Chapter 33
‘Frank’s ex-girlfriend has gone into labour,’ Miranda announces as she arrives later than usual. ‘Her waters burst in the early hours.’
‘Oh – is she okay?’
‘She’s fine but doesn’t want Frank present at the birth. He’s at home frantically trawling Google for articles on how to be a father. While he was locked away in his study, I had to make his mother her soft egg and make sure she took the right medication.’
I watch Miranda dump her handbag on the till counter and let out a heavy sigh.
It makes me recall my vision on her: how her love ends with Frank pushing a baby in a buggy.
She’s been with Frank for over fifteen years, and this must be a shock.
Even though she’s a nightmare boss, shares far too much about her love life, and acts like a lovesick schoolgirl when Oliver is around, she’s still human. Endings are painful and messy.
‘Are you okay, Miranda?’
She turns to me, and I can see her eyes are pink and watery. ‘I don’t want to be a stepmother, Nelly. I have never wanted kids, and this situation with Frank has not changed my view.’
‘Have you spoken to Frank?’
She nods. ‘He keeps saying that when I see his new baby, I will melt and have an urge to buy baby clothes, change nappies and stay up all night singing nursery rhymes.’
I know she keeps questioning what goes on inside Frank’s head, but I now find myself having the same thoughts.
Miranda and small babies do not mix well.
The other day, a woman had a baby in a buggy, and she couldn’t get it to stop crying.
After five minutes, Miranda had to go lie down in the back room, as she claimed the noise had given her a migraine.
If she doesn’t get her full eight hours’ sleep, she’s evil and hates getting her hands dirty.
‘I’m sorry, Miranda.’
A tear travels down her cheek, and she wipes it away. ‘I’ll be in the back room today. I have paperwork to do.’
I watch her walk away, shoulders stooped and head bowed. It’s bad enough seeing visions of heartbreak, but watching them play out before my eyes is harder. I sense that Miranda is going to unravel.
‘Hello,’ says a female voice. ‘I’m just wondering whether you have managed to locate my book.’ I turn to see Juliet standing by the counter.
‘Ah, I have a surprise,’ I say, reaching down under the counter. Earlier, I’d placed Oliver’s copy of the book there as I was going to call her later.
I lift out the book, Cartas del Ayer, Amor de Hoy. I googled the translation, and it means ‘Letters from Yesterday, Love from Today’.
Juliet’s face lights up as she studies the cover. ‘Wow – I can’t believe it’s his book.’
‘I take it you read Spanish?’
She smiles. ‘I’ve been taking evening classes for years, and I even have an A level in Spanish, so this will be a good read.’
‘Are you still planning to visit him?’
She nods. ‘Next month. It’s booked.’
The urge to touch her is strong but I hear Oliver’s words in my head: Give love a chance. If I touched her hand and saw something upsetting, I’m not sure I could refrain from telling her something. Perhaps I should leave it up to Juliet. She needs to discover how love ends for herself.
She smiles. ‘How much is the book?’
‘It’s a gift from Oliver James, the romance author.’
Juliet’s eyes travel to the display table, piled high with Oliver’s latest. She gasps. ‘Was that Oliver James who was in here the other day?’
‘Yes, he has paid for your book. Your story touched him. You must let him know how your trip to Spain goes.’
She hugs Miguel’s book. ‘Please thank Oliver, and will you tell him that I promise to report back?’
I watch her walk away, gazing longingly at Miguel’s book, and a warm feeling engulfs me.
Miranda walks towards me. ‘His ex-girlfriend has had a little girl.’ Her eyes are red and puffy. ‘I need someone to talk to.’
‘Why don’t I make us both a cup of tea?’
She nods, and I rush out the back. Before long, I’m bringing two mugs of tea back into the bookshop. In my back pocket, I also have two packets of tissues as I sense Miranda is going to dissolve into floods of tears.
She sits behind the counter and wraps her hands around the mug. ‘Thank you, Nelly. This is what I need. A cup of soothing tea.’
‘Has Frank gone to the hospital?’
‘Yes. He left me instructions on what to cook his mother for her tea as he won’t be back till late.’
‘Oh. Is his mum pleased about the new arrival?’
Miranda shakes her head. ‘His mother hates young children as much as I do.’
‘I see.’
She takes a sip. ‘This is a mess.’
‘I’m sorry, Miranda. This must be hard for you.’ I watch her put down her mug and dab her eyes. She looks devastated. This is a good reminder for me. Love rarely ends well. I need to remember this image of my broken boss.
Miranda rubs her temples. ‘I know this sounds weird, Nelly, but I’m secretly relieved.’
Air gets trapped in my throat. ‘Relieved?’ I croak.
She sits up and wipes her eyes. ‘This situation gives me a way out.’
‘A what?’ I stare at her.
Something flickers across her face. She sits up straighter. ‘If I’m honest, my relationship with Frank has been stale for years. I spend a lot of my time lusting after other men. Frank’s new baby has given me a golden opportunity.’
‘Look, you’re upset—’
She stands and puts her hands on her hips. ‘I know what I need to do.’
‘Don’t make any rash decisions.’
‘Nelly, this situation needs rash decisions.’ A smile spreads across her face. ‘I’m going to leave Frank. This heartbreak is a blessing in disguise.’
Oh, God, the heartbreak has made her delusional. ‘Miranda…’
‘Nelly, you will need to close the shop. I have things to do.’
Before I can say another word, she’s hurried away to the back room.
Even though she claimed it was a blessing in disguise, I believe the shock of Frank’s infidelity and the arrival of his child will eventually catch up with her.
Tonight, she’ll be teetering on the brink of a nervous breakdown while his mother enjoys her favourite meal.
There’s nothing positive about heartbreak; this is why I’ve avoided it like the plague for years.