Melting in the Middle by Andy Howden

Author:Andy Howden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2020-10-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

The traffic was worse than usual on the ring road this morning. Probably because he was later than usual. At this rate, he wouldn’t be in before nine. When had he last got to work so late? Certainly not since before Hardman. The alarm had gone off at six as normal, but after drifting in and out of sleep, dreaming about flapping up and down like a performing seal in front of Madison, his body had rebelled against the idea. Next thing he knew it was eight o’clock.

He shaved while waiting at the lights, the rear-view mirror mercilessly showing every little crease. At least the Great Dictator was at a board meeting in Paris today – so hopefully not on his case. He decided to have a day off from macrobiotic breakfast mush at Eat Schmaltz and grab a coffee and a pastry at the petrol station instead.

The Munchy Moments Easter display by the counter was pretty classy. They would get the first sales data for the pre-Easter push today. It’d better be good. Even though they’d now had four weeks of good sales figures, Hardman had still given them all a haranguing about the need to make him a ‘happy Easter Bunny’. Pretty ironic when he planned to ditch all these brands anyway.

Back in the car, sipping his coffee, he inched slowly forward in the jam. Political point-scoring was in full swing on Radio Four, so he flicked through pre-set music stations in search of something more uplifting.

Instead he found ‘Babylon’ by David Gray. He’d told Rachel it was his favourite song, back in that hallway before Christmas. Only three months ago. He recalled that moment when her eyes had connected with his for the first time. Her scent as she turned away from him to join her friends.

This radio station’s God slot had some cheery old Bishop explaining to the DJ that we were now well into the season of Lent.

‘Now tell me, Bish, why do some folk traditionally like to give something up at Lent?’

‘Well, Dave, Lent is a time when we remember Jesus spending forty days in the wilderness denying himself before his return to Jerusalem. That old Devil, he had three goes at tempting Jesus. Stuff like,‘‘Hey, if you’re so cool, why don’t you turn these stones into bread?’’ And that was just for starters.’

It was cringeworthy, hearing the old guy trying to sound right on.

‘What did Jesus do then, Bish?’

‘Well, he wasn’t having it. He said,“Get thee behind me, Satan.” You know, sort of, “On yer bike, mate.” And many Christians like to try and deny themselves as well for forty days. It’s also become a time of repentance for our sins. I know that’s rather an old-fashioned idea these days, but—’

‘So how about you, Bish, anything naughty but nice you’re giving up?’

‘I know it may seem trivial, but I always give up chocolate.’

‘Oh great, thanks for the plug, mate,’ Stephen groaned as he turned into the car park.

Laura Card Reader told him he had twenty-nine hours and fifteen minutes still to work this week.

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