Finding Home by Kate Field (read book .txt) 📗

could she possibly want? Her only wish was that her present situation would last forever.

The cake was delicious, but it wasn’t the last surprise of the day. While Bea poured out tea, Lia went to the car again and came back with two gift-wrapped parcels.

‘It’s time for presents,’ she said. ‘I’m so sorry there are only two. I suggested lots of other ideas but Mummy said you were too stubborn to accept them.’

‘Oh Lia,’ Bea said, shaking her head. ‘You weren’t supposed to repeat that.’ She smiled at Mim. ‘It was meant in the kindest way, my dear. It’s true, though, isn’t it?’

‘Yes it is, and I’m not sure I should even accept these. You really shouldn’t have.’

‘Oh pooh, never mind that nonsense. You’ll soon see it isn’t much, and is more for our benefit than yours.’ Mim knew better than to believe that. Bea’s idea of ‘not much’ was very different to hers. ‘Open the small one first. That’s a joint present from all of us.’

Bea passed over a rectangular shaped parcel. Mim pulled off the bows, ribbons and foil wrapping paper to reveal a box containing a mobile telephone. Bea held up her hand to silence Mim.

‘I won’t hear a word of objection, so don’t even contemplate it,’ Bea said. ‘We were frugal and didn’t buy the top of the range model. The phone is registered to you and all the charges are taken care of for the next twelve months while you get yourself back on your feet.’

‘You really shouldn’t have,’ Mim said again, but already she was opening the box and feeling the weight of the phone in her hand. She hadn’t realised how much she’d missed having one over the last few months. She felt normal again, like she’d taken a step towards civilisation and away from being the homeless woman in the car. ‘Thank you. I don’t see how this benefits you, though.’

‘Now we can get in touch with you whenever we like. It’s highly inconvenient having to trail down here if we need you, or risk life and limb leaping in front of your car.’

‘You never need me,’ Mim protested. ‘You’re not keeping up your end of the bargain at all.’

‘That will change now, and you can begin by driving me back to the house once you’ve opened Corin’s present. He sends his apologies for missing the day, but he’s leading a Duke of Edinburgh expedition this week and couldn’t get away.’

Bea held out the other parcel. It was also rectangular, but larger and looked as if it had been wrapped in a hurry. There were no bows and ribbons, and bits of Sellotape were peeling off. It definitely had a Corin look about it.

‘Do you think Dickens wrapped it for him?’ Lia asked, inspecting the parcel critically. ‘It’s hard to imagine he could have done a worse job.’

‘I thought the phone was from all of you?’ Mim said. ‘I didn’t need a second present as well.’

‘Oh, the phone wasn’t from Corin.’ Bea smiled. ‘He likes to go his own way.’ She sighed as Mim pulled off the wrapping paper. ‘Not always the most appropriate way. I wish he’d asked me. I expect you’d have preferred a juicy novel, wouldn’t you?’

Mim looked at the two brand new books in her hand: one a hardback, the other a paperback, both promising gripping accounts of feats of bravery and endurance. She’d rather have these than a novel any day. She folded the paper over them again to keep them clean.

‘People often ask me why he’s thirty-five and still single,’ Lia said. She pointed at the parcel that Mim was still clutching in her hands. ‘We don’t need any further explanation, do we?’ She picked up the mobile phone that had fallen off Mim’s knee. ‘Do you need any help with this? I could help you set it up and show you how to use it.’

‘You’re all right, thanks,’ Mim said, grinning. ‘I’m thirty-four, not ninety-four. I’ve had a phone before.’

Lia stayed behind to check on progress with the caravans while Mim drove the car back to the house. She helped Bea carry the picnic baskets into the kitchen.

‘Shall I load the dishwasher?’ Mim asked.

‘No, dear, Mrs Dennis can… Actually, Mim, why not? We can have a chat while you’re doing it, as there’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss.’

That sounded ominous. Mim emptied the plates into the bin and started to fill the dishwasher, waiting for Bea to continue.

‘Now, I think you said you’d worked in the hotel for ten years, is that right?’ Bea asked.

‘Yes.’ Mim looked up. She hadn’t been expecting that question. ‘It would have been eleven in May if it had stayed open.’ And if Gordon had still been alive. It was impossible not to miss him today, even with the surprise birthday celebrations.

‘And you were busy there?’

‘The occupancy rate varied but we were trying to get it up.’

‘No, I mean you, not the hotel,’ Bea corrected herself. ‘You had a full-time job, with a decent wage?’

‘Well, yes…’ Mim filled the sink with hot water so she could wash the Champagne glasses.

‘Only, I’m struggling to understand,’ Bea pressed on. ‘You had a good job for ten years and you’re the least extravagant person I know. So how did you come out of it with no savings and no assets other than a battered old car? Not even a mobile phone! Surely you were entitled to a redundancy payment when your employment ended?’

Mim rinsed the glass she was washing and set it down on the draining board. She turned to Bea, soap suds dripping from her hands.

‘I wasn’t entitled to a payment because I never actually had an employment contract.’ She wiped her hands on her jeans. ‘Most of the money I should have received as a wage was ploughed back into the business.’

It sounded stupid when she gave the facts like that, baldly and without any context; she knew that even before seeing the shocked expression on Bea’s face.

‘Oh Mim.’ Bea