Judith Wants To Be Your Friend (16 page)

She peered through the door at the top of the stairs and found Helen sitting filing, for all the world as though it was a week day. Damn, she’d heard her come in.

‘Morning Judith. What brings you in on a Sunday?’

‘I could ask you the same question actually.’

‘My husband’s gone fishing.’

‘Again?’

‘Yes and I don’t know many people so I thought I might as well come in and tidy up.’

Judith looked round. ‘It is tidy. It was tidy before you left on Friday. You don’t need to come and tidy up on a Sunday.’

‘I know, but I was bored.’

‘Who was that on the phone?’

‘I was checking for messages. Here they are.’ She pushed a couple of notes across to Judith. ‘OK?’

‘Yes, of course. Sorry. I’m not used to people coming on Sundays voluntarily. I’ve come to get some papers I left on my desk.’ Judith moved into her own office and looked around. It all looked the same as it had on Friday, so why did she feel so unnerved?

She jumped as Helen said ‘You found them?’ right behind her.

‘Yes. Thank you. Are you staying?’ She hovered about wishing she could think of a good reason to force her to leave.

‘I think I will, for a while. Then I’ll go home and start cooking.’

‘Right, well, I need to go now. See you tomorrow.’

Tuesday 16
th
December 2008

Helen came through to Judith’s office with cheques and letters to sign. She looked a bit worried.

‘Is something wrong, Helen?’ Judith asked.

‘I don’t know how to tell you,’ she started.

‘You’re not leaving, are you?’ Judith couldn’t think what else it might be.

‘No, I’m not, but Sparkles is. You know, the window cleaning company.’

‘Yes, I know them. Why are they leaving?’

‘Same as Lennie May, cutting back on costs. They all seem to be finding it difficult to make ends meet these days. Mr. Spark says his wife will do the books.’

‘She’s hopeless! It was because of her book-keeping that they got into such a muddle a few years ago. It’s a false economy, for them anyway. I’ll ring them and talk them round.’

‘I thought you’d say that so I’ve already done it. I didn’t tell you yesterday because I was hoping I wouldn’t have to.’

Judith sighed. ‘I’ve put an advert in the paper in the hope of pulling in more clients but I don’t know how effective that will be just before Christmas. I’ll book another one for January; in fact will you do that today please. I made some good contacts at Phoenix Antiques on Friday night too so we may get more business to compensate for the recent losses. I don’t like it though.’

‘No,’ agreed Helen. ‘It’s not good to lose so many clients so quickly.’

Judith looked at Helen as she said this. What was it about this woman? To all intents and purposes she was perfect; but there was just something about her. Judith resolved to follow up the references she had given her and reflected that maybe she should have done that before now.

The phone rang. It was Fiona wanting to sort out a time for them to go back to Grieg’s to get the form filled in to take over their mother’s affairs. Judith nodded to Helen who left to go and do whatever it was that she did in a fully up-to-date and immaculate office.

Chloe was locking up at five-thirty as Judith was walking back from the solicitors. She stood on the pavement and looked back into her shop. It was perfect. Just enough carefully placed antiques to look welcoming but never cluttered. The words ‘Phoenix Antiques’ etched into the glass looked so classy. She noticed Judith stop when she saw her and wait as she crossed the busy road.

‘Off home?’ asked Judith.

‘Yes. It’s been busy today and I have to go and pick up some stock in the morning. I’m shattered.’

‘Have you got your car, or are you getting the train?’

‘Train. Doing my bit to save the planet and all that. Saves paying for parking as well.’

‘Do you want a lift home?’

‘No thanks, I’m fine on the train.’

‘It’s no bother.’

‘No, really, thanks. I have to dash or I’ll miss it. See you soon for lunch.’ Chloe had to stop herself from running down Hallgate and past the Old Gaol to get out of sight.

Judith glanced at her watch. Chloe really would have to hurry to catch the train and in fact probably wouldn’t make it. She decided to drive down to the station to see.

Chloe was sitting in the waiting room looking cold and practically hugging the black marble fireplace when Judith walked in. She jumped when she saw her.

‘I said I’d get the train, Judith, I’m fine,’ she said.

‘You missed it. I thought you would. You’ve got over half an hour to wait until the next one. I’ll drive you. Come on.’

‘No, no thanks, really. I’m happy waiting.’

‘But, why?’

‘Because,’ she hesitated a little too long to be convincing, ‘because it’s my thinking time. I’ve got my notebook and I need to do some thinking and make notes about what I need tomorrow. Stuff like that, you know?’

She wished Judith would go. It looked as though she was going to stand there until the next train came along. She wished she could put her finger on what made her nervous. She reached into her bag and brought out the notebook as if to say
See? Here it is
.

‘OK, if you’re sure.’

‘I’m sure, but thanks for the offer.’

Thursday 18
th
December 2008

Rosie came downstairs to make a cup of tea just after eleven. She looked at her mother’s red eyes and her blotchy face.

‘What’s wrong? Is it Granny?’ she asked her mother.

‘No. Judith.’

‘What’s she said now? I wish she would be a bit nicer. Well, she is nice sometimes but you never know how she’s going to be. What is it?’

‘I asked her to come with us to have Christmas lunch with Granny at Mill View and she said ‘not bloody likely’ along with a load of nasty things about the other residents. I said if she can’t be bothered to make the effort for Granny then I can’t be bothered to make any effort for her and she shouldn’t think she’s coming round here later.’ Tears started to roll down her face again.

‘It’s just you two sisters squabbling,’ said Rosie although she didn’t mean it. She tried to keep things light between the two of them. The family had enough problems without Judith upsetting her mum all the time. ‘Forget it. She’ll change her mind.’

‘She won’t. And she wants to get this house ready to sell. Just before Christmas; I ask you! I told her to forget that.’

‘Does she really want us to move out?’ Rosie stopped trying to placate her mother and looked serious.

‘I think she wants the money. I never thought of her as being short of cash but maybe she’s struggling.’

‘That’s her fault for buying such a flashy flat and car. She could easily economise. We have to.’

‘I know. But she is right. You’ll be away soon and this place is too big for just me.’

‘Next October isn’t soon. It’s nearly a year. She can’t force us to sell. And she can’t use the power of attorney for her own gain; I’ve read all the stuff.’ She squeezed her mother’s hand. ‘We’ll have fun with Granny. Forget Judith.’

‘Yes, but that means that Judith will be on her own at Christmas.’

‘That’s her bad luck. Anyway she’ll make friends with you before then.’

Judith was fed up with arguing with Fiona but their conversations always seemed to end badly. She decided to call Chloe about their lunch date.

‘Hi Chloe. You busy today?’

‘Yes, very.’

‘I’ll pick up a sandwich for you when I go out to get one. Anything in particular you fancy? Is Louise there? Does she want one as well?’

‘Thanks Judith, anything for me. I don’t think I’ll have long to stop, though. Louise is popping out later so she’s already had hers.’

‘She’ll be starving by four o’clock, then.’

‘Yes, but she’ll just eat again then. She never puts on a scrap of weight. It’s really not fair.’

‘OK, see you about half twelve.’

Whatever was wrong with Chloe on Tuesday, she seemed to have got over it. Who knew what was going on in her life? She seemed friendly but didn’t give much away. Judith decided to finish off the self-assessment tax return she was part-way through before going out. It was quite complex with different income streams and just the sort of job she loved doing. It worked wonders for her mood and she forgot about the argument with Fiona.

Louise looked across at Chloe. Her friend so seldom sat still.

‘What?’

‘Judith’s bringing me a sandwich later. I feel so stupid about the other night. I don’t know what to say.’

‘She wasn’t put off that you didn’t take up her offer of a lift?’

‘No, it doesn’t look like it.’

‘She’s thick-skinned. Don’t say anything then. You don’t have to explain your choices to her. Just behave normally.’

‘OK, and hopefully she will have got the message and won’t ask me again.’

‘Yes, better to keep business and pleasure separate.’

‘Good advice from the woman who married her best customer some years ago!’

Louise laughed. ‘Exactly! Take it from one who knows about these things.’

‘Fair point and well made. I will do as you say.’

‘Do you think she fancies you? Is that why you feel uncomfortable?’

‘I never know when a guy fancies me so I probably wouldn’t notice if a woman did.’

‘I notice these things, and I would say not, actually. I’ll take more notice when she’s here. I am assuming you want me to hang around until she goes?’

‘If you can, yes please. What time do you need to go out?’

‘I’ve got an appointment with the dreaded bank manager, but I can call and make it later than two if you need me here. Wait and see. She probably won’t stay that long.’

Lunch was quite jolly. Between customers Chloe and Louise were looking through some of what they called ‘new’ stock but which was clearly rather old. Chloe had bought quite a lot of antique jewellery and Judith decided to buy all the family Christmas presents there and then; a brooch for her mother and earrings for Fiona and Rosie. She told Chloe and Louise that these were extra presents for them after the difficult time they’d all had recently.

‘Something for you as well then, Judith,’ said Louise looking at the colour of Judith’s eyes. ‘Green, I think, will suit your colouring.’ She held up some jade earrings to her face as she directed her to look in a mirror with an ornate gold surround she brought over from the selling area. They dangled just below the sharp cut of her hair.

‘They look fabulous, Judith. Gosh Louise, you are clever to pick out something just like that,’ said Chloe.

‘Ah ha, I don’t have many talents, but that is one of them. They’ve got your name written all over them, haven’t they? Chloe, couldn’t we do Judith a really good deal as she’s buying the other pieces?’

‘Yes, of course. It’s nice to be able to offer a bargain to our friends. What do you think Judith? Do you like them?’

‘I love them,’ she said. ‘Yes, you are clever Louise. I would never have picked them out for myself.’

Louise started a complicated charade of pricing and discounting that left even Judith’s accountancy head reeling, but eventually she settled on
£
186. She noticed Judith twitch slightly at the amount and quickly said, ‘OK, make it
£
175, because it’s you. Not a word, Chloe, it’s only fair to look after one of our favourite customers.’

Judith realised that this might be Louise’s way of telling her that it hadn’t gone unnoticed that so far she wasn’t a customer of any sort. She had taken far more than she had ever given to Chloe’s enterprise. She didn’t feel as though she could refuse.

‘Perfect,’ she said, ‘just perfect. I’ll need to go to the bank. I don’t carry that sort of cash around with me.’

‘We take credit cards,’ said Louise as she lifted the machine from the neat desk drawer and placed it in front of Judith.

Chloe smiled and cooed over the purchases as she covered them carefully in tissue paper then gift-wrapped each one. There was no turning back. Judith handed over her credit card.

‘£175!’ said Chloe as Louise put on her coat to go to the bank later. ‘You know I wouldn’t have put any one of those pieces at over thirty pounds each?’

‘I know. See you later.’

At five-thirty Judith crossed the road to walk down the lane to the car park and saw Chloe talking to someone. She turned to move on as Judith approached and jumped as she heard her call out.

‘Chloe, we really must stop meeting like this!’

‘Yes, we must,’ she replied, meaning it. ‘I must get on or I’ll miss my train, again.’

‘I’ll give you a lift. My car’s right here.’

‘No, really Judith, I want to catch the train,’ she said and marched off down the hill. ‘See you soon.’

Oh really
, thought Judith,
what is wrong with that woman? What’s wrong with my sister? What’s wrong with my secretary? I am fed up with all of them
. Then the posters in the travel agent caught her eye and she decided there and then that she would go away for Christmas. Bugger the lot of them.

Friday 19
th
December 2008

Helen had asked for the day off to go Christmas shopping in Newcastle so Judith pottered around the office. She had booked a holiday on-line the night before and spent the day finishing off bits and pieces. There wasn’t too much to do so she started to look through the filing cabinet that Helen kept so neatly. Everything was in alphabetical order as before, but she had devised some sort of colour code that Judith was determined to crack. It appeared quite simple; the coloured stickers denoted the level of turnover of each business. No, it couldn’t be that, thought Judith as she examined a couple with blue spots. No, it was more to do with the complexity of the business. James’s, for example, had a high turnover but relatively few transactions and they were all very simple to account for. That had a blue spot. A small, private training company with a mixture of income streams, some of which incurred VAT and some which didn’t, had a red sticker. They were trying to keep below the VAT threshold because they had a lot of individual clients and charity clients who wouldn’t be able to claim it back. Yes, it must be to do with complexity. She wondered why Helen needed that sort of information on a day-to-day basis. She would keep an eye on it. Not today, though. She needed to leave a note for Helen then go home and pack ready for her early flight the next day.