EPISODE FORTY-TWO
When Jackie opened the door to
Mike, she felt awkward; unable to look him in the eye.
‘Nigel’s
got an important tender to get out this morning and his secretary’s working on
it,’ she said in an affected manner. ‘I
wonder if you’d mind cutting his hair in the kitchen?’
‘The kitchen’s
fine by me, ’Mike replied, following
her. Still unable to look at him, Jackie
busied herself with clearing the dirty plates.
‘Sorry
about the mess.’
‘Well,
I don’t expect you’ve had much time for housework.’
Jackie
looked at him sharply.
‘Haven’t
you just been on holiday?’
‘Oh.
Yes.’
Mike
was enjoying her discomfort. He half
smiled to himself, making certain she saw it, then pulled a chair from under
the table for Nigel to sit on.
After
an awkward silence, Jackie said in a subdued voice, ‘I’m sorry if I caused you
and your wife any problems when I rang up.’
Mike
shrugged. ‘Oh well...it’s all water
under the bridge now.’
‘Your
daughter...did she...has she...’
‘Has
she had an abortion, you mean? Yes, she
has. And now it’s all forgotten.
Finished.’
Jackie
put the plates carefully on the draining board, too embarrassed to disturb the
awkward silence that hung in the air between them.
Mike watched her, waiting to say what she had
in mind. He saw the tension in her
shoulders, and he saw her summoning the courage to speak as she turned to face
him.
‘Do
you mind if Nigel and I pray for your daughter and her unborn child?’
‘If
that’s what turns you on.’
‘Why
should it “turn me on”?’
‘Well,
own up, you wouldn’t do it otherwise.’
He
grinned at her. He felt he’d let her off
lightly. And why not?
He was in a good mood.
He was seeing Maggie later on.
*
When Savita and Nicky strolled into
his office at gone eleven, Malcolm noticed the malicious hint of a smile at the
corners of Savita’s mouth and the cruel glint in her eyes.
Nicky seemed less sure of herself, almost as
if she was still scared of him, although she now had the upper hand.
Savita
was enjoying the drama of silence, while she watched Malcolm squirm.
He coughed lightly before speaking, in a
voice he barely recognised as his. More
of a feeble croak.
‘All
right. What is it you want?’
‘We’re
going for gold,’ said Savita.
Malcolm
frowned, genuinely puzzled. ‘I’m not
with you.’
‘Exactly.
You won’t be with us for long.
I want you to clear your desk.
Sudden resignation.’
‘You
must be joking.’
‘No.
I’m serious. I want you gone by this
afternoon.’
‘But
I can’t do that.’
‘My
boyfriend followed you home two nights ago.
He knows where you live. He can
make sure your wife gets a copy of that photograph.
You can choose. Marriage or job? What’s it to
be?’
‘But
– but this...this is ridiculous,’ he stammered.
‘It’s blackmail.’
‘We’re
not demanding any money.’
‘It’s
still blackmail.’
‘You’re
not in any position to argue or accuse us of any wrongdoing.’
As
he stared up into Savita’s vengeful face, Malcolm knew he would get no quarter
from her. Maybe if he appealed to Nicky,
she might be able to persuade her colleague.
Once she saw how sorry he was.
‘Nicky,’
he began in a tremulous voice, ‘I’m fifty two years old.
I’ve been in this firm now for nigh on twenty
years. If I have to leave, I’ll find it
difficult to get another job. Especially if I walk out, resign for no reason at
all. Please, Nicky.
I’ll let you have loads of time off
work. I’ll give you brilliant appraisals
– so brilliant you’ll have to have a pay rise.
What do you say?’
Nicky
pursed her lips. ‘Well, I’m not sure.’
‘I
am,’ snapped Savita. ‘You’re a worse
than useless toad. A fat pathetic
amoeba, and you’re finished.’
Malcolm’s
eyes suddenly swam with tears. ‘This
isn’t fair,’ he blubbered. ‘Please don’t do this.
I beg you. I’ll do anything.’
Nicky
was embarrassed and looked away. So he
looked pityingly into Savita’s face, searching for some small deposit of mercy.
‘Please,
Savita. I know I behaved abominably,
but...I’ve learnt my lesson. Everyone
deserves a second chance.’
Then
Nicky offered Malcolm his one last grasp of hope, the lifeline he was praying
for. She turned to Savita and spoke
softly, as if afraid to disturb all the emotion and turmoil that was happening
before her.
‘Savita,
I think we ought to discuss this in private.’
Savita
scowled at her. ‘There’s nothing more to
discuss.’
‘I
think there is. Let’s go out for a coffee and talk about it.’
Savita
sighed and shook her head. ‘Oh,
Nicky. We mustn’t weaken over
this...’She threw a disparaging gesture
in Malcolm’s direction. ‘This nasty tosser.
But...okay...if that’s what you
want. Let’s have a nice long break and
talk about it.’
They
left Malcolm drying his eyes with a grubby handkerchief.
‘Take as long as you want,’ he called after
them.
*
As soon as Mike had departed,
Jackie rushed into the kitchen. Nigel
was sweeping his hairs off the kitchen floor with a dustpan and brush.
‘Darling,
I’d like a word with you.’
‘Not
now. I’ve got an urgent tender to get
out.’
‘It
won’t take a minute. This is
important. I don’t want that man to cut
your hair in future.’
‘Mike?
Why on earth not?’
‘There’s
just something about him...’
‘That’s
hardly a reason for dispensing of his services.’
‘Please,
darling, will you do it for me? There
must be lots of other hairdressers.’
‘But
I still don’t understand why.’
‘Please.
Will you do it just to please me?
Because I love you.’
Nigel
put the dustpan and brush on the work-top and put his arms around Jackie.
‘I wouldn’t want a haircut to come between
us. And I’m sorry I complained about no
brown sauce.’
She
giggled contentedly and kissed him.
‘I
do wish though...’ he began.
‘What?’
‘Remember
what I told you about my sock stock rotation?
You still haven’t got that right yet.’
IN EPISODE FORTY-THREE
Nicky starts to feel sorry for
Malcolm, and Mike finds his lover’s attitude frustrating.