an asset to a village pub. However, you need to serve as well as talk, I’m afraid. I’m sure you don’t mean to leave the work to others, but that’s what’s happening.’
Andy turned away dismissively. ‘Don’t worry about it, young man.’
‘Andy!’ Isaac’s voice cracked out so loudly that Andy swung around in surprise. He spoke his next comments softly in contrast. ‘Mr Tubb has left me in charge.’
The older man began to bluster. ‘Harry Tubb’s been my mate just about all my life. He trusts me.’
‘In that case,’ Isaac said deliberately, ‘you’re letting him down.’
Face turning a dull red, Andy stalked over to where the staff members hung their coats and snatched his down. ‘You can take my name off the rota until Tubb gets back.’
‘Noted.’ Isaac watched while he struggled into his coat, saw him from the premises and strode back into the bar area. Quietly he said to Tina, ‘Andy’s going home and says he’ll be off the rota until Mr Tubb returns. Can you and Lily manage, or shall I give you a hand?’ From the corner of his eye he watched Lily race past with a plated meal in each hand.
Tina rolled her eyes. ‘We’re OK for now. I’ll give you a shout if we get desperate.’
‘Great.’ Isaac had made a mental note to gently challenge Tina tomorrow on why she hadn’t had a word with Andy herself but decided to leave it for now. Lily was quick and Tina, although she looked as if she strolled everywhere, got work done. Then, as he turned, he saw, waiting for him at the counter flap, his sister.
Passing through, he hugged her. ‘I’m such an idiot. I let Mum wind me up. You’re the best mum and your kids are the best kids. I didn’t mean to imply that you’re letting Jeremy and Jasmine suffer for Billy clearing off.’
Colour touched Flora’s cheeks but she waved his apology away. ‘I know you said it in a different context. You love the kids.’ She hesitated. ‘I wanted to talk to you about something else. Have you got any bar work going? I was going to sound you out more subtly but I heard what you just said to that lady—’ she glanced at Tina ‘—and thought I’d better register my interest before you got anyone else.’
Isaac stared at her, drawing her slightly to one side to let Lily bustle through and begin serving the customers waiting at the bar. ‘How will that work with the kids? Is Billy having them? Or moving back in?’ His heart sank at the idea of the latter. Billy hadn’t been a particularly hands-on dad and he’d made a bloody fool of Flora.
She shook her head. ‘No, my friend Willow’s moving in with me. She’s a single mum with a girl and a boy, like me. She’s moving into the spare room, her son will move in with Jeremy and her daughter with Jasmine. We’re each going to work part-time and share the babysitting. We’ve got to do something because Billy’s got himself sacked from work so he has no real income, so he doesn’t have to pay for the kids and Willow’s ex has done a runner. It’s a nightmare, Isaac. When you were living with us and paying me board that money made all the difference.’
Around them, people laughed and chatted. Isaac stared down in dismay at his sister’s embarrassed expression. ‘I didn’t realise or maybe I could have got a job where I didn’t live in.’
She set her mouth obstinately. ‘We’re not your responsibility. I’m happy to work my way out of trouble.’
Hating Billy with fresh force, Isaac said, ‘I’ll ask Mr Tubb as soon as I can get hold of him tomorrow. Do you need money to be going on with?’
She laughed. ‘Why? Have you got any?’
‘Some,’ he replied honestly. He wasn’t yet in a position to know what would be left after coming to agreement with HMRC and he’d paid for his courses and his living expenses while undergoing them, but he was pretty confident it would be ‘some’. He had regular income while he was working here.
She gave him a hard hug. ‘I’ll keep you as a last resort.’
When they returned to their table in time for Lily to bring over their delicious-smelling meals he helped Flora break the news of her altered living arrangements to their parents and be very reassuring that of course it would work out and it was really quite an exciting and fun solution to Flora’s problems.
Stef’s sharp gaze saw straight through the good face Flora was putting on things and she saddened. ‘Oh, Flora, I’d help you if I possibly could. But with living on benefits and caring for your dad—’
‘You’ve got your hands full already,’ Flora agreed reassuringly. ‘I’ll be fine if Isaac can get me a couple of shifts a week here. Willow will share the rent and utilities so you don’t need to worry, Mum.’
Stef nodded but Isaac was uncomfortably aware that if the Juno hadn’t fallen on its arse he would have had more in the bank to help his sister if she needed it.
Isaac Skyped Tubb next morning, Wednesday. His absent boss’s face loomed on the laptop screen. ‘Andy’s been texting me,’ he began before Isaac could raise the subject.
Not shocked to hear it, because if Andy was a buddy of Tubb’s then getting his retaliation in first was an obvious strategy, Isaac told Tubb frankly about his issues with the older man, wondering whether he’d be believed. He was the unknown quantity, after all.
Tubb gave a wintry smile. ‘I’ve already rung Tina and she confirms Andy’s been taking the pee.’
Isaac nodded, liking that Tubb had sought other insight on the situation rather than taking just one person’s word. ‘He says he doesn’t want to be on the rota till you return.’
Tubb frowned, looking restless. ‘Can you find enough cover for him until the New Year? Lily’s trip over here in December means you’ll be down another three or four shifts because she’s taking ten days. I could have a few words with Andy – but it’s you who has to work with him.’
‘He’s made it plain he doesn’t wish to work with me and someone did approach me for a couple of shifts a week,’ Isaac said slowly. ‘My sister, Flora. Her only relevant experience dates back to the student bar at uni. She’s bright and pleasant, though. I know she’ll work hard.’
Tubb’s gaze sharpened. ‘Does she know the pay’s modest?’
‘I haven’t discussed that with her.’ He gave the bullet points of the difficult situation in which Flora found herself. ‘She just needs enough hours to give her some financial breathing space,’ he finished abruptly, feeling angry about Billy all over again.
Tubb sat back. ‘OK. Let’s offer her 50p over minimum hourly wage. But I can’t promise two shifts every week once we’ve cleared New Year. It goes dead for a bit.’
Isaac murmured his thanks. ‘Erm,’ he hesitated delicately. ‘But when you return, if Andy wants his job back, then what for Flora?’
Tubb gave an even more wintry smile. ‘I don’t think we’ll invite him to our side of the bar again.’
‘I’ll tell Flora she has a job.’ Isaac made a note on his phone then, ‘On the subject of New Year, do you know yet how long you’ll want me here for?’
‘Janice wants
