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The old timbers of the house shiver in the cold as they too settle down for the night. Oh, to be back on the African plains right now. To be lying in Dominic’s arms. With that thought in mind, I realise that nothing, not even a severe lack of cash, could keep me away from him. I’d rather live on nothing but beans for the rest of the month than not see him at Christmas.
In the morning, I’m running late. My sleep was fitful and splintered by dreams of Dominic, Nina, Mike, jewellery and lions, all jumbled into one big mess that kept me tossing and turning. At three o’clock, I got up and sat in my utility room office for an hour, head in hands, just staring at the trip that I’ve booked on the internet, trying to convince myself it’s the right thing to do. Then I look at the inviting pictures of the plains, the savannah, the animals and my mind calms.
Now though, I’m knackered before I’ve even started and I know it’s going to be a long day as I try to remain bright and cheerful. As always at this time of year, the salon is full of clients getting their hair done in time for office parties and such. Normally, as we’re so busy for weeks on end, I just want it all to be over. This year, for once, I have a frisson of excitement about Christmas. I feel a happy glow just thinking about it. If only I could square my finances.
I throw Archie some food in his bowl and he complains about the lack of attention. There’s been a heavy frost overnight and the car windscreen is glazed with a thin layer of ice. It’s the first time this season that I’m going to have to get the scraper out. Now I’m going to be even more late.
Muttering, I search about on my car floor for the plastic scraper. I know it’s in here somewhere under one of the seats. I saw it not two weeks ago and meant to put it in a more prominent place for this very moment. As I’m rummaging about, I hear Mike’s voice.
‘Here,’ he says, ‘let me do the honours.’
‘Can’t find my flipping scraper,’ I grumble.
My neighbour, despite the turn in the weather, is smiling as he sets about scraping my windscreen for me.
‘Thank you,’ I say. ‘Thank you so much.’ Then, I grin at him. ‘Why am I always in your debt?’
‘I’m a handy guy to have around.’ Mike shrugs. ‘How did the party go last night?’
‘Good.’ Now it’s my turn to shrug. ‘I didn’t raise quite as much money as I wanted to,’ I confide. ‘I’m still short if I want to make my trip.’
Mike feigns interest in his scraping. ‘How much?’
There’s no point hiding it from him. ‘A grand.’
‘Ouch.’
‘My thoughts exactly.’ Saying it outloud suddenly makes reality hit home. I can’t do this. I simply can’t. Where am I going to get that sort of money? Anxiety twists my stomach. ‘I’m thinking that I might even have to cancel.’ This is despite my nocturnal vow to go at any price. ‘To be honest, it was a bit rash of me to book it.’
‘I’ll say,’ he agrees. Mike stops scraping and looks at me. ‘I could lend you the money. I’ve got some put away. Tania didn’t clean me out completely.’ He laughs. ‘I don’t need it for anything. Hell, I could even come with you this time. I’m not doing anything else over Christmas.’
Oh.
‘Well . . .’ I study the ground. ‘That’s kind of you. Very kind. But there’s something that I haven’t told you, Mike.’
He stares straight at me and he knows, he already knows before I even have to say anything.
‘I see.’
‘I have to go back to see him,’ I say.
‘Right.’
‘So thanks very much for your kind offer, but you understand why I can’t accept.’
‘Of course. Of course.’ Mike blows out a breath and it hangs in the chilly air. ‘Didn’t really see that coming,’ he admits.
‘I’m sorry, Mike. I should have told you earlier. It was stupid of me not to have said anything.’
‘No worries.’ He says it brightly. Too brightly.
‘Hakuna matata,’ I blurt out inappropriately. ‘It means no worries.’
‘Right.’ He flicks a thumb at my windscreen and I never knew that thumbs could be embarrassed until now. ‘I’ll just finish this up and then I’d better get a move on. Oh, is that the time. My, my.’ He scrapes with a renewed frenzy.
‘Mike, you are my best friend,’ I tell him. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
‘You’ve sold your jewellery and everything to get back to him?’
‘Yes.’ I don’t tell him that I have sold my own mother’s too.
