Page 7 of One Month's Notice
Nat stood still, watching as they disappeared into the sea of people in the city. She felt a pang in her chest where her mother’s support should have been. But amidst all the bustle and cool bite of the breeze, she couldn’t help but feel grateful for the quiet ally she had in her father. His kindness a warm light that helped her through the darker moments of the afternoon.
Friday 15th April, evening
“I’ll be serving dinner in five minutes,” Lucy called out from the kitchen. “Would you mind letting Simon know? He’s in the study, no doubt with his head buried in paperwork.”
Nat folded the lid of her laptop shut and picked up Louis as he writhed around in his ball pool.
“Come on, little man, let’s go find Daddy.” Louis was clinging onto a plastic ball, which he happily banged against Nat’s head.
“Ow!” Nat cried out and pretended to be upset. Louis’ eyes opened wide, and he dropped the ball to the floor, his bottom lip trembling. “I’m only teasing!” Nat covered his face in kisses and his frown transformed immediately into a wide smile. She knocked on the door of the study before opening it.
“Dinner is being served.” She sighed as she watched her brother, hunched over a pile of paperwork and rapidly flipping through pages. He took life so seriously and worked such long hours, Nat wondered how different he might be if he took time to unwind.
It had been the same even when they were children. While Nat came home from school and wanted to relax and play with her toys, Simon wouldn’t even think about joining her until he had done all his homework. But when he had finally finished, they would spend their summer evenings in the back fields playing with a ball or finding insects. In winter, they would play card games and eat hot buttered toast by the fire. Although he was almost four years older, he still made time for her, even when it wasn’t cool to play with your little sister.
Things changed when he left for university. He entered a new world of adulthood that was a distant future for Nat. When he returned home for the holidays, he aligned himself more to their parents with his newfound maturity and grown-up conversations. As the only teenager in the house, Nat had been left behind, and they never properly reconnected after that.
“Huh?” Simon looked up, his forehead creased with a deep frown.
“Food.” Nat rolled her eyes. “You know—that stuff you put in your mouth, and you do this…” She faked chewing a large mouthful of food. Louis giggled and squeezed the side of Nat’s face.
“Oh, OK.” He scribbled something in his notebook. “Sorry, we’ve got a big case on at work, and I just needed to get this briefing ready for a meeting tomorrow.”
“Don’t be long.”
Nat took Louis into the kitchen to get him sat up at the table. She sang nursery rhymes as she cut slices of toast into triangles and placed a little bowl of golden scrambled egg onto the plate.
“Oh, I forgot to mention earlier. I saw a couple of interior design positions you might be interested in.” Lucy placed two plates of food on the table. “I’ll fire them over on email.”
“That sounds fantastic!” Nat’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Thanks so much.”
Simon, who had finally emerged from the study and taken his seat at the table, joined in with a condescending tone. “Interior design? Are you still going for those jobs? I would have thought that last interview put you off for good.”
The reminder of the brutal feedback she received from the accountancy firm made her wince. She was still feeling bruised over their harsh words that afternoon and her confidence was nowhere near returning any time soon. Nat hadn’t had time to speak to Lexi and knew she needed her reassuring words before she would feel better.
“You’re smart,” Simon continued. “Surely you could do something more practical, like finance or project management? Something that might give you a bit more of a steady income?”
Nat felt her earlier enthusiasm wane as her brother’s disapproval weighed on her. She glanced at Lucy for support, who immediately placed a comforting hand on Nat’s and countered Simon’s argument.
“People should follow their passions and pursue what makes them happy. Nat’s talent for interior design shouldn’t be underestimated. Besides, she’s still in the early days of her career journey, and who knows where it might lead her?”
Nat gave Lucy a grateful smile and decided it was time to change the subject, knowing that her sister-in-law was thinking about her own job and her own dreams.
“I’ve been meaning to ask, when does your maternity leave finish? Have you thought about when you might be going back to work?”
The atmosphere at the table became tense as Simon put down his fork, clearly displeased with the change in topic.
“I’ve told her she doesn’t need to go back to work,” he cut in, his voice somewhat controlling. “We’re financially stable, and we can manage just fine without the extra income.”
“Oh sorry, I didn’t realise we were living in the 1950s.” Nat glared at her brother.
“It’s not just about the money,” Lucy said, her gaze steady and unwavering. “I love being a nurse, and it’s fulfilling in ways that go beyond the financial aspect. It’s important to me to help people and feel like I’m making a difference in the world.”
“But you are making a difference.” Simon’s voice softened a fraction. “You’re making a difference to our family.”
“I know that.” Lucy placed her hand on Simon’s shoulder. “But this is important to me.”
“This is the 21st century,” Nat added. “Plenty of women find a balance between career and family. If Lucy is passionate about her job, it will make her a happier and more fulfilled person. That must be better than staying at home and picking up your dirty socks all day long.”