Page 52 of The Grand Duel
Charles Aldridge
Director
Charles Aldridge Ltd
I was convinced he’d fire me. After ignoring me for two days and then telling me he had a “matter to discuss” with me, I knew that was it, I’d lost my job on day two. By the time Hannah had finished telling us her account of what we already had written out extensively on paper, I didn’t really have it in me to be talked down to. To be told I was no longer needed by Mr Aldridge.
It was unprofessional and wrong to leave him there. I pride myself on leading with kindness, and yet I let his rudeness get the better of me.
The only thing I can do is apologise in the morning and hope that I keep my job. Because if I’m going to live in this flat and continue to support Jovie, I’m going to need it.
I click off the email and pull up my saved voicemails, knowing it’s stupid but also knowing I’m already on the floor today.
Literally.
My eyes drift closed at the sound of my mother’s soft, eloquent voice. “Lissie, your father and I will be hostingan evening with the Lockerbies and Saddingtons next Friday. They’ll only ask questions if you’re not there. Are you able to make it, please? Call me back when convenient.”
It killed me inside to ignore the call. It was one of the first. Weeks spent agonising over the decision to cut them off.
“Lissie, it’s Mum. We’ll be leaving for our trip on Thursday. If you’d like to come for a dinner before then, you’ll need to let me know so that I can book Claude. Speak soon, darling.”
It was hard. It felt impossible at times to shut her out, the idea that she might feel the hurt I knew only too well cutting me up inside.
“Lissie, the Alps were beautiful. Stunning. You’ll have to pop over and have a look at all the photos. Your dad said you could stay if you’d like. Let us know when’s best.”
There wasn’t a best time, not in the present day anyway. Certainly not in the future.
I exit out of the voicemails and email back my boss.
9 a.m. sharp.
Lissie (Lis.se)
Assistant to director
Charles Aldridge Ltd
I turn my phone onto Do Not Disturb after that, knowing the only person I’d possibly want to speak to right now is Jovie, the only person I have on my approved senders list.
My hand flexes around the bottle of wine at my side, and I screw my nose up at it, not wanting the first half let alone the second. I stand, not allowing myself a second longer to wallow in self-pity.
I’m twenty-four years old, living in the biggest city the country has to offer, doing my damn best to survive. I’m not letting my dickhead of a boss, or the first case to land in my lap, derail me.
I look around my flat, swallowing back the lump in my throat as I wonder what I could do to make it feel a little homelier.
My new bed is still in its box, leaving my mattress on the floor whilst I wait for the toolbox I ordered online to arrive. I have a small cuddle chair Ginny dropped off to me so that I’d have something to sit on whilst I wait for a sofa to be delivered—those things take months. My eyes land on my iPad which I have set up on the kitchen counter playing reruns ofSex and the City.
I check the time and then google the opening times of the local supermarket.
I’m going to buy a TV.
TWELVE
Charlie
Under normal circumstances, I’d fire Lissie for the way she disappeared from the meeting and then spoke to me in her email. But this isn’t normal circumstances, and I’m a complete asshole.