Chapter 38
Bella didn’t sleep well on Thursday night, and on Friday, she yawned so much through her shift at the pub that Paddy tried to send her home early.
‘Burning the candle at both ends again, Bels?’ he asked as she tried to stifle yet another yawn.
Bella shook her head and swallowed it down. ‘No rest for the wicked, Paddy, you know that.’ She gave him a brief smile. ‘But a coffee wouldn’t go amiss.’
‘Help yourself, love,’ Paddy replied. ‘But don’t blame me if you’re up half the night!’
A strong cup of coffee later, and Bella was feeling a bit better.
She couldn’t stop thinking about poor Mollie and her financial woes, though.
She’d turned the situation over in her brain all night, trying to draw up a mental list of strategies.
It might not have to be one big solution, she’d concluded at around three o’clock that morning – perhaps she could come up with a selection of small ideas that might make a significant dent in Purrfect Paws’ deficit.
She’d grabbed a pen and paper from her bedside table and written down several possible suggestions, including paid Facebook advertising and even better photographs of the residents.
A summer fête could be in order, and a good way to get a little boost to the sanctuary’s coffers, but perhaps it was too late for this summer to organise something like that.
The main problem was that Purrfect Paws was always going to need money; its job was never-ending.
Bella felt like Sisyphus pushing the boulder up the hill, only to know that it was going to roll right down again when she got close to the top.
By that point of the morning, the sun was starting to rise, and Bella had decided that if nothing else, Sisyphus would be a great name for a new arrival at the sanctuary.
Even she managed to raise a smile at the prospect of ‘Sisypuss!’ She drifted off into an easy sleep a little time later, but as soon as she woke up again, she couldn’t stop thinking about poor Mollie’s predicament.
Jason came in at around eight thirty for his usual stint.
As Bella listened with half an ear to his set, an idea suddenly began to form.
She dismissed it at first; Jason was fairly well known on YouTube and had a decent local following, but a few punters in the pub weren’t enough of an answer.
Besides, she knew how often creative people got put upon to perform ‘for the exposure’ and she didn’t want to be yet another person making demands of an artist with no recompense for them.
Having fallen prey to that in the early days of her own fledgling music career, she had no desire to make herself the instigator of such an agreement.
But what if she could offer him a quid pro quo? Her tired brain couldn’t quite work out the details and pull pints at the same time, but she wondered if it was worth giving it some thought later. If there was even a chance that her plan could help Mollie and the sanctuary, it had to be worth a go.
At nine thirty, Jason finished his set and, as usual, came to prop up the bar for a drink. ‘Here,’ Bella said, handing him a pint of Carter’s cider. ‘This one’s on me.’
Jason raised an eyebrow. ‘Thanks. To what do I owe the pleasure?’
It was now or never. ‘Well,’ Bella began. ‘The thing is…’
Jason’s look of incredulity as she explained who she’d been in her former life as a musician was well worth the five quid that Paddy charged for cider.
‘But… you mean all this time I’ve been trying to get you to sing, and you’re a pro? You’re really Isabella Indigo? I mean, this isn’t just a wind-up?’
In answer, Bella grabbed her phone and googled her stage name, then put the screen next to her own face. ‘See?’
Jason let out a low whistle. ‘Well, Bels, I don’t know whether to be offended or embarrassed. I feel like Lois blooming Lane, and you don’t even wear glasses! Why the bleeding heck didn’t you say something?’
Bella laughed at the comparison with Clark Kent but realised Jason might well be offended that she hadn’t come clean about her former identity. ‘You didn’t know because I didn’t want anyone here to. I was never famous enough in the UK for anyone to twig.’
‘So why are you telling me now?’
This was it. She’d been putting Jason off for months, making excuses as to why she couldn’t get up and sing with him on his weekly gigs at the pub. Now, she’d have to hope his enthusiasm for a collaboration would make him agree to this rather more ambitious plan.
‘You know the cat sanctuary I work for? Well, it’s skint, and if it doesn’t get a cash injection soon, it could be closed by the end of the year.
Since you’re always asking to sing with me, and Purrfect Paws needs the money, I was thinking we might hold a joint gig here, in the pub.
You get your collaboration, and Purrfect Paws gets a few quid to stave off the closure for a bit longer. What do you reckon?’
Jason seemed to be mulling this over. ‘You really love the cat sanctuary, don’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be doing this.’
Bella gave a nervous laugh. ‘Not a lot would make me get up on stage these days, but Mollie’s been good to me, and she and the cats deserve some payback for that. One night only, all proceeds to Purrfect Paws, you and me, in the beer garden. What do you reckon?’
‘I don’t think a joint gig will do it.’ Jason’s expression had turned thoughtful.
‘I mean, you might not be as famous here as you were in Europe, but my fame only extends as far as the county border, much as I like to pretend otherwise.’ He paused for a moment.
‘How about you’re the headliner and I’m your support?
We could do a song or two, but you’re the one people’ll turn out to see. ’
‘No one’s going to come from Sweden to the pub!
’ Bella laughed. ‘But, if it helps Mollie, then I don’t mind billing it that way.
’ She reached out a hand and touched Jason’s arm.
‘Thanks, Jase. I’m sorry I haven’t been honest with you, but I didn’t think I’d ever get on stage again as Isabella Indigo.
I’m only doing it now for Mollie. But I know your music career means a lot to you.
’ She grabbed a pen from under the bar and a Post-it note.
‘Here’s the email of the producer I worked with in Sweden.
I don’t know if she’s still in the business but mention my name and she might listen to your demos. ’
Jason grinned. ‘Thanks, babe.’
They agreed on a date in a couple of Saturdays’ time.
Since Jason was a regular player at the pub, and Bella wasn’t hugely optimistic that anyone would turn up to see her after all these years, there didn’t seem much point in setting something up too far ahead.
They’d be lucky to sell fifty tickets, she reckoned, and most of those would be for Jason’s side of the collaboration.
For the rest of the evening, when it went quiet, Bella hashed out the details with Paddy, who, having been briefed earlier, was more than happy to help.
After the initial adrenaline rush of confessing to Jason, as the emotions died down, Bella started to feel tired again, and, realising she was dead on her feet, Paddy let her go after last orders.
Gratefully, Bella grabbed her sweater from behind the bar and walked wearily home.
The moon was full tonight, and the air was warm, even at gone quarter past eleven.
There wasn’t even a breeze to wake her up as she walked.
As Bella wandered up the garden path, she smiled when she saw Monty was sitting on the front step, waiting for her.
He’d been there most nights this week, since he’d been granted his freedom again, and Bella couldn’t help smiling.
She’d grown accustomed to sharing her living space with him over the past couple of weeks, and it felt nice to have another living soul in the cottage.
Then, as she put the key in the lock, she remembered there’d be someone else there tonight, too.
She’d been too tired to notice Noah’s Tesla, parked on the other side of the road.
‘Is he in bed, Monty?’ Bella whispered as she bent down to stroke the cat before opening the front door.
Monty stared blankly at her. She was turning into one of those people who talked constantly to their pets.
The advantage with Monty was that he often responded with a yowl, or a polite nod of disdain that made her smile and think how bonkers she must sound to him.
Just in case Noah was asleep, she crept into the house as quietly as she could, but she needn’t have worried. There, sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a cuppa, was Noah.
‘Hi,’ she said as she drew closer. She tried to ignore the pitter patter that her heart made when she’d caught sight of him. ‘How was the drive?’
‘Long,’ Noah replied. If Bella thought she was tired, then looking at Noah was like looking in the mirror.
There were dark circles under his eyes, and he looked as though he hadn’t slept for more than the one night she herself could lay claim to.
‘I left too late – had an evening viewing I couldn’t pass up, and then the M25 was at a standstill.
’ He gave a rueful laugh. ‘I should have known better than to chance travelling on a Friday night!’
‘Well, you’ve made it now,’ Bella smiled at him. She willed her heart to calm down a little and fought the urge to put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
‘There’s tea in the pot if you want some.’ Noah gestured to the kitchen counter.
Bella gave a giggle when she saw the round, cheerful red teapot with white spots. ‘I never had you for the “proper” tea-making type!’
Despite how tired he seemed, Noah laughed too. ‘I found it in the shed, of all places. Grandpa must have liked to make tea out there when he was gardening. I spent a bit of time scrubbing it out when I got here and thought I’d try it.’
‘And what’s the verdict?’
‘A lot of bother for something a little bit more tasty than a bag in a cup, but the ritual of it is strangely relaxing!’
‘Well, it’d be rude of me to refuse a cuppa, since you’ve gone to that much effort.’ Bella kept smiling as she reached for a mug and the tea strainer. ‘Top up?’
Once she’d filled both mugs, she brought them back to the table.
It was funny how they both seemed to feel more comfortable chatting in the kitchen than in the living room.
Perhaps it was because Jack’s presence seemed so prevalent in the living room, with the armchairs and the books, whereas the kitchen didn’t feel quite so personal.
Here, it was as though they were creating their own little space.
Bella sipped her tea and before she could stop it, she yawned.
‘Tough shift?’ Noah asked.
‘Not really, but I didn’t sleep too well last night.’ Briefly, she explained Mollie’s predicament. ‘It seems so unfair. Poor Mollie works herself to the bone to provide for the strays and rescues, and now it seems that the main source of income is going to be taken away from her.’
‘That’s rough,’ Noah agreed. ‘Times are tough for all businesses right now, and it’s unfortunately hitting the charity sector, too.
Although I deal mainly in residential sales and lets, I do get the odd commercial property from time to time, and more and more landlords are wanting to sell up.
Even with the tax breaks and business rates perks, mortgages keep rising. It’s a difficult position to be in.’
‘I’ve, er, offered to do a gig at the pub with Jason, the regular singer, but to be honest I’m not sure how much money that’ll raise. I doubt anyone’ll remember me.’
Noah gave a grin that temporarily made him look less tired. ‘That’s awesome! But I thought you’d sworn off a music career?’
‘It’s a one-night-only offer, and knowing my luck, three people and a dog’ll turn up, but I really want to help Mollie.’
‘Well, I’ll come along – I can’t wait to see you onstage.’
‘Thanks.’ Bella felt her cheeks burning. ‘At least that’s one ticket sold.’ She paused, then added, ‘That aside, do you have any bright ideas about what Mollie can do?’ Noah, with his knowledge of the property market, might have some insight, she hoped.
‘Not a lot, unfortunately,’ Noah replied.
‘Although, what the charity shop has in its favour is that Lower Brambleton is hardly a buzzing metropolis. I doubt the landlord would get another tenant in who’d stick around very long.
The village is off the beaten track, and down a bridleway and then an overgrown footpath, in commercial terms! ’
Despite herself, Bella grinned. ‘Well, it’s not that remote, but I take your meaning.’
‘Of course, if he just wants to sell the building for redevelopment, then Mollie’s had it. So many shops are being turned into houses or flats these days – it might be an easier option for her landlord.’
‘I get that,’ Bella said sadly. ‘But it doesn’t make it any easier for poor Mollie and her waifs and strays.’
‘Mollie needs to sit down with the landlord and work out what it is he really wants,’ Noah added. Then, more quietly, he continued, ‘I’d be happy to talk her through it, if she needs some advice.’
Bella’s heart lifted. ‘That’s sweet of you, Noah, thanks.’ She was surprised by his offer – especially since he was planning on selling the cottage soon. Perhaps he felt he owed Mollie for the months she’d looked after Monty.
As if he knew she was thinking about him, Monty strolled through the kitchen door and looked at them both quizzically.
‘He’s taken well to being outside again,’ Noah observed. ‘He seems a lot more chilled now he can get out and about.’
‘Cats love exploring the outdoors.’ Bella reached down and stroked Monty’s back, and felt his long tail curling around her hand in a gesture of affection. ‘He’s so happy to be home, Noah.’
As she said it, she glanced up from Monty to Noah and noticed a strange expression passing over Noah’s face. It was gone in an instant, but she began to wonder if it wasn’t only Monty who felt as though he’d come home.