Chapter 34 #2
‘I don’t mean her work ethic,’ Bridie quickly added. ‘She works very hard. It’s just that she’s been an executive in the investment banking industry since she left university and …’ Bridie trailed off.
‘Working in a shop would be beneath her.’
Bridie didn’t mean for it to sound like that. ‘Sorry. I thought it was a great idea. Cobblers Yard and everyone who works here are amazing. I love it. But my sister …’
Hannah smiled. ‘It’s all right, Bridie. Shop work isn’t for everybody. And I suspect once the theatre is up and running, if things work out, you’ll be leaving us.’
Bridie needed the job at the shop. She said as much, although she kept her plans to herself, for now, about the possibility of returning to the West End.
‘Bridie, you don’t know where things will lead once you stage your first play. Who knows, perhaps you’ll turn a decent profit, and running the theatre will become your job, and like me, you’ll become a businesswoman. I didn’t have the first clue about running a business – but look at me now.’
It hadn’t occurred to Bridie that running the theatre could be her new job.
‘What is it?’ Hannah asked. ‘You’re not thinking of chucking in the towel completely and just selling up, are you?’
When Bridie didn’t answer, Hannah said, ‘I never took you for somebody who would take the easy route.’
‘It wouldn’t be for me.’
‘Then who?’
‘My sister.’
‘Your sister? I don’t understand …’ Hannah said, leaning forward in her chair.
Bridie put Hannah in the picture. ‘When I asked my sister how I could help, she said, jokingly of course, if I could just pay off her mortgage then she’d have a lot less to worry about.
You see, her husband, Andy, is a stay-at-home dad, so he hasn’t got a job either, and they’ve got two children to support.
She doesn’t know that I’ve come into money. ’
‘But you haven’t come into money. You’ve been gifted a theatre.’
‘Yes, and if I sell it, which apparently I’m free to do, then …’
‘Then you can pay off her mortgage.’
‘Yes, I think so. The theatre is in a prime position right on the sea front. Someone would buy it and …’
‘And turn it into a house or ugly flats,’ Hannah said, sounding disappointed.
Bridie wished she hadn’t told Hannah about the theatre, and then she and everyone else in Cobblers Yard wouldn’t have become so involved.
She already felt she was letting them all down by even considering bailing on the original idea and just selling the place.
However, Bridie was thinking about what Oliver had said; Jack had wanted to get his hands on the little theatre for years.
This would be his opportunity. He wouldn’t even have to invest the money and do it up.
He could just buy it off her and then do whatever he wanted with it.
Bridie thought it sounded simple, until something crossed her mind; something she’d wondered about when Jack had turned up at the theatre that first time while they were all busy cleaning and gathering up rubbish.
She’d wondered if Jack was her secret benefactor.
Why would he buy back the theatre if he’d already gifted it to her?
It occurred to her that he hadn’t asked one obvious question either time he’d visited the theatre – how had it come into her possession?
‘Bridie, you’ve got such a kind soul,’ said Hannah, interrupting her thoughts. ‘Not everyone would do that for their sibling. You must be really close.’
Bridie laughed. ‘Actually, we’re not. Not at all.’
‘I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t do that if I were in your shoes. I bet your sister wouldn’t do it for you.’
Bridie hadn’t thought about that. She replied, ‘Probably not.’
‘Can’t your sister get another job? She sounds very experienced.’
‘She was offered another job in the same company, but she turned it down.’
Hannah frowned. ‘Why?’
‘My sister is quite big-headed. She said she wouldn’t accept a demotion.’
‘Sounds like she’s landed herself in it.’
‘Yep. The trouble is that she thought she’d walk into another job, just like that.’
‘I’m guessing that isn’t going to happen.’
‘Nope, and she can’t get a redundancy payout because she turned down their job offer.’
‘Oh dear.’ Hannah shook her head. ‘Pardon me for saying this, but she’s made her bed … maybe your parents could help her out, or your brother.’
Bridie hadn’t thought of that. Although they were both now retired, her dad had his pension lump sum, and savings, she imagined. Then there was her brother, Jeremy, a City lawyer on pots of money.
‘I don’t think you should give up your dreams just because your sister lost her job and then made a bad decision. That isn’t on you. You are not her keeper. You’ve already suggested where she might get a job, and I would take her on in a heartbeat.’
‘Thanks, Hannah.’
‘However, you have got your own life to lead, Bridie, and I’ve got to be honest, like Lili helped me out, and gave me her shop, somebody has done the same thing for you – not given you a shop, but you know, offered you a lifeline.
What you make of it is up to you. But look where mine led – to a life I never dreamed of, in the best possible way.
This is your chance, Bridie. Not your sister’s.
You’ve got to make a go of it, because if you don’t, you’ll never know what might have happened. ’
As Bridie listened to Hannah, she suddenly imagined a casting agent sitting in the audience of the first production at The Little Theatre by the Sea and watching her starring in her own show. It might lead back to a show in London. That would show Julian. He’d said she’d never work in London again.
She started to smile. Hannah was right: she shouldn’t give up her dreams.
‘Is that your phone buzzing?’
Bridie picked it up off the coffee table. ‘It’s Jack leaving me another message. He said he’d call me, but …’
‘You’ve been avoiding him since you bumped into your sister.’
Bridie sighed and listened to the voicemail. ‘He wants to meet up again to go over the business plan.’
‘So what now? Are you going to call him back?’
Bridie grinned.
Hannah’s face broke into a wide grin too. ‘Good. I’m so glad to hear it. You know you’re not alone. You’ve got the whole of Cobblers Yard behind you too.’
‘I know. That’s what I love about this place.’
‘Me too,’ said Hannah.
‘But if we do get the theatre revamped ready for a show, where will I get all the actors to stage a play?’
Hannah leaned forward and squeezed her hand. ‘First things first. Call Jack back.’
Bridie looked at Hannah. ‘All right.’ Besides, she had no choice really.
She was thinking that she could hardly offer to sell the theatre to Jack when it was possible he’d gifted it to her in the first place.
Bridie smiled at the thought. Perhaps she should have shared her thoughts with Oliver.
Then he wouldn’t be so quick to judge or to try to persuade her that Jack had a motive other than simply putting the past behind them and wanting to help her out.
Bridie was so pleased that Hannah had talked her out of giving up on the theatre. She rang Jack’s number. Disappointingly, his phone went to voicemail. She left a message.