Page 32 of Love in Tune

Lucille, ever the romantic, secure in her place as the baby of the family. Mimi the firecracker, feeling threatened and ready to battle for her position as the eldest sibling. Honey knew them both well enough to know that given time, their opinions would meet somewhere in the middle, hopefully in a place that allowed them to explore the extraordinary news of a possible brother, and the equally extraordinary news that he’d got in touch at the ripe old age of eighty-nine and if they’d like to, he’d dearly love to meet his sisters. The letter didn’t go into any further detail about Ernest, just a request for Lucille and Mimi to reply via the agency to let him know if they’d be prepared to make contact. Honey had faith in Mimi that time would allow her to see the wonder of the situation, as well as the pitfalls. She had a brother, a brand-new family member who’d been waiting in the wings her whole life, had she only known. If nothing else, Mimi was helplessly nosey; the tip of an iceberg had nosed its way into her life and she’d need to know more, despite herself. Honey watched her pick up her cup of tea and bustle away to make a start on the newest donation bags, talking to herself as she went. Wrapping an arm around Lucille’s stiff shoulders, Honey gave her a little squeeze.

‘She’ll come around. Give her time,’ Honey said, rubbing Lucille’s forest green velvet-clad arm.

‘I do hope so, Honey dear, we’re none of us getting any younger. Carpe diem, as they say.’

‘Very true.’ The hot tea warmed Honey’s throat as she considered the simple Latin phrase. She might not have a long-lost brother, but there was still much in her life that she needed to seize. Perhaps she could start by trying to be less churlish about Nell and Tash’s attempts to fix her up, enter into the spirit of the piano man mission a little more. Maybe, just maybe, they’d send someone her way who could kiss like Hal. It was, after all, a physical reaction. It would be a blessed relief to feel that level of attraction for someone who wouldn’t give Dr Jekyll a run for his money in the split-personality stakes. He’d seemed fine when he’d been in her flat, and then back to business as usual again when she’d tried to take him dinner as a thank you for teaching her how to cook it.

But then what did Honey know about him, really? She hadn’t asked him any questions about his life before he’d moved into the house, because he closed down any conversation that veered even close to personal territory. She’d sat outside his door and poured her heart out. He knew her dress size, her best friends’ names, her shampoo preferences, and her romantic history. He even knew more about her underwear choices than most people, yet her knowledge of him was minimal to say the least. Maybe her friendship with Hal, if it could be termed a friendship, was something else she needed to seize, or at least take more control of. It was completely on his terms at the moment, which wasn’t really a friendship at all, when she came to think of it. Honey drained her teacup and resolved not to be so needy where Hal was concerned from here on in. If he wanted her friendship, he could come and get it.

Lucille and Mimi circled each other like boxers in the ring for most of the morning, until something happened at lunchtime that forced them to lay down their arms and join together against their common enemy.

Christopher.

He bounded into the shop, scanned the empty place for customers and then flicked the ‘open’ sign over to ‘closed’ and dropped the bolt.

‘Hey, we don’t close for lunch,’ Honey said, crossing to turn the sign back and finding Christopher blocking her path. Outside, she saw Nell jog up the path, and then lean forward to squint between the various posters on the door to check if there was anyone inside when she found it locked.

‘You do today. Staff meeting.’ Christopher looked at his watch for dramatic effect, straightening it on his skinny wrist. ‘Thirteen hundred hours in the dining room. Paid staff only, remember,’ he added, curling his lip at Mimi and Lucille. ‘You two take an afternoon nap or something.’

Honey watched him spin around and leave, imagining herself bouncing the sellotape in her hand off the back of his head as she crossed to let Nell in.

‘Take a nap,’ Mimi muttered, with murder in her eyes. ‘I’ll give him take a nap … Honey, dear. Waylay him at his precious meeting for as long as you can,’ she said, heading for the lingerie bin at the back of the shop. ‘Lucille, fetch your handbag. We’ve got work to do.’

Nell deposited a black bag on the floor beside the counter and gave Honey a quick peck on the cheek as she gestured towards the bin liner.

‘A few bits Ava has outgrown, and I’ve had a wardrobe clear out.’ She twirled a curl of her dark hair around her fingers, and it struck Honey how unusual it was to see her with it down. Glancing down quickly, she could see a couple of Nell’s demure ivory work blouses lying on top of the bundle of clothes.

‘Change of image?’ she joked, and then raised surprised eyebrows when Nell nodded.

‘Something like that. I just feel like I need more colour in my life, you know?’ She arched her black shirt-clad back to stretch it out. ‘Why was the door locked?’

Honey’s shoulders slumped. ‘Christopher came to call a staff meeting, which can only possibly mean one thing. Bad news.’

Mimi and Lucille appeared from the staffroom. ‘We’re not invited,’ Lucille sniffed. ‘Paid staff only. Hello Nell, dear.’

‘Pah. As if we’d want to go anyway.’ Mimi scowled ominously. ‘We’ve got bigger fish to fry this afternoon. You should probably call Old Don’s son, Honey, see if he can get a journalist down here.’

‘Mimi … are you sure about this? I don’t know what you’re planning and I’m worried.’

Mimi patted Honey’s hand on the counter. ‘Better that you don’t know, then you can’t be incriminated,’ she said darkly. ‘I don’t suppose anyone has donated any handcuffs lately, have they?’

Honey rolled her eyes, and then Nell silently opened her handbag and withdrew a pink fluffy pair, dangling them in the air by one cuff, her cheeks a good match with the fur.

‘My goodness, handcuffs have come a long way since my day,’ Lucille said. ‘The police only ever carried silver ones, nothing pretty like those. Although, I’m not sure I agree with them making things too comfortable for criminals.’ She frowned with disapproval at Nell’s fluffy cuffs, and Honey glanced at the floor to hide her smile, as Nell looked horrified with herself.

‘Are these some of those sex aids, dear?’ Mimi asked, squinting to get a closer look at them. Catching Nell’s mortified look, Mimi lifted her shoulders. ‘What? You think I’m too old to know about these things? I’ll have you know I read thatFifty Shadeson our coach holiday around the Peak District last year, didn’t I, Lucille?’

Lucille nodded. ‘I prefer a good murder, myself,’ she said.

‘You might get one this afternoon,’ Mimi said dramatically, taking the handcuffs from Nell and dropping them into Lucille’s handbag.

‘You better carry these. If Billy sees me with them Lord only knows what might go through that head of his.’ Mimi smiled sweetly and linked arms with Lucille. ‘Come, sister. There’s much to be done and little time to do it in.’

‘I see what you mean about adding a little colour to your wardrobe now, Nellie,’ Honey murmured as they watched the two old ladies leave, and Nell laughed and covered her face with her hands.

‘What was I thinking of? I just heard Mimi ask for handcuffs and flicked into helpful teacher mode.’

‘I’m actually afraid to ask why you have them in your handbag,’ Honey said, wincing in anticipation of Nell telling her something so lurid it would make it impossible to ever look at Simon in the same light again.

---