Page 47 of Autumn in Sycamore Park
‘Oh, I certainly hope so.’
After dinner,Jennifer refused Angela’s offer to open another bottle of wine, instead deciding to head home through Sycamore Park before it got too dark. The evenings were beginning to draw in, but with the clocks not going back until the end of the month, there were still a few weeks of late sunsets left to enjoy. Instead of cutting across the grassy knoll in the park’s centre, she took the circular path heading east through Big Gerry’s courtyard, where she paused for a while, gazing up at the giant tree’s branches. How much change had such a tree seen? Cars would have been but a pipedream when the first seedling had appeared out of the ground, and if left alone, Big Gerry would still be leaning over this courtyard long after Jennifer’s time was over. It was ridiculous to think the council wanted to cut the tree down, and even worse that Regina Clover wanted to replace the entire area with a water treatment plant.
A handful of hardy mothers were watching their kids still running around in the playground, even as the wind got up, sending showers of leaves across the play apparatus, and the sun dipped towards the horizon. Jennifer waved hello to a couple she recognised whose older children went to her school, then said good evening to Pete, who was packing up his stall for the night.
As she walked back towards her flat, she felt a warm knot in her stomach, despite the wind, and certainly not to do with Angela’s fine choice of wine. Mark, whether willingly or not, had stripped her of an identity, a place in the world, yet here, in this leafy little corner of Brentwell she was starting to find it again.
And she couldn’t let Regina Clover and her County Council minions take it away.
As she walked past the lamp post on Willis Lane where she had seen the posting for the proposed meeting, she found it still taped, but one corner fluttering in the wind. In frustration she ripped it off before panicking about littering and making sure to fold it and stuff it deep into her jacket pocket.
Then she headed for home.
21
Crutches and Cakes
‘I heardthe staff party went off,’ Amy said, managing to look both thrilled and heartbroken at the same time. ‘I was gutted that I had to leave early, but I’d forgotten about my hair appointment.’ She touched the lower edge of a bob that looked little different to last week. ‘How does it look?’
‘Like you’re a different person. I almost thought Amy had quit and been replaced.’
Amy tittered. ‘Oh, you’re too kind. Do you think Rick will notice?’
‘I’m certain he will, although he might not say anything, being shy and all that.’
‘You really think he’s shy?’
Jennifer spread her hands. ‘Well, you know what they say, the shyest types are usually the loudest in the room.’
‘Do they say that?’
‘Yeah … so the party? I mean, I had plans and everything—’
‘I’m so sorry I didn’t call you. I mean, I think it was supposed to be a boys’ night, but I forgot my keys and just kind of came back into the room at the right time, just as they were planning which pubs to hit up. I heard they went to Gossip Bar … have you ever been there?’
Taking the chance that no one had seen her, Jennifer shook her head. ‘No, never.’
Amy leaned closer. ‘It was traffic light night,’ she hissed. ‘Do you think Rick pulled?’
‘I’m pretty sure he didn’t.’
‘What if he did? What if that’s why he’s late? Because he’s been in the sack all weekend and he’s worn out? What if….’ Amy’s eyes had glassed over. Jennifer looked around, scoping out the nearest box of tissues just in case. She was about to grab one off the desk opposite, when the staffroom door banged open. A metal pole with a plastic pad on the end poked inside, holding the door, then Rick stumbled in, crutches under each arm. He paused to glare around the room as though defying anyone to speak, then hobbled over to his desk and sat down.
For a few seconds no one spoke. Rick poked at a pile of marking beside his computer, then opened his desk drawer and dropped his phone inside. Then, looking up at Jennifer and Amy, he said, ‘I suppose you’re wondering who jumped me and how many I took down before they got the best of me?’
Jennifer grimaced. ‘Something like that.’
‘I’m guessing at least six,’ Amy said.
‘It was a hit and run,’ Rick said. ‘Friday night. I was chasing this girl across the street. Well, not chasing, but just kind of continuing a conversation. She was wearing red. This guy swerved and went straight into me.’
‘Oh my, are you all right?’
‘I’m fine, Clair. Considering. I must have gone thirty feet through the air. He slapped the cast on his leg. It’s just a sprain, but the doctor wanted to play it safe. I could have walked out of there, but you know what the NHS is like, overprotective and all that.’
‘Are you going to press charges?’
‘It was just some grandma,’ Rick said with a shrug. ‘I couldn’t put her through that. She’d probably have a heart attack.’
