Page 15 of One Snowy Day
‘We are.’
Lachlan stood up. ‘Great. Demi, I wish you the best, and thank you for the happiness you gave my father. Jason, have a nice life. I wish you both well.’
And with that, he turned and left the room, jumping into the lift just as the doors were about to close on two women who’d entered before him.
Down in the lobby, he pulled off his tie as he left the lift, but had only gone a few steps when a panting Jason emerged from a door with a ‘stairs’ sign on it.
‘Lachlan! Look, signing that was a mistake. We need to challenge it. Find a way to sell the café quicker and contest the rest of it. Get more. Can we go somewhere and talk?’
‘Jason, like I said, I wish you well.’ That might be a lie. ‘But I’ve got nothing to say to you.’ That definitely wasn’t. ‘I’ll see you around.’ Again, not true, but with that, Lachlan turned and began to cross the wide expanse of the reception area, stopping at the desk to hand in his security pass. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jason shake his head, then turn back and summon the lift. He must be going back up to argue his case. Good luck to him. Lachlan wasn’t interested.
Both receptionists were busy, so he waited, thinking that the woman in front of him, brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing a bright red duffel coat and jeans, was a stark contrast to the formal business wear all around him.
‘Yes, I’d like to see Mr Sprite please. My name is Alyssa Canavan,’ he heard her say.
‘Do you have an appointment?’
‘No, but it’s really important.’
There was something about the urgency in her voice and the panic on her face that made him adjust his attitude. As the other receptionist came off the phone and accepted his lanyard, it was areminder that no matter how much he’d hated the last couple of hours, there was always someone out there having an even worse day.
Now he just had to get out of this building, away from Glasgow and far from his memories, and then it would be over.
NOON – 2 P.M.
9
JESSIE
With the girls gone, and not another customer in the café, Hugo had given in to pressure and joined them at the table for a cuppa.
‘Since it’s your special day, Jessie – how could I refuse? Although, you’re missing out with the whole birthday, retirement and going away party in one night – you should have spread it around and milked each one separately.’
‘I like your thought process there, Hugo. Might have been a good idea, since I don’t think anyone will be daft enough to come out in this weather tonight. It might just be the four of us and your Alyssa, all snowed in here, at this rate.’
In her peripheral vision, Jessie saw that evoke an expression of horror from Dorinda, who was sitting on a stool behind the counter, filing her nails. Jessie reckoned Alyssa’s mother was probably pretending she was anywhere else but here. Might be the first time she agreed with any sentiment from Dorinda Canavan. The woman’s very presence was making Jessie grind her teeth, and what were the chances that today of all days she’d be subjected to the sight of her?
‘How’s your Stan spending his last day here then, Jessie?’ Hugo asked, still warming his hands on his mug.
Glad of the distraction, Jessie gave the same answer she could have given on almost any day since he’d retired. ‘He’s up at the golf club, hitting a few balls.’
‘In this weather?’ Val asked, surprised.
Jessie nodded. ‘Aye. They’ve got one of those simulators.’
Cathy’s head swivelled like it was on stick. ‘I saw an advert for one of those on telly last night. A doctor was saying they could work wonders for your muscles. I think you can get them on prescription. Although, I don’t suppose they use them for the personal bits at the golf club.’
Jessie and Val’s eyes locked in a battle of restraint, before Val cracked and muttered, ‘I’ll take this one’, then turned to Cathy.
‘Cathy, love, what are you talking about?’
‘Those things you were on about,’ she replied, perplexed. ‘Stimulators.’
As the others let out a hoot of hilarity, Jessie shook her head woefully. ‘Dear Lord, Cathy, you need to get those hearing aids fixed.’
Jessie took one last sip of what was left of her tea and put the mug on top of a plate that was now empty, bar a few cake crumbs. Much as she was enjoying passing the time of day with Hugo, being in the same space as Dorinda was grating on her and she didn’t trust herself to be civil to her for much longer.
‘Well, Hugo, it’s been a slice of heaven, but we’re off across the road to get beautified.’
