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Authors: Alison Sherlock
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up?’
‘Yes.’
‘So why is it so bad for Flora?’ Jeff gave her a small pinch on her bottom. ‘After all, you didn’t turn out so bad.’
With a wink,he left the kitchen.
Caroline sighed as she turned around. There was no way that pastry was going to turn out well. She smiled at her daughter. ‘How about a trip to the supermarket?’
‘Yay!’
Julie finished work at four o’clock and headed home, looking forward to spending a couple of hours in the garden now that the evenings were becoming lighter.
Perhaps once she had finished, she could sitdown on the little wooden bench on the patio and admire her handiwork with a nice cup of tea. Or something even stronger.
But as she swung her car into the driveway, she realised there was another one already parked up. Her son was home. She told herself she should be pleased but found, in reality, that she was filled with dread. She didn’t want an argument, or to listen to Nick’s lies that evening.She just wanted to potter in her garden undisturbed.
‘Nick?’ she called, as she opened the front door and walked inside.
‘Hello, Ma,’ he said, coming into the hallway.
His black hair was long, almost to his shoulders. He was a tall, lanky lad – the same build as his father. Facially, he was like him too, with his large nose and pale complexion.
Julie stared at her son for a moment. There hadbeen no message, no contact from him since his grandmother’s funeral. The funeral which he had omitted to attend. She briefly considered voicing her anger but knew it would only lead to him spouting some excuse.
‘What are you doing here?’ she asked.
‘Aren’t I allowed to visit my dear old mum?’ he said, sweeping her into an awkward hug.
‘You’re a bit late. Mother’s Day was last Sunday,’ shetold him, once released.
It had been a struggle, visiting her mother’s grave so soon after the funeral. Julie had placed a large pink rose on the newly dug ground and said a prayer for her mum. How she missed her.
‘I was gonna call,’ said Nick, following her into the kitchen. ‘But I didn’t have any credit.’
‘Cup of tea?’ she asked, filling the kettle.
‘We could always have something strongerto celebrate.’
His words hung in the air as she dropped tea bags into the mugs.
‘Celebrate?’
Julie’s heart sank. Her mind reeled as she tried to pick from the various options running through her head. Had he just escaped a lengthy jail term? Got a girl into trouble?
‘Look, I’ve been thinking,’ he said. ‘I know you’ve been blue since we lost Nan.’
How would you know? thought Julie.
‘You’rerattling round this old house on your own.’
Julie braced herself. She realised now what was coming.
‘So I’m gonna move in and keep you company for a while,’ said Nick.
She nodded and smiled as she filled the mugs with hot water.
Her Prodigal Son had returned. Unfortunately Julie wasn’t at all happy about it.
Chapter Fourteen
ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, Charley braced herself for her next cleaning job. After the horror of cleaning Miss Fuller’s dog-filled house on Monday, she’d believed it couldn’t get much worse.
But as the door opened she realised how wrong she had been.
‘Hi, I’m Charlotte. Your new cleaner.’
Her words faltered as she stared at the blonde woman standing in front of her.
‘Don’t I knowyou?’ said the customer whose name was Mrs Benedict.
Charley sighed. ‘I think we’ve met at the golf club. My husband was a member.’
The woman’s eyebrows shot up as high as her Botox would allow. ‘Really?’ Mrs Benedict coolly appraised her. ‘Yes, I remember now. You’re the one with the shops, aren’t you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did I hear something about bankruptcy?’
Charley’s humiliation was complete. Shewas now a cleaner for someone with whom she used to share drinks at the golf club. Not that Mrs Benedict, or Martina as Charley had previously known her, had been a close friend. But they had been
‘Yes.’
‘So why is it so bad for Flora?’ Jeff gave her a small pinch on her bottom. ‘After all, you didn’t turn out so bad.’
With a wink,he left the kitchen.
Caroline sighed as she turned around. There was no way that pastry was going to turn out well. She smiled at her daughter. ‘How about a trip to the supermarket?’
‘Yay!’
Julie finished work at four o’clock and headed home, looking forward to spending a couple of hours in the garden now that the evenings were becoming lighter.
Perhaps once she had finished, she could sitdown on the little wooden bench on the patio and admire her handiwork with a nice cup of tea. Or something even stronger.
But as she swung her car into the driveway, she realised there was another one already parked up. Her son was home. She told herself she should be pleased but found, in reality, that she was filled with dread. She didn’t want an argument, or to listen to Nick’s lies that evening.She just wanted to potter in her garden undisturbed.
‘Nick?’ she called, as she opened the front door and walked inside.
‘Hello, Ma,’ he said, coming into the hallway.
His black hair was long, almost to his shoulders. He was a tall, lanky lad – the same build as his father. Facially, he was like him too, with his large nose and pale complexion.
Julie stared at her son for a moment. There hadbeen no message, no contact from him since his grandmother’s funeral. The funeral which he had omitted to attend. She briefly considered voicing her anger but knew it would only lead to him spouting some excuse.
‘What are you doing here?’ she asked.
‘Aren’t I allowed to visit my dear old mum?’ he said, sweeping her into an awkward hug.
‘You’re a bit late. Mother’s Day was last Sunday,’ shetold him, once released.
It had been a struggle, visiting her mother’s grave so soon after the funeral. Julie had placed a large pink rose on the newly dug ground and said a prayer for her mum. How she missed her.
‘I was gonna call,’ said Nick, following her into the kitchen. ‘But I didn’t have any credit.’
‘Cup of tea?’ she asked, filling the kettle.
‘We could always have something strongerto celebrate.’
His words hung in the air as she dropped tea bags into the mugs.
‘Celebrate?’
Julie’s heart sank. Her mind reeled as she tried to pick from the various options running through her head. Had he just escaped a lengthy jail term? Got a girl into trouble?
‘Look, I’ve been thinking,’ he said. ‘I know you’ve been blue since we lost Nan.’
How would you know? thought Julie.
‘You’rerattling round this old house on your own.’
Julie braced herself. She realised now what was coming.
‘So I’m gonna move in and keep you company for a while,’ said Nick.
She nodded and smiled as she filled the mugs with hot water.
Her Prodigal Son had returned. Unfortunately Julie wasn’t at all happy about it.
Chapter Fourteen
ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, Charley braced herself for her next cleaning job. After the horror of cleaning Miss Fuller’s dog-filled house on Monday, she’d believed it couldn’t get much worse.
But as the door opened she realised how wrong she had been.
‘Hi, I’m Charlotte. Your new cleaner.’
Her words faltered as she stared at the blonde woman standing in front of her.
‘Don’t I knowyou?’ said the customer whose name was Mrs Benedict.
Charley sighed. ‘I think we’ve met at the golf club. My husband was a member.’
The woman’s eyebrows shot up as high as her Botox would allow. ‘Really?’ Mrs Benedict coolly appraised her. ‘Yes, I remember now. You’re the one with the shops, aren’t you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did I hear something about bankruptcy?’
Charley’s humiliation was complete. Shewas now a cleaner for someone with whom she used to share drinks at the golf club. Not that Mrs Benedict, or Martina as Charley had previously known her, had been a close friend. But they had been
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