Chapter 41
Sarahcountedoutthenotes in her envelope. She was racing through them faster than she’d like and would soon be back to dipping into her savings. On the hotel’s website, they had described the room she was staying asbijou. In reality, a better description would be cell-like.
The single bed was as narrow as a coffin, a wardrobe, and a sink filled up the remaining space. Sarah wished she’d opted for en-suite, but she had to watch her pennies. Besides, it was only a temporary arrangement.
Sarah sat cross-legged on the bed and spread a map of the UK out on it. Over the past week, it had become clear there was nothing to keep her in the town of her birth. Sarah knew from previous experience that the local housing market wasn’t worth exploring, and as for the job market, unless she wanted to clean public toilets, there was nothing doing. Then there was the problem of ghosts. Not ghosts in the literal sense, but people from her past she had no intention of bumping into. Sarah could imagine Cathy and Miriam’s faces if they witnessed her back in town after yet another downfall.
Sarah had spent most of the past week hiding out in her cramped hotel room, eating sandwiches and drinking cans of Coke. It was a far cry from the delicious home-cooked food made by Fran. Sarah felt the pang of loss as she bit into a tuna sandwich.
Colin’s words had been whirring through her mind for the past week, and she’d thought of nothing else. The map was the first step on the road to proving her father wrong. She’d show him she could stand on her own two feet, that she wasn’t the needy, scared, antisocial woman he thought her to be.
Sarah closed her eyes and waved her hand above the map of the UK. Her hand came down, and she opened her eyes. The middle of the north sea didn’t screampossibilities. She tried again, this time her finger found itself in the highlands of Scotland.Perhaps, thought Sarah,my new life needs more consideration that closing my eyes and pointing to a map?
Frustrated by her own indecision and claustrophobia in the room, Sarah risked venturing outside. It was the middle of the afternoon, so everyone she hoped to avoid would be at work. She picked up her phone and pocketed it. Multiple calls from Felix, Hattie, and Kate lay unanswered. Fran was the only person not to call. Sarah tried not to let it bother her.
Sarah gave a curt greeting to the girl on the reception desk and let herself out onto the street, head down, not wanting to catch anyone’s eye.
‘Sorry,’ she mumbled as she stepped into a man.
‘Sarah.’
Sarah lifted her head and stared into Felix’s eyes. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’
‘We need to talk.’
‘But… but… how did you find me?’
‘We dug out your emergency contact form and called your dad. He told us where to find you.’
Sarah regretted sharing her location with Colin. How dare he pass the information on after all she’d told him? ‘I’ve got nothing to say to you.’
‘Please, Sarah, it’s important.’
‘I said no. Go away.’
Sarah strode off down the street, Felix jogging to keep up. ‘Sarah,’ he said, panting for breath.
‘Go away.’
‘Sarah,’ Felix grabbed hold of her arm.
‘Let go of me,’ said Sarah through gritted teeth.
‘I will, but there’s something you need to know. It’s Fran. She’s in hospital.’
Sarah stopped squirming beneath Felix’s grip and looked at him in horror. ‘What? Why? What’s happened?’
‘Not here,’ he said. ‘Is there somewhere we can talk?’
Sarah thought of her poky hotel room. ‘How about we find a pub?’
They walked in silence, Sarah desperate for answers but knowing she’d receive none until Felix had a drink in front of him. They found a scruffy-looking pub.
‘This will do,’ said Felix, holding the door open for Sarah. He ordered two pints at the bar while Sarah found them a table in the corner of the room.
‘Tell me what’s happened,’ she said as soon as Felix sat down.
‘The first thing to say is that Fran’s going to be OK.’
