The Silent Appeal #7
While I’m emailing you, I’d like your thoughts on the sleep out in April.
We’ve promised participants a lively evening of entertainment and there are twenty-four people signed up expecting just that.
In short, please can you and Joel run board game, Ping-Pong, and foosball tournaments, potentially simultaneously? Kevin
To: Kevin MacDonald
From: Celia Halliday
Date: February 15, 2025
Subject: Re: Set-building
Of course we can run those tournaments, Kevin. If Woof can come to set-building.
Celia and Joel Halliday OBE
Message exchange between Sarah-Jane and Kevin MacDonald on February 15, 2025:
1:11 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
You should have banned the dog THEN asked for their help at the sleep out, in separate emails, at least a week apart. That’s Halliday Management 101.
1:12 p.m. Kevin wrote:
I’m just not devious enough for this, what can I say?
1:13 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
With Woof causing havoc she can’t complain when Sammy throws her tenth tantrum of the day.
1:16 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Can Carol babysit Sunday? I doubt Mendhams will be set-building yet.
1:17 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
We’re still not talking. You ask her.
1:17 p.m. Kevin wrote:
She’s YOUR mother. Ask Nicky-Rose to ask her.
To: Trina Neale
From: Nicky-Rose Dearing
Date: February 15, 2025
Subject: You and me
Dear Trina,
Look, I want to settle this with as little drama as humanly possible. I’ve been through a lot since last June, and have a choice: stay trapped in that awful time or make my peace with it and move on.
What happened between us will never—can never—be resolved. What you did is unforgivable in my eyes. However, I am willing to accept the fact that there’s no undoing it.
You sold my house while I was at my lowest. I had to find a flat but couldn’t work so the rent drained all my savings.
Please understand, Trina, I have NOTHING, and whatever you think about how it ended, after all my hard work at Twin Star, that’s not right.
The only thing left in my power is a proposal.
We each have something the other wants. Let’s work it out so we both walk away happy.
I’ll give you the documents in exchange for $500k.
I know you’ve refinanced and are good for that much.
Under the circumstances this is a small price to pay for what you did.
At the same time, I feel it’s a fair sum in recompense for the role I played building up the company.
To be clear, I don’t have the docs here.
They are hidden, safe from prying eyes. If anything happens to me, they will be found and their contents acted upon. Nicky-Rose
Message exchange between Amelia Stibson and Fran Elroy-Jones on February 15, 2025:
1:45 p.m. Amelia wrote:
He brought me chocolates and carnations but just left them on the table
1:46 p.m. Amelia wrote:
He scribbled my name on the box in Biro.
1:47 p.m. Fran wrote:
He’s busy. This isn’t a great time for the night economy. It’s cold, dark, and no one has any money.
2:03 p.m. Amelia wrote:
Georgia has gnawed through the chocolates like a fucking termite. Wish she’d get a job and move out.
2:22 p.m. Fran wrote:
How’s your job hunt going? Things picking up after the New Year?
2:22 p.m. Amelia wrote:
Nothing yet.
2:25 p.m. Fran wrote:
I’ll keep my eye out at work. We’re not recruiting right now, but there’ll be a drive in the spring, there often is.
2:26 p.m. Amelia wrote:
Sainsbury’s? Thanks, but I’m looking for something interesting, where I can work from home.
2:37 p.m. Fran wrote:
Coming to set-building tomorrow?
2:38 p.m. Amelia wrote:
If Lucas is out of bed. Otherwise, who’ll drive us there?
2:40 p.m. Fran wrote:
I’ll pick you and Georgia up, get you both out of the house.
Undated page from a decorative journal belonging to Isabel Beck:
TODAY
Today is our first set-building Sunday for The Hollow.
I’ve brought my journal to fill in while I’m on the bus, so if this writing looks a bit wobbly, it’s because there are potholes on the road from Fowey to Lockwood.
This is a longer journey than when I lived in Lower Lockwood.
Still, it’s quite nice if you can get a window seat on the upper deck.
I can watch people and they have no idea you’re looking down on them.
We’re nearly at the church hall now. I feel I should be drawing more pictures, like it says on the journal cover, or sticking things in, but what?
And every page seems to want bullet points.
What’s so special about bullet points? Let’s see.
I’ll make them for everything that happens at set-building.
Fran slipped out of the hall and when I followed her, she turned round and scowled at me. I know we’re not as close friends as we were, but there’s no need to be rude, I only fancied some fresh air.
Nicky-Rose is SO good at knowing how the set should look. She led Joel and the other men around and told them what would work better. Usually when people try to make suggestions they get put in their place, but everyone listens to Nicky-Rose.
Lucas is just as I remember him, except he’s not high as a kite. I’ve stood near him a few times now and there’s not a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Hardly surprising. He probably can’t recall a thing about that time.