Ahead of his Time by Adrian Cousins (read novels website .TXT) 📗

then drummed her fingers on the table. “Well, perhaps I could go and say hello. That would be a nice thing to do, wouldn’t it? Although, Mr Apsley, do you think it’s appropriate for a single lady to visit a gentleman in the hospital?”

“Yes, I do. As I said, you’ll make Clive’s day.”

“Really, do you think so?”

“I know so. Take this opportunity, Miss Colman. If you don’t, I guarantee you’ll regret it.”

Miss Colman looked excited and had developed a glow, no longer caused by embarrassment but the anticipation of seeing Clive. We all knew she held a candle for him, and we all knew that she was his siren. They just needed a nudge.

I left the office and trotted off to the staff room, hoping George would call soon with an update on last night’s events. Flopping down on one of the armchairs, I lit a cigarette and closed my eyes, although quickly realising I was close to nodding off again. Yawning, I rummaged through my briefcase, searching for the CVs for the two interviews. Pulling out the heap of paperwork, the envelope which Miss Colman had handed me this morning slipped out. Plucking it up, I reviewed the front again.

Jason Apsley

City of Fairfield School

Strictly Private and Confidential

The staff room phone rang. Colin Poole, who’d just entered the room, grabbed it as I jumped up from my chair. I strode towards him whilst tapping the unopened letter on my wrist.

“Jason, it’s Miss Colman; she says she has a call for you.”

“Thanks, Colin,” I said, as I took the receiver whilst staring at the envelope in my hand.

“Mr Apsley, I have a George from the Fairfield Chronicle on the line, putting you through now.”

“Thank you.”

“Hello.”

“Hello, lad. Look, I haven’t got long as there’s a bit of a flap on here. They’ve changed the front page at the last minute, so we’ve got to work frantically to get ready for the print run. Anyway, don’t panic; Martin is fine. I nipped in this morning with some food, so he can get through today. Can we meet after work at the pub so I can bring you up to speed? I can’t talk now as I said there’s a bit of a flap on here.”

Whilst George was talking, I’d thumbed open the envelope and shaken out the single sheet of paper.

“Yes, George, that’s—”

“Lad, you there?”

“What … sorry. What did you say?”

“I said to meet at the pub tonight. You okay? You sound distracted? Lad?”

“Err … yeah … fine, George. See you then …”

I plopped the receiver back in the cradle and stared at the letter. My hand had now started to shake, so I gripped the paper with both hands. My heart rate had increased and was now thumping in my chest as I wandered back to my chair. Dropping the letter on my heap of paperwork, I fumbled through my pockets for my cigarettes.

“You okay, Jason? You look a little peaky. Nothing wrong, I hope?” Colin called across from the end of the staff room as he smelt the milk bottle and the foil cap before plopping some in his tea.

With my arms gripping the wooden armrests, I perched on the end of the chair as cigarette smoke wafted up my face. Closing my left eye to avoid the smoke, I re-read the handwritten letter.

Hello Jason,

I’m sorry to approach you like this, but this is not an easy letter to write. My name is Jessica Redmond, and I believe you are my father. After over twenty years, I know this will come as a shock to receive this letter, but I would like to get to know you, although with a heavy heart I will accept if that’s not what you want. I really want to meet you, and I will be in the Beehive pub on Coldhams Lane at 6pm on 18th and 19th if you feel you could come and meet me. I don’t want anything from you, but just the need to meet you.

Sorry for my ramble, and desperately hope to see you soon.

Your daughter

Jess

“Jason, you sure you’re okay?” Colin stood a few feet from me, stirring his cup of tea.

I glanced up and removed the cigarette from my mouth. “Sorry, Colin. Err … yeah, I’m fine.”

“Anything I can help with?” he offered, still scraping the spoon around his cup.

“No, but thank you.” Sitting back in the chair, I wondered how it was possible that everything had turned to shit in such a short space of time.

Two days ago, my life was bloody perfect. Now Martin had landed in my old car; Jenny knew something was up; Don was fishing for information which I had no idea how I would sort that out, and Christ, now other Jason’s daughter wanted to meet me – for fuck sake – what a nightmare. Could I just ignore the letter? Jess had written she’d accept if I didn’t want to get to know her. If I didn’t turn up, that would be that – or would it? Perhaps she might change her mind and then come to seek me out at school. Or worse, she’d discovered where I worked, so she might have fathomed out where I live. If she turned up there, oh Christ, the nightmare would get worse.

10

Olivetti

Both George and Jess wanted to meet me tonight, but weighing up the choices, I quickly concluded Jess would just have to wait until tomorrow night. Coffee and cigarette finished, I nipped through to the office to pick up my first candidate for the stand-in caretaker job.

Roy was pushing me to take the Deputy Head position and was chucking jobs my way, presumably to get me in the swing of the role. However, I still wasn’t sure I wanted the position and certainly didn’t want to conduct these interviews today. Although I was experienced at interviewing in my previous life, so not a difficult task, but staying awake through them would be the tricky bit.

Miss Colman was busy folding letters