Kate & Alf

Chapter 5

‘Physically he sounds like my ideal man.’ Megan joked, hardly believing her ears. She carried on walking through the city toward St Mary’s Axe, adjusting the volume on her mobile hands-free unit to drown out the nearby cabbie tooting his horn. ‘Interesting that he has Spanish heritage. I thought you said he was Alf’s friend from school?’

Kate was sitting in the Oak Park staff canteen, mobile glued to her ear, excitedly trying to relay her news about Marcus to Meg in hushed tones. Tasha was eyeing her suspiciously from the far corner, hidden behind a magazine she’d already read the previous day.

‘Yes, he’s Alf’s friend from school. What’s that got to do with him being half Spanish?’ Kate asked confused. She dismissed the comment. ‘So, there’s me rushing around this morning trying to get the dog sorted, the washing up done and ready for work – all whilst Alf and him are having a catch-up – when he looks at me with genuine concern and tells me he’s got the day spare, so looking after Sam and doing the dishes is the least he can do to help. Honestly, Megan, he seems too good to be true. Even Alf looked surprised.’

Megan was stopped in her tracks as a heavy-set gentlemen in a well-cut charcoal suit barged straight into her, dismantling her hands-free ear piece. Without so much as a backward glance he continued on his way, leaving her seething in the middle of the busy side street. ‘So rude!’ she exclaimed loudly, catching the attention of three nearby city workers. She fumbled with her earpiece. ‘Sorry Kate, an ignorant bastard just bumped into me without so much as an apology.’

Grinning into her mobile and sensing her friend’s anger, Kate waited for the rustling sound to die down before she continued speaking. ‘Yes, so it might not be so bad having him around the house for a few days after all. I could get used to this.’

Megan raised her eyebrows as she took a sip of the frappuccino she was holding in her other hand. The last person she’d expected to receive a lunchtime call from was a giddy and excitable Kate; especially since it was about a man that wasn’t Alf. Marcus had certainly made an impression.

At first she’d been shocked to hear that Kate still hadn’t broached the subject of marriage with Alf. She’d seen the look on Kate’s face at the party when he’d presented the puppy – she’d felt her friend’s disappointment and wanted to run to the stage to hug her. Instead she’d had to make do with giving her a pep talk in the ladies’ loo straight after.

Furthermore, she’d heard the office gossip – everyone present at the party had also thought that Alf was about to ask for Kate’s hand in marriage. It had incensed her to discover that he had been surprised by this. In addition to the weekend’s drama, hearing that Alf had since invited his friend to stay with them had made her despair for Kate.

Yet Kate’s energy was infectious. She sounded animated. Megan sincerely hoped that she wasn’t setting herself up for a fall. She’d sensed, from Kate’s lack of contact since the party, that she’d been mulling over things. It was typical of her to retreat from the world when she was confused. It was her way of dealing with things. She only hoped that having this Marcus around for a few days would be a benefit. She knew how vulnerable Kate could be at times.

‘What are you doing tonight? I might have to pop over and inspect Marcus. See if he really is as hot as you’re suggesting.’ She took another sip of frappuccino. ‘Besides, I can worm all of the necessary information out of him so we can make a proper analysis.’

Kate laughed, an odd squeak as her heart pounded in her chest and her mouth suddenly felt dry. ‘I can’t tonight. It’s the monthly staff meeting. I won’t be home until late.’ She narrowed her eyes, hoping that the lie wasn’t too obvious in her slightly strangled voice tone. Tasha was now hovering beside her at the sink and she caught the woman eyeing her curiously.

Megan was about to answer at the same time as spotting a colleague approaching her, pointing rapidly to his wristwatch. ‘For goodness sake, I’m going to have to go, Kate. I can’t leave the office for five minutes without someone chasing me for something. I’ll call you later, okay?’

Without waiting for Kate to reply, she cut the call, all thoughts of Kate and Marcus instantly forgotten.

Pushing back her chair from the dining table, Vivian bade farewell to the others at the table and made her way slowly back to her ground-floor apartment. As she passed the grandfather clock in the main corridor, she was surprised to see she’d spent far longer taking her lunch than she’d allowed for.

Tutting to herself, she tried to hurry her steps, faintly aware of a strong pulling sensation in the upper left region of her chest.

‘Are you okay, Viv?’ Kate called out, spotting her friend at the far end of the corridor. She noticed Vivian’s greying pallor even from a distance. Placing the arch file of paperwork she’d been preparing to deal with under the nearby reception desk, she headed towards her.

Vivian’s smile was cut short and she clasped her hand to her chest as another excruciating sensation took hold. ‘Hello, love’. Her well-lined face scrunched itself into clear discomfort and she swayed unsteadily on her feet. She struggled to speak. ‘Goodness me – I’ve got heartburn ever so bad today.’

Kate quickly and tactfully drew up a chair from the nearby visitors’ area. ‘Have a quick sit-down till it passes,’ she suggested, carrying the chair closer and gently helping to lower Vivian’s large frame into the flimsy plastic.

‘Don’t mind me. I’ll be as right as rain in a moment. Bet it was that bloody fish pie. I’ve a good mind to put a complaint in to the kitchen again.’

‘Oh dear, I bet the kitchen staff will be pleased.’ Kate giggled, noticing that Viv’s hands were steadying from their shakes. She felt relieved. ‘Shall I get you a glass of water?’

Waving her away in irritation, Vivian pulled herself up, her long, pleated navy skirt hitching itself higher on one side of her hip. ‘I’m alright now. It was my fault for rushing. I’ve got visitors coming you see…’ She winked at Kate.

‘Ah, visitors.’ Kate nodded with a knowing smile.

It was often remarked upon by new members of staff that many of Vivian’s visitors brought gifts of Guinness and cigarettes. She herself had once wondered why the guests to her room were often a constant and steady stream. However, she’d quickly got to discover why Vivian’s nickname was Tea Cup Viv and why the guests were often laden down with the alcoholic beverage of choice. ‘How many have you got today, then?’ she asked, noticing that the colour was coming back into Vivian’s cheeks.

‘Two. A mother and a daughter. Let’s hope I can work my usual magic.’ She chuckled and then suddenly looked seriously at Kate. ‘You ought to have one, you know. It might help?’

Kate felt her face flush. She loved Viv dearly, but she still couldn’t get her head around the idea of someone being able to read the future. It was an absurd and indigestible theory. And all from a cup containing the dregs of tea leaves?

Wrinkling her nose, Kate tried to think of a suitable response. Although her curiosity was piqued, she felt scared at the prospect. She trusted Vivian and knew she’d never dupe her into anything, for her heart was pure gold. But what if the predictions that were made did have some vestige of truth behind them? It was hard to consider that possibility, but then why did so many clients return to Vivian time and again?

‘Don’t look so frightened, love, there’s no need to fear anything. You’re clearly not ready yet. So forget I suggested anything.’

Kate stared into the distance, considering her words.

‘Go on, shoo now. We’ve both got work to do.’ Vivian was already waving goodbye and heading down the corridor before she had a chance to answer.

She looked on as Vivian rounded the corner and disappeared from view. She really was a bold character, much like Kate’s Aunt Evie had been. In many ways, perhaps that’s why she’d held Viv so dearly in her heart since her first few days at the Care Home eight years ago. She was like the nurturing mother figure she so desperately craved and had lost – twice over.

‘Right, where’d I put those files again?’ Kate muttered to herself, picking up the chair she’d placed in the middle of the corridor and setting it back in its rightful place. She scanned the corridor until her eyes rested on the reception desk and all at once she remembered.

Hastily walking across to retrieve the files, her eyes flittered over the grandfather clock and her stomach gave an involuntary lurch. Only two hours left of her shift and she’d be going home… and seeing Marcus.

Megan finished typing up the job description she’d spent the afternoon preparing and glanced at her mobile that lay discreetly beside her Rolodex. No calls from Jonnie. On one hand she was relieved, as no news was good news. But on the other, she couldn’t help but worry – it had been four days now and the knot of tension in her stomach was beginning to grow with every passing hour. It seemed silly after so many years to still experience the same conflicting emotions as always. She’d come to the conclusion it was a lesson ingrained and experience had taught her that no slip-up was the same as another. Yes, they followed the same pattern – it was, after all, a vicious cycle. Yet the devastation over the years had only seemed to worsen. If that was at all possible.

Her office phone shrilled loudly, disturbing her thought process. She recognized the caller display immediately – TopTen Recruitment. Rolling her eyes, she picked up the handset.

‘Good afternoon, Hamilton Insurance Brokers. HR Department.’

‘Hi, Megan, it’s Kaley over at TopTen.’

‘Hi, Kaley,’ she tried to sound enthusiastic, even though Kaley was her least- favourite consultant to deal with. ‘What have you got for me?’

Picking up her pen and turning the page on her jotter pad, she listened patiently as Kaley’s monotone voice rattled off the qualities of various potential candidates. It was a full five minutes later before she ended the call, feeling as if she’d been drained of all life force by the dull conversation. Glancing down at the notes she’d made on her pad, she realised that her mind wasn’t in the right mode for candidate selection. She could barely make sense of what she’d written.

Her mobile flashed suddenly and she felt her stomach lurch. Despite being set to silent tone, her brother’s name flashed across the screen. Grateful as ever for having her own office, albeit a small one, she slid the slider across the screen, a sickening feeling sweeping through her.

‘Jonnie?’

‘Sis…Can you come and get m…me?’ She noticed the unmistakable slur in his voice.

‘Where are you?’

‘Sss… Sss… Sid’s h-house.’

‘You’ve been drinking’ she accused, immediately regretting it. Ten years of the same pattern and yet she’d made the crucial mistake of pointing out the obvious, opening up a door for a tidal wave of denial and abuse.

‘Oh, for God… God’s sake. I haven’t been drinking. I… I haven’t touched a drink. Fucking always accu…accusing me of drinking. You nasty bitch.’ He spat the last word with such force that she held the phone away from her.

He continued with his rant. ‘I just wanted to… to see you. But no, you al-always think th-think the worst of me. Accu… accusing me all the time.’

Feeling sick to her stomach at the rising agitation in his voice and his abusive language, Megan took a deep breath to calm herself. She knew from experience that there was no way she’d be able to help him at this point. It would be a fruitless effort, with him directing his anger at her. It was better to distance herself and be thankful that at least he was still alive. He would undoubtedly begin to sober up within the next day or so.

‘I have to go, Jonnie. I’m at work.’

She cut the call with shaking hands. Even though she’d been through similar conversations countless times, the process always affected her emotionally.

‘At least he’s safe at Sid’s,’ she muttered to herself, thankful that he hadn’t been calling from a police station or hospital, as he had on many an occasion. Megan ignored the once again flashing screen of her mobile, turning the handset face down. She knew that if she ignored the calls for long enough, he’d eventually stop calling.

What saddened her about the situation was that it wasn’t directly his fault. Growing up with their alcoholic mother hadn’t been the best precedent to begin with. The difference was that their mother, to an extent, had been a ‘functioning alcoholic’. Whilst she hadn’t provided the same level of care that some of Megan’s friends’ parents displayed, she had managed to hold down a job and take care of the basic needs of her two children, single-handedly.

Having to learn to be highly responsible from a young age, Megan had automatically taken on most of the caring duties for her younger brother. It was she who ensured he was properly washed and fed. And it was she who eventually took over the role of guardian to Jonnie when, as soon as she turned eighteen, their own mother scarpered off to Scotland with her on-and-off boyfriend.

Jonnie had never really stood a chance. He was just thirteen when their mother had left and, despite Megan’s best efforts, the impact had obviously been too great. By the time Jonnie reached twenty, he’d already been in and out of prison for minor offences and began to drink heavily. It was heartbreaking to see her younger brother destroying himself. Especially as he’d been doing so well for the past three months – even securing himself a job at the local builders’ merchant.

Megan sighed as her PC monitor dulled and a screensaver took its place. Maybe, just maybe, once Jonnie sobered up, he’d get back on track and finally seek the help she so frequently and desperately tried to convince him that he needed…

She tapped her mouse and brought the PC back to life. Reluctant as she was, she had to get on with her work.