Page 13 of Six Steps to Happiness
Ronnie sighed. Bea must have called her – again. Ronnie gave her mother-in-law a pointed look. “Did you have to?” she asked. Still, at least with the both of them there, she could explain how she wouldn’t be taking part in their six-step plan.
Clearly unimpressed, Willow glowered as she appeared in the kitchen doorway. “I know Dad’s behaving like an idiot right now, but I thought you’d agreed to stop with your games?”
Ronnie didn’t have a clue what her daughter was talking about. “Nice to see you too.”
“Mum, you promised.”
“I promised what?”
“The delivery van? Outside?” Willow gestured down the hall.
“You mean they’re here!” Ignoring her daughter’s concern, Ronnie squealed in anticipation, clapping her hands as she exited the room. “I can’t believe I almost forgot.” She hesitated at the front door, a mischievous smile appearing on her face. If Willow was troubled by the van’s presence, the two next door were going to freak; a fact that Ronnie hadn’t even considered.
She looked back to Willow and Bea, who hovered in the kitchen doorway and, disregarding their quizzical expressions, put a finger to her lips instructing them to stay quiet. She counted backwards.Five…four…three…two…one…Her neighbour was nothing if not predictable and no sooner had Ronnie finished andbingo!Gaye was out through her front door, ready to turn the driver away.
More than happy to give Gaye a head start, Ronnie, at last, opened the door and coolly made her way outside. Refusing to let the poor man speak, Gaye was well into her spiel by the time Ronnie reached them. Red-faced and flustered, her neighbour seemed determined not to let the driver get a word in.
“Is everything all right?” Ronnie asked, making sure to put on her best smile.
“It would be,” the delivery driver said. “If big mouth here would shut up for a second.”
“Excuse me?” Gaye replied. She looked at Ronnie. “And I don’t know what you think you’re playing at, but–”
“Not again, Gaye, please,” Ronnie interrupted. She rolled her eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh as she turned to the delivery chap. “She does this all the time. A pizza man nearly got arrested last week thanks to her.” Gaye almost choked, but Ronnie moved swiftly on before her neighbour could give a full and true account of events. “Apparently she’s not coping well at the moment.” She made a half-hearted attempt at discretion. “At least that’s what herboyfriendtold me.”
Gaye’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? You’ve spoken to Nick? When?”
Ronnie raised an eyebrow, amazed to hear that Nick had kept his little visit to himself. Then again, knowing him, he’d probably wanted to surprise Gaye with some sort of tacky divorce celebration. Of course, his silence on the matter did play into Ronnie’s hands, and she jumped at the opportunity to be even more wicked. “When he popped round yesterday,” she said, nice as anything. “I can’t believe he didn’t mention it.” Ignoring Gaye’s irritation, she turned her attention back to the delivery man. “Now, how can I help you?”
The delivery man checked his clipboard. “I’m looking for a Mrs Jacobs.”
Ronnie gloated, raising her left hand and flashing her wedding ring. “There’s only one of those around here, isn’t there, Gaye?” Ronnie looked her neighbour directly in the eye, her expression loaded. “And it isn’t you.” She put on her best innocent smile, rolling her eyes and feigning despair as she got back to the matter at hand. “Honestly, all that fuss for nothing.”
The delivery chap took this as his cue and headed to the back of his van, pulling out a parcel, ready to hand over. “If you could sign here, please,” he said, offering Ronnie his mobile signature device first. “To confirm receipt.”
Using the accompanying stylus, Ronnie sounded out her name as she wrote. “Mrs R. Jacobs,” she said, and all for Gaye’s benefit. Handing them back in return for her package, Ronnie again pretended to be subtle. “And please don’t mind my neighbour. As I explained, she’s a bit fragile at the moment.”
While the delivery driver nodded and went on his way, Ronnie looked at her increasingly frustrated neighbour. “Gaye,” she said, smiling as she turned, happy to leave the woman standing there, open-mouthed.
Such was her excitement for her parcel, it was all Ronnie could do to stop herself running up the garden path. But as she put one foot in front of the other, she could feel Gaye’s eyes boring into her back and knew she had to remain calm.
Letting herself into number six, it was only when she closed the door behind her that she finally let out her delight and she raced down the hall to the kitchen. She squealed again as she placed her parcel on the dining table, pausing to relish the moment.
“What is it?” Willow asked. She and Bea stared over Ronnie’s shoulders, clearly intrigued.
“You’ll see,” Ronnie replied. Unable to hold off any longer, she ripped open the packaging to reveal a shoebox. And opening it, she pulled out the most fabulous pair of trainers. “Aren’t they gorgeous?” she said, holding them up for the others to see. She smiled. With a little help from those beauties, she’d soon be traversing loft hatches like a gymnast on a trapeze.
“They’re very white,” Willow said, less than enthusiastic.
“Don’t knock them,” Bea replied. “I didn’t think she’d go for it. Especially after your father’s latest stunt.”
Their conversation broke into Ronnie’s reverie and, putting the trainers back in their box, she looked to her daughter and mother-in-law. “What are you talking about? Go for what?”
“Joining a gym,” Bea said.
Ronnie laughed. “But I have to if I want to get fit. I mean, how else am I…” She stopped short before she said too much.
Her gaze went from Willow, to Bea, to the trainers and, realising how everything looked, Ronnie cringed. She watched her daughter and mother-in-law nudge each other, seemingly as proud of themselves as they were of her. It was obviously quite something to know she’d taken their advice and was about to embark on the first step of their plan.
