‘I wish I could stay and give you another day to settle in but this week is manic at work,’ Tina said as she prepared to leave on Monday morning.
‘I’ll be fine,’ Maisie assured her. ‘After the last few weeks, today will be a doddle, and hopefully, by the time you get home this evening, I’ll have some news about a job.’
‘You’ve got a key and my office number? Any problems give me a ring. Right – I’ll see you later. Good luck.’ And Tina left in a rush.
The weeks before the London Book Fair were always busy and this year was no exception. Meetings with publishers, foreign representatives, networking, clients… everything had to be organised before the Fair even began. Tina’s diary for the three days of the actual event had so many things marked in it, she felt tired every time she tried to squeeze in another appointment.
When Kirsty stopped by her desk to tell her they’d been invited to join the panel at a seminar on ‘The Importance of Foreign Rights’ the second day of the Fair, she protested it was impossible.
‘It’s a bit last-minute, this invitation, isn’t it?’ Tina said, shaking her head as she scanned her diary. ‘Somebody let them down?’
‘Doesn’t matter,’ Kirsty snapped. ‘Brilliant opportunity to get our name out there. I can’t rearrange my meeting so you’ll have to do it. Move whatever you’ve got planned for Wednesday afternoon to another time.’
‘But…’
‘When you’ve done it, make sure you give Leah copies of the timetable for each day, so she can coordinate things on the stand.’
‘I thought Margaret was organising the stand for us like she normally does?’ Tina said. ‘With Leah staying in the office.’
‘Change of plan.’ Kirsty lowered her voice. ‘Margaret’s getting a bit too old to cope with the travelling across London and all the frenzy of the Fair, so I’ve told Leah she’ll be coming with us instead. She’s thrilled.’
‘I bet she is,’ Tina muttered. She sighed as she watched Kirsty walk away. Once upon a time they’d discussed things and Kirsty had valued her opinion. Treated her almost like a partner. These days, though, Kirsty was taking more and more decisions without involving her. And as for Leah being in charge of the stand at the Fair… Tina shook her head. Not good news.
At least she’d be too busy to have much to do with Leah. Definitely no snatched coffee breaks like she’d enjoyed in past years with Margaret, that was for sure. Mentally Tina made a note to check with Margaret that she really was happy with this year’s arrangement. Not that there was anything she could do to change it.
The complete manuscript of the time-slip story was in her email box that morning and she quickly checked to make sure it had synced into her mail programme on her laptop so she could read it at home. She sent a quick email to the author acknowledging receipt and saying she’d be in touch as soon as she’d read it.
Eating a sandwich at her desk at lunchtime, Tina briefly wondered how Maisie was getting on. She picked up her phone to give her a ring but put it down again. She didn’t want Maisie thinking she was checking up on her or that she didn’t trust her, which she did of course. She was probably out job-hunting anyway.
By the time Tina got back to the flat that evening she was exhausted and had decided that a bowl of pasta would be a quick and easy supper before she collapsed into bed. A happy, smiling Maisie greeted her.
‘Supper’s ready. Nothing special – just soup followed by an omelette. Things I found in the kitchen,’ Maisie added anxiously. ‘I hope that’s OK.’
‘Sounds wonderful. You had a good day?’ Tina asked.
‘I’ve got a job. Well, two, actually.’
‘Wow, that was quick. Where? When d’you start?’
‘The coffee bar down by the station. Guy’s Italian. Start tomorrow at ten, finish at three. Says he can’t afford me more than three days a week and possibly a couple of evenings at the moment, but that’s fine, because next week I start a job in a dress shop for three afternoons.’
‘The coffee from Guy’s Italian is good – I often pop in there.’
Maisie glanced at Tina. ‘Pay isn’t brilliant for either of them but it’s a start. It’s amazing the difference having an address has made.’
‘Have you phoned your mum to tell her?’ Tina said.
Maisie nodded. ‘She’s got everything crossed for me.’ She glanced at Tina. ‘She really appreciated talking to you yesterday evening. Says she owes you big time for sorting me out and any time you fancy a visit “up north” you’re more than welcome.’
‘I might just take her up on that one day,’ Tina said.
The last weekend before the Book Fair, Maisie was out working and Tina was blitzing the flat before dragging herself out to do a supermarket shop when Jodie Skyped.
‘Hi. How you doing? Burning the midnight oil as usual with Book Fair prep?’
‘More than usual this year. Kirsty has become very keen on delegating. As for Leah, well, let’s just say the woman irritates me! I’m seriously thinking of moving on,’ Tina said. ‘Finding another agency.’
‘You should start your own,’ Jodie said. ‘I know we’ve had that discussion lots of times, but seriously, why not?’
‘Why not? In a word: money. Anyway,’ Tina said, changing the subject, ‘I’m about to go and stock up with food, including your favourite chocolate and wine – anything else you fancy? What time’s your flight arriving Tuesday? I’m really looking forward to having you here.’
‘It would have been wonderful,’ Jodie sighed.
‘Would? What are you saying?’
‘I felt so guilty about leaving Ben and jetting off to enjoy myself that I left it too late to book flights,’ Jodie said. ‘So I’m not coming. I’m staying here.’ She didn’t add that she’d deliberately left it too late, or that she’d decided she needed to sort out her French life before she could even think of taking a flight back to the UK.