Chapter Forty-Four
JESS
I hum to myself as I crack an egg into a bowl of flour and add a bit of milk. My eternity ring catches the light as I whisk, and my smile widens. I think we’re getting there. And that’s good. Because I only have two more of these ‘days’ before we’re back at number ten. I can’t drop the ball now.
Luke appears and comes up behind me while I’m flipping the first pancake, which means it ends up being even wonkier than a first pancake should be, but I just laugh and flop it onto the plate next to the hob.
That’s always my ‘cook’s treat’, the not quite right one I nibble at while I make the rest of the batch.
Luke is making us both a cup of tea when his phone rings.
Even though my back is to him, I can tell from the tone he adopts instantly that it’s something work-related.
He sounds tense. I keep half an ear on the conversation while I carry on pouring batter into the pan and flipping pancakes.
There are lots of ‘uh-huhs’ and ‘yeps’, which sound fairly positive, but I still have a sinking feeling.
The pancakes are just about ready, and Luke is trying to round up his call when the doorbell goes. Crap. I turn the gas off under the frying pan, push it away from the hot ring, and jog to the front door. When I open it, Cassie is standing there with a three-year-old Edie in her arms.
‘Thank goodness! I was so afraid you wouldn’t be in.’
Well, it is eleven on a Tuesday morning, so I suppose it’s not unreasonable to think we might both be out, even though my work schedule is a bit less regimented than a regular nine to five.
‘What’s up?’ I stand back to let her pass, and she comes inside, shaking her head.
‘It’s a bit of a nightmare, actually.’ Edie wiggles to be let down and, since she’s a regular in our household, Cassie obliges. Edie runs through to the living room, where she knows a crate of toys is stacked under one of the coffee tables, and instantly sets to work.
We head into the kitchen, where Luke is still making ‘I need to head off now’ noises on his call.
Cassie keeps her voice low. ‘My childcare has fallen through. I’ve got a good friend who moved to Scotland and she’s visiting for a couple of days, and we arranged to meet for brunch.
It’s the first time I’ve seen her in two years!
And then the mum from pre-school who was going to have Edie called me to say all four of her kids are crawling with lice and she doesn’t think they should be around other children until they’ve been treated. ’
‘Urgh,’ I say, shuddering.
‘Exactly! There’s no way I’m sending Edie round there. It makes me itch just thinking about it.’
I find I’m absentmindedly scratching my scalp. ‘Me too!’
But then I have a horrible sinking feeling I know what’s coming.
I’m trying to work out how to politely say no, without coming off as a total bitch.
My bullet journal confirms that Luke doesn’t get many days off, and our time together is both limited and I really need this twenty-four hours to make sure my marriage stays on track.
I love Cassie and my niece to bits, but I’m not sure I can risk losing precious hours today.
Edie appears from the living room, spots the plate of pancakes near the edge of the dining table and squeals with delight.
Cassie picks her up, pops her on one of the chairs, pulls a pancake onto one of the waiting plates, slides the plate in front of her daughter, and then carries on talking as if she hasn’t just hijacked the romantic breakfast I’ve planned for myself and my husband.
I’m so dumbfounded, I can’t even find the words to pull her up on it.
I mean, one of the things I like about Luke’s family is that they don’t stand on ceremony with each other, and usually I love the fact that she feels comfortable enough to come into my house, make a cup of tea and offer me one, but today is a little bit different.
Luke gives Cassie a one-armed hug as he finishes his phone call and then pops his phone back into his pocket. ‘Hi, sis.’
‘Hey, big brother!’ She kisses him on the cheek. ‘I was just telling Jess my childcare has fallen through and I’m in a bit of a bind.’
Luke looks at me and I just give him a I don’t know how to say it look. It will be much easier for him to say something to his sister.
‘That was Warren,’ he says, looking at first Cassie and then me. ‘He’s having a bit of a meltdown because the paving slabs he ordered haven’t arrived on site and he can’t get through to the suppliers. I’m just gonna have to make a couple of quick calls … ’
He disappears off into the living room, away from the noise of two women and a three-year-old tucking into a blueberry and banana pancake.
Cassie glances at her phone. ‘Oh, my God! We are supposed to be meeting at that new Lebanese place in Beckenham town centre. You know what the multistorey car park can be like at this time of day, so I thought I’d leave the car here and walk in, which means I’m going to have to dash.’
I try and formulate a friendly but firm refusal but come up empty. She kisses Edie on top of the head and gives me a big squeeze. ‘I shouldn’t be more than two hours,’ she says over her shoulder as she jogs out of the kitchen. ‘Thank you so much!’ And then I hear the front door slam.
What … ? What the heck just happened?
I’m still standing there dumbstruck, when Luke returns, phone in hand, scowling. ‘I swear, I’m going to give Warren his marching orders one of these days.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘He sent the stuff to the wrong address! I’m going to have to go along with him in the van, pick it up, and take it to the right place.’
I glance at the rapidly cooling pancakes on the dining room table. ‘Do you have to go right now?’
‘The quicker I get this sorted, the quicker I get back.’
‘But … but … ’
He grabs his keys and his jacket and heads in the same direction his sister just did.
Seconds later, the front door bangs again.
I turn to look at Edie. She’s a gorgeous kid, big blue eyes, cherubic blonde curls, and a nature to match – most of the time.
She flutters her eyelashes at me as she reaches for a second pancake.
‘Knock yourself out, kid,’ I say.
My eternity ring better be ready to work its magic today.
A couple of hours Cassie said, but it’s only just gone twelve and Edie is getting fractious.
The box of toys and a bit of CBeebies kept her entertained for an hour or so but now she’s bored and I’m running out of things to try.
And Luke is going to be no help. He’s sent a couple of messages saying Warren didn’t even order the right stuff, his client is having a meltdown, and he’s worried about potential negative reviews online if he doesn’t sort this out quickly.
He lives in fear of getting horrendous reviews online.
In sheer desperation, I call Hannah’s number.
‘Hey, you!’ she trills when she answers. ‘What’s up?’
‘I’m stuck with a three-year-old and need back-up,’ I blurt out. ‘Are you off this afternoon?’
‘Um … no.’ She sounds confused, as if I should know this, which I probably should. I’m in such a tizz that I can’t remember those sorts of things. ‘Luke told me about Edie. I’m on the phone trying to help sort out this whole mess with the delivery so he can get back to you.’
Oh, wow. I’ve been leapfrogging through my anniversaries so quickly that it’s completely skewed my perception of time.
Since my ‘yesterday’, Connor cheated on Hannah, and she had to find herself a better paying job.
Marge, who had done the admin for Harris & Sons retired this year, so Luke offered Hannah the job.
She’s amazing at it, modernizing the way it all flows in a way that seventy-year-old, technophobic Marge never could.
‘Of course, of course … Thank you! I’d better let you get on with it,’ I say, laughing on the outside and crying on the inside. ‘Love you! Bye!’
I hang up and then wilt, before straightening and grabbing my handbag. ‘Edie? Do you want to go out somewhere?’
‘Yay!’ Edie says, jumping up and down.
Well, that’s sorted, then.