“That’ll be Craig.”
“You don’t have to answer it,” Phyllis said.
Nova leaned forward and pressed the screen. “Hi, Craig.”
“Hey babe, where are you?” His voice filled the car on loudspeaker. “Mum said she just got home and you’re not there.”
Nova didn’t immediately reply, and Phyllis watched the young woman chew her lip. It felt obtrusive to be listening to a private conversation, but at the same time, one could tell so much about a person by the way they spoke to their loved ones.
“Have you gone early to collect your mum?” Craig said, when Nova still hadn’t answered.
“No, her internal flight got canceled so she missed her connection. She’s getting a new one, but she won’t be here until tomorrow morning.”
“Oh no, that’s awful for her! But that means she’ll miss the rehearsal too? Shit, my mum really wanted everyone there tonight to practice their parts.”
“It’s all right, Craig; all my mum’s got to do is walk me down the aisle and do a reading, I’m sure she can handle that,” Nova said, and Phyllis could hear an edge of irritation in her voice.
“Where have you gone, then? It sounds like you’re in the car.”
Phyllis saw Nova’s hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. “I’ve just gone for a little drive. I needed to get out of the house for a bit.”
Craig sighed, louder than was entirely necessary. “Mum said the favors are only half-finished and you’ve not folded any of the orders of service. You could at least have done those before you went out.”
“I’m sorry, but I can do them later.”
“It’s not like she’s asked you to do much, Nova. It’s just two tiny jobs, and you can’t even be bothered to do those.”
Phyllis scowled at the man’s tone. She was no expert on relationships—she’d never been married and had only ever courted one man, a very long time ago—but Phyllis was pretty sure you weren’t supposed to tell your future wife off the day before your wedding.
“I just needed to clear my head, but you can tell your mum I’ll—”
“I’m not your messenger, Nova. You should tell Mum yourself if you’re going to let her down.”
“For goodness’ sake, the girl said she’s sorry so leave her alone.”
The words were out of Phyllis’s mouth before she realized she’d said them. There was silence on the other end of the phone line. Next to her, Nova inhaled sharply.
“Nova, who’s that?” Craig said.
“I’m Phyllis Hudson, a member of your fiancée’s book club. I’m helping Nova save her job.”
“For Christ sake’s, Nova, what is wrong with you?” The man’s voice was so loud it made Phyllis jump. “You promised me you’d keep out of trouble, but here you are, pissing about with that bloody book club and putting yourself in dangeryetagain.”
“It’s not dangerous, I’ve got Phyllis here with me,” Nova said.
“Is that the old busybody with the smelly dog? How the hell isshegoing to help protect you?”
“How dare you!” Phyllis said. “Craddock isn’t smelly.”
“ ‘My troublemaking days are over,’ you said, Nova. Is this what our marriage is going to be like, you lying to me and then running off behind my back?”
“I wasn’t lying to you when I said that. But then Phyllis and the others came to see me, and we had a breakthrough with where Michael might be. And Mum’s flight was delayed, so I knew I had time to do this. If I can find Michael and recover the stolen money, it won’t just save my job; it’ll save the community center too.”
“How many times do I have to tell you, if that center closes it won’t be because of you.” Craig snapped. “And yet still you apparently think it’s more important than our wedding.”
“Of course I don’t think that.”
“Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is, having Mum call me up and say my fiancée’s done a runner? You can’t just—”
