Free Never Say Goodbye by Susan Lewis Page B

Cunninghams taking such a relaxed view of matters, Josie decided it was time to let the subject drop. She could spend the whole journey back to Kesterly worrying about Ryan, and right now it was only fair to focus more on Lily.
    By the time the bus finally dropped them at the train station Lily was still in full flow about the wedding, and since Josie didn’t have the heart to cut her short just yet, she took her for a cup of tea in the station caff.
    ‘What about you?’ Lily cried, when Josie only ordered one.
    ‘I don’t fancy one much,’ Josie lied. She wasn’t going to admit that she only had enough in her purse for her bus fare home when she got back to Kesterly.
    Please God let Jeff have a ton of bookings in the lead-up to Christmas, because things were so tight now that she was becoming seriously worried about where it would end. Every last penny of her wages between now and then had to go towards paying for gas, electric and rent, or they were going to end up cut off, or out on the street, which would make a right merry Christmas for them all. At least Fliss, at the caff, had promised her a bonus at the end of her shift on Christmas Eve, and Mr Crover-Keene usually paid a bit extra into her account at this time of year, as well. If they both came good she’d be down Aldi quicker than you could say Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for the Christmas shop. Actually, she wouldn’t go until six p.m. on Christmas Eve, which was when all the prices generally got slashed. She’d grabbed a four-kilo turkey last year for under a fiver, and a ham for two quid and even a bit of smoked salmon for one pound fifty. That was a rare treat for them, smoked salmon, and didn’t they all just lap it up for a starter with a slice of lemon and brown-bread triangles?
    All being well she’d get lucky again this year. She might even win the lottery if she found a spare pound for a ticket.
    Clicking on her phone as it rang, she said, ‘Hi love, everything all right with you?’
    ‘Bloody car’s gone and broken down again,’ Jeff growled.
    Oh no, oh no.
    ‘I was halfway up West Bay Hill when the sodding engine just upped and died. Lucky Harry Philips wasn’t far away so he could come and take over the fare.’
    ‘So where are you now?’ Josie asked, feeling Lily’s watchful eyes probing her face.
    ‘Getting towed to Trev’s place so he can have a look at it.’
    ‘Then don’t let the police catch you on the phone, the last thing we need is a fine.’
    ‘I know, I know. I just want someone to tell me how the bloody hell I’m supposed to earn a living in that old crock when it’s about as reliable as your mother’s tips on the horses.’
    Taking a quick breath she said, ‘All right, listen. As soon as you’re at Trev’s, give my cousin Steve a ring and ask if you can borrow his Mondeo while he’s in Spain. He goes on Monday till after the new year, so that should be long enough for Trev to get ours up and running again.’
    ‘Unless we need parts that we aren’t going to get over Christmas.’
    ‘Try to look on the bright side. I’ll be home in a couple of hours, I’m sure you’ll have it sorted out by then. Now please ring off before someone spots you on the phone.’
    ‘Poor Dad,’ Lily sympathised as Josie put her mobile down. ‘That car really stresses him, and I have to tell you it worries me a lot to think of him driving it.’
    You and me both,
Josie was thinking.
    ‘You wait till I’m earning,’ Lily ran on, ‘first thing I’m going to buy is a decent car for you two so you can come and visit us any time you like no matter where we are, unless it’s abroad obviously, but then we’ll pay for your air fares, or maybe we’ll spring for a cruise . . .’
    ‘How you dream on,’ Josie chided playfully. ‘Let’s get Christmas out of the way, shall we, and then you should be knuckling down to study for your finals . . .’
    ‘. . . while you organise the wedding.’
    Josie cocked an eyebrow. ‘I