Minnie Chase Makes a Mistake (7 page)

Jackson looked genuinely crestfallen even though there was no edge to Minnie’s tone.

There was an awkward silence. Window Seat Man snored on. 

Minnie realised she had said too much and reached out for his arm. ‘I’m sorry about hacking into your girlfriend’s phone. I really am. I was feeling hurt and under the misguided impression that it helps when you spread this hurt around but it is not true. I just feel worse. I’ve made you miserable.’

As Jackson lapsed into a brooding silence, Minnie thought about a dog Angie had once rescued. The animal’s vocal chords had been deliberately perforated to stop it barking.  

Instead of a debarking procedure, Minnie fantasised about having a similar operation herself whereby she could talk as much as she liked but no sound would come out.

Minnie took an analytical approach to the problem. In order to make Jackson feel better about this cutting revelation she needed to show him that his situation could be much worse. It was her turn to do the talking. 

She began to understand the strangers-on-a-plane syndrome. Unburden yourself on a person you’ve never met before secure in the knowledge that you will
never
set eyes on them again.  

Minnie had sipped a little wine earlier and it loosened her further, helping her to relive the details of her own nightmare. In fact she’d almost forgotten Jackson was listening as she talked out loud about Greene; how to find him and what to do when she did find him.

‘What should I do?’ Minnie asked herself. She was getting very nervous about landing in San Francisco.

She jumped a little as Jackson cleared his throat. She could see he was beginning to look a little more like his usual self. ‘Would it help if I told you how
I’d
react – me in Greene’s shoes?’ he asked. ‘Y’know,
perspective
. It might give you an idea of what you’re dealing with when you roll up to his house in San Francisco and surprise him.’

Minnie sighed. ‘I’m open to suggestions.’

Jackson didn’t miss a beat. ‘If you did that to me, I’d probably want to kill you.’  

As the colour drained out of Minnie’s face, Jackson realised he had gone too far, ‘Hey, look, I was making a joke. I’m talking, like in the heat of the moment. I’m sure he’s calmed down now.’

An hour of relatively quiet air travel passed. 

‘We could go on a date,’ said Jackson out of the blue. ‘You and me.’

Minnie tutted. She explained to Jackson that the combination of alcohol and lack of oxygen to the brain was to blame. No one should ever make key decisions on a plane. 

He grinned, recent heartbreak forgotten. ‘At least let me show you San Francisco. We could get you into a wetsuit.’

Minnie immediately blanched at the thought of squeezing legs, arms and the rest into a neoprene body stocking.

‘I have a husband-to-be,’ she replied, stiffly. ‘It wouldn’t be appropriate.’

Jackson laughed. ‘Isn’t your husband-to-be now the husband-that-isn’t-going-to-be?’

Minnie’s shoulders sagged.

‘He’s a fool,’ said Jackson.

‘He’s a man.’

Now it was Jackson’s turn to tut. ‘I know it’s hard to believe that someone as attractive as me could resist the charms of beautiful women but I have
never
cheated on my two-faced cheatin’ girlfriend.’

Minnie responded tartly. ‘I am wearing compression stockings to prevent DVT. I could be predisposed to blood clots at any given moment. Dating anyone
is the last thing on my mind.’

He persisted. ‘You might need me to drive you around. It’s not a good idea to hire a car. And parking sucks in the city.’ He paused, ‘Anyway, how would you find your way around even with a car? I could be your guide.’

‘Thank you for the tourist tip but I have no aversion to walking. I am also perfectly capable of reading a map on my smartphone.’

Minnie filled the uncomfortable silence with an explanation. ‘With everything that has happened, I’m way past nervous and my stress levels are up to here.’ She raised a hand above her head to emphasise the point. ‘I’m sorry, this isn’t the real me.’

‘I see,’ said Jackson, smiling companionably. ‘Well, that’s good to know.’

5

San Francisco, California

The plane landed in a series of violent bounces accompanied with a head-splitting screech of rubber – definitely
not
a textbook landing. Minnie took this as an ominous sign of things to come.

What’s more, as they taxied towards their gate, she realised that her fingers weren’t digging fiercely into the armrest – she had locked onto Jackson’s solid forearm by mistake. She snatched back her hand and muttered an embarrassed apology but he was quick to reassure her that no apology was necessary. 

Minnie experienced a rush of inseparable emotions when the plane finally stopped moving. She was ecstatic to be back on the ground again but also felt utterly terrified about what was ahead of her. Then there was the feeling of complete helplessness as it hit home that she was about to try to find someone who clearly didn’t want to be found. 

Once off the plane she found that she stuck close to Jackson. She observed that he reclaimed his smile along with his luggage at the airport carousel. Minnie suspected the man had record high serotonin levels. He discovers his girlfriend has been cheating on him and his career could be on the rocks but those shoulders seemed able to bear the weight of the world. 

Minnie began to feel panic mounting inside her. It was the middle of the afternoon and she was in San Francisco airport with nowhere to go. This was a worst-case scenario in her mind: no plan, no structure, and no idea what she was going to do or what was going to happen next.

Luggage collected, Jackson steered Minnie towards the exit where bright yellow taxis waited for a fare. She had turned down his offer of a ride into town. Much as she could use a little help right now, particularly from the happy-go-lucky Jackson, it just seemed too much to ask. She reasoned it might also complicate things. She was certainly feeling fragile but the irrepressible Jackson appeared to be settling into rebound mode.

‘Are you
sure
you don’t want to take a look at my Dodge Ram?’ Jackson asked, with a picture-of-innocence smile. ‘You might change your mind.’

Minnie responded with an ‘act your age, not your shoe size’ look.

Jackson grinned and placed his hand over his heart. ‘Genuine no-strings-attached offer. I’ll drop you wherever you want to go.’

Minnie could feel the blood drain down to her feet and panic rise up in her throat. She was on the other side of the world with nowhere to go. 

Jackson’s eyes narrowed as he appeared to read her mind.
‘
You
do
have somewhere to go, don’t you?’

Minnie forced herself to nod. She quickly stuck out her hand. ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Jackson.’

Then she felt a sudden, enormous surge of separation anxiety. It had been a talkative and quite draining 11 hours and 14 minutes. She briefly considered clinging onto him, her arms wrapped tightly around his ankles so he couldn’t walk away without her.

He seemed to sense that she was reluctant to leave him. 

‘I can call my sisters if you like,’ he said. ‘Or my mom. I know it’s awkward, y’know, you and me… um…we’ve only just met…’

Minnie saved him an explanation.

‘Thank you. I sincerely mean that but I’ll be okay.’ She looked at her watch. ‘I have plenty time to organise a room before bedtime.’

Tempting as it was to beg Jackson for help, she told herself that as she had got herself into this mess it was her mess to sort out. She was 32 not 13 after all. She had a laptop, her smartphone and Internet access. She was at home in cyber-space. She could do this. 

Jackson sat down on his suitcase and smiled, sunshine streaking through his bleached-blond hair. 

‘No worries. Once you get settled, would you like to have dinner with me? Strictly a welcome-to-San-Francisco dinner. Not a romantic one.’ 

Minnie had already started to drag her suitcase and hand luggage in the direction of the nearest taxi. She looked back, flustered. ‘I’m…um… thanks. But there is just so much I need to do.’

‘Okay, Minnie Chase,’ he said with an understanding smile and a nonchalant shrug. ‘You have my number.’

Minnie blushed as she remembered her recent encounter with his phone. Not a great moment. 

As Minnie was whisked out of San Francisco airport towards the centre of the city, her takeaway memory captured professional surfer Jackson in wraparound sunglasses, sitting on his suitcase, still smiling like a large cat in the sunshine, like he had all the time in the world. 

She sat back into the seat and breathed deeply. Jackson and his damn euphemisms. Despite her agitated state, she smiled.

Whizzing along the freeway in her taxi, Minnie found herself trapped in the company of yet another talkative man, the driver. Minnie only half-listened as she tried to take in all the unfamiliar sights. There was no sign of the famous San Franciscan fog. Indeed, the sun was shining brightly making the water in the bay sparkle and dance. It was a glorious golden-washed scene that highlighted striking coastal architecture while a warm wind hurried the clouds in the opposite direction. Minnie stared hard out the car window and wondered for the zillionth time how she would find Greene. 

Minnie called Angie from the taxi. The time difference put London ahead and although it would be nearly 11.15 pm Angie had told Minnie that she would wait up.

Angie picked up the phone to a chorus of deafening barks in the background. Minnie pitied the poor neighbours.

Minnie held the phone away from her ear. ‘Angie, it’s me. I’ve arrived.’

‘Minnie, is that you?’

‘Yes!’

‘Can you speak up?’ hollered Angie. ‘Whenever the phone goes it sets the animals off.’

‘I’ve arrived. I’m fine. I’m in a taxi.’

‘Good. When are you coming home?’

‘Soon. Promise.’

Minnie shouted quickly, ‘Did James George call round at the house looking for me?’

‘No. Has he called you?’

‘Well, no… he wouldn’t…’ Minnie faltered. ‘He’s giving me space.’

‘Does he even know you’re in San Francisco?’ questioned Angie above the background noise.

‘No.’

‘Leave it like that,’ commanded Angie. ‘Until we talk about how to deal with him.’

‘Okay, I’ll call you tomorrow afternoon – your time,’ said Minnie, trying not to shout directly into the driver’s ear.

‘Call me any time. I don’t mind.’

The end of the phone call left Minnie feeling lonelier than ever. She missed Angie. She saw her nearly every other day back home. 

Minnie chewed the inside of her cheek as she thought about James George. She checked her phone for the hundredth time. He hadn’t called or left a message. He hadn’t contacted Angie. He hadn’t come looking for her. He had made no effort to find her and apologise or beg for forgiveness. He hadn’t asked her to come home, hadn’t asked her to meet him somewhere neutral. Nothing. This left a desperate ache deep inside her. Minnie had believed that James George was her soul mate. She had loved him unconditionally. But when she needed him the most he had withdrawn into total silence and this had hurt her as much as the betrayal.

She never thought she would ever think this, but looking for Greene would be a welcome distraction. 

Minnie decided to go motel over hotel very mindful that she had lost her job and that the title deeds to her apartment were in James George’s name.

A quick search on her phone and a consultation with the helpful cab driver helped her reach a decision. She found a place on Columbus Avenue, near the San Francisco Art Institute. The driver pointed out Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown and the Golden Gate Bridge. He was an enthusiastic tour guide clearly proud of his home city. Minnie was instructed to order clam chowder at the diner across the road from the motel – a place that also did great fresh-baked sourdough bread. She wondered if food would help to fill that ever-increasing empty space inside her.

She tipped the driver generously and heaved her suitcase towards the motel. Now she had a room for the night and a short walk to the diner across the road. She stood on the pavement and attempted to get her bearings, noting a pyramid-shaped building as a landmark. Despite the summer wind gently warming her, a deep chill suddenly ran right through her heart.

Minnie checked in and unpacked. James George was the love of her life and yet he hadn’t even found a second to send her a text message.

Minnie had never had her heart broken before. It was worse than she could have possibly imagined. The inconsolable loss she felt inside seemed to make her bones hurt when she walked.

On the upside she had been given room number 28. The last room available. There were no rooms with zero prefixing another number, a British tradition, apparently, to denote the ground floor. 

This was the first time Minnie had ever travelled to somewhere that had such a significant time difference to the UK. The combination of travel exhaustion, time disorientation and heartbreak swirled around inside her, confusing her, mixing emptiness with nausea.

She immediately went out to eat, only able to go as far as the diner across the road from the motel. She was too exhausted to explore further. It was bright and spotless with red booths and a black-and-white tiled floor. The waitress taking her order was attentive and seemed to sense that Minnie needed more than carbohydrates to revive her. She rested a hand lightly on Minnie’s shoulder as she put down the menu and asked if everything was okay. Her name tag read Sarah-Jane. Minnie nodded and forced a smile as she tried to focus on the menu but found that she couldn’t make a decision. The waitress quickly came to the rescue and ordered for her; the diner’s premium fruit shake and a Swiss cheese and jalapeno wrap. 

Minnie ate, hoping food would fill up the cold, hollow space. The waitress checked on her a couple of times with fresh coffee and a selection of cookies that looked too tempting to ignore. Minnie forced herself to push through until after 10.35pm before returning to the motel.