Page 61 of Hit For Six
‘Well, we’d best not stand here all day. Come on in and let’s get started.’ Sally chuckled. ‘Hot chocolate while we discuss the job?’
‘That would be amazing.’
And so Monty poured his heart out as Sally poured their cocoa into mugs.
‘I think it’s a marvelous idea and I’ll whip it up for you in a jiffy. I hope you’ll manage to keep it a secret until the big day, Monty.’
‘Me too, Aunt Sal. I can’t wait to see her face!’
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Lola
Lola had spentages agonising over what to wear. This was exactly what she swore she wouldn’t do. It didn’t help that she’d already transported half of her wardrobe to the Crescent, where she and Squiffy were spending more and more time as they built up to The Big Move.
Fumiko had been rather brusque when Lola declined her invitation to take on the flat:
WhatsApp message 1 at 7p.m. Eastern Pacific Time Sunday evening read…
Fine. I won’t be held responsible for estate agents and prospective buyers interrupting your peace. Honestly, you try to do someone a favour. PS. I’ll need time to consider your offer to take on Squiffy.
WhatsApp message 2 at 7.08p.m. same time zone and date conceded…
Deal. She’s yours for a grand ONO.
Lola had baulked at Fumiko’s audacity when she’d bought most of Squiffy’s food this year. No way was she paying her a thousand, in any currency.
WhatsApp message 3 at 7.20p.m. same time zone and date said…
Okay. She’s yours. Just make sure the flat looks presentable when you’ve moved out. You know where all her vet paperwork is– take it with you. Bon voyage.
Poor Squiffy must feel like a pawn on a chessboard with all this toing and froing but she was Lola’s queen and she’d be eating like one at Monty’s place every day soon. Would Lola ever be able to call the Crescent her home, though? She’d like to think so but it was such early days and there were still so many hurdles to overcome. Trust and self-belief, two of the biggest.
She snapped out of her daydream to consider the current challenge and pulled a long broderie anglaise dress from her wardrobe, inspecting it from all angles on its hanger. It was virginal white which was probably asking for trouble where red wine was concerned but Lola wasn’t inclined to waste money on something new. It was pretty yet conservative and inconspicuous. Another top end high street bargain from a charity shop. It would have to do.
The party was the last thing she felt like attending in the wake of Joannagate, and her association with Julian. Then there was Harry’s personality transplant, and the dawning realisation that Lola wouldn’t be able to speed up her mum’s hip replacement, after all. She couldn’t have tried harder to dissuade him from adding the fake deal to the budget, now she knew that Joanna was screwing C and C over. Her boss had been at the helm of various businesses over the years. Surely he should have learnt a few lessons by now. As per usual, a woman’s view on such matters was all too easily discarded. Hey ho. She was almost ready to hand in her notice now that she’d lined up some part-time assignments to help with the transition to being a business owner, anyway. Like Monty, she had her resignation letter drafted so she could send it at a moment’s notice.
***
‘My mother hasdone her usual,’ said the man in question when Lola arrived at his apartment the next afternoon.
She got palpitations every time she heard Monty refer to that woman– hardly helped by her boyfriend planting the sort of kiss on her lips that hinted strongly at heading straight to the bedroom and skipping the celebrations.
‘Which is?’ Lola mumbled, reluctantly tearing herself away.
‘The Waitrose shopping list.’
‘Is that such a bad thing?’ she asked as Monty tugged her inside and relieved her of her bags. Not that there would be time to unpack them. A quick change of outfit and they would be on their way to Upper Badminton for Judgement Day. ‘I don’t think my parents have ever felt flush enough to step inside the Bath store. Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.’
‘No, it’s fine and you’re right. It is aniceproblem to have. But she does this every time she hosts a family event, claiming the girls are too busy to buy the emergency supplies, so I end up running around like a blue-arsed fly with a crazy long list, which completely negates the need for the expensive catering. She could get it delivered but she’s terrified of the dreaded replacement items. Once she ended up with twelve tins of Waitrose Essential rice pudding instead of celeriac remoulade. All hell broke loose.’
Lola tried not to show her shock but it was difficult when she pictured her own mum in a similar situation, knowing full well she’d share a belly-clutching laugh with the delivery driver, who had nothing to do with the personal shopper’s decisions; knowing full well her mum often had no choice but to buy her cheaper supermarket bargain basement brand.
‘But she’s absolutely lovely in real life, once you get to know her. Well, you kind of did the other night and it’s great that you’re familiar with the layout of the house already.’ Monty sounded stressed, worryingly lacking in his confident charade of just days ago. And, no. Lola didn’t think she’d ever forget the precise locations of her passionate encounters with Helena’sprecious son. ‘She just has high standards and likes to offer her guests the very best.’ Mrs B-C ticked one of those boxes, alright.
‘Are you sure this is going to be okay, Monty? I have a funny feeling. Maybe you should go without me? Give them more time to come to terms with our relationship?’
‘It’s going to be fine. Who couldn’t adore you? It’s just family and very close friends. I’ve told everyone about you. There won’t be any unexpected surprises.’
