since then, I’ve spent all my time trying to sort the fallout from me and Dan splitting up.’
‘That’s understandable and I’m not surprised the artists didn’t respond if they’d seen the way this place was going.’ He picked up her shopping from the floor by the doorway. ‘It can wait until tomorrow after the journey you must have had. I heard the Islander was almost cancelled. Why don’t you come up and see the flat? It’s basic but I’ve – er – had a bit of a tidy-up this morning, so there shouldn’t be too many shocks.’
Dreading what awaited her, Poppy followed him to the spiral staircase that she’d seen on her first visit. The rope barrier hung from the hook on the wall, the ‘Private’ sign resting on the lowest step. Passing the sign reminded her this was her space now and only she had the right to pass the barrier and enter the flat above. It also reminded her that she should have been exploring the studio and flat with Dan at her side. They ought to have been sharing the disappointment of finding the gallery in disarray and reassuring each other – together. She wondered what his reaction might have been. He would probably have been angry and grumpy and possibly have demanded that Jake cancel the lease and they head straight home. Or maybe he would have jollied her along and been positive. She had no way of knowing and now never would. Everything she’d thought she’d been certain of where Dan was concerned had been blown to smithereens.
‘The flat’s small but it is cosy, or it will be,’ Jake said.
It didn’t take long to take in everything, from the dated but clean kitchenette to the ageing sofa where the plumped-up cushions were lined up neatly. The curtains were tied back from the windows, flooding the attic flat with light. The sun lit up every fading furnishing, chipped cupboard and peeling wall. The sight of her humble new home combined with the efforts a stranger had gone to, to make it welcoming, was almost too much. What finally tipped her over the edge was the double bed, stripped bare apart from the sagging mattress.
She bit her lip, but it was too late to stop tears forming in her eyes. She not only felt miserable, she also felt mortified in case she blubbed in front of Jake.
‘It’ll be f-fine,’ she said, unable to hide the crack in her voice. She dug a tissue from her coat pocket and blew her nose noisily. ‘It’s been a very long day. A long few months in fact.’
‘Why don’t you sit down and I’ll put the kettle on? My throat’s dry anyway, after clearing all that dust from downstairs.’
‘Thanks,’ said Poppy and sat down on the bed next to her. The springs made an alarming noise as if one was going to pop through the mattress like in a cartoon. Seconds later, the bed lurched sideways and she felt herself tipping over.
‘Oh my God …’
She tried to get up but it was too late. The bed collapsed onto the floor with a loud crunch as the leg gave way. Poppy found herself lurching sideways down the mattress, fully aware it was happening but unable to stop herself. A second later, she’d dropped the few inches from the mattress onto the floor and was face to face with the tufts of the rug.
She’d been slightly winded by the shock of rolling off the bed but nothing hurt so she knew she was completely uninjured. Her descent had happened in such comedic slow motion that it was almost funny. In fact, it was funny and the tears that had bubbled out only moments earlier now turned into laughter. She rolled onto her back, her body shaking.
Jake loomed over her, his brow creased in horror. ‘Christ. Are you OK? I’m so sorry.’
She opened her mouth to answer but had a fit of the giggles as his face, almost six feet above her, bore an expression of complete disbelief.
‘Oh God.’ He looked so horrified Poppy laughed even more.
‘I’m f-f-fine. It’s just … well it’s s-so f-funny. The bed c-collaps-sing …’ Her sides hurt from laughing.
‘No. It’s not funny. It’s terrible.’ Jake dragged his hands over his face and groaned. ‘I’m so sorry. This bloody place. It’s not only a dump, it’s downright dangerous as well.’
She managed to stop giggling for a few seconds and pushed herself up to sitting. Tears wet her cheeks.
Jake held out his hand.
‘No. I’m fine. Please don’t worry,’ she said, but he clasped her hand anyway and she half clambered and was half pulled to her feet.
He let go of her hand. ‘I knew the place was a mess, but I hadn’t realised it was this bad. Look at that bed!’ he cried.
She glanced at the mattress. One leg had snapped clean off, hence her undignified fall to earth. ‘It could have happened any time. Good job it wasn’t in the middle of the night,’ she said, with a giggle.
Jake wasn’t amused and his embarrassment only made her smile more. He’d obviously been terrified of showing her the place, which somehow made her feel better about how shitty it was.
‘It’s not good enough,’ he declared. ‘None of it is. I wouldn’t blame you if you decided not to stay,’ he said.
‘Oh no. Absolutely not.’ She fired back the words so hard and fast that he looked taken aback. ‘I’m staying. Even if it kills me,’ she declared.
‘I hope it won’t do that. The sofa is safe enough. I’ve tested it,’ he muttered. ‘I’ll get the coffee.’
She took his advice on the sofa. A few minutes later, Jake handed over a mug and sat next to her.
‘I’m sorry the place doesn’t meet with your expectations … I’m sure Grandpa and Fen hadn’t noticed or fully realised how much it had gone downhill … My parents are working full-time and now caring for him. I probably should have come over sooner and made more of an effort, but I’ve been away in New Zealand.’
‘Stop feeling guilty,’ she said, feeling sorry for him and wondering what he did for a living. She glanced around her again. ‘The flat’s fine and I can see you’ve tried to make it look welcoming. I mean you have made it welcoming. I’m digging a deeper hole, aren’t I?’
He shook his head and a crooked little smile touched his mouth. ‘I’d had no actual idea it was this bad, but I might have guessed. I had promised to come and visit Grandpa at Christmas and I could have checked it out then, but … well, I let other priorities come first.’
She wondered what those priorities were, but certainly wasn’t going to ask. ‘A lot of things haven’t lived up to my expectations lately, so in the grand scheme of things, this isn’t massive.’
Her words surprised even herself. She probably sounded far more confident than she felt, but Jake’s offer to let her off the tenancy only made her more determined to stay. Then again, how the gallery would ever be ready for a grand launch in less than a month’s time, she had no idea. She planned on opening over the late spring bank holiday weekend at the end of May when there would be plenty of holidaymakers around and her family and Zoey could get away from work for a longer visit.
She savoured her coffee and checked out the furniture again. It might be old but it was perfectly useable and, anyway, beggars couldn’t be choosers.
‘I’m glad that the studio comes with accommodation though it might have been a bit too cosy if Dan had come with me. Especially knowing what I know about him now.
