CHAPTER 3... is live
The story continues
“THE BOMB IN THE SHED…” - CHAPTER 1 - CHAPTER 2…
‘Great story so far’, ‘I love this - I'm hooked’, ‘It’s definitely intriguing’, ‘My eyes are peeled for the next chapter.’
Previously on “The bomb in the shed…”; As Camilla gets some exciting news about a Netflix deal, Jacob receives the reluctant go-ahead from his foul-mouthed boss Kinga. But to get the clean energy tech he needs from Arthur he agrees to let him finish Bella.
And here we go with CHAPTER 3…
Chapter 3
It felt good to be cooking Sunday lunch for the family, the kind of thing that keeps you grounded. Camilla’s life had transformed over the last few years as each of her novels became more and more successful. Book launches and movie deals weren’t the day to day of course, but it felt like a trajectory, taking her further and further from her familiar and comfortable home life. On one hand exciting, but daunting too.
She called out, “Alex, can you carry the potatoes through for me?”
I’m having trouble understanding you right now.
That bloody box. How do you get it to shut up? Her daughter appeared in the kitchen with a glass of red wine in one hand, an open magazine in the other. She was in full make up as always, hair like she’d come straight from the stylist, nails long and freshly painted. Honestly, it was Sunday, it wouldn’t hurt to dress down once in a while.
“You do know you can change the name to Amazon or Echo, Mum? It doesn’t have to be Alexa.”
“I haven’t got time for all that, here take the carrots too.”
Her daughter rolled her eyes, put down the glass and magazine and picked up the two serving dishes with an exaggerated sigh. “Can’t David help?”
Camilla said, “He’s changing Gemma.”
“How convenient.”
Did all kids regress the moment they stepped back into the family home? Assuming the role of helpless child as easily Camilla did fussing mother.
She called after her daughter, “And then can you go and get your father out of the shed? He’s probably forgotten everyone’s coming round.”
A short while later they were all crowded round the small table in the dining room piling food onto their plates. The table was plenty big enough when the kids were little, but now they were grown up and joined by little Gemma in the high chair it was more of a squeeze. It felt good to have them all under one roof again though. Sunday lunch at Mum and Dad’s had been something of a tradition, just about every week when the kids first left home and money was tight for them, then trying to fit it in at least once a month as life started to get in the way. But now? This was the first time they’d been together since Boxing Day, and it was many more months before that. Just one more small but significant life change in the shifting sands beneath her feet.
Camilla said, “David, how’s Angela?”
She tried her best to keep her tone light but it was hard to mask her frustration. She missed her daughter in law. Anyway it was only right to ask, and she hadn’t said what she really wanted to say; Why does Angela never come over with you anymore?
David was busy cutting up a Gemma’s lamb into tiny pieces, the metal of the cutlery scratching at the small plastic plate. He didn’t look up. “You know, busy as usual. She has a case going to trial next week so she’s at it all weekend.”
His skin was looking pale, his face puffy and jowly, and he must have put on a couple of stone in weight over the last year or two. These things happen over time but you miss them and then see the cumulative effect all at once. He used to be into his sport when he was younger, so fit. Looking after a small child was hard but he really should look after himself better.
Alex said, “Mum, how was the book launch? Sorry I couldn’t make it.”
She wasn’t eating her food so much as pushing it around the plate with her fork. Her performance gave this impression of busy industry that masked the fact that little if any of the food making it into her mouth, unless you knew what you were looking for.
“It seemed to go very well, didn’t it, Arthur?”
Arthur looked up in momentary confusion. He’d been staring at his plate in a trance, as if trying to work out what it was there for. He’d said almost nothing since he’d emerged from the shed. He was usually lost in his own world, today he seemed more distracted than usual.
“Yes, dear, very well.”
This led to a rather long conversation about her books. Alex was genuinely a huge fan which had surprised as well as delighted Camilla. Amira said their core demographic was older women but the magic of her work was that it had broad appeal. Her daughter’s interest was all the proof Camilla needed that this was true. Alex asked all sorts of questions about the event and the novel itself. She hadn’t read the latest one, she was saving it for her holiday in a couple of weeks.
“Go on, Mum, just give me some hints.” She’d given up on her food and was focussed on her wine now, waving her glass around enthusiastically.
“I’m not going to spoil it for you,” Camilla replied.
The conversation bounced back and forth between Camilla and Alex with the boys saying very little. Arthur was absent in all but body as usual, David distracted by Gemma who seemed about as keen as Alex to put food in her body. Camilla tried to steer the conversation onto another topic that might bring them all together but she didn’t get much help from the table and Alex kept dragging things back to the books.
She said, “If this one’s another hit maybe you can get that house in Hampstead.”
Camilla smiled, “Maybe we will.”
The same thought had been on her mind ever since the meeting at the Groucho Club. It was exciting to daydream, it made all the crazy talk about movies and Hollywood feel closer to home and real. Arthur made some kind of hrmmph noise that was halfway between a laugh and sneer. Maybe he didn’t intend it that way but it sounded mean.
“I’m sorry do you have something you want to say, Arthur?”
She hadn’t meant to say it so sharply, but she couldn’t help it. A house in Hampstead was something they’d talked about together for years, at least they’d used to, when the kids were little. It was part of the family folklore. A pipe dream that seemed impossible to achieve, but fun to imagine together.
He said, “We don’t need to move, we’re fine here. Anyway, you’d have to sell millions of books to afford a place in Hampstead.”
That’s never going to happen. Those were the unspoken words at the end of that sentence. Like Arthur had any clue how many books she could sell or had sold already. Or how much money she’d accumulated in her bank account in the last few years. And that was nothing compared to the film deal. She’d decided not to mention Netflix today in case it upset Arthur. The last thing she wanted to do was spoil the family lunch. But it looked like Arthur was intent on ruining things regardless. He’d gone back to staring at his lamb and potatoes like nothing was amiss. He never seemed to notice when he hurt her.
The rest of the meal was rather subdued, which was hardly surprising. Camilla would normally be the one to try and jolly things along but she didn’t feel like it today. Alex and David were polite enough but they clearly couldn’t wait to get out of the door as quickly as possible. Such a shame. Camilla had been looking forward to the lunch for weeks and she’d spent hours cooking and getting the house ready. Now it was all over, the plates were half full and she’d barely had a chance to spend time with anyone. Alex left first in an Uber and Arthur had already escaped back to the shed as soon as he could, so Camilla was able to speak to David alone before he left.
She said, “Is everything ok with Angela, honestly?”
Camilla didn’t want to think the worst about their marriage, but it would certainly explain Angela’s absence. It was such a shame, she liked Angela, she’d been really supportive in the early stages of her writing career. But they barely ever saw each other now.
“It’s fine, Mum.” He was busy strapping Gemma’s travel seat in. It didn’t look like the car had been cleaned in months.
“So why doesn’t she visit?”
David was lifting the bags in now. “I told you, she’s busy.”
It was like he couldn’t wait to get away.
She said, “Come on, David. There has to be more to it than that. Tell me.”
He paused and sighed, “Honestly?”
“Of course.”
“It’s Dad. He makes Angela feel uncomfortable.”
He got into the car and started the engine, then lowered the window.
Camilla lent in and wiped a smudge of gravy from his cheek. She really shouldn’t, not at his age. But she couldn’t help herself, it was instinct.
“What do you mean, uncomfortable?”
He said, “Listen, Mum, I have to go. Maybe talk to Angela about it next time you see her.”
He wound the window back up and drove off. Camilla watched until he’d turned the corner and was out of sight. When would that be? And why would Arthur make her feel so uncomfortable she wouldn’t visit? He was a bit distant with Angela but he was with everyone these days. And today wasn’t the first time he’d soured the room and not noticed. But really?
Camilla went into the kitchen to clear up. Normally she wouldn’t give it a second thought but now she was acutely aware of Arthur’s absence. He hadn’t offered to help, just slunk off back to the shed. With Arthur retired and her writing why was she doing all the housework? Things had just drifted along like that, she’d never stopped to question it, and he certainly wasn’t going to bring it up.
When she was done Camilla went up to her study, supposedly to do some research for her next book, but instead she went on to Rightmove and looked at properties. There was a soft knock on the door. For a moment she genuinely wondered who it was and how they’d got into the house, before realising it was Arthur. He never came up to the study.
He said, “Are you ok?”
“I don’t know, are you?”
In a way it was quite sweet him asking, like a little of the old Arthur had come back. But she was damned if she was going to let him off that easily. His eyes flicked to the property on the screen and then back to her.
“I didn’t mean to upset you but you know we can’t move even if we wanted to. We just can’t afford it.”
They could afford it, probably even without Netflix. With the deal they could get their dream house. But it wasn’t Arthur’s dream any more that much was clear.
Camilla said, “I should get on, I have to do some research.”
Arthur nodded and left.
---
It was clear he’d upset Camilla, even Arthur realised that. As if to make the point Scout was staring at him from across the shed with accusing eyes. I know what you’ve done. Arthur had convinced himself her writing was a little project, just how she described his shed. Clearly it was far more than that. He should be happy for her. He should be up there with her now looking at houses in Hampstead and planning turning their old dreams into reality. But they couldn’t move, not with Bella. He had to finish her here. Anyway, what would you say to the removal men? Hey, be careful with that it’s a nuclear bomb?
He went on to Amazon and typed in Milly Price, novels. Her agent had suggested the pen name to make her more approachable. Camilla had agreed but it didn’t feel right to Arthur, she wasn’t Milly she was Camilla. He clicked on A season for Love and scrolled down to the reviews. There were hundreds already, mostly five star. Lots of people were talking about how powerful her writing was and how moved they were by the story. He’d dismissed her books as mindless romance, easy-reading lounge fiction, but clearly it was far more than that. Arthur had never had a Kindle or read on his phone or laptop, he always read real books, mostly non-fiction. But he wanted to read A Season for Love and he wanted to read it now. So he bought the Kindle version, loaded it onto the app on his phone and began.
He was drawn in to the story from the first page and kept reading.
“What are you doing? We’ve got so much to do.”
It was Elizabeth, she was staring at him from the corner disapprovingly, a bit like Scout had done.
“Later, I need to read this first.”
He replied without lifting his head from the screen, then felt guilty for being short with her. But when he looked up she was gone.
Maybe it was for the best.
Arthur went back to the book and carried on reading, page after page, chapter after chapter, until five hours had flown by and he was done. He didn’t have much to compare it to but it was enjoyable. Yes there was romance, but it was also an exciting thriller that really made you think. Where did Camilla come up with these ideas? She was clearly a talented writer.
As much as he enjoyed it though, it was painful reading. He’d lived with Camilla all these years yet never really heard her voice, not like this. Her heroine, Jacqueline Devereaux, was different to Camilla of course. But something of the woman he married was there in the details, the small things she did, the little observations in her head. The painful part wasn’t that Arthur was so unlike the male hero of the story, that was hardly a surprise. It was that the life Camilla envisaged in these books was so unlike the one they had together. Was this what she dreamed of, a different life? Was he the one stopping her being the person she wanted to be?
He closed up the shed and went back to the house, Scout following closely behind. He was going to tell Camilla that he’d read her book and that he was proud of her. He couldn’t move house, not yet anyway. Maybe he could tell her why though. Not about Bella, that would be a hard one to explain. But that he too had an exciting new opportunity, doing some work in the Energy sector. They could explore these new directions in their lives together. But Camilla wasn’t in her study, or in the bedroom. She wasn’t in the house at all. She’d packed up some things and left him a note on the kitchen table. I’ve gone away for a few days.
That was all it said.
Arthur fed Scout, then went back out to the shed.
---
“I’ve been watching you.”
The voice on the phone was disguised. Distorted and metallic sounding, like the killer from the Scream films. Kinga was on her third lap of Regents Park when the call came through, bringing Girls Aloud’s Sound of the underground to a premature end.
“No you haven’t.” Her voice was calm and she kept running.
“How do you know?”
The words were exaggerated, a theatrical taunt with a heavy emphasis on you.
“Because, Gibson, you would have invoiced me by now if you were.”
The voice on the phone switched to normal.
“Cool isn’t it?” Gibson said. “Voice changer. Kids got it me for Christmas. Hey, how did you know it was me?”
“Because you’re the only moron I know who would do something like that. Anyway, I left a message for you to call me back, prick.”
“Fair enough.”
Kinga said, “Has Jacob briefed you on the new job?”
“Oh, yeah.” It was clear from his tone what Gibson thought about Jacob. “He just wanted some quick profiling, on a guy called Arthur Price. Don’t worry we’re on it.”
Why wasn’t she surprised? Jacob always assumed the best in people. They needed to be quick but they also needed to be thorough.
“I want you to do the full works on Arthur Price. And I want you to lead this one personally, we can’t afford any fuckups.”
“That’s going to be expensive.”
“Isn’t it always? Just bill me…”
She must be slowing down. Some lean-torso’d guy half her age that she’d passed earlier was right behind her again. It was amusing. He’d picked up the pace as soon she’d passed him before, tried to keep up. He couldn’t then, no way she would let him now. She sped up and left him standing. That wouldn’t be great for his ego.
“… while we’re at it can you put someone on Jacob? I want to keep an eye on what the little shit’s up to.”
Gibson said, “No problem.”
She could imagine him smiling at the prospect.
That’s it for Chapter 3, I hope you enjoyed it and are looking forward to more.
NEXT CHAPTER is out now - CHAPTER 4
I’d love to hear your thoughts…
Here are some questions for you to mull over …
Where do you see Arthur and Camilla’s relationship heading, and why?
Why might Angela be avoiding the house?
What do you think Gibson might find out about Arthur?
(But share anything you like)…
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I feel like you got into the flow well here. I can’t see Camilla and Arthur lasting - there is cursory caring but if my other half got a Netflix deal I’d expect them to tell me literally three seconds later!
Is Arthur a creep with wandering hands? I wouldn’t have guessed that if so?
Re the daughter - would she really be reading a magazine- that is very retro for anyone under about 40 😁?
Another great chapter - story bubbling along nicely - Looking forward to chapter 4!