She is right, it can’t all be about where it ends, and as I look across the car at her, I decide Aunt Monica isn’t the least bit mad.
* * *
* * *
Once I’ve taken Sandy’s bike back to her place, I stow the box of Dad’s things in the cottage. I want to change before going out to meet Jasper, but just as I’ve taken my clothes off, I hear another car on the gravel. Throwing on my dressing gown, I rush over to the window to see who it is. I hope it might be Ted, but it’s a black cab, and I squint to see who is inside.
A red-brogued foot stretches out of one door—a perfect made-to-measure camel-colored petite trouser suit, huge sunglasses, the neat black chignon—Suki!
I dart away from the cottage window. I don’t know why I’m trying to hide—clearly, she’s here to see me. What in the name of Beelzebub is she doing here? Then I remember my lost phone, my unchecked emails. I dare another peek through the window. Suki is sniffing the air as though trying to pick up my scent.
“Suki?” I sidestep away from the window and into the open doorway.
She lifts her sunglasses and squints down at me, then says something to the cabdriver and he turns off the engine.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” I ask, suddenly very aware it’s twelve noon and I’m currently wearing a dressing gown.
“Looking for you, Little Miss Missing in Action. I’m glad you at least emailed with your new”—she gestures toward the cottage—“whereabouts.”
“That’s sweet of you to worry, Suki,” I say, folding my arms across my chest. “I lost my phone, but I’m not missing.”
“Well, there’s been a change of plan, darling—we have a huge suitcase brand that wants to sponsor this story. Travella luggage came on board last night,” says Suki, holding up a smart leather holdall. “Love Life US loves it too. They want to use the story for their launch next week, but they want it ASAP, so we need photos today, then we’ll send them the whole package with copy on Monday. This is bigger than simply our little family now, Laura. With you going off grid, I thought I needed to come and take control—steer this rudderless ship.”
I usher Suki over to the patio furniture outside Ted’s place. I’m not going to invite her into the cottage and make her sit on my unmade bed. She brushes off a chair with the back of her hand before sitting down.
“So, is he on board, this chap of yours?” Suki asks. “I was worried for a moment, when you went MIA, that he might have murdered you.”
I’m genuinely touched.
“Ah, right, no, definitely alive. I’ve literally been offline for about”—I look for my watch, but it’s not there—“well, less than eighteen hours. But in answer to your question, yes, Jasper is on board.”
“Good, though a murder piece might have got us some clicks too, hey?” She tries to grin, at least I think it’s a grin; it looks like a hiccup got stuck in her nostrils. “I jest, Laura; I’m immensely pleased you haven’t been murdered.”
I laugh politely, nervously knitting my fingers in my lap. I can’t believe Suki is here, in Jersey, for my suitcase story.
“The most important thing now is the photo shoot. I want to be in and out of this wilderness by tomorrow afternoon.” Suki gives the sea a distasteful look, brushing down her jacket, as though worried the air here might damage the fabric.
“Dionne and Saul flew out with me; they went straight to scout locations as we weren’t sure what you’d lined up. Oh, and my man at the Mail has already said they’ll run it alongside a feature on our US launch.” Suki claps her hands. “You couldn’t have timed this thing better if I’m honest, Laura. So, what have you organized?”
I can’t admit that I haven’t planned anything yet because I spent yesterday discovering my parents’ love story was a lie, kissing two different men, attempting to live out a cabin-themed date fantasy, attending a sixty-fifth birthday party, and then making whimsical jewelry late into the night.
“I’m sorry, Suki. I— What with persuading Jasper, and getting to know him, then losing my phone, I’m afraid the details of the shoot haven’t been locked in yet—I thought the team wouldn’t be arriving until tomorrow.”
Suki nods toward the cottage with a smirk.
“He’s in there, is he?”
“Oh no, no!” I shake my head. Oh great, she thinks I’m in my dressing gown because I’ve just been lounging around having sex all morning. “He’s not here. I was just changing my clothes because I’ve been out exercising.”
Suki looks suspicious.
“Well, I’m glad you’ve been having some delicious ‘exercise’ time with your new beau. Maybe you’ll be less of a Moping Morag around the office now you’ve got yourself a ticket back to orgasm town.”
I make a pained mumbling noise. I really don’t need to talk to my employer about the status of my travel arrangements to orgasm town.
“Well, anyway, I must get on,” Suki says, getting to her feet, “cab’s waiting. You take an hour for this,” she waves a hand at my face. “Get yourself . . . presentable. Here’s my spare phone,” she says, taking a smartphone from her bag, “so we can stay in comms and you can bring your beau up to speed.”
“Jasper was keen to do the shoot at his house,” I say, feeling nervous to suggest it. “He sells kitchens.”
“Laura, this isn’t an opportunity to sell things. This is a story of true love, of two people brought together by destiny!” Suki throws up her hands.
“A little reciprocal PR would make sure he’s definitely on board, and tagging more brands would gain us more cross-post content.” I give her a hopeful grin.
Suki sighs. “Fine, give me the address. We’ll recon at his house at fourteen hundred hours, style you there, do some nicely lit couple photos, then head to the airport and beaches for coverage shots. Don’t you worry, Laura, we’ll keep your boy sweet.”
As soon as Suki’s gone, I pick up the phone she left me and download my contacts from the cloud. There are so many people I need to call. First, I ring Jasper and update him on the new plan for this afternoon; he sounds delighted, then says he must hurry off to “prepare the space.” Then I text Dee and Vanya to let them know I lost my phone and am staying in Jersey a few more days. I hover over Ted’s number. After changing my mind several times, I eventually send him a text saying simply: Are you OK? x Laura. Finally, I call Gran, just in case she’s been worrying about me, which of course she has. I reassure her I’m fine and then fill her in on my meeting with Bad Granny this morning.