Page 4 of Cuckoo

‘Well, it’s just that I can’t find any Noah Coors working for Pulitzer Haas,’ she admits, looking up at me warily.

That stops me in my tracks and I turn to face her fully. ‘That’s… not possible,’ I tell her. ‘Check it again. Please,’ I add quickly, not wanting to come across as rude or demanding.

‘I’ve checked three times now,’ she tells me.

‘C-O-O-R-S?’

‘Yes, Noah with an “h”, Coors,’ she replies.

‘Well, it must be a mistake,’ I say, slowly and clearly.

She blinks up at me. ‘How is it you know Mr Coors again? Are you sure you have the right place?’

‘She’s his fiancée!’ Sukhi exclaims incredulously.

I hold my hand up dumbly, my engagement ring glinting in the harsh office lights. I give it a little wave for good measure and the woman blanches.

‘This is ridiculous, just call him and tell him to come downstairs,’ Sukhi says, turning to me.

‘He doesn’t really like me bothering him at work,’ I say, feeling nervous. I don’t want to upset him, but my hand is already reaching for my handbag. I’m pulling the phone out of my purse when the receptionist leaps up from her seat. ‘Oh, Mr Donahue!’ She smiles, looking relieved. ‘Perhaps you could help us with something?’She beckons with her hand and an important-looking older man in a pristine pressed suit strides over.

‘What’s the problem, Sandra?’

‘The system doesn’t seem to be working. It’s not pulling up someone who we know to work with you?’ She glances at me for confirmation.

‘Yes, Noah Coors at Pulitzer Haas? On the asset management team? I was just bringing him some lunch,’ I explain meekly, holding up the sad-looking package once more.

‘Oh!’ the man exclaims with a look of understanding, and my shoulders sag in relief. He clearly knows Noah. This whole debacle will be over in seconds and then I can get out of this building. People are now flooding in behind us, forming a queue to talk to the receptionist, and I can see curious glances thrown our way from workers returning with their Starbucks lunches and Marks & Spencer meal deals.

‘Well, Noah doesn’t work here anymore,’ the man explains.

The receptionist’s mouth drops open like a guppy’s and, behind me, Sukhi makes a tiny, gasping sound in her throat.

‘What… what do you mean? Hedoeswork here, he comes here every day,’ I say, trying to keep my voice even and calm. I don’t want to attract any more attention, potentially embarrass Noah in front of his colleagues.

‘Afraid not,’ he replies, oblivious to the distress he is causing. ‘He hasn’t worked here for a few months now.’

I stagger backwards, my ears ringing with shock. I drop the lunch on the floor and Sandra lunges forward, asking a doorman to bring me a glass of water. Sukhi has swooped in and is supporting me from behind. I can hear her sayingmistakeandmisunderstanding, but the words are swimming in a messy tangle in my head as I try to make sense of what’s happened. My fiancé wakes up every morning and goes to work, returning late in the evenings.

Only he hasn’t been working here for months.

Chapter Four

18 September 2024

Dear Diary,

I met a man today. This is probably the first time in a long while that I’ve written anything in this diary regarding someone other than myself, or Mother, which feels both strange and exciting. It’s as though the universe is spinning around to try and make up for what it’s put me through recently. This time last week I was a wreck, an emotional rollercoaster, and now I’m writing about something as frivolous as a man. I’m sure I will look back on this and hate myself for my flippancy, but right now, I feel like a flattering distraction is exactly what I need to take me away from my current situation.

I was in Morrisons and immediately noticed him in the aisle with me because he was gorgeous.

‘I’m sorry to bother you, it’s just, I’m desperately searching for a lovely bottle of red, which I don’t usually drink. You don’t happen to have a recommendation or favourite, do you?’ he said, almost nervously. He was obviously just out of work because he was wearing a suit in deep navy, which brought out the specks of blue in his eyes. His handcame up to his black tie, loosening it ever so slightly before he spoke to me.

I was flustered. I couldn’t believe that out of everyone in that supermarket,Iwas the one he wanted to speak to. I actually turned to double-check he was looking at me, and could feel myself going red at the realisation that we were the only two people in the aisle.

I cleared my throat. ‘Is it for a special occasion? A date perhaps?’ My voice came out in an embarrassing squeak.

‘No, no, a business thing. I need to present a client with something nice… fancy, you know. Apparently the guy is a red man. I usually go to the wine place near my office but they’re shut for renovations.’

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