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Emily put her phone down. ‘It’s fine, Mum, really.’
‘No, it’s okay, I’ll do this one.’ She fingered the letter in her hands. ‘Look, since you returned home, you’ve been doing so much around here.’
Emily knew that was true. She was glad they had noticed how much she was doing.
‘Why don’t you take the day off and do something just for you, for a change?’
‘Are you sure? I was going to collect the laundered bedsheets from the lady in town.’
‘I’ll do it.’
‘And the letter …?’
‘Don’t you worry about that, either.’
‘Okay. Are you sure I can take the whole day?’
‘Of course you can. Your dad will manage reception while I get the two rooms made up for our new guests. Don’t frown. He’s perfectly capable – I think.’
Gerald had filled in before, here and there, mostly at the weekends when he wasn’t at work. However, they both knew that using the booking system on the computer wasn’t his strong suit.
‘You’ll make sure that if he takes any phone bookings, he just writes them down?’ Emily asked. ‘We can add them to the system later.’
A knowing smile passed between them. ‘Of course I will, Emily.’ She glanced at the computer. ‘We don’t normally have this many guests in February. It’s lucky you’re here.’ Emily noticed her mum’s smile fade as she added, ‘I do want you to find a position as a vet.’
‘I know.’ Her mum usually managed all the bookings and cleaning and preparing the rooms for the guests this time of year, but she was right: it was unusual to have so many bookings in the low season. During the summer, they always took on a seasonal worker to help out. A student who wanted some summer work.
‘How are the applications going?’
Emily frowned at her mum, wishing she hadn’t asked. ‘Not great.’
‘I’m sure something will come up.’
Emily wasn’t convinced. The closest she’d come to working in a veterinary practice was being offered a position as an assistant. Although she could see her mum’s point – it was a foot in the door – she turned it down. She hadn’t gone to university and spent years studying veterinary medicine to assist a vet. She wanted to practice. Now she was wondering if her mum had been right. Maybe she should have accepted the position.
Emily didn’t want to think about that. She wanted to think about her free day. ‘I’ll be off soon,’ she called after her mum, watching her walk away with the letter in her hand.
‘Okay, sweetheart.’
Emily locked the computer screen, gathered up her handbag, and stood up. She was just tucking the chair under her desk, intending to pop upstairs and ask Alice if she would like to come with her this morning, when she heard a creak on the stair. It was Alice with Hester.
‘Are you okay if we leave now?’
‘I was going to take Hester for a walk, but we could do that in Aldeburgh.’
Emily nodded. ‘Great – come on.’ She took her arm, almost pulling her out of the door, grabbing her coat from the coat rack on the way out. She glanced over her shoulder, hoping her mum didn’t walk out of the kitchen and see her leaving with one of the guests. It was meant to be a free day, with no work-related chores. But Emily had promised Alice she’d take her out, and besides, she didn’t see it as a chore. She liked Alice and didn’t mind at all spending the time in her company. She got the feeling that Alice felt the same.
Emily shut the door behind her and took the steps two at a time down to the driveway. ‘This is me,’ Emily said, walking over and tapping the roof of her mini. It wasn’t brand new. It was a second-hand one she’d saved up for and paid for outright. She loved the colour, a metallic blue.
‘What about Hester?’
Emily opened the boot. She took out the shelf so that Hester could sit in the back and look out of the window. ‘There you go. Do you need a hand?’ Emily caught Alice trying to pick Hester up and put her in the car. ‘Yes, please,’ Alice said breathlessly.
Together, they lifted Hester into the car. Emily considered advising Alice on portion control for Hester’s meals, but thought better of it, for now. Alice was on holiday. The last thing she needed was criticism from the resident vet for letting her pet get overweight. Emily did plan to say something – for the sake of Hester’s health – but not right now. Alice was looking forward to a trip out, she could tell.
‘So, where shall we start?’ Alice asked, rubbing her hands together and blowing on them.
Emily turned the heat up before she manoeuvred the car out of the drive. ‘Cold – isn’t it?’
