Clara Bounces Back Read online

  ‘Hugh is here!’ I hiss, trying not to panic as I look over my shoulder to see him pointing at the illustrations on the wall wearily.

  ‘He’s here?’ Lianna exclaims, digging out her phone to call Marc. ‘What are they doing here?’

  Breaking into a grin, Dawn immediately jumps up and stands on a chair to see over the blanket of people.

  ‘He must have good news to share about his meeting!’ Running through the bar, Dawn waves her arms around in the air to get his attention.

  ‘Wait!’ I shout, trying to stop her before she disappears into the crowd. ‘I think he’s with Stelios!’

  Not sticking around to hear the last part of my sentence, Dawn bounds over to her husband regardless. Thankfully, Stelios disappears towards the toilets just as she reaches him.

  ‘Hello!’ She sings, wrapping her arms around his neck. ‘So, how did it go?’

  ‘Dawn?’ Hugh’s face visibly pales as he removes her arms agitatedly. ‘I thought you guys would have gone by now!’ Looking behind her at the rest of us, Hugh holds his head in his hands. ‘You guys need to leave. Stelios will be back at any moment. Please, you can’t be here right now!’

  Dawn squints at him and positions her face an inch away from his. ‘Are you drunk?’

  ‘Of course I am bloody drunk!’ Hugh hisses, slurring his words a little. ‘I’ve been throwing back Ouzo with a frisky Greek man all day long!’ Looking around the room, he quickly scans the area for Stelios. ‘I’m on the very edge of getting somewhere with him, but I need more time. You have to go! Now!’

  Not buying into his protests, Dawn folds her arms and frowns.

  ‘I’m being serious.’ Hugh persists, his voice becoming frantic. ‘He is this close to agreeing to work with us, but with you lot of cackling hens around I might as well give up.’

  Seeing the desperation in Hugh’s intoxicated eyes, I motion for the others to gather their things. ‘He’s right, Dawn. Let’s leave him to it. We don’t want to ruin all his hard work.’

  Hesitantly agreeing, Dawn plants a kiss on Hugh’s cheek and straightens his wonky tie. ‘Fine, but I still don’t see how us being here is going to sabotage your plans…’

  ‘They’re real! I swear they’re real!’ Janie hoots in the bar behind us. ‘Go on, feel for yourself!’

  ‘That’s why!’ Hugh groans, shoving Dawn towards the exit as Stelios steps out of the toilets. ‘Please, just get her out of here!’

  Turning on our heels, Dawn and I run back into the bar and hustle Janie out of her seat.

  ‘What the hell are you doing?’ She shrieks, clutching her glass like it’s made of pure gold. ‘Get your hands off of me!’

  Hearing Hugh try to distract Stelios with the brandy menu, I physically drag Janie outside as Gina and Lily hold the door open. Luckily, the music turns up a notch and drowns out Janie’s foul-mouthed tirade as the door closes behind us.

  ‘Does someone wanna tell me what’s going on here?’ She curses, batting away Lily’s hands as she tries to help her to her feet. ‘Because I’m getting sick and tired of being hustled around! First the stationery cupboard and now this!’

  ‘We’re sorry for manhandling you, Janie.’ Lily stammers apologetically. ‘It’s just that…’

  ‘Manhandling?’ Smoothing down her blonde beehive, Janie rests her hands on her hips and scoffs. ‘Please! You couldn’t manhandle me if I came with instructions!’

  Lily’s cheeks flush with embarrassment as Janie glares at the rest of us furiously.

  ‘Just get me a goddam drink…’

  Chapter 11

  Snuggling between Oliver and Noah, I wrestle Pumpkin for the blanket and settle into the cushions. With Noah feeling the effects of his chickenpox and me feeling the effects of last night’s prosecco, Oliver declared today to be a duvet day and I couldn’t be happier if I tried.

  Placing a hand on Noah’s forehead, I test his temperature as he rests his head on my stomach. Regardless of not feeling too well, nothing makes Noah happier than being given full control of the DVD player.

  Waiting until he becomes fully engrossed in the movie, I discreetly tap Oliver on the shoulder.

  ‘Have you heard anything more from Hugh?’ I whisper, keeping my voice low as to not disturb Noah.

  Picking up his phone, Oliver shakes his head. ‘Apart from the update on his hangover, I haven’t heard a thing.’

  ‘I still can’t believe he managed to secure a meeting. It’s unbelievable to think we will have Stelios in the office on Monday. When Hugh stumbled into Artemis, my initial thought was that he was drowning his sorrows.’ I say quietly, crossing my legs beneath me. ‘You should have seen Dawn’s face when he confessed to being force-fed Ouzo by Stelios all afternoon.’

  ‘Oh, I can imagine.’ Oliver chuckles and wraps his arm around my shoulders. ‘Hugh has really done us proud. Who would have thought there would be such strength in enemies?’

  Feeling a tingle of excitement in the pit of my stomach, I spin my wedding ring around my finger. At first, I was extremely doubtful that an Ianthe collaboration was a good idea, but now the wheels are being put into motion, I’m starting to have faith in this being the lifeline we’ve been searching for.

  ‘What happens next?’ I ask, smiling as Noah laughs along to the movie.

  Reaching down to stroke Pumpkin, Oliver shrugs. ‘The first thing is to see if he actually shows. Like Hugh said, Stelios was highly intoxicated when he agreed to the meeting. There’s a chance it could have been the Ouzo talking.’

  My heart drops slightly and I attempt to shake it off. ‘Only time will tell…’

  Hearing a knock at the door, I automatically glance down at my watch and slide off the couch. ‘That’ll be my mum. No one else knocks so authoritatively on a Saturday morning.’

  Smoothing down my pyjamas, I walk through the kitchen and pull open the door.

  ‘Clara!’ Beaming back at me, my mum throws her arms around my neck and squeezes tightly. ‘Why aren’t you dressed?’

  ‘One, because it’s the weekend and two, because we’re having a duvet day.’ Twirling around in my stripy dressing gown, I accept the parcel she is holding out. ‘What’s this?’

  ‘They’re neem leaves, for Noah.’ She explains knowingly, as she marches into the apartment. ‘My therapist swears by them.’

  ‘Since when do you have a therapist?’ I ask, giving my dad a welcoming hug.

  ‘Since forever! I’ve mentioned my therapist loads of times.’ She protests, shaking her freshly-dyed peach locks. ‘Anyway, the point of the neem leaves is to help Noah fight the chickenpox virus.’

  ‘Okay…’ I reply, peering into the box sceptically. ‘And what do I do with them, exactly?’

  ‘I bought two bunches.’ Shaking off her denim jacket and carefully placing it on the back of a chair, she takes the package from me and pulls on the string. The vivid green leaves spring out of the box as she peels back the lid. ‘One lot is to make into a paste and the other is for his bath. Don’t they smell divine?’

  Catching a whiff of the rather pungent odour, I screw up my nose and quickly close the lid. ‘Wow! Thanks, Mum. I’m sure Noah is going to just love these.’

  Ignoring my sarcasm, she jumps into my empty seat on the couch and pulls Noah onto her lap. Leaving Oliver to keep her occupied, I turn my attention to my dad.

  ‘Coffee?’ Already knowing he will have at least two cups, my hand reaches for a mug before he can reply.

  ‘Do you even need to ask?’ His eyes crinkle into a smile and I automatically return it.

  My dad and I have always had a lovely relationship, but lately, we’ve grown extra close. Since he retired from work, he’s had a lot more time on his hands and as a result, we have had much more father/daughter time, too.

  ‘How have you been?’ I ask, hopping onto a bar stool as the coffee maker fires up. ‘Has Mum been dragging you around the crystal shop again?’

  Groaning comically, he takes a seat beside me and shakes his he
ad. ‘Not just the crystal shop. The herbalist, the bohemian tie-dye place. You name it and we’ve been there.’

  ‘Did you manage to escape the dreaded kaftan hut this time?’ Sliding to the floor, I quickly whip up a couple of hot drinks.

  ‘What do you think?’ He scoffs, unzipping his jacket to reveal a pink tie-dyed tunic.

  ‘Oh, no!’ I giggle, handing him a mug and wandering over to my mum with the other.

  Resting my free hand on my hip, I frown as she retrieves a blue stone from her handbag and rubs it between her palms. ‘What on earth are you doing?’

  ‘Shh!’ She whispers, taking the rock and placing it on Noah’s forehead. ‘I’m trying to summon a positive energy!’

  Waving her arms around like a crazy octopus, she closes her eyes and hums loudly. Understandably, Noah peers up at her in confusion and I look over at my dad for help.

  ‘It’s aquamarine.’ He explains, motioning for me to leave her to it. ‘It strengthens and balances the immune system, apparently.’

  Reluctantly heading back to the kitchen, I glance back at my mum and marvel at the difference in her. With each day that passes, she becomes more and more bohemian. Not that I am complaining, this carefree and alternative lifestyle of hers is a far cry from the stuffy, prim and prude woman who raised me.

  ‘How are things at Suave?’ My dad asks, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. ‘Did you manage to pull something out of the bag?’

  My stomach churns with hope as I’m reminded of our impending meeting with Stelios. ‘I guess you will just have to wait and see…’

  Chapter 12

  Unclipping Pumpkin’s lead, I throw her ball into the distance and watch her tail disappear between the trees. The sound of her paws thudding against the branches on the ground echoes back at me as I slowly walk after her.

  After my mum’s attempts at curing Noah’s chickenpox yesterday, I secretly hoped that I would wake-up to a spot-free son. Ironically, he rolled out of bed spottier than ever, despite being smothered in neem leaf paste. Throughout the course of the night, his smattering of spots was replaced with hundreds of sore blisters. So much for her positive energy.

  Not wanting to have another calamine lotion fight, I left Noah with Oliver and headed to the park with Pumpkin. Nothing makes you long for the outdoors like being kept in quarantine… and nothing makes you regret inviting your mother-in-law along like hearing her complain.

  ‘You should have got a cat.’ Janie curses, linking her arm through mine as she tries to wipe mud from her stilettos.

  ‘Nobody forced you to join us.’ I reply, as we trudge through the verdant woodland. ‘I would have happily taken her alone…’

  ‘And stay back there with the infected?’ Digging her nails into my arm, she hops over a tiny puddle. ‘I’d rather stay at the damn hospital.’

  ‘Do you have to call him the infected? He’s got chickenpox, not the bloody plague.’ Spotting Pumpkin up ahead, I grab a stick from the ground and toss it as far as I can.

  ‘He’s covered in spots and looks like the walking dead.’ Janie scoffs. ‘He might as well have the damn plague.’

  Smiling at a passer-by, I choose to ignore Janie and carry on walking. ‘How are you finding England this time around?’

  Her face freezes and she stops in her tracks. ‘Why? You’re not sending me packing again, are you?’

  ‘No!’ Shaking my head, I grab her by the hand and tug her along. ‘I’m just genuinely interested in how you’re settling in.’

  Janie shoots me a suspicious look and I smile sweetly back at her. ‘I’m constantly cold and the whiskey sucks, but I’m surviving.’

  ‘You want to do more than just survive though, don’t you?’ I press, giving her a sideways glance.

  Since Janie moved back over here, she hasn’t made a single friend or acquaintance and more worryingly, she hasn’t been on a single date. For a woman who used to devour men for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this is highly unusual.

  ‘Do you think there will by any guys on the scene anytime soon?’ I ask, making sure to choose my words carefully.

  ‘Jeez! What’s with the third degree?’ Janie cries, as Pumpkin drops a muddy stick by her feet.

  ‘I’m just curious, that’s all!’ I protest, picking up the stick and throwing it. ‘You have to admit that it would be nice to share your life with someone.’

  Janie considers my question for a moment, before shaking her head slowly. ‘I’m happy on my own.’

  Not believing her for a second, I purse my lips and kick a pile of twigs.

  ‘Oh, come on.’ I say teasingly. ‘We weren’t put on this planet to go through life alone. We all deserve someone to help us…’

  ‘I’ll help me.’ She answers quickly, slipping on her sunglasses so that I can no longer see her eyes. ‘We don’t all need a man.’

  Sensing that she doesn’t want to talk about this any longer, I decide to drop it as Pumpkin returns with yet another stick, which is noticeably bigger than the one I threw.

  Janie is crying out for someone to love, she’s just too afraid to admit it. Her hard outer shell might deceive most people, but I know that beneath the layers of Botox and lashings of makeup, she has a sensitive soul that she’s desperate to keep hidden. Her divorce from Oliver’s dad has finally sunk in and knowing that Randy is comfortably settled with a girl half her age has to hurt on some level.

  Giving her a quick hug, I ignore her protests and plant a kiss on her cheek. Janie isn’t the easiest woman in the world to love, but if Randy fell in love with her once upon a time, someone else will, too. It’s just going to take a rather special person to see it…

  Chapter 13

  ‘Clara!’ Oliver’s thunderous voice booms out of the bathroom. ‘Get in here!’

  Abandoning my blazer, I curse under my breath as I make my way across the apartment. ‘What is it? We’re going to be late! You know how important today is…’

  Coming to a stop in front of the bathroom, I inhale sharply as the door swings open. Standing in front of me is a very bewildered Oliver, with a very red spot on the very tip of his nose.

  ‘Is… is that what I think it is?’ I whisper in horror, stepping into the bathroom and allowing the door to close behind me.

  Oliver visibly gulps and whips off his t-shirt to reveal a cluster of identical pimples on his back. ‘Please tell me they’re not chickenpox.’

  Blinking to make sure I’m not hallucinating, I lean closer for a better look. ‘Oh, no!’

  ‘What? What is it?’ He asks, all colour draining from his face.

  Panic runs through me as I hold my head in my hands with dismay.

  ‘Oliver, you’ve got the pox!’

  He shakes his head in disbelief and strains his neck to see his back for himself. ‘You’re kidding, right?’

  ‘Turn around.’ I instruct, squinting at his chest and discovering a few more of the dratted blemishes. ‘Definitely chickenpox.’

  Leaning against the bath, I feel my heart sink in my chest. ‘This cannot be happening. Stelios is coming in today!’

  We lock eyes in the mirror and I watch his face fall as the realisation sets in.

  ‘There has to be a way around this.’ He stammers. ‘I can’t miss this meeting…’

  ‘You’re going to have to!’ I snap agitatedly. ‘Marc is going to flip.’

  ‘I’ll be fine!’ Pacing around the bathroom, he rubs his hands together as he speaks. ‘I don’t feel too bad. Just a little achy, that’s all.’

  Spotting my cosmetic case on the sink, he makes a grab for the foundation and holds it in the air. ‘You use this when you have bad skin, don’t you? Let’s just get these covered up, power through the meeting…’

  ‘You can’t cover them up with makeup!’ I exclaim, taking the glass bottle from him and tossing it back into the case. ‘You’re sick. You’re contagious. You can’t leave the apartment.’

  Oliver looks at me blankly before swearing out loud. ‘He�
�s only had them for a few days! How could I possibly have caught them already?’

  ‘The virus can be in your system for a while before the spots appear.’ I grumble, scouring the bathroom cabinet for the neem paste. ‘You were probably infected at Melrose’s party last week. Gina suspects that’s where the whole outbreak started.’

  ‘But I’m fine!’ He protests. ‘I honestly feel great. Well, not great, but I feel okay.’

  ‘Regardless of how you feel, you have chickenpox and you simply can’t go to work today.’ Pushing open the door, I smile at Noah as he beams back at me from his resting place on the couch. ‘I’m going to have to call Marc.’

  Kissing Noah on the head as I grab the phone from its holster, I dial Marc’s mobile number.

  ‘Hello?’ A rather feminine voice gabbles down the line. ‘Hello?’

  ‘Gina?’ I mumble, checking to see if I have dialled her number by mistake. ‘Gina, we’ve got a crisis…’

  ‘Tell me about it!’ She cries, hysteria ringing through her words. ‘Marc is losing his mind up here! He thought he saw one spot last night, but I convinced him it was a bug bite. By the time he woke up this morning, he had dozens of the bloody things!’

  Bug bite? I repeat silently, trying to work out what on earth she’s talking about.

  ‘He’s completely freaking out about the Stelios meeting. Can you and Oliver please come up here and convince him that you can handle this without him as he’s…’

  ‘Wait I minute!’ I yell, clutching the handset to my ear as the penny finally drops. ‘You’re saying that Marc has chickenpox?’

  Oliver pokes his head out of the bathroom and I notice his jaw drop open.

  ‘Yes!’ Gina shouts frantically. ‘Haven’t you listened to a single word I’ve said?’

  ‘No! No! No!’ I wail, covering my eyes with my spare hand. ‘Marc can’t have chickenpox, because Oliver has chickenpox!’