Minding Frankie - Maeve Binchy [142]
“You’ve obviously thought it through,” Lisa said, with some grudging acceptance.
“Yes I did. I didn’t expect to tell you all this. Of course, I didn’t expect you to ask.” Her mother was self-possessed now and eating her veal Milanese with every appearance of enjoyment.
Maud was serving in the restaurant but realized that this was a very intense conversation, so she steered away from personal chat. She moved gracefully around the room and Lisa saw Marco looking at her approvingly as he poured the wine for customers. That was what love and marriage was about—not this hopeless, downbeat bargain that her parents had made. For the first time ever, Lisa felt a wave of sympathy wash over her.
For both of them.
Faith stayed in the flat several nights a week now. She was able to look after Frankie and put her to bed on the evenings that all three of them studied. It was a curious little family grouping, but it worked. Faith said she found working like this so much easier than doing it alone. Between them they went over the latest lecture and talked it out. They made notes on what to ask the lecturer next week and they revised for their exams in August. They all felt that it had been worth doing, and now that graduation was in sight they began to imagine how it would all work out for them when they had letters after their names.
Noel would immediately seek a better position at Hall’s, and if it wasn’t forthcoming then he would have the courage and qualifications to apply somewhere else. Faith would put herself forward as a manager in her office. She was doing that work in all but name and salary, so they would have to promote her.
Lisa? Well, Lisa was at a loss to know what her qualifications would lead to.
At one time she had hoped to be a partner in Anton’s. But now? Well, she would have to return to the marketplace. It was humiliating, but she would have to contact Kevin, the boss she had left when she went to work with Anton. That was last year when she had been reasonably sane and good at her job. She picked up the phone with trepidation.
“Well, hello!” Kevin was entitled to be surprised and a bit mocking. For months now Lisa had avoided him if ever they turned up at the same function; he had not been a customer in Anton’s. It was very hard to call him and tell him that she had failed.
He made it fairly easy.
“You’re on the market again, I gather,” he said.
“You can crow, Kevin. You were right. I should have listened. I should have thought it out.”
“But you were in love, of course,” Kevin said. There was only a mildly sardonic tone to his voice. He was entitled to have a lot more I-told-you-so.
“That was true, yes.”
If he noticed the past tense he said nothing.
“So he didn’t pay you in cash—I’m guessing. Did he repay you in love?”
“No, that’s in pretty short supply these days.”
“So you’re looking for a job?”
“I was wondering if you knew of anything? Anything at all?”
“But this may just be a lovers’ tiff. In a week’s time you could well be back with him.”
“That won’t happen,” Lisa said.
“Right now I can only offer you a junior place. Somewhere to settle for a while. I can’t give you a top job. It wouldn’t be fair on the others.”
She was very humble now. “I’d be more grateful than I could tell you, Kevin.”
“Not at all. Start Monday?”
“Can I make it the Monday after? I’m working in a sandwich bar and I’ll have to give them notice … get someone else for them.”
“My, my, Lisa, you have changed,” Kevin said as he hung up.
Lisa went and told her boss immediately. “I’ll find you another sandwich maker in a week,” she promised.
“Hey, I want much more than that. I want a market adviser and a graphic designer as well.” Hugh laughed.
“That may take longer, but anyway I wanted to tell you.”
“I’m sorry to lose you. I had ferocious designs on you, actually. I was biding my time.”
“Always a mistake,” she said cheerfully. “Now, Hugh, if you are to have any business at all, put your mind on sandwiches—what