‘Alice,’ she gasps, ‘my ex-husband has broken both his arms. He played five-a-side football for the first time in years yesterday and the silly old fool clattered into another player. He’s now in hospital.’
‘Oh, Pam, I’m sorry to hear that.’
‘Alice, I can’t supply your cakes.’
My heart grinds to a halt and the blood drains away from my face. ‘Oh… I see.’
‘My ex-husband is the baker, Alice. The wholesale business doesn’t run without him.’
I gulp as my brain goes into a tailspin. We can’t run out of cakes and pastries the week the judge comes.
‘Don’t you have someone in reserve?’
‘No, we don’t because my ex-husband is too pig-headed. Our business is screwed with this accident, Alice. I was stressed before this; now I’m on the edge of a nervous breakdown.’ Her voice is wavering and crackling. She’s emotional.
‘Okay, Pam, calm down and take a breath. Let me go and think about this.’
‘Alice, I know this is an important week for you. I am so sorry.’
‘I’ll get back in touch later. Take it easy, Pam.’
She lets out a nervous laugh. ‘With all our bills to pay and all our customers expecting cakes, I can’t take it easy.’
Noah comes over as I end the call. He sits down beside me, and I tell him what’s happened.
‘I will have to find a new wholesale supplier,’ I say, hugging my knees. ‘We will cope somehow. What a week for this to happen. I feel sorry for Pam. This accident will put her business back weeks.’
Noah shakes his head. ‘There’s one person who can help us and Pam.’
‘Who?’
‘Your dad.’
I stare at him. ‘Dad?’
He nods. ‘We need to go see your father and sort out this mess once and for all.’ He helps me to my feet. ‘Jake, any chance you could have Lucas for an hour or so?’
Jake gives us a thumbs-up. ‘Alice, give me your key and I’ll go watch Batman with him.’
After saying goodbye to Lucas, Noah and I head for Dad’s house.
As we walk, Noah takes out his phone.
‘Who are you texting?’
He looks at me. ‘My father.’
I gasp. Noah nods. ‘It’s time they talked to each other.’
Once we arrive at Dad’s house I knock on the door. I am trembling and all the saliva in my mouth has drained away. Noah is standing beside me on Dad’s doorstep.
CHAPTERFORTY
The second Dad opens the door and spots Noah beside me his face turns thunderous. ‘You are not welcome here. Please leave.’
I shake my head. ‘This situation has gone on for too long, Dad. It ends today.’
‘Please don’t do this, Alice. I’m angry enough.’
