Page 39 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘Are you leaving today?’

‘Yes, yes. I’m off now.’ Megan looked down at the bags in her hands before automatically trying and failing to reach her pocket. She sighed. She couldn’t tip her, even if she could reach the few coins she’d gathered from the room. That was all she had. ‘Thank you so much for everything you’ve done throughout my stay.’

‘My pleasure. It sure beats cleaning a room after a family of six have stayed, traipsing sand from the beach into the carpets and wiping food across the walls.’ Lisa grinned. ‘Hopefully, you’ll pay us a visit again soon?’

‘Hopefully.’ Megan forced a smile before making her way down the corridor. As she walked past the doors to the other bedrooms, she heard the shrieking of excited children just beginning their summer holiday adventures, the raucous laughter and chatter from the hen do and the voices of families enjoying their stay.

At the lift, she laid her bags on the floor by her feet and rolled her shoulders back just as the lift door pinged open and revealed a family – a mum and dad holding hands, two children playing one of those clapping games. She picked her bags up again and waited patiently for them to walk out before stepping inside.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror along the back wall of the lift, Megan could see why Tracey had looked so worried. She did look pale. Leaning her forehead against the cool of the mirror, she closed her eyes, hoping the cold would help alleviate the headache.

No such luck.

The lift jolted to a halt as it reached the ground floor, jarring Megan’s forehead against the mirror. Opening her eyes, she prepared herself to battle through the reception area, planning on keeping her head down and hoping she didn’t run into Tracey again. She’d been so lovely, but she just couldn’t cope with her pity – not now. If one other person so much as smiled at her or was kind she thought she’d just burst out crying. Not a good look in the middle of a bed and breakfast full of happy holidaymakers.

When she reached her car, she let her bags fall to a heap on the tarmac of the car park and opened the boot before shovelling them all inside. She pulled it closed and stood, palms on the top of the boot, the heat of the metal warmed by the morning sun piercing her skin. What was she going to do?

She took a deep breath. One thing she was sure of was that she wasn’t going to let Lyle break her. She wasn’t going to go running back to him. Not in a million years.

And she wasn’t going to ring him again. She wouldn’t plead or cry or beg. No, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She had her car and for that, she was thankful. She’d just have to sleep in it until she could find a job and a room to rent. At least the silver lining of her landing a job would be that she’d have an excuse to work on Flora’s accounts away from Wagging Tails, away from Jay.

Yes, that was her plan. She’d continue with her volunteering at Wagging Tails, avoiding Jay whenever she could, and cram in as much job research as possible using her mobile at night. She’d get up to speed on the accountancy front. Perhaps take a course, and then she could start approaching local companies looking for work. And in the meantime, she’d try to pick up a few shifts in the local supermarket or somewhere. Maybe there was a temping agency in Trestow.

15

Experience needed.

Experience required.

Would suit a school leaver.

Megan leaned back in the chair and pushed her thumbs against her temples. What was the point? Every single company advertising a job in and around Trestow was asking for experience or looking to pay the least they could by asking for a school leaver. How was she going to compete with either of those scenarios? She wasn’t, that’s what.

She needed to think positively. And she needed to be proactive. Potential employers liked that, didn’t they? Or they used to, when she’d last been in the job market. Sitting up straight, she tore a piece of paper from the notebook in front of her and began jotting down phone numbers. There’d be no harm in making a few calls and a few enquiries.

She blinked as the numbers she was scribbling began to merge into each other. If only she could shift this headache, then she’d be able to get on properly, be able to concentrate and make better sense of what was happening, of what Lyle had done.

‘Hi, Megan. How are you?’ Ginny walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the kettle. ‘I didn’t see you this morning.’

She held up the kettle as if to offer Megan a coffee.

‘Yes, please. I’ve just got a bit of a headache, that’s all.’ She massaged her temples again. She hadn’t been able to shift it since it had come on this morning when she’d discovered Lyle had cut her off from all of their money. Megan could feel her cheeks warm as Jay entered, followed quickly by Flora and Percy.

‘Why don’t you go back to your B and B for a lie down if you’re not feeling well, lovely?’ Flora spoke over her shoulder as she lifted mugs down from the cupboard.

‘Oh, no. I’ll be okay. It’s nothing a paracetamol or two won’t fix.’ Megan quickly closed the laptop as Percy sat down, turning over the scrap of paper with the job vacancies and contact numbers scribbled on.

‘Well, let one of us know if it gets worse and we’ll drive you back. You don’t want to be driving yourself around if it’s too bad.’ Flora pulled the bottle of milk from the fridge and passed it to Ginny.

‘You’re staying at a bed and breakfast?’ Jay frowned as he slipped into the chair opposite.

Megan sighed. The tone in his voice suggested it was an incredulous place to stay for any length of time. Loads of people did though, contract workers, people who travelled regularly for work, anyone. Why couldn’t she? Besides, it wasn’t as though she was any more, anyway.

‘Yes,’ she replied.

‘Oh right. Sorry, I assumed you were renting somewhere down here, that’s all.’ Jay shrugged.

Looking down at her paperwork, Megan pretended to jot something down, hoping he’d become quickly distracted. He had hardly spoken to her yesterday. Well, that wasn’t true, she’d walked away from him, but that wasn’t the point. It had been him who had basically told her he didn’t see a future with them after she’d omitted to tell him about Lyle and yet here she was forced to lie to him again.

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