The meeting slipped along effortlessly. Maybe it was because the book group – after several gatherings – had settled into a routine, or maybe it was the absence of its most troublesome member, the pensioner with a past, Biddy Roulestone.
‘So, you were right about Biddy not being here.’ Tash said to Amy, as they gathered around the coffee and snacks Millie was putting out. ‘It’s not like her to miss out on anything going on in town, though.’
Amy grinned into her coffee. ‘Must still be in London.’
‘It’s been a pain in the proverbial, to be honest. We’re trying to finalise things on her purchase of the Morrisons’ bungalow and now she’s gone AWOL. Not even answering her phone and Arthur won’t commit himself to anything without his wife’s approval.’
‘Well, she never makes life easy for anyone,’ Amy replied, enjoying this new relaxed friendship with Tash. ‘Wonder if she’s really talking to publishers?’
Emma bounced up to them and caught the tail end of their conversation. ‘You talking about my esteemed client? She’s in meetings with a publisher. One of the big five, allegedly.’
‘Oh no.’ Amy paled. ‘So she’s serious about getting her erotica published?’
‘Deffo. I can’t wait to read it, personally. Reckon it’ll be the new Fifty Shades. Maybe we can read it at book group?’ Emma added, mischievously.
‘Over my dead body,’ Amy said, with feeling. They all laughed.
‘It’s amazing, isn’t it,’ Tash put in. ‘How some people can dominate any situation even in their absence? Here we are, without a Biddy in sight and we still end up discussing her. One of life’s one-offs.’
‘Poor Arthur,’ they chorused and laughed again.
‘So, Emma,’ Amy asked, as Tash went off to refill her coffee cup. ‘I hear you’re all set to move into Millie’s flat over the café once she and Jed have bought their cottage.’ Millie and Jed Henville were buying an idyllic thatched cottage in a valley just out of town.
Emma deflated. ‘That was the plan.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘Mum is really unhappy working for Suki at Klassy Kutz.’
Amy shuddered. ‘I know I sound a grammar snob but I’ve always hated that name, the spelling especially.’
Emma sighed. ‘The spelling of the salon name is the last of Mum’s problems. Suki keeps making Mum do longer and longer hours and with my darling little bro always in trouble at school, it’s wearing her out.’
‘It’s where my mother gets her hair cut.’ Amy thought back to her mother’s early morning visit on the way to the hairdresser’s. ‘In fact, she popped into the shop on the way to a hair appointment this morning at some unearthly hour. I did wonder why she had one so early.’
‘Suki claims it’s what her clients want. She’s got Mum starting at seven now and she does two late nights on top.’
Amy sipped her wine thoughtfully. ‘I suppose people want appointments to fit around their busy lives,’ she said, diplomatically, wondering just what her mother had to fill her life so much that she needed a hair appointment at eight in the morning. ‘Why does that affect you moving out? I thought you and Ollie were desperate to get a place of your own?’
Emma nodded. ‘We are. And I mean desperate. You should see the state Stevie leaves the bathroom in. And the stink!’ She rolled her eyes.
‘I’m an only child and went to a girls’ school so wouldn’t know.’ Amy hazarded a guess; ‘I suppose boys of thirteen smell a bit sweaty?’
‘Oh, it’s not the body odour,’ Emma said robustly. ‘It’s the deodorant. Stevie has the hots for a girl in his French class. Every morning he sprays himself from top to toe and probably in other unmentionable places with this lethal-smelling stuff and doesn’t bother to even think about opening a window. I go in and nearly pass out from the noxious fumes. Dad used to have an old gas mask from world war two knocking about. I’m seriously thinking of putting it to use.’
‘Oh Emma,’ Amy said, trying not to laugh. ‘Sounds like grounds to leave to me. So why are you hesitating?’
‘As well as Mum having a lot on her plate and threatening to leave the salon, Dad’s job isn’t looking good. There are rumours of redundancies at the vacuum cleaner factory. If that happens, they’ll need my wage to help out. And, if Mum leaves Suki’s, I’ll be the only wage-earner. Plus I’m really trying to do more of the housework to give Mum a break. Trouble is,’ Emma added, gloomily, ‘my ironing isn’t up to Mum’s standards and she just tuts and does it all again.’
Amy wanted to put an arm around Emma. She looked so forlorn. Struggling to find something comforting to say, she settled with the inadequate, ‘I’m sorry to hear that. I hope something works out.’
‘Me too, Amy. Me too.’ Emma brightened a little. ‘Sorry for going on. Thanks for listening though, you’re a really good listener.’
It had been said before. Amy sometimes wondered if the reason she listened rather than revealed something of herself was because she felt she hadn’t anything of interest to say. ‘Shall we get another drink? Then I suppose we ought to get down to the next bit of the meeting. We’ve got to decide on the next book.’
‘In that case, I’ll need fuel. Did I spot cupcakes?’
‘Yes.’ Amy laughed. ‘Millie has been practising for our Hallowe’en party. She’s done some iced with a spider web pattern. They’re really sweet. In both senses of the word.’
‘Lush,’ Emma said. ‘Gotta get me some of those bad boys.’ She went off to find a sugar fix, her troubles temporarily forgotten.