Chapter Nine
T HE NORMALCY OF the artificial lights and rows of packaged goods in the large Aldi supermarket was calming, and Chloe rubbed her nose before going in search of the frozen foods section.
She knew she should try cooking properly – it was something she had taught herself at uni – but right now she just couldn’t be bothered.
One of the perks of living alone, she supposed.
Even so, she grabbed some brown bread and some eggs, not wanting to wake up to an empty fridge in the morning.
She definitely should have done the shopping on Sunday instead of ordering that overpriced pizza.
She grabbed herself a chicken tikka masala from the freezer and headed towards the alcohol section.
That stupid chapel kept coming back to mind, how beautiful she had imagined it looking, her excited discussion with the wedding planner about where to put the food tables and where she wanted to cut the wedding cake.
It annoyed her that she was this upset. She thought she had moved on.
Was it being here? Had coming back for her parents’ house been a mistake after all? It felt like it right now.
She turned down the next aisle and saw someone who did not improve her mood.
Who else would be here but Harry, the man from the library.
He was wearing a grey woollen jumper beneath his open coat, his hair damp as if he’d just gotten out of the shower.
Hoping he hadn’t noticed her, she started to back away. He was looking at the beer section.
Just go , she thought to herself. It didn’t matter if he noticed her. But she was in no mood to even be near him right now.
He held his basket in his left hand, the one nearest to her. He had picked up a chicken tikka masala frozen meal, identical to hers.
For some reason, that made her only more annoyed. Like he was doing it on purpose.
Scowling, she stomped back to the frozen aisle and deposited the meal back into the freezer.
She loitered for a while, but nothing else looked appealing.
She ended up leaving without buying anything.
She was being childish, but she didn’t much care.
She was in no mood to put up with Harry’s rudeness again.
A cold sleet fell as she trudged miserably from the bright lights of the supermarket. She hadn’t realised how lonely she felt until now.
She shook herself. Nothing good would come from feeling sorry for herself. The Pride she had missed her.
Then Chloe’s phone was buzzing in her hand, and she felt joy mingled with relief as she answered the phone. ‘Hi, Hannah.’
‘Hi. You won’t believe what happened at pre-school today.
’ Hannah sounded exhausted. She went on a rant about a girl Lily had gotten into an argument with in the playground.
What should have been a slight altercation between two toddlers ended up blown out of proportion.
‘Now we’ve got to have a meeting about it.
’ Hannah made a noise that sounded like she was blowing air on her forehead. ‘What are you up to?’
Chloe told her. ‘There’s a match on, so I’m up to my neck in it. Just kill me, right?’
Hannah laughed. ‘I can hear how noisy it is. I could use a drink myself. Maybe I’ll open a cheeky bottle of wine.’
‘Wish I could join you, but I’ve got work tomorrow.’
They chatted a little more, Chloe sometimes having to stick her finger in her ear when a group of men roared at the pub’s television. She ended up telling Hannah about her disastrous date with Dean, and she found herself reluctantly grinning when Hannah snorted with laughter.
‘I’m sorry, Chloe, I shouldn’t laugh. But we’ve both had such bad luck with men. No chance of a second date?’
‘None at all. I’d honestly rather die.’ Her laughter joined Hannah’s. Already, some of the tension was loosening from her shoulders. She finished off the last chip, feeling warm and full. ‘It’s too noisy in here. Can I ring you tomorrow?’
The smile stayed on her face as she put away her phone. Then she caught Harry staring at her.
Not staring. Glaring.
‘What?’ she asked, unnerved.
‘Don’t you have any consideration?’ His voice was like thunder.
‘Excuse me?’
‘Some of us are trying to eat. They don’t want to hear you gossiping right beside them.’
Chloe was appalled. This pub was incredibly crowded and noisy. Harry had had to say that loudly so she could hear. Every few minutes, the football fans roared with joy or outrage at the game playing on the TV . ‘I’m not being louder than anyone else.’
‘It’s just obnoxious.’ Harry took a long swig of his drink. ‘Totally disrespectful.’
‘Disrespectful?’ Anger flared in Chloe, dispelling the good vibes Hannah had brought. ‘What are you talking about? It’s already bedlam in here.’ He was singling her out, she knew it. What was his problem ?
Why would he change plates with her to be kind and then scold her a few minutes later?
Whatever. She didn’t have to put up with this.
She snatched up her bag and coat and marched to the bar to pay her bill, not looking back. She still fumed. Obnoxious? Disrespectful?
She stormed back to where Harry was sitting. ‘You know, you weren’t polite at the library, either, but I didn’t say anything,’ she said to him. ‘And it’s not fair to tell me off when there’s that lot.’ She jerked her head at the football fans. ‘I’m not putting up with this.’
‘Not asking you to,’ snapped Harry. ‘Off you go, then.’
She let out a huff of anger and turned on her heel. She wouldn’t waste one more moment arguing with Harry.
Just as I thought. A total bum.
As Chloe approached the house, she thought she saw a movement near her home, and she stopped walking, a frown creasing her brow.
A person was standing there, their arms crossed over their chest, looking at the window from the front gate.
Chloe froze, not sure what to do, when the person turned around and spotted her.
It was a woman, slim with long hair, and Chloe’s reservation petered out in favour of surprise.
‘There you are!’ the woman exclaimed, marching right up to her.
She was wearing a jacket that was much too thin for this cold weather, her blonde hair longer than when Chloe had last seen her.
Her polished fingernails were clutched around her slender arms as she gave a cross sigh.
‘Where have you been? I’ve been waiting here for ages. ’
Chloe recovered from her shock, and a profound sense of weariness washed over her as she pulled out her house keys from her bag. ‘Hello to you too, Gwen.’