Judith Wants To Be Your Friend (8 page)

Hexham, November 2008

Monday 3
rd
November 2008

Judith knew that she should have spent the weekend preparing to interview for Kate’s replacement but she couldn’t regret having spent the time driving around in her shiny new red sports car. She had driven across to Newcastle and then up to the Northumberland coast. It wasn’t warm enough to have the top down, but still exhilarating. Now normal life kicked in as she re-read the CVs of the three people she had decided to interview. The interviews weren’t until the next morning but she needed to have a good tidy up so they knew the standard expected and then she pursued the idea of having an in-tray sort of exercise for them to do with the mountain of filing that grew bigger every day. She left the telephone on voicemail so that she wouldn’t need to answer it. As she unlocked the door at nine o’clock the postman came in with the usual bundle of mail.

‘Morning. Someone waiting to see you,’ and he stood aside to let in what could only be described as a little old lady. She looked vaguely familiar, and Judith racked her brain to remember who it was.

‘Good morning, Mrs…’ she started, hoping that the woman would identify herself. Instead she looked around then sat down in the chair used by clients waiting to see Judith. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘I am waiting for an answer, Miss Dillon,’ she replied.

‘I’m sorry, but what is your question, Mrs…’

‘Henson. Audrey Henson. I wrote to you asking about the progress with my accounts but I haven’t had a reply.’

‘Audrey Henson.’ Judith sat down at Kate’s desk and tapped the name into the computer database; sure enough there was an Audrey Henson. The last entry that Kate had made was at the beginning of September to say that she had collated the papers and passed them to her. Why couldn’t she remember?

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, ‘but my administrator left three weeks ago and things are a little behind.’

‘I brought my books in well over a month ago,’ she said as she consulted her diary, ‘on the 25
th
of August. Are you saying that you haven’t looked at them at all?’

‘What is your line of business, Mrs. Henson?’ Judith asked thinking that the old woman was just one more nutcase in her life at the moment. Her mother had lost the plot completely, her sister was rapidly going the same way, Henry Lloyd lived in his own world most of the time, and now this one was sitting in her reception area and looked set for the day.

‘It is a family business based just outside the town on Corbridge Road, Henson Electrical. My son runs it now, of course, I just see to the book-keeping. I was assured by Kate that you were still quick and efficient.’

‘I am, Mrs. Henson, but I have had a lot going on lately with family and with the business.’

‘I know all about your mother, of course, but it shouldn’t affect your work. We have had family tragedy too but we haven’t let it get in the way of customer service.’

God, everyone knows my business,
thought Judith. ‘Yes, you are quite right. I will apply myself to it today and call you back by the end of the week.’

She stood up as tall as her five foot frame would allow. ‘Make sure you do,’ she ordered, and left.

Judith did not have any recollection at all of seeing the Henson Electrical file so she left the tidying and went to look for it in her office. She thought it was probably amongst the filing, and if so, it could take all day to find. She sighed heavily to herself and decided that an organised and concerted effort was needed. She locked the door, made a cup of strong coffee and started to systematically go through every piece of paper in the office and put it in a pile of urgent, not urgent and wait to be filed by the new person.

At lunch time Judith felt the need to go out and speak to another human being, even if it was just the woman who makes up the sandwiches in the shop across the road. She picked up the phone and dialled Chloe’s shop. It had been two weeks since she had been there.

‘Hello Chloe, Judith. I’m popping out for a sandwich. Would you like one? I’ll bring it round.’

‘Er, no thanks. I brought mine with me today.’

‘OK. Shall I bring mine round and we can eat together?’

‘Well, I might be busy. It gets busy at lunch times now.’

‘If you’re busy I’ll just sit in your office or admire the paintings. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.’

Chloe put the phone down and immediately picked it up again. She dialled a number.

‘Louise, it’s me. She’s coming round for lunch again. Are you in town?’

‘No, sorry. Tell her you’re busy.’

‘I did but she’s still coming round.’

‘You said you liked her.’

‘I do, but…’

‘I think she’s OK if you keep on the right side. She seems to like you, so sell her something and make the most of it.’

‘Ha ha very funny. Oh, customer, got to go.’

‘Seriously, just keep her at arm’s length, be professional and you’ll be fine. Call me later when she’s gone.’

Phoenix Antiques was quite busy and Chloe popped in and out of the office as she served her customers. She always said that Louise was the retailer but she could charm people too. She flitted like a little butterfly, never quite still but always attentive and listening for the buying signals. Judith looked around and noted the tidiness as always, and that everything on view was antique except for office equipment. She wondered whether she could slide open one of the drawers in the Victorian oak desk but decided that neat little Chloe would notice anything out of place. She jumped as the phone rang. Chloe was busy so it went to voicemail.

‘Hi Chloe. Only me. Can you pick me up on your way to the theatre on Friday? About six? We can go to The Kings for a drink first. Cheers.’

As the afternoon wore on, Judith found Audrey Henson’s file and set her mind to preparing the accounts for tax purposes. She reflected that the day had been rather good after the unpromising start. She heard someone try the door and decided to leave it locked. She could get so much more done when she didn’t have to answer the phone or deal with people wondering in off the street. Perhaps tomorrow she would find the perfect administrator who would take that burden back off her. She completed Henson Electrical’s file and cast it on the pile for action by someone else and spent half an hour deciding on questions to ask at the interviews and deciding how she could get these people to do some of the filing while they were here.

Judith bought a local paper on her way home and found an advertisement for the local operatic society;
South Pacific
at the Queen’s Hall Arts Centre in Hexham every night that week. She phoned and reserved a ticket for Friday.

Tuesday 4
th
November 2008

Judith sat back and contemplated the day. She had found a suitable replacement for Kate but had had to work for it. The first two interviewees were impossible. The first one had various childcare responsibilities although she knew she couldn’t give that as a reason for rejecting her, and the second had a concoction of health worries. That would be like living with her mother, or like having a child to look after. The third applicant, however, had recently moved to the area, was of middle age and her eyes had lit up at the prospect of having a good sort out. Judith had shown her the filing system and Helen had tutted sympathetically and suggested alternatives. She was able to start on Monday, not having to give notice, and handed over some references from previous employers ‘down south’ which Judith thought she should really follow up some time. Not today, though. There was an hour of daylight left so she went for a drive in her new car. On her way home, in a moment of family concern, she decided to go and visit her mother.

‘Hello Mum,’ she said, a bit more loudly than usual as she approached her in the large sitting room full of very upright armchairs.

‘Why are you shouting, Fiona?’ she said.

‘I’m Judith, not Fiona.’

‘Oh yes. Fiona never comes to see me.’

Judith knew that Fiona came out nearly every day but she didn’t correct her mother. ‘So how are you? Do you like it here?’

‘I don’t know. Where am I?’

‘At Mill View. Remember? With Tina, Mrs. Walters I mean, and your new friends who live here as well.’

‘Why doesn’t Judith come and see me?’

‘Mum, I am Judith and I am here to see you.’

‘Oh.’

‘How’s Henry Lloyd?’ Judith lowered her voice a little, not really wanting anyone to know that she was interested.

‘He’s dead.’ Her mother looked out of the tall window towards the distant hills.

‘He is not dead. Really, Mum, that is just ridiculous. Never mind, I’ll ask Tina on my way out.’

‘He’s dead and Tina’s gone to see him off.’

Judith suddenly felt exhausted and started to get ready to leave. She wished she hadn’t come at all. There wasn’t much point. Still, needs must and all that. It was dark when she left and she drove home slowly to her empty flat.

She called her sister. ‘I’ve just been to visit Mum. She hadn’t a clue which one of us I was and she didn’t know where she was.’

‘That’s quite normal. You’d think after a month she would be used to it but she doesn’t always know me or Rosie. Rosie seems to accept it but I can’t.’

Judith heard her sister’s voice breaking up and fought back her irritation.

‘I went to see Mum’s solicitor last month and he gave me some stuff to read about power of attorney. I’ll dig it out; haven’t had a chance to study it with Kate leaving and everything.’

‘Do you want some help with it? I could do with concentrating on something.’

Her first instinct was to refuse, but she said, ‘I’ll find it and see what it says then bring it over for you.’

‘Thanks.’ Then silence.

‘Right, well I’ll do it in a few days. Still busy at work.’ She realised that Fiona was sobbing and incapable of speech. ‘I’ll call soon.’

I wish Fiona would get a grip
, thought Judith as she prepared dinner.
It really isn’t helpful her crying all the time and making herself ill. It will just put more bloody responsibility on me in the end.

Friday 7
th
November 2008

Judith was pleased that the week was over. She had realised that she needed an administrator more and more the longer she didn’t have one. The office looked like a bomb had hit it again but she didn’t make any effort to tidy up as Helen was due to start at nine o’clock on Monday morning. It seemed like the sort of job she would relish. She decided to finish early as she was going out.

At six-fifteen, Judith bought herself a sparkling mineral water and sat down in the lounge bar of The Kings Arms just around the corner from the theatre. She had brought some information about gaining power of attorney to read should she not ‘bump into’ Chloe and her companion. She didn’t appear to need it as five minutes later they arrived. She waited until they had bought drinks then looked up and waved.

‘Chloe! Hello, we meet again.’ Judith wasn’t sure but she thought a flicker of irritation had passed over Chloe’s face as she heard her call. It disappeared just as quickly; she must have been mistaken. She saw Chloe turn and say something quietly to her friend then walk towards her.

‘Are you going to see the show?’

‘Yes, are you?’

‘Yes. We always support the local productions. Actually we used to help paint the scenery way back when we were teenagers. I didn’t this time with opening the shop, but Pauline did.’

Judith looked up expectantly at where Pauline had been standing but she had gone to sit at the other side of the pub and was talking to a couple of older people.

‘Anyway, I’d better go and join my friends. Enjoy the show.’

‘Yes, you too,’ said Judith to Chloe’s back. She slumped back into her seat and pretended to read the papers that she had brought with her. She had half a mind to go back home. If challenged later she could say that she had felt unwell, but thought she might as well stay until the first interval and see what it was like. At a quarter to seven, she walked next door to the theatre and took her seat. She was in the stalls, about half-way up in the old fashioned, velour-covered seats, always dark red in these provincial theatres. She enjoyed the buzz of conversation around her but had no desire to join in. Several people she knew walked past and spoke briefly then moved further down and shuffled along their rows to their seats. The heavy curtain at the front of the stage was lit from below and the orchestra in the pit even lower down had warmed up and tuned up and were ready for the overture. Judith mentally ran through the medley of songs she could remember; ‘Some Enchanted Evening’, ‘Happy Talk’, ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair’. A party of four people came and sat behind her. She turned and saw Chloe who seemed more relaxed. She smiled and introduced Judith to her friend Pauline and Pauline’s parents who were in Hexham for a short holiday, and it was only natural that they invite her to join them for drinks at the interval. Judith chatted easily to Pauline’s parents, discussing Norfolk, which is where they lived now, near their other daughter who had two small children. She asked whether they had been to Phoenix Antiques yet, and told them that Chloe was looking out for a seascape for her. It was all very pleasant.

Driving home, Pauline looked at her friend with concern.

‘What’s the matter, Chloe?’

‘Nothing. Why?’

‘Something is. Why didn’t you want to sit with Judith in the pub? Why were you so quiet at the interval?’

‘I don’t know. I can’t explain, but she makes me feel – I don’t really know what. Uneasy I think. Louise doesn’t trust her at all. It’s only since she said anything that I’ve noticed that she’s a bit strange. She’s always on her own, for a start.’