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The mood between Petra and Tomek was still tense and strained. The arrival of the letter from the MHRA had caused an almighty row and Petra had been afraid he was going to strike her. Fortunately, a couple of cups and plates bore his anger as she cowered in the corner of the kitchen. Reluctantly, she had confessed to her participation in the clinical trial and her lack of understanding about the need to be particularly careful with her contraception in the weeks immediately afterwards. She had told him how she’d had to sign so many papers so couldn’t be one hundred percent sure whether the information in the letter was accurate. She didn’t have that particular page at home but perhaps she had left it there? She was confused and tearful.
After drinking heavily last night, Tomek seemed calmer or perhaps he was just hungover. He stood at the sink drinking a large glass of water.
‘What time do you want dinner tonight?’ she asked. ‘What would you like me to cook?’
‘Nothing, I’m going out.’
‘Oh, where are you going? With your mates?’
‘Just out. I’ll get something to eat in town.’
‘Tomek, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.’
‘I do forgive you. It wasn’t your fault. Not completely, anyway.’
‘Don’t let us argue more,’ she said.
‘I’m not arguing with you now, am I?’
‘No, sorry, I don’t mean upset you again.’
Petra looked close to tears again. Tomek felt sorry for her and went to hug her.
‘Listen. It’s over. There will be more chances to have a baby.’
‘I won’t keep secrets again,’ she said, her voice breaking.
‘I know.’ He kissed her hair. ‘You should be compensated though. I want to follow it up.’
‘Oh, no, please, I think I got mixed up. It was probably me. I do not want to get manager into trouble.’
‘It’s not him I have a problem with. It’s that bastard you used to work for. He is the one who contacted you in the first place.’
‘He was trying to help me.’
‘Look, last night after you went to bed I did some looking on the Internet. You should have been paid much more money than you got. He took advantage of you.’
‘I do not know. Perhaps it my mistake. I agree. He did not force me.’
‘He knew you were desperate for money and he decided to keep back some of it. You know what he’s always been like. He used to pay you well below the minimum wage for cleaning at his hotel.’
‘But he might stop me getting job anywhere, he know lots of people.’
Tomek looked at the clock. ‘Look I have to go now. I’ll phone you later.’
Petra started to get her things together. She needed to hurry up or she too would be late for work. Thankfully, her domestic life seemed to be back on a more pleasant footing but Tomek was still looking for redress and that worried her. What did he have in mind?
**
Ron was in a tetchy mood as he was having to fast before his operation. They were due at Sandhills at 2 p.m. so he’d arisen early to eat his breakfast which was his last meal until probably late afternoon. Tactfully, Maureen had eaten a quick sandwich for lunch out of his presence whilst she went through Welch Properties’ portfolio in preparation for their meeting with the bank next week.
They were hoping to secure a short-term business loan whilst they sold some properties to raise the cash. Three were presently not let, so they were the first candidates and Maureen had asked Laura to get an estate agent to value them and to remove them from the rental listing. Laura was checking the tenancy agreements of the remaining ones in the hope that several of the houses would soon be free to sell. It was still likely that they would have to continue to fund a million pound loan for the foreseeable future but it was much better than borrowing the full amount.
‘Ron, can you come back up to the house, we need to go soon,’ she said as he answered his mobile.
‘OK, five minutes and I’ll be over. Can you bring my bag down from the bedroom, I think I left it up there?’
‘OK, I’ll get my things together. Watch the time, we don’t want to be late.’
Maureen had her novel and crossword book along with some water as she thought she would probably wait at Sandhills rather than come back home. There was a nice cafe so she would get something to eat late afternoon and then hopefully they would be back home this evening.
She was just about to phone Ron again when she heard the front door open.
‘I’m here!’ he shouted. ‘I’ll just pop to the loo, you get the car started.’
Maureen went out to her car and stowed his bag in the boot. Hopefully, Ron would feel much better after the operation and get a new lease of life.
**
Savannah Beggs had gone to school for registration and the first lesson because the teacher was a stickler for noting absences and making her life difficult but after morning break she had left school via the entrance used by cars and delivery lorries. Should any teachers question her whereabouts, her friend Kaylee had agreed to tell them she had gone home sick. Being a persistently disruptive influence meant that most teachers were relieved when she failed to attend so she doubted that Kaylee would be troubled much. So, at lunchtime, she was sitting on a swing in a children’s playground on the Lensfield estate drinking a can of coke which she’d swiped from a convenience store. She always kept a spare top and leggings to change into from her school uniform and she was also wearing much more makeup than she had for school.
A text pinged into her phone.
‘Meet me Harford Avenue ASAP. Going on a trip.’
‘C u in 10,’ she texted back.
Savannah was so excited. Ty was going to take her somewhere this afternoon. It would be much more exciting than sitting in a boring lesson.
**
Ron and Maureen were shown to a private room at Sandhills hospital.
‘There’s a gown on the bed,’ said the nurse. ‘Please get changed and someone will be in to see you soon.’
‘Is there Wi-Fi in here? asked Ron.
‘Er, yes, the information is in the folder there, along with the code.’
The nurse left and Ron proceeded to flick through the information folder. Maureen sighed. Would he ever change, she thought to himself.
‘Ah, that’s it,’ said Ron. ‘That’s a relief, the reception is rubbish out here.’
‘Don’t you think you should get changed?’
‘In a minute, hang on, Sidney was sending some stuff through to me.’ His mobile pinged as messages arrived. ‘Oh, there’s one from Brett as well. Thank you for your interest in the University stake blah blah, we will be operating the usual tender process for the equity. I will inform you about the deadline for applying when we have a final decision...,’ Ron was still reading out the message when a nurse knocked on the door.
‘Oh, Mr Radford, you aren’t changed yet. Never mind, I’ll run through these questions with you and then you can get changed afterwards.’
Maureen sat down whilst Ron began to answer the questions brusquely. At one point he had to ask her to repeat what she was saying as his attention had been drawn to the screen of his mobile as another email flashed up briefly. Not for the first time, Maureen felt embarrassed at the way he dealt with people he regarded as subordinate. Thinking back she realised it was his general disposition as he’d even treated the cardiologist in a similar manner.
‘Thank you, nurse,’ said Maureen as Ron had failed to respond.
‘Someone will be in soon to put a cannula in your hand,’ she said. ‘Perhaps you could put the gown on now. It fastens up the back and on the shoulders.’
‘Hmmm,’ murmured Ron as he typed out a message on his phone.
Maureen looked at Ron and despaired. Right at that moment, she wished she could climb into a separate bed and deny all association with her selfish husband.
