Chapter 22 #2
‘Nonsense. You of all people should know I don’t care about a bit of mess!’ Margery laughed.
‘I haven’t even met my flatmate yet, but he doesn’t seem very clean.’ Helena had only found out his name from the landlord, apart from that she had no other information about him. He could be a psychopath, for all she knew.
But Margery was insistent. Helena felt a wave of shame wash over her as she opened the door, only too aware how pitiful her circumstances must seem.
Margery’s face was a picture as she looked around the hideous flat. ‘Helena, you cannot stay here. This is just appalling. I will not have you living in such squalor. You are coming home with me.’
Helena knew how bad it looked. She screwed up her courage, determined to put a brave face on. ‘No, Margery, honestly, it’s fine.’
Margery shook her head vigorously. ‘It is absolutely not.’
‘It just needs a bit of a clean, that’s all.’
‘It’s tiny, and filthy.’ She marched back into the kitchen and Helena followed her.
‘There’s not even an oven for goodness’ sake, just a microwave!
How are you supposed to cook anything? And the sink is broken!
’ She strode into Helena’s bedroom. ‘There’s no radiator in here.
You’ll freeze when the cold weather sets in. You must come and stay with me.’
She so wanted to say yes. ‘But Margery I couldn’t possibly—’
‘Helena. I will not take no for an answer.’
‘But you already have Johnny living with you.’
‘He will go in the box room. You can have the spare room.’
Margery opened the door to the mystery flatmate’s room, pitch dark with the curtains still drawn, and quickly slammed it shut.
From the look on her face Helena could tell it had been an unpleasant sight.
She didn’t want to see for herself just how bad it was.
‘There’s no way. You have been so excited about having him there.
You have made it so nice especially for him. ’
‘Then you can have the box room. Though you’ll have a hard time persuading Johnny to let you.’
Helena could imagine this being true, he seemed like too much of a gentleman to let a woman sleep on a less comfortable bed. ‘It’s far too much of an imposition,’ she protested.
Margery put her hands on her hips and assumed the stern expression of a school teacher. ‘Well, you aren’t staying here, and that’s the end of it. It’s too depressing for words.’
‘But—’ Helena sighed. She was running out of reasons not to agree to Margery’s generous offer.
Margery came over and took both of Helena’s hands in hers.
Her eyes were full of such kindness Helena felt her resolve begin to crumble.
‘Look, let us take care of you for a bit. Johnny is the most incredible cook – he has even got the Aga working again. In fact, he’s making a roast right now, you can join us. ’
Helena had to admit, she was sorely tempted. But she just couldn’t imagine how they’d all fit. There was only one tiny bathroom, and Johnny was so tall. It would be so cramped with them all squashed in upstairs, she would feel like such a burden on them both.
‘Helena, I told you I will not take no for an answer and I meant it. Now let’s get you packed up and the hell away from here.’ Margery went back into her room and threw open the curtains.
Helena felt her strength of will evaporate against the force of nature that was Margery. She protested half-heartedly as Margery fired questions at her.
‘What have you unpacked so far? Is this your duvet?’
‘Nothing. And yes.’
‘Well that’s good.’ She picked the duvet and pillow up in her arms and started walking out to the stairs.
‘I’ll take the bedding, you get started with your things.
We’ll take these suitcases and boxes out to the car and get you home for some lunch.
You look like you could do with a decent meal, you are wasting away. How does that sound?’
Helena gave in, she simply didn’t have the fight left in her. ‘Wonderful,’ she smiled, more grateful than she could possibly express. ‘Thank you, Margery. But please, let me have two conditions. I’ll sleep in the box room, not Johnny, and you have to let me pay rent.’
‘I wouldn’t hear of it.’
‘Then I am staying here,’ Helena took the bedding out of Margery’s arms, knowing she would capitulate.
Margery huffed. ‘Very well. But you must only pay me what you are paying for this ghastly room. Not a penny more.’ She took the bedding back and strode off down the stairs, not stopping until everything was loaded into the cars, and Helena was safely strapped in.
Helena left the key to the flat in the lock box she had been instructed to pick it up from the day before.
She knew she’d lose her paltry cash deposit, but she was suddenly so desperate to get out of there she didn’t care.
She would phone the landlord later and explain there had been a last-minute change of circumstances.
‘Now promise me you aren’t going to do a runner?’ Margery said.
‘I promise,’ Helena laughed.
‘You’d better not! I’ve got half your stuff to hold ransom.’ Margery winked as she shut the door and headed off to her car.
Helena took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief, biting back tears of gratitude as she started the engine and drove away, glad beyond words to see the back of that horrendous place.