Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
‘Alfie-bear, come on, buddy.’ Pushing the front door open, Gemma threw her keys onto the shelf next to the door and turned back around.
Where had he gone? He’d been right behind her.
She’d only dropped his lead so she could fish out her keys from her pocket, and she’d closed the wrought-iron gate behind her, so she knew he had to still be in the front garden.
She’d needed their after-school walk today.
Despite the wet weather, or perhaps because of it, she’d been able to clear her head and begin to put recent events into perspective.
Standing on the doorstep, she shielded her eyes from the setting sun with her hand as she looked around.
The garden was small, just a short path leading to the front door, so how she’d been able to lose sight of him she’d never know.
She slowly walked the length of the path, bending down to peer beneath the hedges growing along the fence between her and Jonathan’s cottage. ‘Are you hiding from me?’
Still nothing. Straightening her back, she placed her hands on her hips.
Where was he? She literally couldn’t have lost him.
She could feel her heart begin to hammer inside her chest as the gnawing urgency of panic stirred inside her.
He had to be here. There was nowhere for him to go.
A few hedges, some terracotta plant pots she had filled with herbs when she’d moved in and then forgotten about, and that was it.
Nothing else. The back garden was even smaller, just being a courtyard with a set of metal table and chairs, complete with peeling paint and sodden fraying cushions she’d forgotten to take in for the winter.
Not that Alfie could have got through there anyway, the only way out the back was from the kitchen door at the back of the cottage.
‘Alfie, please. Come on, show yourself.’ Gemma bit down on her lower lip, the panic beginning to spiral. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she called him again, ‘Alfie, come. Come on, Alfie. Dinner time.’
Filling her lungs again, she was just about to shout his name again when she heard the creak of next-door’s front door opening.
‘You’re not content with your dog keeping me awake all night, you now feel the need to stand on the doorstep and holler his name too?’ The growl of Jonathan’s voice reached her before he’d even stepped outside.
Twisting to look at him, she tried to slow her breathing.
She hadn’t even noticed his car parked out the front, she’d just assumed he was still at school, but that wasn’t the point.
She needed to find Alfie. Turning her back on him, she walked to the gate and looked up and down the road.
There was no way he’d have been able to escape back out onto the street.
Absolutely no way. Even so, she cupped her hands around her mouth again and shouted his name, ‘Alfie, come. Alfie.’
Jonathan cleared his throat before raising his voice. ‘Is this what you’re looking for?’
Twisting on the spot, Gemma darted her eyes across to him, her eyes landing on the image of him holding Alfie in his arms. ‘Alfie, you found him.’
‘He was in my garden.’ He scowled as he walked the few brief steps towards the fence and hedge partitioning the two front gardens and held him across the hedge towards her.
‘Thank you.’ Rushing across to him, she took Alfie and hugged him against her chest. ‘Thank you.’
‘There’s no need to thank me, but please don’t let it happen again.’
‘I won’t. I don’t even know how he got across to your side, he was right here.’ She nodded towards the ground beside her. She had him back.
‘There’s a hole in the fence. If you’d bothered to inspect it before letting your dog roam, you would have noticed.’ He straightened his tie before using the palm of his hand to brush at the mud marks on his white shirt.
‘I didn’t know.’ She sighed. How was she supposed to have known there was a hole in the fence? She had the hedge this side, and she’d just assumed...
‘I trust I won’t be kept awake again tonight.’ He turned and began walking back to his front door before glancing over his shoulder and pointing to the ground. ‘And please clear up the dog foul.’
Narrowing her eyes, she waited until he’d disappeared inside and closed his door again before taking a step closer to the hedge and peering into his garden. Ha, yep, one great big dog mess was sitting smack-bang in the middle of his path. ‘Good one, Alfie.’
As Alfie struggled to free himself from her arms, she hurried inside and made sure to kick the door shut before lowering him to the floor. ‘Is there anything else you want to get me in trouble for? You do know that he hates me at work too, don’t you?’
Alfie stretched his legs out in front of him before dragging his paws back again, leaving muddy streaks on the floorboards.
‘I take that as you don’t care.’ Looking down, she realised she too had muddy hands, probably from searching the garden for him. Wiping them down her trousers, she shrugged. ‘Ready for dinner?’
The door knocker sounded from behind her, and Gemma’s heart sank. Couldn’t he give her a little time before she went to clean up the mess in his garden? Taking a deep breath, she yanked open the door again, ready to give him a piece of her mind, only to come face-to-face with her friend Lucy.
‘Whoa, please don’t shoot.’ Lucy held her hands up, palms forward.
‘Sorry, I thought you were someone else.’ Instantly, she felt her shoulders relax. She really didn’t think she could cope with another run-in with Jonathan today.
‘You’ve forgotten, haven’t you?’ Lucy stepped into the hallway before closing the door behind her. Kneeling down, she tapped her knees and waited until Alfie sauntered over to her to be fussed.
‘Forgotten what?’ Gemma frowned. What had she forgotten? There was something niggling at the back of her mind, but she couldn’t for the life of her remember what it was.
‘We were supposed to be going to the pub for a quick drink and a catch-up today.’ Standing up again, Lucy looked her up and down. ‘You did forget.’
‘I did. Sorry,’ Gemma pinched the bridge of her nose.
How could she have forgotten about her and Lucy meeting up?
Not that she had the energy to walk to the pub and socialise with other people right now.
All she wanted was a hot chocolate and to curl up on the sofa.
‘Do you mind if we grab a drink here instead? I have a new hot chocolate flavour to try.’
‘Ooh, how could I refuse that offer?’ Lucy slipped her coat and shoes off, leaving them in a heap by the door before she followed Gemma through the living room and into the kitchen. ‘Out with it then.’
Gemma ran her hands under the tap, making sure to clean all the mud off before flicking the kettle on. ‘Out with what?’
‘Whatever it is that’s bugging you.’ Lucy leaned her back against the counter. ‘You’re the most organised person in the world, you’d never miss a meet-up, so something has obviously rattled your cage. And done a good job of it too.’
Keeping her back to Lucy, Gemma pulled open the cupboard and grabbed two mugs. She’d just have to come out and tell her the whole sorry mess her life had been plunged into over the last couple of days. ‘So, I have a new boss who hates me.’
‘Mrs Norton has left?’ Lucy clasped her hands against her cheeks. ‘I loved Mrs Norton.’
‘I know. Most people did.’ Lucy finished spooning the hot chocolate powder into the mugs before turning to her.
The four of them, her, Sophie, Lucy and Hannah, had grown up in the village and Mrs Norton had taught them too.
‘But yes, she’s left, and we’ve got this new head who also happens to have moved in next door. ’
‘What?’ Lucy let out a guffaw. ‘Are you actually being serious?’
Gemma nodded her head slowly. She’d known she’d get this response. ‘I have a boss who hates me and a neighbour who hates me.’
‘Oh, I’m sure she doesn’t hate you. Just get to know her, you never know she might be as nice as Mrs Norton once you do.’ Lucy walked across to the window and peered out. ‘Umm, and please tell me that’s her brother and not her husband out there.’
Glancing towards the window, Gemma rolled her eyes.
Was there anywhere he wasn’t? Her courtyard out the back was divided by a low wall, which had been fine when her last neighbour had lived there.
She’d even enjoyed chatting with them over the wall in the summer if they both happened to be out there at the same time, but now the first thing she’d be doing when Lucy left was to search up and order some trellis. ‘Nope, that’s him.’
‘Him? He’s the new head?’ Lucy widened her eyes, still watching him as he filled a bird feeder with seeds. ‘I bet he’s turning a few heads amongst the parents.’
Gemma shrugged as she stepped forward and pulled the blind down. That was better. ‘He won’t be once they get to know him.’
‘Is he really that bad?’ Leaning across the sink, which was situated in front of the window, she tugged a little of the blind up and looked out again.
‘Lucy! He’ll see you!’ Stepping forward, she batted her friend’s hand away. ‘Yes, he is. Now make yourself useful and pass me the milk.’
‘Yes, Miss Murray,’ Lucy deadpanned before laughing and taking the milk from the fridge. ‘He really has upset you, hasn’t he?’
Pouring the water from the kettle, Gemma stirred with a little more vigour than necessary. ‘He’s not upset me, just annoyed the hell out of me.’
‘How? Why?’ After topping the mugs up with milk, Lucy picked one up.
‘Let’s go and sit down, and I’ll tell you all about it.
’ Picking up her mug, she led the way through to the small living room and sat down, curling her feet up under her and wrapping her hands around the mug, the heat of the ceramic a welcome distraction to her thoughts.
As she reported the recent events to Lucy, she felt herself relax as Lucy commented and questioned her.
‘And that’s where my life is at. I literally can’t escape him. ’
Placing her mug down on the coffee table, which sat on the cream rug in front of the sofa, Lucy began to laugh.
‘Why are you laughing? What’s funny about having a nightmare boss who lives next to you?’ Frowning, Gemma watched as Lucy wiped tears from her cheeks.
‘I’m so so sorry. I just...’ Leaning forward, Lucy began to laugh again, deep guffaws from the pit of her stomach, the kind which were contagious.
Shaking her head, Gemma began to join in.
Was it funny? Feeling as though she was on probation both at work as a teacher and at home as a neighbour?
But what else could she do? She either buried her head in a cushion and cried, or she saw the ridiculousness in the situation as Lucy seemed to have and laugh.
After what felt as though half an hour had passed, she gulped a lungful of air and pointed towards the wall.
‘Shh, he’ll likely bang on the wall if we don’t stop. ’
‘Has he? Has he seriously banged on the wall?’ Lucy wiped her eyes again, the laughter subsiding.
‘No, but he probably will.’ Gemma took a sip of her hot chocolate and leaned her back against the sofa cushions. ‘Heck, I think I might have to leave my job and move.’
‘Don’t you dare.’ Lucy rolled her eyes at her. ‘We’ve only just got Hannah back. I won’t allow you to go and disrupt our friendship group again.’
Gemma grinned. Even though the last thing she’d wanted was to go out down the pub, she was glad Lucy had popped by. She’d needed this. She’d needed the laughter she’d brought with her. ‘I won’t, but that does only leave one option.’
‘Pitchforks at the ready?’ Lucy went to stand.
‘Haha, no. It means you’ll have to come round and cheer me up every evening. I don’t think I can get through another day of Mr Sunshine, both at work and at home, without you making me laugh again.’
‘Well, I’m pleased I’m appreciated.’ Lucy downed the rest of her drink and stood up for real this time. ‘Though I’m going to have to head home now. I’ve got to sort resources out for guides tomorrow, and I won’t have another chance because of work.’
‘Okay, thanks for coming, though. Honestly, I really needed this.’ Leaning forward, she placed her mug on the coffee table before standing up and following Lucy out into the hallway.
‘You’re more than welcome. Give me a shout if you need me.’ Lucy slipped her shoes and coat on before turning to her and holding her arms out.
Sinking into Lucy’s embrace, Gemma grinned. Whatever was going on at the school or even with Jonathan next door, she had her friends, and there was no chance she would allow anyone to run her out of the village or away from the job she loved. ‘I will. Thanks for listening to me complaining.’
‘It’s not complaining, and you have nothing to thank me for.
The number of times I’ve cried or ranted at you, Soph and Hannah, you still have another hundred hours of moaning to catch me up.
’ Stepping back, Lucy looked down at Alfie, who was sitting on the doormat beside Gemma, and waved at him. ‘See you later, troublemaker.’
Smiling, Gemma opened the door and scooped Alfie into her arms before watching Lucy disappear from view.
She glanced quickly in the direction of Jonathan’s door, relieved he hadn’t taken this moment to come storming out and have another go at her.
Closing the door behind her, Gemma lowered Alfie to the floor.
‘Right, little one. We’re sleeping in the living room tonight, so I’m going to grab my duvet and pillow.
You stay there because the last thing I need right now is to end up tripping over you down the stairs. ’
As if understanding her. Alfie sauntered back into the living room.
After taking the stairs two at a time, Gemma grabbed her duvet from her bed, bundling it in her arms before stacking a pillow on top.
Sleeping on the sofa might not bode to be the most comfortable night, but if she could avoid another 5 am wake-up call from Mr Sunshine next door, then it’d be worth it.