Page 33 of Kate and Clara's Curious Cornish Craft Shop
‘I am. Let’s do this!’
Suddenly, there’s a ringing sound that makes both of us jump.
‘It’s the shop alarm,’ Jack says looking at me. ‘Did you reset it properly?’
‘Yes,’ I reply, looking puzzled. ‘I’m sure I did. Wait there. I’ll go and check on it.’
I grab the key and hurry down the stairs. I unlock the door and immediately try to silence the alarm by putting in the same digits 5524, but it doesn’t stop so I have to try again.
‘It’s not working!’ I call up the stairs. ‘I’m putting in the code but it’s still ringing.’
‘Try again!’ Jack shouts back down. ‘Five, five, two, four, yes?’
‘Yes, that’s what I’m doing.’
I hurry back to the shop and keep trying the code, but the painfully shrill noise just keeps going.
I dash back out to the hallway about to call up to Jack again, but to my surprise he’s already heading down the stairs.
I watch in admiration and awe as he expertly propels himself down the stairs, his strong muscular arms swinging his body from step to step.
When he reaches the bottom I realise he’s stretching for his wheelchair, so I hurriedly push it towards him.
‘I can do it!’ he snaps as he pulls himself up and on to the chair.
I stand aside as he now wheels himself towards the shop and through the door. Within a few seconds the alarm has stopped.
‘You did it!’ I say happily as I stand in the doorway watching him.
‘Yes,’ he says sourly. ‘Idid.’
‘What did you do?’ I ask, wondering why he is being a bit off with me.
‘What I askedyouto do – merely press four numbers.’
‘I did. I put in the numbers. Five, five, two, four, right?’
‘Simple enough, one would have thought, but apparently not in your case.’
My eyes narrow as my hackles bristle. ‘What’s your problem, Jack? Why are you having a go at me, what have I done?’
Jack shakes his head and turns away. ‘It doesn’t matter. Perhaps you’d better go. I think I’ve had enough of your … weirdness for one night.’
‘Myweirdness? I’m not the one who has an easel that brings pictures to life, am I? Or an alarm that only resets when it wants to.’
Jack looks at the alarm, but not at me.
‘Please leave, Kate.’
‘Fine! You won’t mind if I collect my things first?’
Jack looks at me and shakes his head, so I stomp up the stairs, grab my bag and fabrics and then stomp back down again.
I don’t say goodbye. I simply walk past him, let myself out of the door and slam it behind me.
That man!I think, as I march back down the street.His mood changes more often than the tides in the harbour. What the hell is wrong with him? And more to the point: Why do I care so much?
Twelve
