Inside, he combed the job section while the kettle boiled. By the time he drank his coffee he’d circled three jobs – all involved driving a van. He waited until office hours opened to make the calls. By 10 a.m. he’d secured an interview at a local printing company.
The interview was with a man called Nigel, who took a hands-on approach to every aspect of his printing business. Once Nigel confirmed personal use of the company van was allowed, Will agreed to a three-month trial starting Monday.
Will lay soaking in the bath on Monday evening, his muscles complaining about all the lifting he’d done on his first day in the job. He must have nodded off because he awoke with a start to thumping on the bathroom door. He squeaked upright.
‘Oi! Stop hogging the bathroom, you selfish git!’ came Aidan’s voice through the door. ‘Some of us have places to go!’
Will sank back into the tepid water. ‘Twat.’
He hadn’t seen Aidan since the Mean Fiddler gig, so despite not wanting to vacate the bathroom for him, he hauled himself out of the tub. He wanted to talk to him before he disappeared again.
Wrapped in a towel, with what he hoped was a nonchalant air, he leant against Aidan’s bedroom doorframe and said, ‘Emily seems nice.’
‘Yeah, gorgeous, isn’t she?’ Aidan was forming a pile of dirty clothes on the floor, no doubt to give to their mum.
‘Is she that barmaid from the pub?’
Aidan threw a sock onto the pile. ‘Yeah, she’s a student. She works there two nights a week.’
‘How long have you been seeing her?’
‘Dunno. A while.’
‘So, you called her straight after that night at the pub?’
Aidan picked up a t-shirt, smelt the armpits. ‘Pretty much. What’s this, twenty questions?’
‘Just making conversation.’
‘Stop being so bloody nosy,’ said Aidan. ‘Listen, I just told Mum, I’m moving out.’
‘Really? When?’ Was he moving in with her?
‘Rob and I are renting a flat in Cowley.’
Will breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Poor Rob.’
Will remembered Aidan teaching him the alphabet from the top bunk bed in this room. Will thrusting his feet into the mattress above to the rhythm of their chanting, wobbling Aidan with every letter. It was the end of an era.
Chapter 11
March 2016
Emily
I’m dreading Friday afternoon, and it arrives sooner than ever. Florence Harding’s dad (as he will forever be known) arrives later than usual to collect his daughter from her guitar lesson. He doesn’t say ‘hello’ when I buzz him in, and he takes the furthest seat from the counter. Kay squirms in her chair. She was only trying to do me a favour, setting me up with a handsome single guy, and I’d thrown it back in her face. The ticking of the clock on the wall is deafening. I should apologise, try to explain. I can’t sit through this every Friday. Kay’s eyes are on me as I stand and go through to the waiting area.
Mr Harding looks up from his phone as I take the seat next to him. ‘Let me explain––’ He goes to interrupt, but I continue, ‘Please?’
He nods.
‘Kay was telling the truth. Iamsingle, but I’ve been single for a long time, so I panicked. Sorry for the mixed messages.’
‘It’s only coffee.’ His tone is kind.
‘I know. I don’t know why I made a big deal out of it.’
‘Does that mean you’ve changed your mind?’