Yes Chef, No Chef - By Susan Willis Page 0,29
start the weekend with a plan of action. I can’t lie about wallowing in self-pity any longer.”
Lisa and Sarah looked between each other while she told them about Claire’s flat and how she was going ring Frances to ask if she could move in over the weekend.
Taking hold of Sarah’s hand Katie squeezed it tightly. “It’s not that I’m not comfortable here, Sarah, because you’ve been fantastic. It’s just that like you I’m used to my own independence and I want to have all my own stuff around me. Claire’s flat will be a little bolt-hole for me until money from the apartment is sorted out and then I can maybe buy myself somewhere…”
“It sounds ideal,” Sarah said, “And, I do understand.”
Katie turned to Lisa. “And because Sarah will be getting dinner ready for Mark tomorrow I wondered if you would come with me to the apartment to collect my things?” she asked. “If I go around one o’clock it’s guaranteed that he’ll be at the restaurant and I can pack without seeing him.”
Lisa soothed. “No problem, of course I will.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow. “But, Katie, are you just going to walk away without at least talking to him?”
“Yep, well he reckons after fourteen months of sharing our lives together there isn’t much more to say,” she said pouting stubbornly. “But hey, if that’s what he wants, then that’s fine with me.”
Katie lifted her chin in defiance, poured more wine into their glasses and as brightly as she could muster she said, “Now, Sarah. We want to know all about York, the hotel and Mark. And don’t spare us any of the gory details because we want the lot, don’t we, Lisa?”
Lisa laughed and Sarah grinned as she began to tell them about her trip.
The city was still grey and miserable the next day but at least it wasn’t raining she thought, when she rang Frances to ask for the keys to the flat. Frances told her she’d make the calls and agree the rent with Claire and ring her back.
Sarah was out shopping for fresh vegetables when Katie stripped the guest bed and made it up with fresh linen whilst cleaning the en-suite bathroom she’d used. She was just finishing ironing her work shirts when Lisa arrived outside and tooted her horn. With a feeling of absolute dread she grabbed her fleece jacket and ran out to the car.
Lisa had a roll of black bin liners on the back seat. “I thought they’d come in handy in case you’ve too much to go in the cases,” she said giving her a reassuring smile.
Katie tried to smile back and agreed she probably would have. The apartment was still and quiet when she turned her key in the lock and the memory of the day she’d moved in with Tim threatened to engulf her. Pushing it firmly out of her mind she entered the lounge and shook her head in annoyance at the mess. How could it be so untidy in just one week?
Lisa followed her. “Christ, what a mess!” she exclaimed picking up two empty beer cans from the floor. “God knows what the kitchen will be like?”
Katie shook her head and went purposively into the bedroom to lift a suitcase down from the top of the wardrobe. “Oh, the kitchen will be fine.” she said. “That’s Tim’s domain so it’ll be pristine.”
She began to empty her side of the wardrobe and drawers and Lisa came to help working in silence until the two cases were full. Katie’s insides were churning and she felt totally bereft when she looked around the bedroom. It was her favourite room and when she stood at her side of the bed remembering the way they’d made love to each other, she thought her chest would tear apart with the pain.
Lisa carried the two suitcases down to her car and Katie went into the bathroom with a black bag to collect the rest of her toiletries from the cabinet. At the last minute she lifted the lid from laundry basket to look for remaining clothes and cried out in dismay when she saw the black cocktail dress still lying at the bottom.
She hadn’t heard Lisa come back into the room because the tears were streaming down her face and she had such a tightness in her throat she felt she was choking.
Lisa picked the dress out carefully and put it into the black bag. “Come on, sweetheart,” she said tenderly. “That’s enough for now. If