Chapter 18
Isla fumbled with the key in the lock, checking the handle to make sure the door was fully secure.
She pulled up the collar on her coat and dug her hands into her gloves.
Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she headed down the cobbled alley, on the way to the car park behind the high street, but she soon became aware of a movement behind her.
She startled, looking over her shoulder, wondering if it might be Heathcliff tracking her steps, but this was no cat, instead a shadowy figure had emerged from a darkened doorway.
Isla quickened her step, but so did the person behind and soon, they’d grabbed Isla around the waist, halting her progress.
‘Hey! Get off me!’ she yelled, adrenaline rising in her body.
She managed to escape their clutches and spun round, about to fight them off with her bag.
It was only a short distance to the main street, if she could only make it there, then someone would be bound to notice and come to her rescue, but whoever it was they were persistent.
This time, they grabbed her more forcefully around the waist so that there was no escape.
‘Hello, sis!’ they whispered in a deep, throaty voice in her ear.
‘Oh my God! Jake! You complete idiot! You almost gave me a heart attack. I was about to wrestle you to the ground.’ She pushed her brother away in exasperation.
‘And we all know how that would have turned out, don’t we?’
‘Aaargh,’ she cried, her relief palpable as she broke into fits of laughter, before wrapping him in a hug. ‘What are you doing here? When did you get home?’
‘This afternoon. Decided to come home early seeing as you’re back too. Mum said you would be working late so I thought I would come down and surprise you.’
‘Well, you certainly did that.’ She beamed at him, thrilled to see his annoying, funny, familiar face looking at her.
‘Fancy a pizza and a beer?’ he said with a grin. ‘Not that I have any money, I’m afraid. I’m an impoverished student, but I thought my big sister might feel like treating me!’
‘Now why would I have expected anything different? My goodness, it’s so great to see you, and absolutely, let’s go and have some pizza. Come on.’ Isla looped her arm through his and they walked out onto the high street, almost straight into the path of someone coming around the corner.
‘Hey, Guy,’ she said when she realised who it was, still grinning from the unexpected arrival of Jake, who had pulled her into his side to avoid bumping into Guy.
She remembered now that he’d popped by earlier.
Was there a specific reason for his call, she wondered or was it simply one of his impromptu visits?
‘I’ve just closed up if you were heading to the shop? ’
‘Ah right!’ She noticed the imperceptible shift in his gaze from her to Jake. ‘Not to worry, it can wait until another time.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Absolutely!’
There was a moment’s awkwardness where she’d been about to make an introduction, but Jake was gently tugging on her arm, eager to get a move on, and Guy seemed to be in a hurry too, as he changed course from going down the alley and turned back onto the high street, heading off in the opposite direction.
‘See you,’ she said, raising a hand after him, feeling a momentary pang of regret that she’d missed a visit from him. Not that it lasted for long because she was far more excited about catching up with Jake and hearing his news.
The town was still busy with late-night shoppers mooching around the streets.
Some people were drinking hot chocolates and mulled wine on the stone benches in the covered market hall beneath the glow of the Christmas tree, while others gravitated towards the cafés and bars.
Luckily, Jake and Isla were able to find a table in the pizza restaurant and were seated in one of the booths at the back of the room.
Jake ordered a calzone filled with sausage ragu and mozzarella, alongside an Italian lager, while Isla opted for a Fiorentina pizza and a small glass of wine.
Already the aromas from the nearby kitchen were making Isla realise just how hungry she was. It had been a long but satisfying day.
‘So, how’s uni been going? Are you still enjoying it?’
‘Yeah, it’s been wild. Not that I’ve made it to many lectures this term. Although please don’t tell Mum that!’
‘Jake!’ Isla gave her brother an indulgent look, but resisted the urge to scold him, not when he’d only just returned home.
Part of the reason for the pair of them getting on so much better in recent years was the acceptance from Isla that Jake wasn’t like her.
He was his own person, much more carefree and laid-back, and while once, that would have driven her mad with frustration, now she realised that she had to take a step back and allow him to take his own path, even if that meant that she didn’t always agree with some of his dubious life choices.
‘It’ll be fine!’ he said with that lazy smile of his, and she could believe that it probably would be. ‘What about you, though? I don’t understand why you’re working when you’re supposed to be on your Christmas holidays.’
‘Oh, don’t!’ Isla dropped her head in her hands.
‘What is it?’ asked Jake, looking concerned.
‘Don’t tell Mum this either, but I’ve been made redundant.’
Jake’s face was a picture of disbelief. ‘Wow. Why? You didn’t see that coming, did you?’
‘Absolutely not.’
Isla explained how she had been completely unprepared for the news and how she was still reeling from the shock. That she almost couldn’t come to terms with a brutal end to what until then had been a glittering career.
‘Jeez. I’m so sorry, Isla.’ He reached a hand across the table for hers. ‘I know how much you loved your job and how hard you’ve worked to get where you are. What will you do?’
Isla shrugged and puffed out her cheeks.
‘I’m not sure. Start looking round for another job in the new year, I guess, but honestly, my heart’s not in it.
Obviously, I’ll have to find something and pretty quickly too because I have bills to pay, but I gave everything to that company and I don’t know if I can do it again.
That’s why I’ve been so grateful for the shop.
I knew that sitting at home brooding would only make matters worse.
Now, I’ve got something else to focus my energies on.
It’s been a bit of a lifesaver, to be truthful. ’
‘Well, it always was your happy place,’ said Jake affectionately. ‘But what I can’t understand is why you haven’t told Mum and Dad?’
Isla let out a big sigh. ‘Mum’s going to be so upset.
I can’t bear the thought of her disappointed face.
She makes out to everyone that I’m some Reese Witherspoon figure, single-handedly holding up the entire publishing industry.
It will break her heart.’ Every time she imagined how that conversation would go, it filled her with dread.
Now, she looked across at Jake, who had thrown his head back, laughing. ‘It’s not funny,’ she chided him.
‘Sorry, I’m thinking of you as Reese Witherspoon.
I can definitely see the similarities; the hair is the same colour, at least. Look, as someone who has spent my whole life disappointing our parents, I wouldn’t worry about it.
They’ll get over it.’ He took a sip from his beer and gave her an encouraging wink.
‘Besides, why are you even worrying what they’ll think?
I hate to tell you this, Isla, but you’re a fully functioning adult now. ’
‘I know, it’s just…’ Her voice trailed away as she struggled to articulate her thoughts and feelings, but Jake was much more perceptive than she might have given him credit for.
‘It’s okay, Isla. You’re allowed to make mistakes and fail, like everyone else.
It’s part of being a human. It’s not a great feeling, I know, but it’s okay to show your vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
You’ve always been the golden girl. You’ve excelled at everything you’ve turned your hand to, and everyone loves you for that, but that doesn’t mean to say we don’t all love you just the same when things don’t turn out so well. ’
She bit on her lip to stop the swell of emotion that had been gathering behind her eyes from erupting.
It was a relief to offload her news onto someone she loved, and she appreciated her brother’s kindness and understanding.
Normally, she would be the one giving Jake a pep talk, motivating and encouraging him, but now the roles had been reversed.
‘I don’t know about that,’ she said sadly, her mood picking up with the delivery of her delicious-looking pizza.
‘You know it’s true. Have you ever thought how it was for me having a big sister like you?
You were always so much better at everything than I was.
Honestly, you were a hard act to follow.
You were sporty, captain of the netball team and you even ran for the county.
Right? You were musical, reaching grade eight in piano and flute, and taking the leading role in all the school drama productions.
You excelled academically, were head girl and achieved a first-class honours degree.
Shall I go on? Really, if you hadn’t been my sister, then it would have been quite easy to hate you. ’ He softened his words with a smile.
‘I never thought about it like that. I mean, I was only doing the things I loved.’
‘That’s my point exactly. You didn’t even need to try!
’ Jake tucked in to his calzone, clearly ravenous and enjoying every mouthful.
‘You’re naturally a superstar. Me, I was never going to come top of the class, or make the rugby team, or win any awards, so I suppose I never had that level of expectation on my shoulders.
It must be pretty tough to always be expected to ace every single thing that you do. ’
‘When did you get to be so smart?’
‘Hey, I must be picking something up at uni.’
As she took a sip of wine and soaked up the vibrant atmosphere in the restaurant, she felt herself relaxing, grateful for Jake’s company and the way he could always lift her spirits.
Could he be right, though? Was she reluctant to tell people about her redundancy because she’d never had to admit to failure before?
She’d certainly felt frustrated and powerless, having put all her energies into making the imprint a success, but still being unable to make it work, despite all her best efforts.
‘You know, you just need to tell them, Isla. You’ll feel so much better when you do.’
‘Yeah, that’s what Henry said.’
‘Who’s Henry?’ Jake lifted a curious eyebrow.
‘Oh, he’s a friend from the bookshop.’
‘The guy we bumped into on the way here?’
‘No, that was Guy.’ Would she describe Guy as a friend?
She wasn’t sure yet. Her feelings for Guy were confusing.
Jake shook his head, looking equally confused, and Isla went on to explain.
‘Henry is a lovely regular customer at the shop. An older guy. He’s the only person I’ve told, apart from you. ’
Funny that she’d told two people now about the redundancy and she hadn’t been struck down by a thunderbolt. Perhaps she’d been overthinking it, even if it was the most devastating thing to have ever happened to her.
‘Well, sounds to me as though Henry knows what he’s talking about. Let’s go home and you can tell Mum and Dad with me there.’
‘Thanks, Jake. I will do, but not tonight, eh? I’ll do it soon, though.’
Jake gave her a doubtful look.
‘I will, I promise. Fancy a pudding?’ she offered, keen to move the conversation on to another subject, any other subject…