‘Well, I quit my job.’
‘Quit your job?’ he asks alarmed, his jaw falling open. Mum doesn’t even look up from the TV.
‘Yeah, but it's for the best. I’ve just got to find something quickly. I’ll be fine,’ I lie. ‘Then Stuart had the cheek to turn up at the flat today.’
‘Stuart?’ Mum shrieks, looking up and muting the TV. ‘What did he say?’
‘Oh, some crap about him wanting me back, but I told him where to shove it.’
‘Too right love,’ Dad nods.
‘Why on earth did you tell him that?’ Mum says, almost out of breath. ‘Douglas! Pause the TV or something will you? I thought we had that Sky add thing?’
‘Sky plus,’ Dad says, shaking his head and reaching for the remote.
‘Err...because he treated me like crap and then left me,’ I say, pissed off that she seems to have forgotten all the times I’d cried on her sofa.
‘Yes, but Poppy, maybe you should give him another chance. I mean, he was always lovely.’
‘Maybe to you! But he was a bastard to me. And I’m over him anyway.’
‘Are you darling? Because you’re not getting any younger, and it would be lovely for you to go to the wedding together. You know how much he and Henry think of each other.’
‘I’m not just going to bring him to the wedding because Henry likes him!’
‘Well...then maybe do it for me, hmm?’
‘Why would I do it for you?’
‘Just...just to make me happy, that's all,’ she says, avoiding my gaze.
‘Mum, why are you being so secretive? What are you hiding?’ I demand.
‘Well...you have to understand darling that I was put in a very bad position.’
Oh God, this must be bad. Mum never apologises.
‘What did you do?’ I say slowly, bracing myself.
‘I...well, I suppose I...let people think...that you and Stuart are still together.’
‘What?’ I ask, too shocked to understand. ‘WHAT?’ I scream as it settles in. ‘Why the hell would you lie to everyone!?’
‘Well I didn’t exactly lie darling. Everyone just assumed that you were still going out and I just didn’t say anything. It's not really lying.’
‘Yes it is! Dad, did you know about this?’
‘I told her not to, love. She just wouldn’t listen.’
‘I’m so sorry darling, but I just assumed that you’d get back together. And then more time went on and I didn’t know how to tell them and then all of a sudden it was the wedding.’
‘Mum, we broke up a year ago.’ I hold my temples in frustration.
‘I’m sorry. But don't worry...I’ll tell them,’ she says sadly.
‘Yes, make sure that you do!’ I shout.
‘I will. Of course....it will be hard on Henry and Abbey to have this bad news over shadow their wedding, but of course I’ll tell them. And they’ll all be pestering you at the wedding, feeling sorry for you. And Madge is so busy showing off about her daughter Rachel getting engaged. It will be hard, but...I suppose I’ll get through it. I just hope the stress doesn’t make me ill so soon before the wedding.’
Dear God, why does she do this to me!? Richard’s relationship is the one she should be worrying about, not me.
‘OK!’ I scream. ‘God I hate you guys! I will take him to the wedding but that is it. The minute the wedding is over you have to tell everyone it's over, OK?’
‘Of course darling! Thank you, sweetheart. I really appreciate it,’ she says, pouring herself a congratulation glass of wine.
‘And you will tell them straight away after?’
‘Let’s not jump the gun, shall we? I mean, you may end up having a fabulous evening with Stuart and then...well, let’s just see shall we.’
Chapter 31
‘Poppy, it's Neville.’
‘Oh hi Neville! I’ve actually been meaning to call you. I hear the temps are fighting over you,’ I giggle.
‘Yeah. You can't imagine how grateful I am to you.’
‘Like I said – it's just good PR.’
‘Well, thanks. So anyway, how are you? Have you found any work?’
‘No. It seems Victor has blacklisted me from the entirety of London. Recruitment agencies aren’t even taking me on. He must be really pissed.’
‘Oh, he is. You should have seen him! It was hilarious!’
‘Oh God. Oh well. Anyway, how are you getting on with the dating thing?’
‘Great actually. I’ve met someone.’
‘You’re joking!’
Great. So I’m officially the only single person left in the world.
‘I know, it's great isn’t it! It's actually Megan in accounts.’
Megan? Oh yes, mouse hair lady with glasses that wears broaches.
‘Oh Megan! That's great,’ I say, trying to sound enthusiastic.
God, I’m going to die alone. Neville was my safety net. Now I’ll have to go and buy ten cats and live up to the stereotype of an old spinster.
‘Yeah, we’ve got so much in common! Anyway, I’m rabbiting on. I actually called for a reason.’
‘OK?’
‘My sister’s a PA and is about to give birth to her second baby. They’ve been looking for someone to replace her and I thought of you. Would you be interested?’
‘Would I be interested? Of course I would be! What company is it?’ I ask quickly, intrigued.
‘She’s a PA to Michael Schorsky.’
‘Oh, and what company does he work for?’
‘He’s Michael Schorsky. You know...the famous film director?’ he says, speaking to me as if I’m clinically insane.
‘Oh. No I don't think I’ve heard of him.’
He’s obviously not that famous.
‘Oh, that's strange. Anyway, it's only for a year and there’s nothing guaranteed at the end of it, but it's a great opportunity. Not something to be sniffed at.’
‘Oh right. Well, I’d definitely be interested’ I say, already planning my interview outfit. ‘But...well maybe you should offer it to Lilly first.’
I still feel so awful at how we’ve left things. I’ve tried to call her but she won't take my calls.
‘I did offer it to her first.’
‘Oh.’ I can't help but feel a little upset. Neville was supposed to be in love with me, but he went to Lilly first?
‘Apparently she’s already got plans of her own.’
‘Really?’
‘Yep, but that's all she said. Right, it's settled then. I’ll call Charlotte and get it organised.’
‘OK great.’
See. Things are looking up. The universe is finally repaying me for my kind actions.
* * *
‘Well, it's been lovely meeting you Poppy,’ Charlotte says to me. ‘In fact, I’d actually like you to meet Michael if you have some more time.’
‘Oh...yes of course.’ I get up and straighten down my suit.
‘Just bear with me,’ she says, struggling to get up from her seat, her enormous bump crowding her thin frame.
‘So are you excited then?’ I ask as she leads me through some double doors, into a long corridor.
‘Excited about what?’ she asks turning to me confused.
‘You know...the baby,’ I say pointing to her bump.
‘Of course! Sorry, sometimes I forget! Well, it's my second, so I can't fool myself this time round and tell myself that it won't hurt and it won't be that hard. Plus, I don't think my vagina will ever be the same again, but you know. Sacrifices and all that,’ she laughs.
‘Oh...yeah.’
She leads me through onto what looks like a movie set. There’s a sitting room set up, and people milling around reading scripts. I almost trip over a train set which seems to have a camera at the end of it.
‘Wait here,’ she says, smiling before she disappears.
I watch her walk over and start chatting to a man in his 40’s sitting on one of those wooden camping chairs. He looks over at me, a suspicious look on his face as he looks me up and down.
She runs back over to me, excited and out of breath.
‘Poppy – he’s got about five minutes to meet you quickly. Follow me.’
I follow her into a small dingy room and sit down, trying not to sweat profusely with nerves.
‘Hi,’ he says, swinging the door open arrogantly. He stares at me, a bit like a rabbit in headlights, and picks up a chair. He drags it to the farthest part of the room and sits down, still seeming on edge. Is it me or is he acting a bit scared of me?
‘Hi – I’m Poppy.’ I extend my hand to him.
He flinches and looks to Charlotte for reassurance. She nods and he nervously takes my hand and then slowly shakes it.
This guy is mental.
‘So Poppy, Charlotte says that you’ve got all the right skills, so I just want to get to know you a bit.’
‘OK.’ I smile nervously, wondering if I actually want to work for a freak. Not that I have a lot of options.
‘So Poppy, are you a big fan of my work?’
‘Um...yeah...I love your films,’ I say lying through my teeth.
Let me think. When I googled him earlier I tried to remember a few of the film titles he’d made.
‘I loved Dog’s Life.’
‘Really?’ he says smiling, a little unsure still. ‘What did you think of it?’
‘Really...good,’ I say as positively as I can.