistake, Bridie.’
Bridie had never thought she’d see the day that Kate admitted she was wrong. ‘Can you phone your boss – tell him you’ve changed your mind?’
Kate shook her head. ‘Doesn’t work like that. They would have already offered the next person on the list the job.’
‘But shouldn’t they still offer you a redundancy package?’
‘In theory, yes, but they can get out of it, now they’ve offered me an alternative job that I turned down with no good reason, just because I didn’t want it.’
‘What are you going to do?’
‘I don’t know.’
Bridie thought of what Layla had repeated about their savings not going far.
Bridie knew what it felt like to be desperate for a job, but her situation had been different.
She only had herself to think about, and back at her mum and dad’s she had no housing costs.
She still had no housing costs, thanks to Hannah and the flat above the shop.
But her sister’s situation was very different.
They had a mortgage to pay to keep a roof over their kids’ heads.
Bridie genuinely felt for her. ‘What can I do to help?’
Kate looked at her. ‘What do you mean, what can you do to help? You haven’t got two pennies to rub together.’
‘Hannah is opening a shop next door in Cobblers Yard, selling bridal wear. She’s quite the successful businesswoman, you know.
She runs a wedding venue with her husband at a place called Somersby Hall where they live.
Now, I reckon the shop will be fitted out soon, and I bet she’ll be on the lookout for another shop assistant.
’ Bridie smiled to herself. Once the theatre was up and running, perhaps it would bring in some decent money through ticket sales, but she knew the real money would come from selling it.
Then she could help her sister out financially.
‘You’re enjoying this – aren’t you?’
‘What do you mean?’ Bridie asked her sister.
‘Oh, how the mighty have fallen – from top investment banker to a shop assistant – of all things. You’d love that, wouldn’t you, put me on the same footing as you?’
‘I wasn’t thinking that. I was only trying to—’
‘George! Get over here and give that blasted dog back.’
‘… help,’ Bridie said in a small voice.
‘Mum, do I have to?’
‘Right. Now!’ Kate shouted.
Passersby out on a weekend stroll along the promenade gave the woman shouting at her a kid a wide berth, Bridie noticed.
George, shoulders slumped, dragged his feet as he walked back to his mum.
Bridie looked at her sister. ‘They really are lovely people in Cobblers Yard. You might enjoy it.’
‘I’m an executive.’
‘But you’re not now, are you?’ Bridie said. She wasn’t being mean. She was just stating a fact. ‘We’re both in the same boat. I’m a theatre actress.’
‘It’s not the same thing.’
‘Of course it isn’t,’ mumbled Bridie, annoyed by the put-down.
‘You know, if you really want to help …’
‘Yes?’ Bridie said eagerly. ‘Anything.’
‘You could pay off my mortgage. Then I wouldn’t have to worry.’ Kate laughed when she saw Bridie’s expression. ‘No pressure!’
Bridie watched her sister shaking her head.
‘You have no idea what it’s like to have the responsibility of a property, Bridie.
We’d be better off in rented while we’re out of work, then at least we could claim housing benefit to help pay the rent.
Still, you’ll never have to worry – I expect you’ll never own a property in your life. ’
Bridie’s eyes drifted to her property along the promenade.
George walked up to Bridie. ‘Here.’
Bridie took the lead out of his hand. ‘Sorry, George.’
‘Can I come and visit you?’
Bridie smiled at her nephew, deciding not to correct him. She knew he really wanted to visit Barney.
‘Of course you can. Your mum knows where I am. Come any time, George. You can play with Barney in the yard.’
Kate grabbed George’s hand. ‘Come on.’
Bridie said to her back. ‘Kate, if you want me to ask Hannah about a job …’
‘No. Thank you.’
Bridie hadn’t expected otherwise. She watched Kate continue on her way with George casting backward glances at Barney.
Bridie picked up the puppy and waved his paw at George. ‘Kate, if you need to talk, you know where I am.’
Bridie didn’t get a backward glance from her sister. She wasn’t surprised. This was the last predicament her sister expected to find herself in.
Bridie was passing the theatre when she saw Layla outside. She stopped, surprised to find her still on the promenade. ‘I thought you were going to hang out with some friends?’
‘I am.’ Layla suddenly waved.
Bridie turned around and saw a tall, wiry boy waving back. Bridie turned back to Layla, and grinned. ‘Is that Charlie?’
Layla’s face coloured. ‘Yes.’
Bridie whispered, ‘He is cute.’
Layla smiled coyly. ‘I know. Some of my friends are jealous.’
‘I bet.’
Charlie walked up to Layla. ‘Hi,’ he said, smiling and then putting an arm around her shoulder. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, making Layla’s cheeks go rosy-red with embarrassment.
‘So,’ Charlie said, ‘why are we meeting here, outside the theatre?’
‘I wanted you to meet my auntie.’
‘Oh, okay. Hi, Layla’s auntie.’
Bridie liked him already. ‘Hi, Charlie.’
‘She’s going to show us around the old theatre.’
His eyes lit up. ‘No way!
‘Yes way.’
‘Awesome!’
Bridie nearly dropped Barney. ‘Layla, what are you talking about?’
Layla walked over to the door. ‘I saw you run out of the theatre and lock the door.’
Bridie had hoped she hadn’t seen that. Now she felt foolish. There had been no one there, on the stage, just that poster of Reggie, her dad, and Isobel Raine.
‘How did you get hold of a key?’ Charlie asked.
Bridie wondered what to do. Should she come up with a lie, some rubbish about finding a key and taking a look inside? Or tell them the truth?
Layla said, ‘What is it, Auntie Bridie?’
Bridie looked at her niece and Charlie. ‘Can you two keep a secret?’