Page 8 of The Winter of Second Chances
‘Well, I’m very interested in having a look.’
‘Please!’ said the woman. ‘Please do! I’d said to myself, this is the last week I’m going to put the ad in and if nobody calls, then it’s just not meant to be.’
‘When can I come to view?’ asked Annie.
‘Tomorrow?’ said the woman.
‘Perfect!’
‘Could you bring some I.D. and could I ask you to email me a reference, please?’
‘Oh,’ said Annie. ‘Yes, of course.’ She was sure Marianne wouldn’t mind writing her a reference.
‘And just a couple of bank statements, if you don’t mind. It’s just so that we know you’re financially able to cope with the job.’
‘We?’ asked Annie.
‘My nephew and I,’ said the woman. ‘He’s helping me with the details.’
The apartment was at a place called Willow Bay, so-called because – according to the woman with the soft story voice, who introduced herself as Mari – a smugglers’ ship named theWillowhad sunk there in a storm in 1502. Annie was intrigued.
When Annie arrived back at the hotel, the receptionists were changing shifts. The lady relinquishing her responsibility for the front desk smiled as Annie entered the lobby and Annie saw her name badge read ‘Sally’.
‘Hi,’ said Annie. ‘I’m Annie Sharpe. Thank you so much for the wine and chocolates. It was really kind of you. It was just the tonic I needed.’
‘You’re welcome,’ said Sally. ‘There’s not much that booze and chocolate can’t fix.’ And then, emboldened by her foray into the world of flat-hunting, Annie did something quite out of character.
‘I’d like to buy you a drink,’ she said. ‘Have you got to rush off?’
Sally beamed at her and backed her wheelchair out from behind the desk.
‘There’s nothing that can’t wait!’ said Sally.
The conversation was easy. Annie had already blurted out most of the excruciating details of Max’s infidelity over the phone to Sally, so there was no need for polite coyness now.
Annie guessed that Sally was a bit older than her, with cropped dark hair and an elfin face. As they chatted Annie discovered that Sally had been divorced twice and had a grown-up son and daughter. Her current partner was awonderfulwoman called Susan but neither of them were keen to go down the marriage route again.
‘There is nothing quite like that feeling when you find out your beloved has cheated on you,’ said Sally, as they settled into their second glass of wine. ‘It’s like being punched in the chest. Knocks the wind right out of you.’
Annie nodded.
‘And how stupid you feel!’ said Annie. ‘Like, how did I not know? How did ourgreengrocerguess and I didn’t?’
‘The greengrocer knew?’
‘About the second one, yes. He kept seeing Max ducking in and out of the flat above the bank, from his shop window. He’d known my parents; I guess he felt loyalty-bound to tell me.’
‘I love a loyal greengrocer,’ said Sally, which made Annie guffaw into her wine. ‘And yet you went back for more! I kicked my first husband out the moment I found out. That was it. Over. Nobody does that to me.’
‘God, you’re so together,’ said Annie.
‘It’s not about beingtogether,’ said Sally. ‘It’s about knowing your worth. I was worth more than being cheated on. My mum drilled it into me as far back as I can remember. She said, “Sally, people are going to try to take advantage of you because of your chair. Know your worth, my girl.”’
‘Your mum sounds amazing,’ said Annie.
‘She is,’ said Sally. ‘Hard as nails and soft as playdough!’
‘My family didn’t do divorce,’ said Annie. ‘I mean, that’s not the only reason I stayed, but my mum and dad had me much older in life and they were very religious; they believed in for better or worse like it was an actual law.’
