Page 84 of Be Less Panda
‘In an hour? I’ve nearly finished this report.’
‘Suits me. I’ll start packing.’
‘Don’t you want to say bye-bye to Colin and Marina?’
Mark rolled his eyes. ‘It’s Martina - keep up.’
40
‘Matt’s cancelled the booking for the church hall,’ Em said as she put down her phone.
‘He‘s what?’ Jack walked into the living room at Octopus Cottage holding Em’s latest craving, a mug of hot chocolate.
‘He’s cancelled the church hall booking for June’s exhibition.’
Em and Matt’s art group had been planning their first joint exhibition. It was intended to be the culmination of a year of hard work, timed for the start of the main holiday season. Or it would’ve been if it hadn’t been for Covid.
‘But that’s three months away. We’ll all be out and about by then.’ Jack sounded confident, but Matt’s source had inside knowledge.
‘His sister works for public health, and she reckons we’ll be locked down until at least July.’
Jack sighed. ‘That’s not a particularly attractive proposition.’
‘Better than dying of Covid.’ Em didn’t want to think about that, particularly now that she wasn’t only responsible for herself but for Bob, too.
Jack looked concerned. ‘We’ll be alright, I’m sure.’
‘You will, but what about me and Bob? We’re classed as vulnerable.’ Em stroked her stomach, which was growing rounder by the day. ‘What appalling timing.’
‘We’re being careful. You’re fit and healthy. What else can we do?’
‘Nothing, I suppose.’
He leaned over and kissed her. ‘I’ve got a Teams meeting, unfortunately. I’ll be back in an hour.’
‘Ok.’ Em watched him get up and head for the hall door.
As he got there, he turned around. ‘Why don’t you check in on Nancy? She must be fed up being stuck at home on her own.’
‘I guess.’
Em took a sip of the hot chocolate. It was the only thing that helped with her morning sickness. She picked up her phone and texted Nancy.
Could do with a Zoom call xx
No response. Nancy had been quiet all week, apart from a couple of texts when Em had asked how she was. Em worried about her being on her own. She’d been different somehow since she’d made that trip to Paris. She was off in her own world most of the time, which was not like Nancy at all. But Clive would tell Em if he noticed anything wrong, surely.
Em decided to head to her studio to paint. It might take her mind off her worries for an hour or two at least.
41
The journey from Birmingham was straightforward. There were only a handful of other vehicles on the motorway. Lucy pretty much had the outer lane to herself.
‘That has to be the quickest I’ve ever done this journey,’ she said as she turned onto the coast road.
Mark smiled at her from the passenger seat. ‘Ten more minutes, and we’ll be pulling up in front of the Grange. I can feel the tension leaving my shoulders already.’
He stroked his hand along her thigh.