Civvy Street (17 page)

Momentarily Jenna forgot her trepidation about how the wives might treat her and felt a burst of excitement about the project. Maybe Dan was right after all about how this might be the perfect opportunity to get her hairdressing skills back up and running, although she was still a bit narked about how he’d railroaded her into this so maybe she wouldn’t share that with him just yet. She went through her requirements with the foreman; the backwash units, plumbing for a washing machine, a counter with a sink and cupboards under, several workstations with good lighting and electricity sockets and a window seat in the bay window where customers could wait in comfort. Greg made notes and took some measurements as Jenna spoke.

‘All done?’ he said, as Jenna finally ran out of ideas and steam.

She nodded. ‘When’s it going to be finished?’ She jiggled Eliot on her hip. He was starting to get bored with being lugged around and was beginning to squirm.

‘A while yet. Several weeks and that’s assuming we don’t get any hitches.’

A female voice called from the door, ‘Hello, sorry to interrupt.’

Jenna spun round. ‘Maddy.’ Maddy was standing in the door and, like Jenna, she was encumbered by a child on her hip. ‘And hello, Rose.’ Rose rewarded Jenna with a smile revealing two top teeth.

‘They said I’d find you up here.’ She looked around the room. ‘Exciting, isn’t it?’

‘It’ll be better when it’s finished.’

Greg interrupted. ‘’Scuse me, ladies, but I’ve got work to do.’

‘Yes, of course, you get on,’ said Maddy.

The two women were left alone.

‘So,’ said Maddy, ‘is this the first time you’ve seen the salon?’

Jenna nodded. ‘It’s nice. Better than I thought it’d be. Big too.’

‘Bigger than your bathroom, that’s for sure.’

‘We could have more than one stylist working here.’

‘That’s what I thought. Do you know of anyone?’

‘No, but I could train people up.’

‘That’d be fab,’ said Maddy. ‘I should think you’d be killed in the rush. It’s such a useful skill. Someone who can cut and style hair can always find work.’

‘Not necessarily,’ said Jenna. ‘Not if you piss off your past employer.’ She shifted Eliot to her other hip.

Maddy grinned. ‘Something you did monumentally.’

‘Yeah, well... moving on...’

‘Anyway, being a hairdresser is still a sight more use than being a biochemist.’

‘Not as brainy though.’

Maddy shrugged. ‘It’s no good having a brainy qualification if you can’t get work. People will always want hairdressers.’

‘But will they want
me
? I’m still not convinced that any of the wives’ll want to have me do their roots or give them a trim.’

‘Look, I know this is the 1 Herts community centre but I don’t think anyone is going to bitch if you take bookings from wives who are with other units in the garrison. We’re not going to ask for ID on the door.’

‘I suppose.’

The two women made their way down the stairs, past the lecherous builder and out into the garden where Jenna was able to put Eliot back in his stroller. She eased her back. He was getting too heavy to carry like that for long. Maddy put Rose down and she managed to stand, hanging onto Maddy’s leg for support as Maddy put on Rose’s sun hat. The weather was pretty lovely – even by July’s standards.

‘And I also suppose,’ said Jenna, ‘that with your mate Caro running the crèche it’ll be easier for the wives with kids to make appointments.’

‘Exactly, although...’

Jenna sensed not all was well. ‘Although?’

Maddy took a breath before she started. ‘Caro and I have had a bit of a falling out.’

Uh-oh. ‘What sort of “falling out”?’

Maddy told Jenna about what happened.

‘Doesn’t sound ace.’

‘That’s a bit of an understatement,’ said Maddy, picking up Rose again and sitting her on her hip.

‘You know what I think?’ asked Jenna. ‘You need to get on the sidelines of this. You need to get Camilla to make sure Caro stays put. Let’s face it, the whole point of this place is to make it a one-stop shop and without the crèche there’ll be a hole in it you could see from space.’

Maddy couldn’t help laughing at Jenna’s exaggeration. ‘You’re right. Caro won’t cooperate for me but she might for Camilla. Besides, she’ll be earning good money so she’d be bonkers if she turns it down.’

‘Right, I need to go back and feed Eliot or he’ll be a right pain.’

‘And I need to get Nathan from playschool.’

‘Playschool? Already?’

‘Just a taster day, to see how he gets on. He’s due to start in September. Let’s hope he had a good time and wants to go back.’

‘Blimey, nursery school for Nathan. They do grow up fast, don’t they?’

Maddy nodded. ‘Soon we’ll have to decide about prep schools and all that stuff.’

Jenna shook her head. ‘I suppose you don’t want him to go, do you?’

‘Not really but in my heart I know it may be the only way. It’s that or risking the poor little blighter having to change schools all the time.’

Jenna was silent for a minute. She hadn’t even considered Eliot’s education although she didn’t think she and Dan would be sending him to swanky private schools. She just had to hope they wouldn’t get buggered about by too many moves in the next sixteen years. Fat chance of
that
though.

‘Talking of changing schools, have you heard how Susie’s kids are taking it all?’ she asked Maddy.

Maddy grimaced. ‘I don’t think it’s going great, to be honest. I’m going to pop over later today and see how she is.’

‘Give her my love. And if there’s anything I can do...’

Maddy nodded but Jenna knew that the only thing that would probably make things better would be if everything reverted to how it was.

*

Maddy pushed Rose along the road towards the garrison playgroup, on her way to collect Nathan and wondering where the years had gone. It seemed no time at all since he’d been born but suddenly he was almost old enough to be at nursery school. OK, there were still another couple of months to go before he’d start properly and this was just a taster session to see how he got on, but even so it was yet another huge milestone that was whizzing by. She’d tried not to worry about how he might be getting on, had kept herself busy for the two and a half hours since she’d dropped him off to keep her mind from dwelling on it, but now it was time to pick him up she felt a surge of guilt at abandoning him with a roomful of strangers. She consoled herself with the knowledge that he’d been pretty good about her leaving him alone, but she couldn’t help wondering if he’d missed her, spent the time sobbing. Leaving him with other mothers to babysit occasionally was one thing, leaving him with a roomful of children and a couple of nursery school teachers was rather different. She glanced at her watch – her anxiety was making her early. She had about ten minutes to kill before it was time to pick him up. Maddy decided that as she was passing the Spar she might as well pop in for some more bread and milk.

The doors swooshed open automatically and she went in from the hot July sun to the cool interior. She grabbed a basket which she balanced on the hood of the pushchair and headed for the groceries aisle. As she rounded the end of the shelves she met Caro, face to face, coming the other way. Both women stopped in their tracks and stared at each other. Maddy was about to say something –
hello
...
sorry
... anything to try and make a start at a reconciliation – but Caro just looked away and swept past, leaving Maddy feeling cut to the quick.

Susie walked through the back entrance of the mess – the tradesman’s entrance – for the first time in her life. In fact, until Sergeant McManners had told her about it she hadn’t known of its existence. She felt extraordinarily self-conscious about this change of status and hoped that none of the mess members saw her. Which was ridiculous, she realised. She was going to be the mess manager, she was going to be their employee so the sooner she got over herself the better. Of course, it didn’t help matters that Mike still didn’t approve of her working here. He’d made it more than plain when she’d asked him to wish her luck on her first day. Maybe, when he started work at his new job, which he was due to in a week, he’d have more to think about than how inappropriate he thought his wife’s new career was. Susie sighed. For heaven’s sake she was hardly standing on a street corner prostituting herself, but if Mike was to be believed she was only one step away from that.

‘Ah, you’re here,’ said McManners who was sitting on a stool in the big, stainless steel mess kitchen. ‘You found your way all right?’

‘Yes, thanks.’

‘Coffee?’

‘Please.’

‘Charlie,’ called McManners across the kitchen to a steward, ‘get Mrs Collins a coffee.’

‘It’s Susie,’ she reminded him.

‘Yes of course, ma’am... Susie.’

Susie smiled. ‘And you are?’

‘Scottie. Well, it’s Robert really but I haven’t been called that since I was a recruit.’

‘Which would you prefer?’

‘Och, Scottie’ll do. When I’m a civvy I may try reverting to my given name but until then I think I’d be better saving my breath to cool my porridge.’

The steward brought over a steaming mug of coffee along with a carton of milk and a bowl of sugar that had seen a wet teaspoon dipped into it a few too many times. Susie took the milk but declined the sugar. Now she was one of the staff she didn’t merit a salver and the silver-plate milk jug and sugar bowl. She smiled to herself.

‘All set?’ asked Scottie. Susie nodded. ‘Follow me, then.’

Susie picked up her mug and followed him through the kitchen, out of the door into the main mess and across the entrance hall to his cubbyhole beneath the stairs.

He grabbed a spare chair and put it behind his desk. ‘Right.’ He plonked himself down and switched on the computer. ‘I’ve made some notes about what routine jobs need doing and when. It’s a bit like running a house – only on a grander scale.’ He reached over to a bookcase beside his desk and grabbed a big A4 lever-arch file. He handed it to Susie.

Bloody hell. She stared at the wodges of paper between the stiff cover. How much had she to learn?

Scottie must have clocked her expression. ‘Don’t worry, ma— Susie. It’s all quite straightforward. Most of that is what my predecessor did for me, and probably his did for him. I’ve just updated it for you – taken out the references to double-entry bookkeeping and proving balances and replaced them with examples of the formulae on the Excel program. It’s great as a reference though, if you forget stuff.’

The computer bing-bonged into life and as Susie sipped her coffee, Scottie began to teach her about making up the members’ mess bills, catering contracts, stock checks, extra-duty pay for the staff, dinner nights and the other matters that were involved in the running of the mess. By the time they got towards lunchtime her head was bursting with information.

She glanced at her watch, ten past twelve. Almost time for a break, she thought with relief. Not that she’d go home, she had things to do in her lunch hour – assuming she got a whole lunch
hour
.

‘Scottie? I need to go out at lunchtime. Got something I have to do but I was just wondering how long our lunch break is?’

‘That’s the thing, ma’am... I mean Susie. Sorry, but after a lifetime of calling you “ma’am” it’s blooming hard to switch.’ He smiled apologetically.

‘Not to worry. What’s “the thing”?’

‘Lunchtime is when the officers like to come and discuss their bills, or complaints, or ideas for the menu... that sort of stuff.’

Right on cue James peered round the door.

‘McManners... oh, hi, Susie.’

‘Captain Rosser,’ said Susie, firmly. James looked puzzled. ‘Now I am taking over as mess manager from Sergeant McManners it would be more appropriate if you and the others call me Mrs Collins. Let’s face it, you don’t call any other members of the mess staff by their Christian names. I’m not being stand-offish but it would be better all round in the long term.’

‘Oh. Oh, OK.’ he still looked a bit bemused though. ‘Whatever you say, Su— Mrs Collins.’ He flashed her a slightly embarrassed smile. ‘Anyway, I’ve come to suggest that we might want to look at our subscriptions to newspapers and periodicals. I’ve noticed that some things are barely getting read and we could probably do with more than one copy of
The Times
; there’s often a bit of a scramble for it at breakfast. Can we table it for the next mess committee meeting?’

‘It’s a matter for the PMC more than me,’ said Scottie. ‘You’d best take it up with Major Fanshaw, although I can make a note to remind him to add it to the agenda.’

‘Would you? Ace,’ said James. ‘Sorry to interrupt.’ He gave Susie a smile and left.

‘See what I mean?’ said Scottie. ‘So I generally have a sandwich at my desk. You’re not obliged to, of course, but I find it just makes life easier for everyone if I’m accessible around this time.’

‘Not a problem,’ said Susie. ‘I see exactly what you mean. I’ll bring something in with me tomorrow.’

Scottie nodded in approval. ‘So, has Major Collins started his new job yet?’

‘Next week. He’s on resettlement leave at the moment, but he’s not bothering with resettlement as such. He’s using the time to redecorate our new house, and look after the kids while I’m here. Which is kind of the reason why I have to nip out shortly. I need to sort out some childcare because when he starts work... I mean, my two are almost old enough to be left to look after themselves but I’d rather not.’ Not on that grotty estate, at any rate.

‘Then you go right ahead, ma— Susie.’

‘I won’t be long, promise. Just a few minutes.’

Susie grabbed her handbag and left. She hoped to catch Caro before Will came home for his lunch. Susie didn’t want to interrupt the Edwards’ family meal but she had to pick Caro’s brains about proper childminding. She knew she could fall back on Maddy’s offer in the short-term but she needed to sort out something permanent – and legal.

*

Caro opened the door wide and Susie was assailed by the sound of small boys fighting, only, to judge by the volume, these small boys were a lot less small than they’d been when she’d last seen them, a couple of years previously, back at the old barracks. Now they sounded like proper bruisers.