Page 90 of Lessons in Life

‘I didn’t,’ Lisa said. ‘Did you tell me? Message me? I don’t recall any such notifications, Jayden.’

‘Ooooh? What’s up withyou?’

‘I thought we’d agreed, last time you were here, that you weren’t just to turn up expecting me to drop everything. Expecting me to welcome you into my house and my bed.’

‘I think you’ll find it’s my house, Lisa.’ Jayden laughed without rancour. ‘Me who has paid the mortgage all these years.’

‘And me who’s brought up your three daughters. Alone. Brought them up by hand.’ Lisa felt no anger, just slight irritation that the man had turned up once again just as she was going out on her first date for over thirty years.

‘Of course. And a fabulous job you’ve done too. You know you and the girls are my life. Even Sorrel appears to have turned a corner. Come on, Lisa…’ Jayden flashed the seductive smile she’d always fallen for, the one she could never resist. Until now. ‘I’m here to take you all out for Sorrel’s birthday.’

‘That’s next week.’

‘Iknow that. Thought we could have an early birthday celebration.’

‘Well, you’ll have to celebrate without me. And, if you want a bed for the night, I suggest you try Robyn down in the village, as I can’t see Jess putting you up again.’

‘Robyn’s in the village? With Wotsisname? The lawyer?’

‘He’s called Fabian, and he’s a barrister. And yes, they’re renting a place together.’

‘Serious, then.’

‘Of course it’s serious.’ Lisa tutted, irritation mounting.

‘Where’s Sorrel?’

‘At school, where do you think? And, as far as I know, she’s practising for the Susan Yates audition before going round to Jess’s for tea.’

‘I thought the audition was this week. I sent her a good luck message.’

‘Good, that’s what dads do.’

‘Why hasn’t she had the audition?’ Jayden finished the yoghurt, flinging the carton expertly into the open bin.

‘She’s been a bit off,’ Lisa lied. ‘Covid. The theatre school’s been very good at rearranging the audition.’ She didn’t want Jayden suddenly becoming the righteous, heavy-handed father, blaming Lisa for the mess Sorrel had got herself into. She, Jess and Robyn had dealt with the situation. Well, one particular aspect of it. She knew Sorrel was still in contact with that Joel Sinclair.

When she heard a car on the drive, Lisa’s heart skipped a beat and she felt her face grow pink. The last thing she wanted was Kamran Sattar coming face to face with Jayden.

‘That’s my lift,’ she said, heading for the door. ‘If you want to see Jess, Sorrel and Lola, I suggest you wait here until they’re back from work and school. Then, maybe, as long as it’s OK with Robyn, you pop down there to be with your other girl?’

‘But, Lisa,you’remy girl.’ Jayden tried once again with the seductive smile.

‘Oh, grow up, Jayden,’ she eventually snapped, worried that Kamran would be out of the car and on her doorstep. ‘I’m a grown woman. Make sure you turn the lights out and lock up once you go.’

‘But where are you going?’ Jayden’s voice was plaintive.

‘Paris,’ Lisa said with some degree of triumph. ‘Paris, Jayden.’

* * *

‘You know, I’ve only flown a couple of times before,’ Lisa said as Kamran put the car into gear and headed for the small private airfield just five miles out of the village.

‘Oh?’ Kamran smiled across at her.

‘Any travelling I used to do with my ex-partner was on the road in a huge Transit van. Or on the ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge or from Dover across to Calais. The thing is, I’m a bit nervous of this plane of yours.’ Lisa was beginning to feel totally sick with nerves.

‘Don’t be, really. I’m honestly not a bad pilot.’ He grinned. ‘And, before I joined the family firm, I was a pilot with BA.’

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