Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19
JESSY
W e watch Luke leave and Angie sighs wistfully. “Wow, he’s gorgeous.”
“He is.”
We stare after him like lovesick puppies and then straighten up as his girlfriend heads our way.
She takes his vacated seat and grins. “Wow, I don’t know how you managed to keep a straight face. That script is hideous.”
Angie laughs out loud. “You’ve got that right. It’s no better than the one we acted last year when I had the misfortune to play Lady Townsend. It was far more serious and rather blood thirsty and ended up with me vomiting fake blood and staggering to my death like Lady Macbeth.”
Morgana laughs and the twinkle in her eyes is friendly as she says with interest.
“So, I’ve met Jessy and know exactly what she now does for a living, but what about you, hun?”
Angie smiles. “I’m training to be a beauty therapist and also work at The Pigeon Trail to earn money.”
“What’s that?”
Morgana’s eyes widen and I say quickly, “The local pub, just outside Granthaven. Despite the name, it’s a cosy place to be and has an amazing inglenook fireplace that we are grateful for.”
Morgana leans forward with interest.
“A beauty therapist. Do you do private work?”
“I do. What did you have in mind?”
Angie is serious now that she’s wearing her business hat and Morgana studies her perfect nails and sighs. “I like to have my nails done every three days. I mean, I could do it myself, but it’s never the same. I don’t suppose you could help me out with that?”
Angie’s eyes light up. “I would be honoured.”
“I’ll pay the going rate, of course.”
“I, um–”
Angie falters and I can tell she’s embarrassed to state a figure and I note the understanding in Morgana’s eyes as she says briskly, “I usually pay fifty pounds for a manicure. Is that okay with you? I can pay cash or via bank transfer weekly of one hundred and fifty pounds.”
Angie appears to have lost the power of speech and merely nods as Morgana points to Jasper. “He may need to film us occasionally and you might be asked a few questions about village life. Is that okay with you, or would you prefer extra money for stage fees?”
“No.”
Angie shakes her head quickly. “The money is more than enough and I would be honoured to help out with your show.”
Her eyes are shining, which causes me to smile. I love how happy Angie is to be working with her idol. I wonder if Morgana realises that Angie spends hours watching her videos and copying her style. This is a dream come true for my friend and I’m happy that Morgana is as nice as she appears to be in her videos. If anything, it leaves a Morgana sized hole in my heart because I like her almost as much as I do her boyfriend and I must remind myself that I’m here on business and that is all they require from me.
Luke never came back and as we walk home, Scott having left an hour ago, Angie links her arm in mine and whispers, “We are so lucky they came here.”
“We are.” I must admit and she sighs, the moon peeking through the clouds, casting the countryside in a ghostly light, the odd sound from a night owl reminding us that the night belongs to him now.
“Do you think they’ll stay?” She asks, and I hate the way my heart sinks.
“No. I don’t.” I sigh heavily, my breath dancing as a cloud in the icy air.
“They have a very different life than the one on offer here. They’re young, with the world at their feet. Why would they bury themselves here in the countryside? It’s sad but inevitable.”
“I’m sure you’re right, but they’re here now.”
Angie grips my arm a little tighter and her soft laugh carries on the slight breeze.
“Perhaps Granthaven will weave its magic around their heart and they will decide life here is worth more than one where they live in mansions and drive fast flash cars, accepting invitations to film premieres and eating at exclusive restaurants.”
I add. “Exactly. I mean, they would be fools not to trade that all in for nights spent plugging holes where the leaks find a way in and stamping the mud off their boots when they take the rubbish out.”
“Obviously, they would hate to miss the annual harvest supper at the Spaldings and the village fete that involves Wilf shooting at tin cans and organising the dog and ferret run.”
“Who needs celebrity parties and designer shopping sprees, luxury holidays in exotic places and designers lining up with gifts in the hope you wear their creations and spark sales?”
“I would hate that, wouldn’t you, Jessy?” Angie groans. “Imagine not helping dredge the stream of sticks that have fallen in from the apple tree and being stung by wasps when you attempt to pick the plums from the orchard.”
“Yes, fruit harvesting day would be so much more pleasurable and exciting than any guest appearance on a talk show or VIP visit to watch a football game.”
We reach my house first and I stamp the ice forming on my feet. “Are you coming in for some hot chocolate?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
We head inside the dimly lit hallway, courtesy of the candles burning on the side and the dull flicker of the bulb in the faded lamp on the table.
We shrug out of our coats and mum calls out, “Is that you, Jessy?”
“Yes, Angie too.”
“Come in love. We’re just flicking through the photos from our trip.”
I mouth, ‘sorry’ to Angie and we head inside the brightly lit kitchen where there are Christmas carols playing on the radio and the scent of hot chocolate and cookies greets us.
“We had such fun in Vienna, Angie. Come and see the ones where we took the horse-drawn carriage around the city.”
We settle down to flick through mum’s phone as she makes some drinks and dad grumbles, “It was bloody cold though. Even colder than Granthaven.”
“But that was festive, right?” I say pointedly and mum moans.
“You’ll never change your dad, love. He’s always moaning about something. He thrives on misery.”
Angie grins and then says with excitement. “You’ll never guess what happened at rehearsals.”
As she fills them in, my thoughts turn to Luke and Morgana and for some reason, I google them on my phone. Many images show up of them at various red carpet events and laughing into the camera, his arm slung affectionately around her shoulders.
It doesn’t make me feel any better because they make such a great couple and I know they are nice with it. They really do have everything it seems and I wonder if this job was such a great idea after all.
I glance around the familiar kitchen, listening to the happy chatter and feel bad that I’m even resenting my life a little. The trouble is, I want more. I always have, which is why I went to university. Coming home has only reinforced that, and then Luke and Morgana arrived. Suddenly, I am yearning for something so far out of reach I would need a rocket ship to reach it. Their world isn’t my world and I hate that more than anything, I wish that it was.