Page 27 of Right Place, Right Time
‘Not a lot,’ I say, beginning to write in the book. ‘Both my parents are dead now.’
‘Oh,’ Adam says, immediately turning to me. ‘I’m sorry, I had no idea. Were you very young when they passed away?’
I didn’t mean to say that so abruptly. ‘Not that young.’ I look up at him. ‘I was twenty-four when it happened.’
Adam doesn’t say anything. So I continue writing in the notebook.
‘It seems like we have yet another thing in common,’ I hear him say softly. ‘I lost both my parents when I was quite young.’
‘Your dad died too?’ I say, surprised to hear him say this. ‘You only told me about your mother.’
‘I don’t know if he’s alive or dead, to be honest,’ Adam says, picking up a statue of a dog but not looking at it. ‘But he left not long after my mum died, so it felt like I’d lost both parents.’
I want to say something profound and comforting to him, but I find I can only nod silently.
Another connection between Adam and I has suddenly and unexpectedly appeared, and I want to tell himI get it. I want to tell him I know exactly how he feels. But instead there’s a slightly awkward pause as we stare at each other.
‘Shall we get that clock in now, and then we’re done for the day?’ I hear myself saying. ‘I don’t know about you, but I could do with a bath, some food and an early night.’
Adam looks gratefully at me. ‘Yes, the grandfather clock. I’d forgotten we still had that in the van.’ He glances around the shop. ‘Are you sure it will go in here? This shop is already full to the brim with stuff. I can just take it back to the house if you like?’
‘Nice try!’ I say, relieved the atmosphere between us has lightened once more. ‘But I’m certain I can sell it if we can get it in. I’m not saying it will be easy, but I’m sure you’re up to the task.’
‘How did I ever get into this?’ Adam says, shaking his head. ‘I used to spend most of my Saturday nights either at rock gigs or down the pub – now I’m spending them trying to fit gigantic grandfather clocks into tiny timber-clad shops.’
‘Don’t worry, it’s only this Saturday. Once we get the house cleared, your Saturday nights will be all yours again.’ I finish scribbling the note to Barney, then I head towards the door.
But Adam hesitates behind me.
‘Are you coming?’ I ask, standing in the open doorway waiting for him.
‘Yes… yes, of course,’ Adam says, giving a little shake of his head as though he’s waking himself up. ‘I was just thinking about something, that’s all.’
‘I don’t need thinking right now, I need muscle,’ I reply, flexing my bicep at him. ‘And unfortunately for me, right now you’re all the muscle I have.’
Adam gives me a wry smile. ‘Thanks! Right, come on then, let’s see if we can move this clock.’
With one of us at either end, and with great difficulty, we manage to carry the full-size grandfather clock from the van back to the shop, and then we attempt to manoeuvre it inside.
‘Are you absolutely sure you want to keep this?’ Adam asks, awkwardly holding the face end of the clock as we try to move it through the door. ‘Like I said, I can always take it back if it won’t fit.’
‘It will fit … if we can just … get it … round this corner,’ I reply, slightly out of breath. The clock is cumbersome and awkward, but not as heavy as some I’ve lifted before. ‘You’re lucky, this is a particularly light model. Most are much heavier than this. That’s it, now if we can just get it around that table … and then over this chest of drawers … we’re nearly there.’
‘Watch out!’ Adam cries out as I nearly knock over the vase he was admiring earlier. ‘Phew, that was close!’
‘Not at all. I had it all under control,’ I say, my heart racing a bit faster.
‘Hardly, you nearly took that vase out.’
‘I did not.’
‘I’m going to let that go because I’m holding an incredibly large clock right now. But unless you want to wipe out half your stock, you need to go a bit more carefully.’
‘Fine! Maybe if you lifted your end a little higher, we wouldn’t even be discussing it.’
With ease, Adam lifts his end of the clock higher in the air and with one last effort, we manage to get it to the back of the shop, where I’ve already made room for it in a little alcove against one of the side walls.
‘There,’ I say triumphantly as I help Adam to push the clock upright against the wall. ‘I knew it would fit in this alcove if we could get it back here.’
