United State of Love (3 page)

‘Right. Fine.’

Anna waited until she heard the front door close. ‘I'll make the tea, Zoe, you sit there for a bit. Is everything all right?’

Zoe looked thoughtfully out of the window for a moment before answering. ‘The official party line is yes, everything is fine. Nathan's personal training business is really taking off. I'm busy looking after the children and the house, sipping coffee with girlfriends and flicking through glossy home furnishing magazines.’ Zoe let out a big sigh.

‘And unofficially?’ prompted Anna.

‘Unofficially, Nathan's working all the hours God sends to keep a roof over our heads so I don't have to go back to work. We hardly see each other. I just feel so tired all the time, it's a struggle to do anything.’ She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘I am a complete wreck, suffering from sleep deprivation, who can just about manage to pull on my baggy tracksuit and tie my hair in a ponytail.’

‘Is it really that bad?’

‘Most of the time. When you cancelled last night my first thought was, oh good, I don't have to bother getting all done up, I can just have a bath and go to bed. I was asleep by nine.’

Normally, Zoe was upbeat and positive but since Emily had been born, she had seemed less so, thought Anna as she looked at her sister-in-law. Her eyes looked heavy and the black circles underneath them were highlighting the bags that were beginning to become part of her daily feature.

‘It's natural to feel a bit run-down. You only had a baby four months ago.’

‘Some days I don't even want to get up. I feel like it's Groundhog Day most of the time.’ Zoe pulled her dressing gown further around her, retying the belt. ‘When Nathan gets in all I want to do is go to bed to sleep.’

Anna sensed that a ‘pull yourself together’ team talk wouldn’t help Zoe at this precise moment. A more practical approach would probably be best, Anna thought. In her head she began to formulate a plan of action.

Anna was convinced Mark was up to something but she couldn't for the life of her think what it was. She had woken up on Sunday morning to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking. Mark had made brunch for all three of them, something hitherto unheard of. Then, later, they had wandered down to the Fish and Fly pub and sat out in the courtyard garden sharing a bowl of chips. She had a glass of wine, while Luke nursed a coke. The conversation up until then had been easy-going, mostly involving Luke: his schoolwork, his band and his GCSEs that were looming in a couple of months. On the whole, it had been okay until Mark took a phone call. He had moved out of earshot, leaving her to watch him pace the car park with animated gestures. That was thirty minutes ago, and ever since he seemed agitated and restless, drumming his fingers or tapping his foot.

‘You okay, Mark?’ asked Anna, feeling uneasy by his mood change.

‘Of course I am. Why the hell wouldn’t I be?’ he snapped back.

‘Sorry, you just seem a bit on edge…’

‘Just drop it, Anna.’ He got up and strode off towards the toilets.

‘What’s got into him?’ asked Luke, exchanging a look with his mother. ‘He was all right until he took that call.’

Anna shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea. Best not say anything again.’

Mark came back a few minutes later and sat down, smiling at them. ‘That’s better. All okay? Good. Another drink?’

At home after returning from the pub, Anna felt even more troubled about Mark and his sour mood swing. Yes, he used to fly off the handle from time to time throughout their marriage, but she had never known it to be so sudden, or such a dramatic swing.

Late on Monday morning, Anna was sitting in a coffee shop in Chichester, phone in one hand and Jamie's business card in the other. She hadn’t heard from Tex yet and she couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

She flicked the business card over and over again in her fingers. Jamie had sounded like he’d meant it when he had said she should give him a call about work. She didn't actually have much choice. Not after her meeting with Howard earlier. She should have just kept her mouth shut. She should have just let Howard give her a roasting over her behaviour towards Andy. She should have just nodded and apologised. What she shouldn't have done was to tell Howard just what a creep Andy was and that Howard should be backing up his staff. She also shouldn't have said words to the effect of ‘over her dead body’ about taking Andy out to lunch. And she most definitely shouldn't have told Howard that if his attitude was her word against Andy's then he could stick his sodding job.

Ten minutes later and with a feeling of trepidation, Anna left the coffee shop. It had been a successful call. Jamie had sounded genuinely pleased to hear from her. They had agreed that she should travel up to his home in Surrey tomorrow.

‘Most of my work is done over the phone,’ he had explained. ‘Any meetings are usually at the client's house or hotel. I tend to go to my clients rather than them come to me, it's part of making the service professional and elite. I use my office at home to co-ordinate my staff. Yvonne helps out with the paperwork.’

It occurred to Anna that she should have done a bit of research about Jamie's company before she had phoned. She would have a look at his website when she got home, then at least she would be better prepared when she met him tomorrow. She also had a document waiting to be translated by Friday, so she’d have to make a start on that this afternoon, because Wednesday and Thursday she was working in the tea rooms. She could see a few late nights of translating coming up. Still, she shouldn’t complain, especially not now she’d just lost one of her jobs.

When she and Mark had separated, they had sold their bigger Southampton home and Mark had bought this one for her and Luke. She hadn't wanted to stay in Southampton, she'd only gone there with Mark because as a professional footballer, he needed to be near his club. Once his career had been deemed over, due to an accident, they no longer had any ties with the city. Anna had chosen to return to Chichester, where she had grown up, needing to feel she belonged somewhere, getting comfort from familiar places and people.

It was only a two-minute walk from the centre of Chichester to her little, two-up two-down, mews cottage. No matter whatever the weather – be it a bright April morning like today or a cold, dark winter's afternoon – the sight of her blue wooden door at 2 Coach House Cottages always made her feel happy.

She approached her front door, and as usual her neighbour Mrs Meekham twitched her net curtain. Anna waved and smiled, thinking if you looked up the expression Neighbourhood Watch in the dictionary, it would simply say ‘Mrs Meekham’. She put the key in the lock and turned it gently before creeping in. The front door opened straight into the living room and she didn't want to disturb Mark.

Much to her surprise, he was actually up, showered and dressed, judging by the two wet towels tossed idly on the back of the sofa, and was now in the kitchen, talking on his mobile.

‘Yes that would be great. I'll give you a call when it's convenient to come round. I just need to make sure…’ He stopped in mid-flow as he turned and saw Anna. ‘Err, look, can I give you a call back?  …  No everything's fine …  not at the moment… Yep …  Yep …  that's right… Okay, cheers then. Bye.’ He slid his phone shut and thrust it into his pocket.

‘You didn't need to hang up on my account,’ said Anna as she picked up the towels.

‘I didn't.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes. Really.’ The slight irritation in his voice didn't go unnoticed. ‘Just business. Nothing for you to worry about.’

Famous last words, thought Anna suspiciously. He was definitely being shifty. Perhaps he was planning to dash off back to America, something that she would be most happy about, but on the flip side, Luke would be crushed.

‘How long are you here for?’ she asked.

‘Not sure, a couple of weeks,’ responded Mark vaguely. ‘Thought I'd go and see my parents at the weekend.’

‘That'll be nice. You could take Luke with you.’

Mark looked slightly startled at the suggestion. It was obvious the thought hadn't actually crossed his mind.

‘Yeah, I was just about to suggest that myself,’ he said rather too brightly.

‘Good, that's that sorted,’ smiled Anna. Then changing the subject before Mark could think of an excuse to wriggle out of it, she said, ‘I have an appointment in Surrey tomorrow, so you and Luke will have to look after yourselves. I just need to sort out a few things about work.’

‘Okay, no problem.’

Towels put away, Anna sat down at the kitchen table and typed Jamie's website address into the laptop. The company logo appeared, a fancy hand drawn with wavy lines reaching out across an image of the world. She skimmed over the homepage, speed-reading. Relocation packages, various different levels of service – Silver, Gold, Platinum. Specialising in international relocations and assistance.

Anna flicked around the website, jotting down some things she thought she should remember. It might help to impress at tomorrow's interview. Then she clicked on ‘About Us’. There was a picture of Jamie smiling easily at the camera, his fair hair cut short with a slight side parting. Scrolling down, there was a picture of a footballer in a red and white kit standing next to Jamie. She read the caption underneath it.
Patrick Ardoin, Arsenal FC
. Anna assumed that Jamie had links with football clubs; it would make sense, as there were so many foreign players these days. She vaguely remembered Mark talking about Ardoin, saying what a good defender he was.

As a pro-footballer in his younger days, Mark had always been appreciative of Arsenal's 'rock solid back line'. Unfortunately, Mark's premiership career had only consisted of six first team starts.

Anna felt that familiar pang she always experienced when she thought of the accident that had not only brought about the end of Mark's playing career, but had also caused her to miscarry what would have been their second child. Another little boy. She closed her eyes and tried to shake the thoughts out of her head. She hated thinking about the last few years of their marriage; it was too painful. She turned her attention back to Jamie's website and clicked on ‘Testimonials and Clients’.

‘What you looking at?’ asked Mark, peering over Anna's shoulder.

Anna jumped, unaware that Mark was there. She snapped the lid down on the laptop.

‘Trunky want a bun?’ she teased, well, half-teased.

‘That's a pretty impressive CV,’ said Jamie, putting down the printout of Anna's résumé she had emailed the day before. ‘I was particularly impressed by the fact that you completed your Modern Languages degree through the Open University. That couldn't have been easy with a young child.’

‘No, it wasn't at times,’ acknowledged Anna. ‘But going to a brick uni wasn't an option.’

‘Work with the tour company is definitely over then?’

‘Well, put it like this. My P45 landed on the doormat within twenty-four hours of the meeting. So I think it's pretty safe to say I no longer work for them.’

Jamie leant back in his chair, his fingers steepled. ‘I can't guarantee work day in, day out initially. It quite often depends on whom you're assigned to, where they are located, whether it's a one-off assignment or an ongoing working arrangement. For example, you could be assigned to a family who are relocating from abroad and need lots of things sorting – moving home, schools, bank arrangements and so on – in which case you would be with them for several weeks or even months. On the other hand, it may be a one-off business meeting, or you may be needed to translate or help interview a live-in nanny or gardener. Something like that could be one day or a few days.’

‘It sounds fine. I’ve still got the couple of mornings I do at the tea rooms midweek.’

‘The work here doesn’t always involve translating. Sometimes it’s a bit more like PA work. Are you okay with that too?’

She nodded. ‘Absolutely. It sounds great.’ She genuinely liked the sound of it. She may even be able to give up the two mornings at the tea rooms.

‘Okay, let's give it a go, shall we?’ Jamie sat forward and tapped at the keyboard on his laptop. Then he paused, as if struck by a thought. ‘The PA work I mentioned, you all right working for Tex?’

Anna felt a little flutter in her stomach. Working for Tex? Could she work for him? Then again, could she say no to Jamie? Would that jeopardise her chances of getting this job? She realised Jamie was waiting for an answer.

‘Err… yes, that’s okay by me.’

‘You sure?’

‘Absolutely. He seems nice enough, I’m certain we can work together well.’ She wasn’t sure if Jamie was convinced.

‘I can always assign you to someone else, it’s just that Tex thought someone with local knowledge would be ideal.’

‘What, he asked for me?’

‘Pretty much. I told him I was interviewing you today and that’s when he suggested it.’ Jamie looked evenly at her. ‘I must admit, I have my reservations. You know he can be very charming.’

Anna felt the flutter in her stomach turn into a knot. Jamie was warning her Tex was a charmer. A ladies’ man. She looked directly at Jamie. ‘I’m sure he can be, but don’t worry, I never mix business with pleasure.’

A timely knock at the door brought the conversation to a halt. Yvonne poked her head in the room and smiled when she saw Anna.

‘Hi! How are you?’ she enquired.

‘I'm fine thanks. You?’

‘Great, thanks.’ Waving some papers in her hand, Yvonne looked over at her husband. ‘Thought you might need these. Time sheets, expenses forms, personnel form.’

‘Excellent! What would I do without you? Actually, while you're here perhaps you can go through them with Anna. You're much better at that sort of thing than me.’ Jamie gave Yvonne his best angelic smile and fluttered his eyes at her.

‘Quit with the puppy dog eyes, Dixon,’ joked Yvonne, then coming into the office, beckoned Anna. ‘Come on, you're with the Queen of Forms now. Let's sit over there on the sofa and go through them.’

‘Thank you, darling.’ Jamie grinned at his wife.

Anna dutifully followed Yvonne over to the black cube sofa and began going through the various personnel questions with her.

‘Okay, that's all done,’ announced Yvonne after fifteen minutes. ‘All explained and filled out as necessary.’ She put the form Anna had just completed into a wire tray marked ‘filing’ on Jamie’s desk.

‘Thanks ever so much for this,’ said Anna as she was leaving. Funny how it now seemed to be a double-edged sword. And one she didn’t want to get cut by.