‘I own a facilities management firm.’ I’m about to go on to explain what that is, as no one ever usually knows, but Sadie interrupts me.
‘Oh, yes, my uncle was a director at Stathams in London.’
‘Stathams? That’s one of the biggest FM companies in the UK. I’m impressed. What’s your uncle’s name?’
‘He’s actually my great uncle, and he’s retired now. Has been for years. But he used to work crazy long hours.’
‘Comes with the territory, I’m afraid. It’s one of the reasons I need you to help out with the girls! How are you liking Bournemouth so far?’
‘It’s gorgeous. I’ve already been out for a few runs on the beach.’
‘I didn’t know you were a runner?’
‘I love it. Keeps me sane,’ Sadie replies with a laugh.
‘I should visit the beach more often,’ I say.
‘Come running with me, if you like?’ Sadie offers.
‘I might just take you up on that. Especially after eating this huge slab of cake!’
‘You’ve got a great figure,’ she says.
‘Thank you. We should definitely make coffee and cake a regular thing. We can catch up on the week’s events, and you can tell me how it’s going with the girls. I mean, of course we’ll chat during the week, but it’ll be good to set aside time to talk about everything properly.’
‘Okay. Sounds lovely.’
This is exactly how I’d pictured things with Sadie. Us having cosy chats and bonding over our love of the children. Her becoming more like a friend than an employee. Okay, I know it’s too soon to be certain, and we’re still a little awkward around one another, but I’m sure things will soon feel more relaxed. I hope this is the start of something great. A fresh new beginning for our family.
Twenty-Seven
Katie is upstairs reading a book on her bed, while I’m in the kitchen ‘helping’ Eva with a maths paper. Luckily Eva is a smart girl, so all that’s really required is to sit her down with a past paper each evening and let her get on with it. If there’s a query, I tell Eva we’ll go over it the following day. This gives me plenty of time to find the answer on BBC Bitesize. I’m not a qualified teacher but my professionally typedrésumésays otherwise. Plus, I speak nicely, with authority, and carry myself with confidence, so the Ballantines have bought into my educational persona. Confidence is the key to ninety-five per cent of everything.
I’m pacing myself. I have all these things I want to implement, but it won’t work if I rush them, so I’m moving slowly, methodically. I have to get the whole family to trust me. To rely on me. To love me. Bonding over coffee with Gemma was a great start. The stupid cow got so overexcited when she discovered we share the same favourite cake, when in actual fact, a quick scan of Facebook showed a photo of her shoving a huge slice of red velvet cake into her smug mouth, with the caption ‘best cake ever’. So I used that information. The truth is I hate red velvet cake – it’s too sickly. People are so easy to impress. Of course I already knew what Gemma does for a living. I googled her and then made up some fake uncle who worked at a well-known company in the same industry. These are the types of things that get people to like you, to feel connected with you. Honestly, people are so easy to play.
But not everything has gone exactly to plan. My run in with Mandy, the cleaner, was unfortunate. I’m not thrilled at adding cleaning to my list of duties, but I needed Mandy gone because I had a sense that she might be my undoing. She looked at me as though she could see who I really was. Who I really am. I give myself a shake and bring myself back to the present. To Eva.
‘How are things at school with Lauren?’ I ask.
Eva’s head is bent over her work. She straightens up at the question. Puts her pen down. ‘Are you still timing me?’ she asks.
‘I’ll stop the timer for a few minutes, if you like? So we can have a little chat.’ I sit opposite the girl. She’s too conscientious for her own good. A bit of a swot. No wonder the other girls tease her. Katie’s more of a free spirit. More fun. I really believe Eva should loosen up a bit. Especially as Gemma would hate it. I smile to myself.
‘What’s funny?’ Eva asks.
‘Oh, nothing. Just thinking back to when I was your age.’
‘What were you like?’
‘I was fun. More fun than I am now.’
‘Why?’ Eva’s eyes light up. ‘What did you do when you were my age?’
‘I shouldn’t really tell you.’
‘Oh pleeease. I won’t tell anyone.’
I lean across the table and lower my voice conspiratorially. ‘I know it might be hard to believe, looking at me, now that I’m old and boring—’
