Free Ice and a Slice by Della Galton Page B

inside.
    “Come on, we’re wasting time arguing. Go and get changed. I promise I’ll never nag you again if you just go today and tell them you’re okay and don’t need any more appointments.”
    “All right, all right.” SJ gave up because Tanya obviously wasn’t going to let this go and besides, she’d just had a brainwave. Tanya wouldn’t be able to park anywhere near the centre. Therefore she’d just get out of the car, give her a cheery wave, and as soon as she was out of sight, she could hop on the tube and go home. Okay, so it was a little convoluted and she’d still have to phone and tell them she’d planned on coming – of course she had – until she’d been unavoidably detained. But it was better than having Tanya loading all this guilt on her.
    All the way there, Tanya made her feel even worse by saying how proud she was that SJ was dealing with the issue rather than avoiding it. And all the way along Western Street, where the centre was, SJ prayed that there wouldn’t be any spaces Tanya could pull into. So far, so good. SJ stared intently ahead at the line of parked cars. It was going to be okay. It was going to be fine. And then, to her horror, a yellow Mini pulled out of a space just ahead of them, almost directly outside S.A.A.D’s entrance.
    “Parking angels,” Tanya said with a happy smile, nipping the Smart Car into the space. “They never let you down.”
    Flaming parking angels. “What are you doing? You can’t stop here. You’ll get booked. I just saw a traffic warden.”
    “Then hurry up and get a move on.” Tanya smiled sweetly and SJ wondered if she’d been sussed out. “Go on. I’ll pick you up in an hour.”
    She hadn’t anticipated that either. “No need, I’ll get the tube. I’ve wasted enough of your time already. Anyway, I probably won’t be here very long. Once I’ve told them I’m fine, I expect they’ll be glad to see the back of me.”
    “It’s no trouble – I’m seeing a client round the corner. My motives weren’t entirely altruistic, as it happens. Go on, you’re five minutes late. You can text me when you come out.”
    Reluctantly, SJ stepped onto the pavement, but to her alarm Tanya showed no signs of pulling away. Even the cheery wave didn’t have the desired effect. Disconcerted, she turned towards the door and then checked over her shoulder to see that Tanya still hadn’t moved the car. Shit, it was even worse standing outside than pressing the buzzer. There were dozens of people out shopping today. One or two of them were glancing curiously in her direction.
    Why couldn’t the centre be located in some dingy little side street? Why oh why did it have to be slap bang on a main road? They might as well go the whole hog and put up a flashing neon sign. Losers Gather Here. There ought to be a law against drop in centres being in full view of everyone. Didn’t addicts deserve any privacy?
    Tanya still hadn’t moved and, feeling a wave of panic, SJ pressed the buzzer. Thinking about it, she could always go inside and wait until Tanya had left and then make her escape. The reception was upstairs so they wouldn’t even know she’d been here. Brilliant – why hadn’t she thought of that before? The buzzer released and she shoved open the door and bumped straight into Kit, who must have popped down to use the Gents.
    “Hi, Sarah, I was beginning to think you weren’t coming. Good to see you.”
    He grinned at her and she pasted on a sickly smile. He was the last person on earth she wanted to see. She’d rather be going for a Brazilian, or a wisdom tooth extraction without anaesthetic, or an appointment to talk about piles – no, maybe not an appointment for piles, which would have been equally embarrassing.
    “Go on up – we’re in room three, same as last week.”
    “I er – don’t think I…”
    The buzzer went again and she jumped out of her skin.
    “I’ll be with you in a sec.” He glanced at the door and then back at her.