Chapter 22
MARGOT
Over the last week Margot and Faye had been popping in regularly to see Bonnie, either separately or together.
Faye had gone through more of Howard’s book collection, Bonnie had taught her how to make the syrup sponge, and Margot had dug out the pots in the back garden and those out front and planted daffodil bulbs in a couple and a variety of tulip bulbs in the others.
Neither of them had mentioned selling the bookshop to the developers.
The locals were on tenterhooks wondering what would happen with the shop but at the same time they held a respect for Bonnie just as they always had for Howard, and Margot got the feeling Bonnie would be left to make her own decision.
They just hoped it would be the one that saved Driftwick Bay Books.
This morning Faye was busy at her cleaning job, but Margot couldn’t wait to see Bonnie because she had news.
‘I have an interview,’ she announced the second Bonnie opened the door. It was a grey late September day, the sun had done a bunk, and you could barely see Lulworth Cove for the fog, but it didn’t detract from Margot’s excitement which, mixed with nerves, had her a bit all over the place.
Bonnie took her coat and hung it up while Margot removed her shoes. ‘Tea and a scone for you, and you can tell me all about it.’
Over tea and a delicious scone that Cathy from the bakery had dropped round, Margot told her that she’d had an email first thing and she had to go into London for an interview tomorrow.
‘I can’t believe I actually got past the first hurdle – the application form. And it’s more than an interview. There’ll be an assessment process too.’ She barely took a breath in her delivery.
‘Firstly, let me say that I can completely believe you got over the first hurdle.’ Bonnie spread a thick layer of raspberry jam onto one half of a scone she’d warmed briefly in the microwave. ‘You have a lot to offer.’
Margot passed the cream over to Bonnie now her own scone was prepared. ‘I’m not sure I can even eat this. I’m a bundle of nerves.’
‘Nonsense. You must eat, then we must talk strategy, practise interview questions.’
The scone was deliciously moist but her mouth felt dry.
She was all riled up. For years she hadn’t applied for jobs let alone been interviewed for one.
Was she veering out of her lane? Was she really anything more than a housewife and someone who supported her husband’s corporate life?
Perry had said to her more than once over the years that she didn’t have to work, that many women would be elated to be in her position.
He’d given her the guilt trip too when she’d talked about study or looking for work; he’d told her that her boys needed her.
They had but only now could she see that they also needed a role model, a mum who showed them that it wasn’t okay to be ignored in a marriage and treated the way Perry had treated her.
Her sons were both rooting for her too – she’d told them both in a text message earlier – but Bonnie was leaping into practical mode.
She and Faye may not have managed to get her outside, at least no further than the back garden, and really back into the community of Driftwick Bay let alone the bookshop, but what she was doing right now was a part of it.
She was interested in something, making steps to get involved.
With the scones eaten Bonnie was ready to make a start. With her iPad in front of her she said, ‘I’ve found some information online. Firstly, have you researched the airline you’ve applied to?’
‘I’ve done that already. Probably over-researched if I’m honest.’
‘Better over-researched than under.’ She pulled her glasses back down to focus on the iPad screen again. ‘Right, I’ve found some sample questions. Ready?’
Actually, this was making Margot more relaxed, watching Bonnie so animated and invested in her success. ‘You really want me to get this job, don’t you?’
‘Of course I do. Come on, no time to waste.’
And so over another mug of tea, plus an interruption from Iris at the bookshop who was checking whether Bonnie was happy with the hours she was putting in, Bonnie ran through umpteen questions Margot had already been churning over and over in her head, reciting the answers as she walked here today – ‘Tell me about your most recent role’ almost had her stumped but she’d adapted it so that despite it not being an official job, there was plenty in her answer to make her sound like she might be able to do this.
It was easy for doubt to creep in, but Bonnie’s quickfire questions and treating this like an interview rather than a chat, was good for Margot.
The more she went over her skills the more she realised what she’d actually taken on in her marriage.
She’d always known she did a lot but had never really thought those skills might be transferable out of the home and into the work environment.
She could go into an interview and talk about her hospitality experience – she had plenty of that entertaining Perry’s business clients, serving food, keeping them happy.
She could talk about her kind and caring nature having raised her sons.
She could talk about her patience and composure in her role as a parent with plenty of examples and how similar situations might demand the same quality if she was faced with a difficult passenger.
After a two-hour practice, which at times was fun, at other times like an interrogation, Margot felt incredibly prepared.
Bonnie even came up with some bizarre situations that might happen on board and asked Margot how she would deal with each.
The situations had been inspired by some of the journeys she’d been on with Howard, and after Margot answered each one Bonnie confirmed how the flight attendant had dealt with each situation, like the one where a man refused to sit in his own seat because he preferred the one on the aisle, or the lady who put her feet through the armrest of the seat in front of her, or the kids tearing up and down the aisle at food service time.
Margot had intended to go home and practise alone after seeing Bonnie, maybe in front of a mirror, but Bonnie had done a lot of the hard work already and Margot’s confidence was on the up.
Finally it had been time to take a break from the interview scenarios and Margot wanted to see Bonnie’s painting again.
‘It’s really starting to look like the view from the hill taking in the bookshop.
’ Margot admired the canvas. ‘I find the painting process fascinating. It’s easy to forget that the artist paints a picture in stages; it doesn’t just get painted in one go.
There are sketches, practice paintings, various versions before the final one. ’
‘I’ve scrapped my work many a time, believe me. With this one I think I left it so long to start that my mind was ready as well as my hands.’
Margot wasn’t quite sure what she meant by that, but it sounded like a step in the right direction.
Before Margot left Bonnie’s to go home and do some more practice questions because she wouldn’t be able to help herself, Bonnie pulled her into a heartfelt hug.
‘Be proud of yourself.’ Bonnie stepped back, her hands on Margot’s upper arms. ‘I don’t know you well but from what you’ve said about your marriage, getting this far must have taken a lot of guts. And you have an interview. You’re on your way to a new life.’
Margot smiled. ‘It all feels a bit surreal. Every now and then what I’m doing and what I still need to do seems insurmountable and I think that I should come to my senses and go home—’
‘Is that what Perry would tell you?’
‘It’s exactly what he would say. His voice is still in my head and I hate that.’ By the look on Bonnie’s face she was likely thinking that Howard’s voice was still in her head but she didn’t ever want it to leave.
‘Make sure you get a good night’s sleep tonight. And come here after the interview and assessment tomorrow. I’ll need to hear all about it.’
* * *
The next day Margot woke ridiculously early, before the sun had had a chance to creep up over the horizon.
She’d put on the black and ivory Hobbs jacket and skirt she’d brought with her to Dorset, knowing that she needed to be prepared in her quest to get work and along with some black patent shoes and tights she was smart enough beneath her coat.
She got the train from the station at Wool that would have her arriving into London a good hour before the interview and assessments, which gave her time to find the airline offices and gather herself.
She almost talked herself out of it on the train, almost told herself that she wasn’t going to be able to do this; she was nothing more than a housewife and mother, and the world of work had passed her by.
But then she heard Perry’s voice in her head backing up those thoughts and Bonnie popped into her imagination, wagging her finger at the man she’d married, telling him ‘shame on you’.
The image of that made her chuckle as she walked from the station to the airline offices.
When she arrived she tried to work out who else looked as nervous as she was.
Or perhaps others milling around in reception weren’t here for a job – maybe she was the only one at the assessment day who had turned up this early because she was so paranoid about being late.
The interview itself went better than expected.
She was asked about situations that may arise and how she would react, and it was just like she and Bonnie practised.
A couple of the scenarios had her stumped but all in all she thought she did well.
The tests covered reading, English fluency, conflict resolutions and group activities.
And Margot especially loved working with other people, as a team, the way it should be.