Page 62 of Autumn in Sycamore Park
Tom stood up, frowning in the direction of the courtyard. ‘What’s going on down there?’ he said. ‘A van from the council just showed up. Hang on, I’ll go and have a look.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ Angela said. Then, turning back to Jennifer and Downton, she added, ‘You two couldn’t be loves and put the leftovers away, could you? It’s starting to turn a little chilly and I think it might be a good idea to relocate to the café for the after party.’
As Tom and Angela headed off down the hill, Jennifer turned to Downton.
‘So, um, ah, well … are you and Angela … a, um….’
‘Out with it, Miss Stevens,’ Downton snapped, glaring at her, before abruptly chuckling with laughter. ‘Are you wondering if your friend and I are an item?’
‘Well, yes?’
Downton sighed. ‘You’d probably better ask her about that. We enjoy each other’s company. We’re both separated, and both getting a bit long in the tooth. And she’s lovely, isn’t she? Like a breath of fresh air in a dingy old room.’
‘I suppose that’s one way of putting it.’
‘And you never know when your time might be up, do you? Might as well live a little before you die.’
Jennifer grimaced. ‘Speaking of which … I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything about Matthew Bridges’ mum?’
Downton sighed. ‘I called the hospital this morning, but there was nothing much they could tell me. She made it through the operation, but she was still under sedation when I called. The doctor told me they’d know later today whether she’s likely to make it or not.’
‘Poor Matthew. I can’t imagine what he’s going through.’
‘You never really know how important someone is until they’re gone, do you?’
Jennifer shook her head.
‘I made the mistake with my Debbie. She left me for a pastry chef. Said I was boring, that my personality was as grey as my clothes. I only dressed that way because I thought it was befitting the job. If I’d known she wanted me to dress like a strawberry, I’d have gotten a job as a fireman. Do you think I’m boring, Stevens?’
Fearing that Downton had been a little too generous with refilling his own glass of wine, Jennifer just gave a shrug she hoped would cover all bases. She looked down the hill towards Tom, hoping to catch his eye.
‘I mean, after she left me, I went through my wardrobe, and found that everything I owned filled the same spectrum on the colour scale, from light grey to black. It was sobering. So I went out and bought a lemon yellow shirt. I promised myself that I would never dress like an old Filofax again. Except for at work, when it’s expected, but outside work it would be all greens and blues and oranges. Do you see where I’m coming from, Stevens?’
Help me,Jennifer mouthed in Tom’s general direction, and perhaps through some psychic link she hadn’t previously realised existed, he turned and began to walk back up the hill.
To her surprise, both Tom and Angela were smiling. As they reached the picnic spot where neither Jennifer nor Downton had begun to do any tidying at all, Angela did a little skip, then reached down and took Downton’s hands, pulling him to his feet.
‘It appears Big Gerry’s had a stay of execution,’ she said, spinning him in a circle which nearly sent him crashing face first into the rock feature, ‘and even better—they’ve cancelled the plans for the water treatment plant.’
Jennifer looked up at Tom and blinked. ‘Really?’
Tom sat down beside her. ‘Really. It looks like I sold my soul to Regina Clover in exchange for Big Gerry’s continued survival.’
‘I’m sure that if Big Gerry could talk, he would thank you in a big, booming tree-like voice,’ Jennifer said.
Tom smiled. ‘It was thanks to you,’ he said. ‘Had you not spotted the weak point, we would never have defeated the end-of-level boss.’ His smile dropped. ‘Seriously, you made a difference, Jennifer. You might have only lived here a couple of months, but that tree’s been there forever. While there might not be anyone still alive—at least I hope not—who remembers when it was planted, there are plenty who remember it being a little smaller. This park means a lot to a lot of people, and you helped protect that.’
Jennifer wiped away a tear. ‘Thank you for saying that, even if it’s a little melodramatic.’
Tom leaned forward. ‘Can I be a little bit more melodramatic before I turn back into the tough old gardener?’
‘Um, sure.’
‘How about me and you go out for a proper date tonight? Like, in a restaurant, or something?’
Jennifer opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say anything, Downton jumped, one hand flapping at his back.
‘Ow! I think I just got stung by a bee. Aren’t they supposed to be hibernating by now?’
