Chasing Clouds Page 3

  Elodie paused in front of Betty’s Book Café and wondered whether or not she should phone her mum for advice. The Taylor family weren’t that close but Elodie had a good relationship with her parents. They were sweet people who cared immensely for each other and for their daughter; however, they always wished that she could just be happy with her lot. Tom was exactly the type of man they wanted her to end up with, steady and stable. Elodie couldn’t help but feel that she was cut from a different cloth. Her parents were like calico: strong and durable but perhaps a bit on the plain side. They were the type of people who said things like ‘Anything for a quiet life’ and ‘Any job’s better than no job.’ Elodie didn’t necessarily agree with sentiments such as these but understood that her parents were from a different generation and knew that whenever they said anything like this they were doing so because they just wanted her to be happy, like them. Whenever she had phoned her mum in the past, especially with Tom troubles, she had always offered the same advice. Her parents had been together since they were sixteen and had stayed together through thick and thin. Neither of them believed in giving up on a relationship. It didn’t matter what the problem was, Elodie’s mum would always tell her the same thing: ‘Just sit down and talk it through, love.’ Tom would realise how unfair he had been and apologise and until then, she had a job to do.

  Elodie took out her phone, half- expecting a grovelling text message from Tom. There was nothing on her screen apart from her screensaver, which was a picture of her, Steph and Carla hanging out in the park. The picture was quite old: Elodie knew this from Carla’s hair, which seemed to change as often as the seasons. The screensaver in front of her showed them sat in the park a couple of summers ago. Elodie remembered that day well, the weather had been absolutely glorious. Betty had closed the café for some new refrigerators to be fitted so the three friends had decided to enjoy the day together. They had drunk cider in the park, read magazines and worked on their tans. Elodie gazed at the picture fondly; Steph looked exactly the same now as she had done then. Her straight auburn hair was a little longer now, but she still had the same fringe and simple style. Carla, however, was an entirely different story. Back then her hair had been honey- blonde with a pale pink streak running through it. One side had been shaved in a fashionable undercut and the rest of her locks had been left to blow wildly in the breeze. She wore a gold nose ring and, considering they were spending the day in the park, rather heavy makeup. The picture showed them all laughing and smiling. Carla held a glass in the air, an impressive pout gracing her full lips. Elodie smiled at the memory; it seemed that they hadn’t had a day like that together in such a long time. It was amazing how life got in the way of everything. It was then that she caught sight of the time. ‘Shit,’ she thought to herself as she realised she was late. She shoved her phone back in her bag, deciding that she wouldn’t call her mum after all.

  “There you are!” Steph exclaimed with relief as Elodie emerged looking somewhat shamefaced through the back door. “I thought something bad might have happened, you don’t usually cut it this fine.”

  “Something bad kind of did. I’m sorry Steph, I had a nightmare of an evening yesterday.”

  Steph wasn’t one to pry, so instead offered a questioning raised eyebrow that she felt Elodie could ignore if she wanted to. Carla, on the other hand, wasn’t quite so subtle. Upon hearing Elodie’s brief explanation she blustered up to them, having abandoned the task of finishing the chalkboards, and demanded to know what ‘he’ had done now. Elodie wasn’t quite able to meet their eyes and instead concentrated extra hard on tying the bow of her spotted pinafore.

  “Tell us later,” Steph offered sympathetically. “Let’s open up first. Once we’ve seen the morning rush off, then we can have a proper catch- up.”

  Elodie nodded, thankful that she had at least one tactful friend. She turned around and began restocking the soft drinks, the bottles clinking together as she placed them in one by one and drowning out her own thoughts, for which she was thankful.

  The first and last hours of the day were always the busiest for the café. People came in in droves, either desperate for a pre- work pep- me- up, or an after- work treat. This morning was just like any other. There were some familiar faces that visited and some new ones. Elodie always waited the tables, Carla did a bit of everything and Steph stood at the counter taking payments and handing out takeaway orders. When the last of the early morning rush customers had gone, they gathered around the counter and chatted whilst Steph made them all a hot drink of their own.

  “So what happened last night then?” Carla asked, raising her voice over the sound of the coffee machine, her large brown eyes surveying Elodie intently. “Tom surprise you with something spectacular?” she added sarcastically, unable to help her tone.

  “Carla! That’s hardly nice or helpful now, is it?” Steph griped as she set three mugs down on the counter: a flat white for herself, a double espresso for Carla and a latte with one sugar for Elodie.

  “Nice doesn’t come into it. The idiot can’t even get my name right, he called me Carara last time I saw him, so I’m sorry if I’m not his biggest fan,” Carla argued, quelling herself when she saw Elodie’s downcast look. “Sorry El, I’m not being hard on you. I just think he should treat you how you deserve to be treated, like the wonderful, smart and funny woman you are. It’s my prerogative to make sure that any guy you’re with is the absolute best.”

  Elodie smiled a small smile at these words.

  “Well, it’s funny you should say that. I mean, not funny ha- ha. More like funny, dear God my world is ending and I want to scream,” Elodie said with a wry smile. She told them everything that had happened. Elodie was a fair person: she didn’t embellish or exaggerate, she just told them the events exactly as they had transpired, including Tom’s suggestive finger- waggle alluding to an engagement ring. She hadn’t intended on airing the entirety of her dirty linen to them but as she found herself getting deeper and deeper into the story she just couldn’t hold back. “And by this point, I was knackered, upset and couldn’t stand the sound of his drunken snores for one more second. So, I slept on the sofa.” She finished curtly, taking a deep breath and a sip from her coffee cup. The hot, smooth coffee offered some reassurance. The familiar taste comforted her and she felt a quiet calmness wash over her. After all, it was just a silly fight, wasn’t it? It was no big deal; they just needed to work on their communication skills. Elodie couldn’t silence that little voice at the back of her mind, though, that asked her how on earth you learnt to communicate with someone who could be so stubborn and childish.

  “So was that a proposal?” Steph asked in a matter- of- fact manner that was indicative of her displeasure at the idea. She evidently wanted to get all the details clear in her head before judging or offering any sort of advice. Carla raised her hand before Elodie had a chance to answer.

  “Of course it wasn’t, it’s just what he does when he’s backed into a corner,” Carla retorted. “I can’t believe this, what will it take for you to see that he’s no good for you, El. Look, Tom’s not a bad person but you can do so much better, he’s so small town and you’re just not! He’s pulled that proposal trick before! Remember two years ago, when he got you that iron for your birthday and he said he was saving up for something extra special. Well…” She trailed off, catching the look of hurt on Elodie’s face. Carla didn’t want Elodie to be upset, she just wanted her to see. It was short- term pain for long- term gain. In her opinion, Elodie would be happier without that neanderthal dragging her down.

  “For your information, that iron was top of the line and makes housework so much easier,” Elodie contested weakly. She was well aware that the words sounded hollow, forced and something that a dowdy ’fifties housewife might say. She despised herself for saying them but couldn’t stop herself nonetheless.

  Elodie stared into her cup, willing the coffee to have the answers that would satisfy
her friends. The pale pink lip balm mark on the rim of the cup suddenly seemed far more interesting than answering any more of these accusatory questions.

  “Have you spoken to your mum about it?” Steph probed after an uncomfortable moment of silence.

  “I thought about ringing her earlier, but I know exactly what she’ll say.” Elodie sighed, “She’ll tell me to sit down and talk with Tom and that relationships are hard and you have to work at them every day. The trouble is, she’s with her soul mate so I’m pretty sure that makes all that working hard stuff a lot easier.”

  Her two friends glanced at each other, Carla’s eyebrow raised in a questioning way.

  “You know what you just said, right?” Carla said, unable to hide the glee in her voice.

  “What?” Elodie asked dumbly, not understanding what she had said or what the knowing glance between her two friends meant.

  “Well…” began Steph diplomatically.

  “You just said that working on a relationship is easier when you’re with your soul mate!” Carla interrupted eagerly. “So that means, deep down, you don’t think Tom is yours.”

  Elodie stared at them both, stunned. She felt ambushed, as if she were being cross- examined in court rather than confiding in her best friends. She didn’t think that at all, or rather she didn’t think she did. She could feel her cheeks flushing. Both of her friends were staring at her now and the attention was both unwanted and, she felt, unfounded. She had to say something, she had to defend Tom, defend their relationship and defend all the years they’d been together; but no matter how hard she tried, no words would form. Elodie felt a mixture of anger and astonishment bubbling within her, both completely alien emotions to Elodie who was usually a calm and sweet person who rarely had cause to raise her voice. How dare they criticise her relationship, who were they to judge? Especially since one of them hardly ever saw her boyfriend and the other had never been in a relationship in her entire life.

  “Well I don’t believe in soul mates actually,” Elodie countered bluntly, careful to keep her tone as even as she could despite the resentment building up inside her, “so what you two think doesn’t really matter, we’re happy and that’s all that counts.”

  She took another sip of her coffee, more out of awkwardness than any real desire for the drink itself. There was an obstinate reticence between the three friends now, Steph not wanting to make the situation any worse, Carla taken aback and frustrated with Elodie’s attitude and Elodie herself feeling vulnerable and attacked by her best friends. All three of them wondered who would break the silence first.

  “Is someone going to get that or do I have to do everything around here?” Betty’s voice called from the back. The phone was ringing and from the exasperation in her voice had been for quite a while. Steph snatched it up just as the front door opened; the bell above it tinkled a delicate sound, announcing the arrival of a customer. Or customers in this case: six suited and booted individuals walked in, all looking very busy and important with their laptops and briefcases. Elodie smiled at them as they settled themselves in the far corner by the bay window. She gave them a minute before picking up her waitress’s pad and her favourite purple pen and headed over to take their order. She could almost feel the knowing look Carla and Steph were giving each other behind her back; she felt the flames of annoyance spark inside her again.

  ‘What do they know?’ she asked herself. ‘Nothing at all, ignore them. You and Tom are fine; he’s a great boyfriend. They just can’t see that because they’re not as mature as he is. He pays the bills, owns his own car and has a proper job. Hell, he’s even saving up for an engagement ring! No, Tom and I are one hundred per cent great. We’re really good. No, we’re unquestionably perfect,’ Elodie finished, not quite able to shake the feeling that if everything really was so perfect she wouldn’t have to be quite so firm with herself.

  The rest of the day passed by in a blur of coffee, cake and customers. The tension between the three friends subsided as the day wore on and by the end of it they seemed to be back to normal. Elodie felt bad about snapping at them. After all, they only ever had her best interests at heart and she knew this. Carla and Steph were reading the same book as Tom, but were on a different page.

  Elodie wiped the last table down and turned to the door. She rotated the ‘Open’ sign so that it now read ‘Closed’ to the outside world and slowly bolted the door. She turned to Steph and Carla, still not entirely sure whether things were OK between them all. She didn’t have to worry, though; Carla had a cheeky smile on her face and a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

  “What?” Elodie asked, noticing that Steph wore a look of apprehension on her face.

  “Let’s have a girls’ night out!” Carla said excitedly, bending her knees slightly and wiggling her hips to a beat only that she could hear.

  “We don’t want to fall out, El,” Steph added calmly, “and you’re right, if Tom makes you happy then that’s all we can ask for. Isn’t it, Carla?” Steph nudged Carla in the ribs; she responded by nodding reluctantly.

  “I’m not going to stick my nose in anymore,” Carla said, an air of resignation in her voice. “Steph’s right, he’s your boyfriend, not ours and as long as you’re OK then we’re OK.” She finished magnanimously although her sour expression hinted at her true feelings a little too clearly. Elodie chose to ignore Carla’s disdainful look and smiled at them both, glad that the fight was now well and truly over.

  “Thanks, girls,” Elodie accepted. “A girls’ night, you say? Sounds good to me. It’s exactly what we need. I can’t remember the last time we all went out together.”

  “I can!” Steph interjected, half- laughing, “You both got so drunk! Carla threw up into her bag in the back of the cab and you ate about a million hash browns from that dodgy fast food place in town. I had to get you both into your pyjamas, take your makeup off and put you both to bed. My God, you two were so annoying, giggling the whole time and thinking you were both absolutely hilarious when really you were an absolute nightmare.”

  “God, that was so long ago,” Elodie exclaimed, a vague image of the evening coming back to her. She smiled, remembering that she’d only had about three drinks that night. She was such a lightweight.

  “Yeah it was, I had mermaid blue hair back then!” Carla added, laughing. “What on earth was I thinking?”

  “Because now your hair is so normal,” Steph laughed, tugging at the end of Carla’s curly lavender- coloured ponytail. Carla waved her away.

  “What can I say, I’m a trendsetter,” she giggled. “So is that a yes to Friday night then?” She turned to Elodie with hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently in a mock- authoritative stance. Elodie smiled and nodded, excited at the prospect of a girls’ night out with her two best friends.

  “You guys can get ready at mine, Mum’s away for the weekend. She’s spending the weekend in Bakewell, she’s on about moving there and wants to get a feel for the place first. Personally, I can’t think of anywhere she’d be better suited. So bring all your stuff with you?” Steph said pragmatically.

  Elodie nodded. Her mind automatically bounced straight to clothing: she didn’t have a clue what she should wear. Luckily, she had two days to cobble together a suitable outfit and worst- case scenario she could always borrow something from Carla’s extensive wardrobe. Elodie could feel excitement beginning to bubble inside her now, the anticipation of some much- needed quality time with her friends was almost too much to handle. Elodie was confident that a girls’ night out would be just what the doctor ordered; maybe Tom would even stop taking her for granted and learn to appreciate everything that she did for him if she went out a bit more.

  The commute home was hot and sweaty. The tube was crowded and Elodie found herself sandwiched between a tourist’s beaten old backpack and a businessman’s armpit. It seemed like the train had taken days to get to her stop. Elodie breathed a huge sigh
of relief when it finally ground to a halt and the doors slid open. She poured out onto the platform along with several dozen other people and headed for the exit as quickly as her legs could carry her.

  Elodie emerged into the warm evening air and stopped, her eyes falling on the sign above the pub next to the station. She wasn’t much of a weekday drinker, but something was telling her that a nice cold glass of wine was a fabulous idea. Despite checking her phone several times during the day she hadn’t heard a word from Tom. Steph had said that she was being childish and if she wanted to speak to him she should just do so. Carla’s advice had, predictably, been the polar opposite. ‘Freeze that fucker out, babe,’ was all she had offered on the matter. Elodie’s thoughts returned to the uncomfortable conversation they’d had earlier; she had been so angry with them and felt ashamed at the way she had acted. With hindsight, she knew she’d overreacted and now her mind was clearer she could see that it was stupid to get mad at her friends. They were only fighting her corner and if Elodie hadn’t moaned to them about all the awful things Tom had done then they wouldn’t have felt the need to get involved. It wasn’t fair to expect them to listen, nod and not have an opinion. Elodie decided then and there that she’d steer clear of Tom- bashing for a while. However, Carla’s advice had struck a chord with her. Maybe a little bit of the good old- fashioned silent treatment would be good for him; maybe if he came home to an empty house and no tea on the table he’d start to appreciate her a little bit more.

  Elodie pushed the door of the pub open and walked inside. Despite walking past the place several times a week she had never actually been inside. She was surprised at how busy it was. Most of the tables had been taken and there were several people at the bar waiting to be served. Elodie walked over to the darkly- stained oak bar and waited her turn. The barman appeared moments later carrying a tray of freshly washed glasses, which glinted in the sunlight as he set the tray down.