Page 71 of The Village Cafe in the Loire

Feeling slightly dazed, she walked across the main office space, smiling widely, saying hello to people as she passed, as if there were nothing wrong, and never had been. She stopped by Stuart’s desk. The intern cowered slightly.

‘Stuart,’ she said. ‘I really am sorry about what happened.’

He looked at her.

‘You know, it was never meant to go near you. Go anywhere, really. The laptop, I mean.’

‘It’s OK,’ he said, his face flushing.

‘Well, still. It must have been horrible for you.’

She still remembered the incident, but it was as if it had happened to someone else. She couldn’t imagine throwing anything in fury, let alone something heavy and valuable, and in the vicinity of other people.

She moved on, before he started getting into the brace position or crawling under his desk. And there it was, her little corner of the office. Neat filing tray, new laptop closed, mouse mat. Her little pot of pens. That ridiculous cactus Amber had given her with the googly eyes. Walking towards her old home-from-home, she felt herself step into her role. Becky, advertising whizz, queen of the corporate world. On the up. She pulled her chair and slid into it, feeling the familiar curves of the fabric against her back.

‘You back?’ said a voice, and Wendy lifted her head from behind her screen opposite. ‘Nice holiday?’

‘Great, thanks.’ It was better not to remind her exactly why she’d been off.

‘Glad to see you back,’ said Maurice, moments later, passing from his glass-fronted office and perching a bum cheek on the edge of her desk proprietorially. ‘Actually, I hate to nab you when you’re first in, but Julie mentioned you’d returned early,and we’ve got rather a large presentation tomorrow at six. I’d love you to be present. Get you back up to speed, so to speak.’

‘At six?’

‘Yes. Only time we could fix. But it’s such an opportunity.’

‘But I can’t. I need to… My friend’s in hospital and visiting hours are…’

Maurice frowned.

‘I mean,’ she corrected, ‘of course. I’ll be there.’

‘That’s settled then! Great to have you on board!’ he said jovially.

‘Aw, your friend’s sick?’ Wendy said distractedly. ‘Hope she’s all right.’

‘She’s…’ But it was no use. The office had swallowed her back.

Perhaps it was for the best. Perhaps she did need to get back up to speed. And Amber was going to be out of hospital soon. She opened her laptop and started the process of logging in.

Julie appeared at her side like a ghoul. ‘Can I have a quick word?’ she said, all smiles and warpaint.

‘Sure. Of course.’

‘Great.’

They walked towards Julie’s office and the HR lead slipped a Post-it into her hand. ‘Here you go,’ she said. ‘Doc confirmed for five o’clock. So that’s good news!’ she grinned. ‘Just a formality, I’m sure, but with insurance being what it is…’ She opened her office door. ‘See you tomorrow!’ A gentle but firm ‘fuck off.’

It was something of a relief.

Back on the underground, workers had been replaced on the Tube by tourists and day trippers, their mood clearly contrasting with her own: the freedom and enjoyment tangible on their faces; excited chatter over maps; pointing out sights in guidebooks.

She’d go and see Amber, she thought. Amber would know what to say. But when she arrived at the hospital and foundher way (easily, this time) to her bedside, she couldn’t find the words. ‘How are you?’ she said instead.

‘I’m OK. Hopefully out of here tomorrow,’ Amber told her. She looked a little more upbeat.

‘Are you sure you won’t come back to the flat? I can pay your half of the rent for a bit?’

Amber shook her head. ‘I couldn’t let you do that,’ she said. ‘I need to start being real with myself. Not biting off more than I can chew.’

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