Ingrid jumps up from her chair and rushes into Nathan’s office ‘You okay?’ she asks, having heard him howl and unsure if it was in pain.
Nathan spins on his chair ‘I should bloody say so! Read that’ he thrusts a letter at her. ‘We’ve only gone and been offered the sodding bypass. Okay, it’s only subbing to the main contractor but the bypass! It’s months of work if we want it’
‘Don’t think there’s any doubt you’ll take it somehow’ she grins and begins to read.
‘You’re not kidding! Get this right and we’re laughing’ Nathan bounds from his chair, slopping coffee onto the tray as he helps himself from the pot.
‘How come......’
‘Foot in the door, do a good job, get in with them and we’re talking nationwide’ he raises the mug in a toast and drinks as he walks to the window.
‘But....’
‘Imagine it’ he turns and leans against the sill ‘not fifty, not a hundred mile radius or even two hundred... but nationwide! I’ve got to ring Eric’ he decides excitedly and makes a grab for the phone.
‘You’re making me dizzy!’ Ingrid closes her eyes in a moment of frustration and puts her hand on the receiver to stop him ‘Will you please calm down and let me in on what’s going on’
‘I’ve just told you!’ The chair squeaks and his boots thud on his desk as he puts his feet up and leans back with an air of achievement.
‘Yes, but HOW?’
‘Thank you Mr. Chakrabati!’ Nathan grins and lifts his eyes to the ceiling in gratitude.
‘The bloke from the Post Office?’ Ingrid tries to shake the confusion from her head.
‘Indirectly’
‘Indirectly, what does that mean?’
‘I thought you’d read that letter?’
‘Chance would be a fine thing with you bouncing around all over the place! I’ve flicked through it’
‘But if you’d READ it, you’d see that he was one of the guys who got their letters late because of the balls up with the post box. He was after a quote for site clearance, big job if you remember’ His feet hit the floor and he leans over the desk, tapping his blotter impatiently ‘We lost that contract, didn’t we, but looks like they were pretty impressed with us in the first place. They’d already passed us over before I got there trying to talk my way out of the hole we were in and I don’t think they believed a word I was saying but whatever covering note Chakrabati sent with that quote, when it finally did get to them, must have had some influence. This’ll be mega’ he declares, a satisfied smile threatening to split his face in two.
‘Just like that?’
‘This is the County Council in conjunction with The Highways Agency. This bod is with the County Council, they put forward the contractors, we are going to be one of those contractors. It really does pay to grovel!’
‘And the money...are we quoting or is it rate per job?’ Ingrid tries to find any explanatory paragraph in the letter.
‘Terms and Conditions to be discussed ......blah, blah, blah...’ Nathan repeats the familiar phrase, circling his hand almost conceitedly ‘Guess I’d better get me best suit out of mothballs again, they want to see me’
Samms Plant Hire, Oatfield
Chapter Thirty-nine
Brendon End, Woodbury
‘This is very k-kind of you, Rosalyn’ Jonathan lifts the bottom of his tee shirt to wipe the sweat from his face ‘I d-didn’t expect you to come and brave the scrum. It’s mayhem, isn’t it?’
‘I don’t mind’ she smiles, having to tear her eyes away from his body when he re-emerges ‘A good idea putting all the mugs and tea bags in one box. Who thought of that?’ she asks, adding milk to a clutch of mugs on the worktop and digging the spoon into a bag of sugar and leaving it there.
‘Your m-mother, actually’ he helps himself and takes a sip; turning round with the mug still at his mouth when he realises someone is behind him.
‘Good on yer, darlin’ One of the removal men follows Jonathan into the kitchen and rubs his hands together ‘We was just sayin we could do with a brew. Give us ‘em ‘ere and I’ll take ‘em out, sit in the van for five minutes. All right with you, sunshine?’
‘Of c-course’ Jonathan quickly swallows a mouthful of tea to reply ‘Unless you want to s-sit on the lawn’ he gestures towards the back door.
‘Nah, you’re okay’ the man nods his appreciation and gathers up the mugs ‘Nice one, treacle’ he winks at Rosalyn and turns back to Jonathan ‘Reckon we can be out your ‘air in an ‘our or so if you ain’t ‘avin stuff unpacked’
‘N-no...I’ve arranged for the b-boxes to be collected once I’ve s-sorted them’
‘Stick ‘em up in yer loft for next time, mate. They won’t send someone out this far for a load of old cardboard’ He draws a breath over his teeth in a hiss as hot tea slops onto his hand and he puts the mugs down to wipe it down the back of his trousers ‘Can I just say somethin?’
‘Sure...is there a p-problem?’
‘Nah’ he threads his fingers through the handles again. ‘A pleasure doin this one and I don’t mind tellin yer. We’re graftin, what with the amount of stuff you got to shift but we ain’t none of us standin there like a pudden waitin to be told where it’s got to go. Organisation, mate, that’s the key. Some people ain’t got a ruddy clue and that’s the God’s ‘onest truth. Don’t even know what’s in the flaming box let alone where they want it put. So, cheers for what you done’
‘I thought lettering the rooms on a floor p-plan and the d-doors was the easiest way of doing it....for you and for me’
‘Well, there you go, see? Easy innit when you got ‘em on the boxes an’ all. Reckon they ought to make it law, meself’ he clicks his tongue and turns to leave.
‘There’s biscuits!’ Rosalyn remembers and dives her hand into the box where the mugs had been and pulls out one of the two packets in there.
‘Tuck ’em under me arm, sweetheart.....’ he crooks an elbow ‘cheers’
‘I hope you like digestives’ she says to Jonathan after the man has gone ‘that’s all you’ve got left’
‘It’s a drink I needed more than anything’ he adds more milk to his mug and stands at the back door looking out onto the garden ‘Can’t believe this is all mine. I’ll never be lost for s-something to do, will I?’ he laughs.
‘I could always give you a hand’ Rosalyn offers tentatively.
‘No, it’s alright; you’ve done more than enough already. Been a great help, thank you’
Rosalyn shrugs ‘No problem, it’s been...nice’ After giving him a brief but encouraging smile, she looks around at the boxes already in the room ‘I’ll start putting some of this away, shall I?’
‘B-best I do it myself, then I’ll know where everything is, thanks all the same’ Jonathan amiably declines her offer and steps out into the sunshine.
‘Do you want me to....’
He lowers his mug from his mouth and shakes his head ‘No, really, leave it. I’ll wait until it’s all in and s-sort as I go’
‘Oh...okay’ she picks aimlessly at the torn packing tape on the one opened box ‘Is there anything you do want me to do?’
‘Not really’ he hunches his shoulders as he gulps down the tea and makes an apologetic grimace as he walks back into the kitchen to put his empty mug on the drainer. ‘It is very n-nice of you to c-come though’
‘I suppose you’ve got other people to help’
Her pointed remark brings him to a stop ‘Actually, I haven’t’ he says, turning around and seeing the change in her expression ‘I know what you’re thinking and the answer’s no’
Rosalyn concentrates on rolling the sticky tape into a ball ‘Don’t know what you mean’
Jonathan heaves a sigh and bows his head, hesitating in a few seconds thought before looking up and speaking again ‘You do, Rosalyn. I thought we were friends’
The disappointment in his voice makes her turn sharply. ‘Aren’t we?’
‘A friend would have said s-straight out what they meant’
‘Oh...right...okay. Well, if you don’t need me for anything, I might as well go’ she picks up her sling bag by its strap and throws it over her shoulder.
‘No one’s coming round and that includes Charlene’ he retorts, returning to her original remark and scowling slightly. ‘I’ve got a few days off and I thought I’d w-work my way through methodically’ After a long moment, he breaks eye contact and turns away with a sigh ‘A-as far as I know, s-she doesn’t even know w-where I am! I know s-she isn’t g-going out w-with anyone any m-more b-b-b-but...’
‘Jonathan’ Rosalyn touches his arm, tilting her head and pushing it forward look up into his face ‘Slowly’ her eyes encourage as she mouths the word ‘Okay?’
‘Y-yes’ he nods and inhales deeply through his nose.
‘Good’ she smiles and turns to go ‘Right....I’ll see you round our house at some time or another I expect. Didn’t Mum invite you for dinner tomorrow?’
‘She did’
‘Great! I’ll see you then. It’s been fun, all this house hunting and everything. I’ve really enjoyed it. You’ll tell me if there’s anything else you need help with, won’t you? I mean...I won’t mind at all. It’d be awful if we didn’t keep friends, wouldn’t it?’ She eases the strap of her bag further onto her shoulder ‘Don’t work too hard!’ she grins.
‘Ros’ Jonathan lifts his hand, the index finger pointing upwards and indicating he wants her to wait ‘I know Charlene isn’t g-going out with that m-man any more...’
‘How did y.......’
He shakes the question away with his head, his finger still extended ‘But’ he says the word deliberately ‘I won’t be rushing to s-see her again. I w-wanted you to know that’
‘Okay’ she says cheerfully ‘See you tomorrow’
‘I’m not l-looking for another relationship’
‘Right’
‘With anyone’ he adds, looking at her from under lowered brows.
‘That’s fine’ Rosalyn shrugs airily, her smile a little more fixed than it had been.
Jonathan moves closer ‘But...if I were’ he smiles ‘I couldn’t think of anyone n-nicer than you to have one with. Thanks for everything’ His hand squeezes hers as his lips brush her cheek.
‘No probs!’ Her eyes bright, she walks away ‘Don’t be late tomorrow’
‘I won’t’ He watches her leave.
