I didn’t bother calling Perry, instead walking round with the intention of serving him a strong coffee with bacon and eggs to soak up his hangover while I talked.
To my surprise, he was already up and looked about to head out.
‘I thought you’d be taking the morning off,’ I said, stepping inside.
He had the decency to look sheepish. ‘Yeah. Things got a bit out of hand last night. I’m sorry I forgot about your thing. The guys have worked so hard, I couldn’t refuse their invitation to blow off some steam. It would have looked bad if the boss hadn’t joined them for a couple of drinks.’
‘A couple?’
He took hold of my hand and kissed it. ‘I’m sorry. It’s a bit vague but I’m guessing I said something stupid, quite possibly crude and almost certainly disrespectful. It’s one of the reasons I don’t get drunk very often.’
I nodded my head to indicate my acceptance of his apology. ‘Can I talk to you?’
He glanced at his watch. ‘If you make it quick. The review meeting’s in thirty.’
‘Ah. This won’t be quick. Can I make you dinner instead?’
‘No. Let me do it. You can fill me in on what I missed last night.’
Or not…
He kissed me goodbye and left, leaving me standing on the doorstep with all that energy I’d worked up and nowhere to ventit. My instinct was to march it out along the fields, but there was no way I would go tramping through the countryside like a deer waiting to be picked off by a bullet.
I did, however, know another great way to use up excess energy only a six-minute walk away.
‘Faith.’ Marilyn waved me inside. ‘Is it Thursday? I’m not fired up for Anton this morning. I thought today was yesterday.’
‘It is yesterday. Well, Wednesday. I’m not here to babysit. I just wondered if you fancied a coffee.’
‘Excellent! Polly’s topping up the machine as we speak.’
I settled on the floor and built towers for Nancy and Pete to knock down while we talked.
‘Is it working out okay, then? The place still looks tidy since the big clear up.’
‘Polly is a godsend. I can’t believe I ever managed without her.’ Marilyn nudged Polly, sat beside her.
‘You didn’t manage,’ I laughed. ‘This place was a disaster zone.’
‘I was a disaster zone, you mean,’ she said.
‘You were a woman coping admirably in highly challenging circumstances.’
‘And you’ve helped me out way more than I helped you,’ Polly said. ‘Letting me stay has been the kindest thing anyone’s ever done for me.’
‘So you’re going to stay, then?’ Marilyn asked.
‘No.’ Polly picked a squirming Esme out of her bouncy chair. ‘I won’t stay once James is back. You’ve had the best part of a year apart. I’m not going to be gooseberry for your three months together.’
‘You won’t be a gooseberry. You can babysit while we go out on hot dates. I love having you here, Poll. Please stay.’
‘No. Your house is lovely. It’s been a home when I needed one most. I love being part of your family. But one dream has keptme going these past few years. That I’ll get a house, and paint the kitchen cabinets yellow. I’ll sew green and white striped curtains and put up shelves for ornaments I’ve found in gift shops and car boot sales. I’ll be able to walk around in my tatty old dressing gown eating ice-cream out the tub, leaving dirty mugs on the table, and watching MTV shows about teenage pregnancy and celebrity gossip.’
‘What? You can do all those things here. I’d love a yellow kitchen.’ Marilyn looked at her, eyes round with intent.
‘But this is your house. And James might not appreciate it as much as you do.’
‘I understand,’ I said. Boy, did I understand. ‘You need to make yourself a haven, a nest. A place that’s yours, where you can be Polly and feel beholden to no one.’
