Page 69 of Postscript

The girls are quiet. I think they have accepted this plan but out of nowhere Sharon snorts and the two of them dissolve into convulsions again.

I roll my eyes, agitated, not finding this or their laughter at all funny.

I’d laugh along with them but I can’t get to their place. This is serious for me.

Seven years ago Gerry set me on a path of new adventure, seven years later his actions are continuing me on my adventure.

Life has roots, and death, death grows them too.

28

‘Oh! Excuse me!’ I say with surprise, backing away from the stockroom and reversing to the shop. ‘Ciara,’ I hiss, finding her cleaning the mirror in the changing room. ‘There’s a man on his knees in the stockroom.’

‘You’re always on your knees in the stockroom.’

‘Not praying, I’m not.’

‘That’s Fazeel, our new volunteer – he started today. He’s going to cover security. He has to pray five times a day, so don’t be in there at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset or night.’

‘Three of those times are not an issue for me, but it’s neither dawn nor noon at the moment.’ I look at my watch.

‘He said he slept it out this morning,’ she says, shrugging. ‘It’ll only be for a few minutes each time. His wife had cancer, he wants to help out.’ She eyes the bicycle I’ve brought through the shop to store in the stockroom. ‘Did you cycle to work?’

‘No I just thought it would be a pretty accessory.’

‘You’re not supposed to be cycling.’

‘They said I could exercise with the boot. And I really missed it.’ I mock cry. ‘Anyway, it’s great we have a new volunteer because I need to take a few hours off today.’ I scrunch my face up and wait for her to holler.

‘Again?’

‘I know. I’m sorry I’ve been asking a lot of you for the past few weeks.’

‘Months,’ she says firmly. ‘And that’s fine, because I’m your sister and I can tolerate your little meltdown mid-life crisis, but seriously Holly, what is it this time?’

‘Bert, a member of the PS, I Love You Club died, and I need to attend his wake. I have to deliver the final letter. Or rather, technically, the first letter.’

Her eyes widen. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘I’m telling you now.’

‘I should have known something was up, you’ve been so quiet the past few days.’

‘Actually, that’s because Gabriel and I broke up.’ I squeeze my eyes shut again and brace myself for impact.

She slumps in the armchair by the dressing room and tears fill her eyes. ‘I knew this would happen. This is my fault. It’s because of the club, isn’t it? He couldn’t deal with it? It’s because of the podcast, I shouldn’t have asked you. Things in your life were going just fine until I opened this can of worms.’

‘Ciara,’ I smile, going to her and kneeling down before her. Typical Ciara that I’m consoling her after my own break-up. ‘We didn’t break up because of the podcast, it had nothing to do with that. We had other problems, which may have been highlighted because of it. It was my decision. As for the club, you played a part in making something wonderful happen. I’m helping people in a way that I was helped. It’s a gift. Come with me today, and you’ll see. And to be honest, I could do with an accomplice, because what I have to do isn’t going to be easy.’

‘Mathew!’ Ciara calls and Mathew appears in the shop. ‘Holly and I have to go out for a few hours, can you take over out here?’ She makes her way over to him and kisses him passionately.

‘I thought you just hired someone,’ he says, wiping his mouth.

‘Yes, but he’s praying.’

Mathew watches us leave, confused, and I throw him an apologetic look.

Joy, Paul and Ginika are waiting at Bert’s for me. I introduce them to Ciara, she greets them as though they are royalty and they all look at me, nervous and expectant.