in the same 1950’s semi-detached house
on the outskirts of Bath where she’d grown up. For over thirty years they had
run a tiny museum, bookshop and local tour dedicated to Jane Austin.
It
always surprised Jules how two people who lived with their heads in books could
manage to organise themselves enough to get out of bed, let alone run a
successful tourist spot in the heart of the city.
With
no brothers or sisters the three of them had always been close. When she’d
introduced her parents to Guy on one of their regular visits to see her at Loughborough
University, they had accepted him like a son; showering him with presents and
encouraging him to pursue his music.
Neither
of her parents had once questioned their love, and at the time Jules had loved
them even more for it.
Things
had changed when Guy had left. Like every other aspect of her life, he’d ruined
her relationship with her parents too. They’d never said anything, but Jules
had seen the sadness and disappointment in their faces when she’d told them
he’d gone. She’d let them down.
Since
then, with the exception of a flying visit at Christmas and sporadic phone
calls, she kept her distance. It just seemed easier that way.
‘Hello?
Juliet are you still there? Bernie I think she’s gone. I told you these
portable phones weren’t as good-’
‘Mum....mum,
I’m here.’
‘Oh
jolly good. Well as I was saying, we weren’t sure if the directions we gave him-’
‘Look
mum, if anyone else asks you for my address, please don’t give it to them, or
tell them anything ok?’
‘You’re
not in trouble are you sweetheart. I hope you’re not worrying about that good
for nothing so-called paper.’ Nora paused for a moment, her tone turning
serious. ’We brought you up to laugh at nonsense like that Juliet. Guy was so
worried about you, bless him, but I told him you wouldn’t mind.’
Jules
released a long breath pushing her foot harder against the accelerator and
revving the cold engine.
‘No
mum,’ she sighed, ‘I’m not in trouble. I’d just prefer it if you didn’t give
out any personal details about me, okay?’
‘Oh
we wouldn’t speak to anyone who didn’t know you of course. It’s funny actually
because just yesterday we had a nice friend of yours pop into the shop for a
quick chat.’
‘Who?’
‘Oh
I can’t remember her name now, something unusual. The kind you wouldn’t find in
an Austin.’
‘What
did she want?’ Jules racked her brains. She couldn’t remember the last time
she’d mentioned her parents to anyone.
‘Just
to see how you were getting on’
‘Did
she say where she knew me from?’
‘Reading
I think, but I could be wrong. Or maybe it was school, she was very interested
in the photos, you know the ones we have pinned to the corkboard by the
counter?’
‘I
don’t have any friends in Reading.’
‘Oh
well somewhere else then.’
She
didn’t have any friends anywhere else either, but she couldn’t admit that to
her mum.
Jules
spun the wheel towards the narrow entrance of her overgrown driveway without
reducing her speed, narrowly missing the skip as she slammed her foot against
the brake pedal, bringing the car to a jolting stop.
‘Mum,
I’ve got to go. The builders are on my doorstep,’ she lied.
‘Righty-ho,
well take care won’t you Juliet. Are you eating enough? You’re not too lonely
up there I hope.’
‘I’m
fine mum. Are you and Dad okay?’ Jules added as an afterthought.
‘Of
course we are. In fact, we are opening a new tour - famous characters of bath.
You must come see the costumes we’ve got and the local drama kids helping us.
It’s all so theatrical.
‘Okay
mum I will. I’ll call you soon. Bye.’ Jules clipped the cover of her mobile
shut without waiting for her mother’s response.
Thirteen
A
magnitude of thoughts battled for attention inside Jules’ head as she made her
way into the house.
Something
her mother had said
on the outskirts of Bath where she’d grown up. For over thirty years they had
run a tiny museum, bookshop and local tour dedicated to Jane Austin.
It
always surprised Jules how two people who lived with their heads in books could
manage to organise themselves enough to get out of bed, let alone run a
successful tourist spot in the heart of the city.
With
no brothers or sisters the three of them had always been close. When she’d
introduced her parents to Guy on one of their regular visits to see her at Loughborough
University, they had accepted him like a son; showering him with presents and
encouraging him to pursue his music.
Neither
of her parents had once questioned their love, and at the time Jules had loved
them even more for it.
Things
had changed when Guy had left. Like every other aspect of her life, he’d ruined
her relationship with her parents too. They’d never said anything, but Jules
had seen the sadness and disappointment in their faces when she’d told them
he’d gone. She’d let them down.
Since
then, with the exception of a flying visit at Christmas and sporadic phone
calls, she kept her distance. It just seemed easier that way.
‘Hello?
Juliet are you still there? Bernie I think she’s gone. I told you these
portable phones weren’t as good-’
‘Mum....mum,
I’m here.’
‘Oh
jolly good. Well as I was saying, we weren’t sure if the directions we gave him-’
‘Look
mum, if anyone else asks you for my address, please don’t give it to them, or
tell them anything ok?’
‘You’re
not in trouble are you sweetheart. I hope you’re not worrying about that good
for nothing so-called paper.’ Nora paused for a moment, her tone turning
serious. ’We brought you up to laugh at nonsense like that Juliet. Guy was so
worried about you, bless him, but I told him you wouldn’t mind.’
Jules
released a long breath pushing her foot harder against the accelerator and
revving the cold engine.
‘No
mum,’ she sighed, ‘I’m not in trouble. I’d just prefer it if you didn’t give
out any personal details about me, okay?’
‘Oh
we wouldn’t speak to anyone who didn’t know you of course. It’s funny actually
because just yesterday we had a nice friend of yours pop into the shop for a
quick chat.’
‘Who?’
‘Oh
I can’t remember her name now, something unusual. The kind you wouldn’t find in
an Austin.’
‘What
did she want?’ Jules racked her brains. She couldn’t remember the last time
she’d mentioned her parents to anyone.
‘Just
to see how you were getting on’
‘Did
she say where she knew me from?’
‘Reading
I think, but I could be wrong. Or maybe it was school, she was very interested
in the photos, you know the ones we have pinned to the corkboard by the
counter?’
‘I
don’t have any friends in Reading.’
‘Oh
well somewhere else then.’
She
didn’t have any friends anywhere else either, but she couldn’t admit that to
her mum.
Jules
spun the wheel towards the narrow entrance of her overgrown driveway without
reducing her speed, narrowly missing the skip as she slammed her foot against
the brake pedal, bringing the car to a jolting stop.
‘Mum,
I’ve got to go. The builders are on my doorstep,’ she lied.
‘Righty-ho,
well take care won’t you Juliet. Are you eating enough? You’re not too lonely
up there I hope.’
‘I’m
fine mum. Are you and Dad okay?’ Jules added as an afterthought.
‘Of
course we are. In fact, we are opening a new tour - famous characters of bath.
You must come see the costumes we’ve got and the local drama kids helping us.
It’s all so theatrical.
‘Okay
mum I will. I’ll call you soon. Bye.’ Jules clipped the cover of her mobile
shut without waiting for her mother’s response.
Thirteen
A
magnitude of thoughts battled for attention inside Jules’ head as she made her
way into the house.
Something
her mother had said
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