The House that Florence Left (Portuguese Paradise #4)

Chapter 23

‘We’ve made a decision, Bella.’ Her mother sounded in control again. ‘Do you want another biscuit?’ She held out a plate of digestives.

‘No. I’ve had three so far, Mum.’ Bella took the plate and put it back down on the table. ‘What decision?’

‘We’re selling the house.’ Her father took a sip of tea. ‘Jan and Frank next door are selling up, and Mr Francis over the road has decided he’s going to buy a house near his son in Scotland.’

‘But you love the house and the garden. Are you sure?’

‘We love it too, darling.’ Her mother was smiling but it didn’t reach her eyes. ‘This house is too much for us now. Our oldest friends are leaving. We’ll buy a small flat or a bungalow with a smaller garden.’

‘Doctors say warmth will help the joints, so we’ll go somewhere modern and well insulated that’s cheap to heat.’ Her father took a biscuit from the plate.

Bella sat back and looked outside at the garden, nurtured by her mother and father all through her life, memories of them tending it and sitting in it and dozing in it playing like a film in her mind.

‘It’ll also take the financial pressure off.’ Her mother sighed. ‘It means I won’t have to take extra shifts and your dad won’t worry about the tiny amount of money he gets paid for doing those sports reports.’

‘I can stop marking the exam papers.’ He tried to smile. ‘Rest. Enjoy...’ He glanced out at the garden, then closed his eyes for a moment.

‘Where will you move to?’

‘We don’t know.’ Her mother frowned. ‘But we’ll work it out. It’s an adventure!’

‘Has something happened?’ Bella asked. ‘Apart from all these falls you’ve been having recently?’

‘Well, apart from being told it’s not going to get any better, and slowly worse, no.’

‘Right...’ Bella managed to order her mind into focus. ‘Once I’ve got rid of the Nest that will help you financially. I don’t need the proceeds from it. I’m working and I have a good job, and if we use that money wisely we can do something about the heating here and adapt it — there are grants to help — and you won’t have to move.’

Her mother put her hand on her daughter’s arm. ‘No. Thank you. But no. Don’t spend all that on us. You matter too.’

‘It’s bound to help with something for you, though.’ Bella felt herself go rigid. It was the only way she could stop herself thinking of the dream she’d had when she was on the roof terrace. ‘It’s just bricks and mortar, Mum. And I have to do something practical with it.’

‘You sound so happy when you are there.’ Her father leaned forward.

‘But I don’t live there.’ Bella was beginning to feel exasperated. ‘I live in London, near you. And being near you is the most important thing to me.’

‘It shouldn’t be, though, should it?’ Her mother was staring at her.

‘What do you mean?’ Bella felt herself bristle.

‘Your need some love and fun in your life. Not just work and supporting us.’

‘My life is fun.’ Bella couldn’t think of anything else to say.

‘When you’re in Portugal,’ her father said firmly. ‘Here it’s all work and career-obsessed boyfriends.’

‘Well...’ Bella looked at them both. ‘I think that’s a bit simplistic. But none of us can go on like this. I’ve got a meeting at work tomorrow and then we can focus on selling the Nest and your living arrangements.’

‘Whatever you say, Bella.’ Her mother finished her biscuit. ‘We’ve loved seeing the photos you’ve been sending. You’ve made such an impact on the Nest. And your friends look lovely. And that café on the beach...’ She smiled. ‘Who is that handsome man standing next to the shy-looking young man in the last photo you sent? I’d love to meet him.’

Bella’s heart fluttered and she folded her arms. ‘Must be Hugo and Quiet Julian. What photo?’

‘You took it yesterday morning. I didn’t see it until after I’d phoned you. What’s the deal with him?’

‘Deal?’ Bella picked up her bag.

‘Anything going on?’

‘We are just friends. And neighbours. That’s it.’ She stood up.

‘Hugo?’ Her mother looked confused. ‘I thought he was older.’

‘He’s Hugo’s son, Mum. Also called Hugo.’ Bella didn’t want to keep repeating his name. In the near future, he would be nothing more than a nice friendly memory from an interesting interlude. She didn’t want to keep thinking about him or talking about him. Because there was no point. ‘Well, I’d best go. I’ve got to check in on my flat — my home — and get myself ready for work tomorrow. The taxi’s here.’

She hugged her parents, she took her luggage and went out of the door to the cab.

* * *

Bella walked swiftly in through the modern entrance to her block of flats, all glass and metal, with artfully placed large green pot plants dotted on plinths and a sculpture made of recycled plastic bottles hanging from the ceiling of the atrium. In the past she’d barely noticed them, as she had generally been rushing in or out, but today, as she waited for the lift, she looked around. Someone, she realised, had made an effort to make it look, and feel, welcoming.

Deciding to make time to appreciate her surroundings more when she moved back, Bella pressed the button to her floor. ‘When I’m back,’ she said out loud, feeling suddenly flat. No more storks on the roof, no more Yin and Yang purring next to her ears in the morning, no more Deidre running up to say hello, no more Will, no more Hugo...

No more Hugo.

She told herself to get a grip, managing to suppress the sudden and increasingly regular desire to cry and reminding herself that when the Nest was sold there would be no more responsibility.

The lift doors opened opposite the door to her flat. A wave of weariness overwhelmed her as she unlocked the door, put her case down, locked herself in and crawled straight into the welcoming warmth of her own bed.

Someone was talking outside. Bella put a pillow over her head to muffle the noise. ‘Birdwatchers again,’ she mumbled, rolling over, keeping her eyes firmly shut.

‘And now, ladies and gentlemen, my rendition of “Come On Eileen” on traffic cone and my own beautiful voice.’ A loud cheer greeted this announcement as an unknown man began to hum through the cone.

Realising that there were no birdwatchers outside, and this was just the usual night-time noise in London on a busy main road, Bella checked her phone. It was 2 a.m.

Pouring herself a glass of water, she opened her blinds to locate where the impromptu performance was coming from just as a police car pulled up and moved the group along. She climbed back into bed, managing to get back to sleep until a delivery lorry began reversing into a bay behind a shop across the road, beeping as it did. Bella checked her phone. It was 6 a.m.

How did I manage to get any rest? she thought irritably, drifting off into a listless doze until seven thirty, when her alarm went off.

She took her dressing gown out of her wardrobe and went to the kitchen to put the kettle on, then remembered to switch on the hot water so she could have a hot shower. She stared out of the window over the rooftops of London, the ever-changing city landscape she’d gazed at for so many years.

She wondered which part of the Nest Yin and Yang had slept in, and whether the storks were awake yet. She hadn’t seen the geckos for a few days but pictured them behind the chest of drawers in the living room preparing for a new day. And she thought of Hugo. She tried not to think of Hugo, but as she got ready for work, she couldn’t stop thinking of Hugo.

She tried to focus on what she was going to say during her review at work, and what she had to do to help her parents. But all she could think about was Hugo.

Climbing into the shower, she switched the temperature to cold, and forced herself to stop thinking of Hugo. For a few moments she was able to think about how cold the water was. And then she thought of Hugo in his wetsuit doing yoga on the beach.

I live here! she told herself. I love this flat. I own this flat. I have earned this flat through my hard work and dedication and I can’t be far from my parents. And my job, my career is here. I can’t fall in love with a man in another country.

She turned the temperature back up to hot, pretending to herself she hadn’t just thought of the word, love .

Getting out of the shower, Bella took a couple of deep breaths, preparing for a day that was about her job and her parents.

‘The job and my parents, the job and my parents,’ she chanted, so when she finally left the flat to get the tube to work, her mind was racing with all the problems she had to solve involving those things, and those alone.

* * *

Bella’s phone pinged with messages every few minutes. She tried to ignore them, her mind now full of her parents and how, for the first time, she’d really seen how they felt. Years of both them and Bella putting a brave face on, meant they had never acknowledged the effects that the accident and its aftermath had had on the three of them.

Making the most of it , she thought to herself, sadly. Trying to keep things the same. The same house, the same place. The same neighbours. But... A slow panic began to flow through her body. The neighbours are leaving, the house is too big, and they will never have enough money to have a nice, easy life. No matter how much I throw at them.

Numbers whirred through her brain again. Sell the Nest. How long would the money realistically last from the sale? If she couldn’t sell, how regular would the rental money be? How much time would it take her to manage it?

Bella tried to focus on her spreadsheets to get her thoughts in order. But there was a voice whispering to her from somewhere.

But someone else will be living in it, Bella. Not you . . . someone else . . . Remember that dream . . . someone else . . . not you . . .

Her phone pinged again, and then it rang.

By now her heart was pumping uncomfortably, so she took a deep breath. Opening her messages, she saw several from Lil.

I know you’re coming in today for a face-to-face with Jules. They’ve just announced yet another restructuring out of the blue. I thought you should know.

She’s stressed and NOT dealing with it well. It’s been dumped on her too.

Talks of job losses. Redundancies. Never saw it coming.

Didn’t want you to walk into the middle of this without knowing.

Bella’s heart began to race faster as she scrolled through messages from other colleagues telling her the same thing. Among them there was one from Hugo and one from Will, which she decided to file away for later. ‘I can read them at the airport,’ she mumbled, putting her head back and closing her eyes, trying to calm herself down.

She pictured driving up to the Nest, the bougainvillea in full bloom, the scarlet of the flowers tumbling over the window boxes and trailing to the floor. Her breathing slowed slightly.

She put the phone back into her pocket, focusing on getting the review meeting done and then getting on her flight.

* * *

Walking through the entrance hall of the shiny office block in Canary Wharf, Bella tried to summon up the sense of pride she used to feel every time she stepped inside. She had a good job with a good company, and she loved it. She used to feel she was in the epicentre of the world, right in the middle of everything.

But today she didn’t feel like that. It felt like a shiny office block in Canary Wharf. And that was it. Rifling through her memory file, Bella attempted to alight on something that would motivate her, because it sounded like things were changing and she might have to fight for the job she had loved so much. But all she could think of was the money she’d lose if she left. How would she help her parents? How would she live? What would she do?

She tapped her security pass against the lift and walked inside, counting to ten as it began to move.

The door opened and she plastered a serene smile on her face. Scanning the room, she couldn’t see anyone she knew. Then she remembered, it was one of her team’s working-from-home days.

‘Bella!’ Jules waved and walked over to her. ‘How lovely to meet you at last in person.’

Bella shook her hand. ‘You too. Thank you for being so accommodating with my temporary work situation.’

‘Not at all!’ Jules began to walk to a meeting room. ‘You are an extremely valuable member of the team, so it’s no surprise my predecessors ensured you got the support you needed. They really couldn’t have done without you.’

She closed the door behind them, and they sat down.

‘So, how are things going in Portugal, Bella?’ She picked up a carafe of water. ‘Would you like some?’

‘Yes, please.’ Bella’s throat was feeling dry. She decided she had become unused to air conditioning and took a sip of her drink, then put it down. ‘They are going well. In fact, the six months are almost up.’

‘Six months?’ Jules looked confused.

‘The terms of the will stated I could not sell or rent the property for six months after I took possession of it. And I had to “make it better”.’

‘Ah. That’s vague.’

‘Yes it is.’ Bella shook her head. ‘I have made it a bit better, but there’s no benchmark, no tick list, nothing.’

‘So, that means you will be back soon?’

‘Yes. And I would like to return to full-time work.’ Bella felt sick, and then surprised that she felt sick.

‘We would love you to. But—’ Jules looked strained. ‘We’ve just been notified of some more restructuring. It’s all very sudden. And so I can’t tell you anything.’

‘Restructuring?’ Bella pretended she hadn’t already heard about it.

‘Yes. I’ve nothing concrete to say really. Just rumours at the moment. So I’d rather say nothing.’

‘Right, I understand.’

‘So, we’ll just do the performance review as agreed?’

Bella nodded. ‘Of course.’

‘Well, as I have only been in this job for almost four months, I’ve referred to my predecessor’s notes on your work while he was here. It is full of praise. No negative issues at all.’

Bella relaxed slightly.

‘However, since you went part-time and have been in Portugal, there have been some issues. Deadlines missed.’

‘By an hour.’ Bella felt herself bristle. ‘Twice.’

‘Yes, but it’s an essential part of your job.’ Jules smiled. ‘It’s just to flag up, that’s all, and—’ she scanned through her paperwork ‘—I’ve noticed you haven’t volunteered for extra tasks the way you did in the past.’

‘It’s difficult when you’re part-time to take on extra work.’ Bella sighed. ‘In fact, I’m actually doing a full-time job in part-time hours at the moment.’

‘Are you sure that isn’t bad time management due to your change in circumstances?’

‘My time management has always been excellent. I think it’s the new structure of the department that’s the issue. Teething problems.’

Jules lowered her voice. ‘Bella. The reason you were allowed to take a long holiday, then go part-time and work from Portugal was because you are a real asset to the company. We didn’t want to lose you. But...’ She sighed and frowned. ‘The people in charge now are not the same people. They are looking for a different way of doing things and putting pressure on people like me to put pressure on people like you.’

‘Oh. Um...’ Bella’s stomach began to flip nervously.

‘I’ll be frank — reading between the lines, they are looking for excuses to ease people out. And I think maybe you’re one of them.’

‘What? After all these years?’

‘That’s not what they see.’ Jules looked almost defeated.

‘The extra hours I’ve worked for this place, the sacrifices I’ve made to make sure things are done on time. The commitment I’ve given—’

‘I know. I’m just—’ she leaned forward again ‘—It’s not good at the moment. I’m really not happy with all of this but I need my job.’

‘Me too.’ Bella tried to control the anger in her voice, but as she said it, she glanced out of the window and saw a bird flutter onto a tree. She wondered what the storks were doing now.

‘You need to ramp it up, Bella. Fight for your job.’

‘But after all of this. They want to ease me out?’

‘Reading between the lines.’

‘I’ve given so much to this company.’ Her voice was low. ‘It’s meant I could help my parents. But my last boyfriend told me I was married to my job. What a cliché...’

‘I’m sure we can work it out, Bella?’ She tried to sound positive.

Something snapped inside her. She stood up. ‘No. No. No— I’m not having this. Sorry, it’s not your fault. If they are offering redundancy, I’ll take it.’

Jules looked up at her. ‘Please, don’t be hasty, Bella. I know you’ve had a lot going on and a number of things to deal with.’

‘No.’ Bella smiled despite how she was feeling. ‘We’ve been trying to keep things level for so many years — my parents and me — and we have, but it was always going to change. The cracks were always going to show. Andwhat’s the point of the status quo when it’s not working anymore?’ She glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘So, I’ve got to go. I’ve got a plane to catch.’

And she turned and walked out of the door, wondering what she’d just done, but somewhere inside her she knew that whatever it was, it was the right thing.

She took her phone out of her bag and called her mother. ‘Mum, you and Dad are coming to Portugal for a little holiday. You deserve it. A break from everything just for a few days, and then we’ll get everything sorted out. We’ll sort out accessibility and help at the airport for Dad. I’ll be in touch with dates when I get there.’

Then she went back to her flat, checked out flights for her parents, and switched everything off again. ‘I’ve got you,’ she said to the living room, ‘And I’ve got the Nest. I may not have a job very soon... but I’ve got you.’ She closed the door behind her and locked it, then took the lift down to the lobby and walked to the tube. At the entrance, she sent a message to Hugo and to Will.

I’m coming back today. A little earlier than planned. Bella.