The Better Woman (27 page)

‘Oh, Simon's okay – a bit miserable, but okay.'

He propped the second suitcase up against the wardrobe and there was hardly standing space in the room. Feeling claustrophobic, Jodi crawled across the bed to reach the window. She opened it wide and a blast of cold air stung her face. On the street below she saw children with woollen hats and bulky jackets. Their faces looked pinched and bored as they kicked at yesterday's puddles of rain. Jodi turned away from the window feeling rather despondent. It was hard to believe that only a few days ago she'd swum under a dazzling sun and run across piping-hot sand to come twelfth place in the Ironwoman Series.

‘Don't worry,' said Andrew reassuringly. ‘You'll feel different when we get our own place nearer the city. You're going to like London, I know it.'

Janice and Simon worked demanding jobs and were out of the house for the greater part of the day. In the mornings they ate a hurried breakfast before heading off in their mud-splattered ten-year-old BMW. Simon dropped Janice at the tube station
before continuing on to his own job which was located further out of town.

Tracey, a science student who seemed to have very few classes, had a more relaxed schedule. She ate cereal, not just for breakfast, but for lunch and dinner too. She watched a lot of TV and muttered monosyllabic replies whenever Jodi tried to make conversation.

Every day Jodi and Andrew went to the local library to sift through the work advertisements in the daily newspapers. They used the library's copying machine and computer to complete their job applications. Then they would read through the ads for rental accommodation and daydream about living together on their own.

After two weeks, Andrew was called for an interview in the city. Jodi went with him for moral support. It was a forty-minute ride on the tube, initially on an overground track. The stations they passed through had large billboards saying things like:
We're now on the internet, you can make your application online
or,
Visit our new website to see a full range of products and services.

‘The internet boom seems a lot more prominent here than it was in Sydney,' Jodi commented.

‘Maybe that means there's a strong job market,' Andrew replied, his thoughts on his upcoming interview.

The tube went underground as it neared the city centre. It whizzed through black tunnels, Jodi staring unseeingly out of the window. She was nervous for Andrew. They were both desperate to move out of his mother's house and into their own place. Hopefully he would get the job and they would have the means.

They changed trains at Oxford Circus and had a short ride to Cannon Street Station, where they finally disembarked. The
escalator up to the street went on forever; it seemed as though they were emerging from the very depths of the earth. The sky threatened rain as they walked through the inner square mile, where all the prominent banks and blue-chip companies had their offices.

‘Good luck.' Jodi pecked a kiss on his mouth when they got to their destination. She straightened his tie and pointed to a café across the road. ‘I'll wait in there.'

Inside the café, she unwound her scarf and sat at a table next to the window. There was only one other customer, a man in a suit who looked as if he'd just received some bad news. The waitress, however, had a friendly face.

‘Where's that accent from?' she enquired as she took Jodi's coffee order.

‘Australia.'

‘Ohhhh, how I would love some sun right now!'

The waitress had caramello skin and dark exotic eyes. She chatted for a while, until a male voice called from the kitchen, ‘Seeta!'

‘My father,' Seeta explained, throwing her eyes to heaven. ‘He doesn't like me fraternising with the clientele.'

When she'd gone, Jodi thought that her friendliness made a pleasant change from Andrew's family. Now that she was alone for the first time in two weeks, she had time to gather her thoughts. They weren't positive.

It's so bleak here
, she thought, looking out at the heavy sky.
Maybe that's why his family don't laugh or seem to enjoy life.

A feeling that had been nagging her since the day she arrived reared its head high enough for her to be able to put a name to it: homesickness. She missed her mother, who still managed to smile despite the unlucky hand she'd been dealt in life. And she
missed Grandma, her toughness, her softness, her wheezy cackle, and the walking stick that was practically part of her anatomy.

Seeta came along with the coffee and another friendly but brief chat. Jodi cupped the mug with her hands. Trying to feel warm. About London.

If neither of us gets a job, then we'll have to go back to Sydney
.

An hour later she saw Andrew striding across the street. She could tell from the grin splitting his face that the job was in the bag. That they would be staying in this cold intimidating city.

Andrew's letter of offer came in the post three days later. On the promise of an upcoming pay packet, he promptly borrowed six hundred pounds from his mother for the bond on a maisonette in West London. The maisonette had a kitchen and living area downstairs, and a large bedroom and bathroom upstairs. The carpets were dark green, not a colour that Jodi would have chosen, but they were brightened by the fresh white paint on the walls.

‘There's so much space!' Jodi exclaimed excitedly as she ran from room to room.

She stopped in her tracks, suddenly realising why the rooms seemed so vast. ‘We have no furniture!'

Andrew laughed, amused that the obvious had only just occurred to her. ‘We need to get some money in the bank first.'

‘What'll we sleep on?'

‘A mattress, I suppose. We should be able to pick up a secondhand one.'

Jodi giggled. ‘We'll be like squatters.'

‘Well,' he gave her a suggestive look, ‘I must admit that I find the idea of squatting with you rather sexy.'

They moved in and Andrew started work. Jodi went for a few
interviews but the jobs weren't what she wanted. She had no desire to get another beefed-up administration job. She wanted something that would catapult her into a real career.

Two of the interviews turned into job offers, which she declined.

‘Do you think I'm being too picky?' she asked Andrew.

‘No. Hold out another while – everyone is saying the market's hot. Sooner or later someone will be desperate enough to overlook your inexperience.'

She smacked his arm. ‘Desperate? Thanks very much!'

He grinned lopsidedly. ‘You know what I mean.'

She pointed her finger. ‘You watch out, Andrew Ferguson. Soon I'll be bringing in the big bucks and I'll be wearing the pants around here.'

He leered. ‘To be honest, I like it best when you wear no pants at all.'

She rolled her eyes. ‘You've got a one-track mind.'

Andrew was right. In the end someone did get desperate and Jodi got a phone call.

‘One of our temps has gone AWOL.' The agent at the end of the line sounded stressed. ‘We need someone to go in straight away or we'll lose the account.'

‘What's the role?' Jodi asked.

‘Business analyst,' was the harried reply, ‘with unit pricing and reconciliation experience.'

Jodi's experience of unit pricing was limited to the questions she'd asked Andrew when they first met. She bit her lip while she contemplated the risk of putting herself forward for a role for which she had absolutely no experience.

She made her decision. ‘Where do I need to go?'

‘Liverpool Street. And as soon as you can. We'll pick up the taxi fare.'

The agent stayed on the line to give some further details. As soon as she hung up, Jodi raced upstairs to change into a suit. At last she was going to be part of London's work force. She would commute in a packed train, maybe buying an overpriced coffee to kick-start the day. She'd have deliverables and deadlines, a new boss and colleagues. And maybe, just maybe, she might see a more appealing side to this great big city.

Invesco had their offices in an old-style redbrick building. The lift was slow and creaky; it sounded like it needed maintenance. Jodi took a steadying breath when it finally shuddered to a stop at the fifth floor.

‘I'm from ABC Recruitment,' she introduced herself to the receptionist. ‘Jodi Tyler.'

The receptionist nodded and punched some buttons on her telephone system. ‘She's here,' she announced to whoever was at the end of the line.

She hung up with a grimace. ‘They're all in a flap back there! Some of the funds, the ones the temp was working on, haven't been valued yet this morning.'

‘Oh.'

Jodi tried not to look worried at the prospect of being asked to value a fund the instant she set foot on the premises.

The doors leading to the back office slid open to reveal a forty-something woman with short frizzy fair hair and faded lipstick.

‘Come through,' she barked, holding one of the doors open with her foot.

Jodi approached, holding out her hand. ‘I'm –'

‘I know your name.' She snatched her hand away after a mere
touch. ‘It's about the only thing that agency is capable of getting right. I'm Gretel – the boss.'

Jodi followed her down a long corridor that had glass-panelled offices on both sides.

‘You're sharing with me,' Gretel declared, turning into an office that looked just like all the others. ‘We're short on space.'

The office was cold, the thermostat on the wall turned down low. Two desks, each with a computer, were positioned perpendicularly. Jodi put her handbag down on the smaller one. The office was generous in size, with more than enough space to accommodate two people. Nevertheless, it would be extremely difficult to share if Gretel was half the dragon she appeared to be.

‘Now,' Gretel began menacingly, ‘let's get a few things straight. I don't mind you being late on the odd occasion – I know that happens to the best of us – but I can't stand being let down like I was this morning. If we don't value our funds on time, then other departments can't do
their
jobs. It's like a production line – one person can impact ten others. So, if you can't come in – you're sick, or you've been run over by a bus, or whatever – then please call me. I'm here from 7 am. Once I have notice, I can avert most disasters. Understand?'

‘Yes,' Jodi nodded. ‘I won't let you down, Gretel. This is my first job in London and I really want to do well.'

‘Good.' Gretel seemed to relax a smidgeon. ‘You'll be responsible for valuing five of our funds. I'll run through them with you now . . .'

‘Okay.' Jodi did her best not to look daunted. ‘Do you mind if I take notes?'

Gretel shook her head. ‘You'll find a pen and paper in the desk drawer.'

Jodi opened the drawer and found a half-used notepad and a pen with a chewed top. Gretel rolled her seat over and showed her where the valuation files were saved on the computer. She explained the process thoroughly, her voice becoming calmer as she went on. Jodi listened carefully, took copious notes, and then, under Gretel's watchful eye, began to update the data. After a while she felt confident that, despite her inexperience, she would master the job. She was also pretty sure that she'd get on okay with Gretel. Once she didn't let her down.

Andrew came out of the building deep in thought. His hands shoved in his pockets, his head down, he didn't notice Jodi standing there.

‘Hello.' She waved an arm across his path. ‘It's me.'

His face broke into a smile. ‘What are you doing here?' He looked her up and down, admiring her short pinstripe skirt. ‘Nice legs! Did you have an interview?'

‘Not exactly. I got a job – as business analyst for Invesco – just round the corner from here.'

‘That's great.' He lifted her up and swung her around. ‘We'll be able to get the tube together and meet for lunch.'

‘I know! And we'll be able to afford furniture . . .'

‘And something other than noodles for dinner . . .'

They gazed at each other, delighted at the thought of enjoying two incomes.

‘Let's celebrate – go out for dinner,' he suggested.

‘Should we? I mean, I haven't got paid yet.'

‘Of course we should. This is the job you've been waiting for since you graduated. It's what you deserve.'

They went to a small Indian restaurant with a reasonably priced menu and toasted each other with glasses of watery house wine.

‘To the future.'

They held hands across the table while they waited for the food. Jodi felt deliriously happy. Not only did she have this gorgeous man who loved her as much as she loved him, but she finally had a job that was befitting of her abilities. For the first time since her parents' divorce, she felt that the good in her life outweighed the bad.

Later on that night, tipsy from the house wine, they caught the tube home. The rush hour over, the station felt eerie. The commuters were rougher and had shifty eyes. Jodi clasped Andrew's hand tightly, glad to have him by her side.

Jodi, anxious to prove herself to Gretel, worked very hard over the following weeks. She began work well before the official 9 am start, building in extra time to consult her notes and check for errors. Some days, if there was a delay in the availability of the price feeds, she worked through lunch. She learned to dress warm as Gretel liked the temperature of the office to be on the chilly side.

The job eventually became more familiar. Jodi was able to do without her notepad and wasn't slowed down by errors. However, she continued to come in early. Sometimes she picked up a coffee for Gretel along the way.

It didn't take Jodi long to notice that there was a lack of consistency in the daily processes she was required to perform. She had five funds and three different valuation processes.