‘Of course it is,’ said Alice. ‘Now, let’s finish this tea and cake, then I’ll come with you to your cottage and you can pack a bag.’
‘There’s no need for that. I can manage on my own.’
‘Kitty,’ said Alice, ‘I’m going to help you with this. I don’t want you to be on your own, not with your ex prowling around. Let me help.’
‘All right.’ Kitty was grateful. The roses and the card had shaken her badly. ‘Thank you. And to be honest,’ she said, making an effort to lighten the mood, ‘with cake that good, even if James wasn’t a threat, you’d be hard pressed to get me to leave.’
Chapter 42
‘How’s your belly?’ asked Nick as his dad walked out of the bathroom, doing up his fly.
‘Much improved, thank you, Nicholas. Not that it’s any of your concern.’
‘I can be concerned about your health, can’t I?’ Nick adopted his best air of innocence.
‘More like concerned about when we’ll be out of your hair,’ said David. ‘Speaking of which, your mother and I would like to talk to you. She’s in the garden. How about you make us a pot of coffee and join us out there?’
‘All right,’ said Nick, his heart sinking. He ducked into Emily’s room to find her completely engrossed in the latest colouring book he’d bought her. ‘How are you getting on?’ he asked.
‘Mmm,’ said Emily, too distracted to bother with things such as words.
Nick smiled, kissed the top of her head, and left her to it. A few minutes later, he carried a pot of coffee, mugs, milk and sugar on a tray into the garden. Rather than sitting on the deck, his parents were at the garden dining set on a terrace below.Even for someone who didn’t have a single green finger, Nick could recognise the beauty of his parents’ garden and the work his mother put into it. It was a riot of colour, gorgeous scents intermingling on the breeze. Saffron Bay’s bees were in heaven, unsure where to land given they had so many options.
‘Thank you, Nicholas,’ said Elaine, as Nick laid the tray on the table.
‘You wanted to speak to me?’ he said.
‘Your father wanted to speak to you,’ said Elaine, giving her husband a pointed look.
‘Oh no,’ said David, ‘don’t you be passing the buck on to me, Elaine. We’re both in agreement about what we have to say.’ He wagged a finger. ‘I shan’t be made out to be the bad guy. You said it yourself, Nicholas could benefit from a little tough love.’
‘Tough love?’ A series of worst-case scenarios swarmed in Nick’s mind. Homelessness? Exile? Hard labour?
‘Your mother and I have concluded it’s about time you started paying rent,’ said David, picking up his mug of coffee and adding a generous spoon of sugar.
Nick hid a smile as his father took a sip of the brown liquid and grimaced. He couldn’t understand why anyone would drink coffee if they didn’t like the taste. But David liked to look sophisticated.
‘You want me to pay rent?’ asked Nick. ‘How much rent?’
‘Given there are two of you taking up space now, we feel five hundred pounds a month should cover all your expenses.’
‘Our expenses?’ said Nick. ‘Five hundred pounds a month? Have you any idea what I earn?’
‘Probably not all that much,’ said David. ‘I presume you’re on minimum wage?’
‘Yes,’ said Nick.
‘Then you’re going to have to learn to budget, aren’t you?’
‘What about all the things I need to buy for Emily?’
‘Buy for Emily?’ Elaine raised an eyebrow. ‘So that hussy Carla has you spending your hard-earned money, has she? Are you sure you’re not being scammed, Nicholas?’
‘Mum,’ said Nick, ‘Carla has raised Emily on her own for five years. If she were to backdate all the child maintenance payments I owe her, it would be enough to bankrupt the lot of us.’
Elaine pursed her lips, her silence covering her inability to admit being wrong.
‘Paying rent will instil a little self-discipline,’ said David, ‘which you’re in great need of.’
