A Change for the Better? (10 page)

“Yes” agreed Jean “but it’ll still be tight. Cash, or lack of it, takes a business down.”

“I could put something in” John offered quietly from the corner, Ben turned to look at him. “I’ve got some policies maturing I’d love to put them into BW if you want other partners - no pressure.”

“Me too” Charlie added “you know I’ve got that money dad left me, I think he’d like me to do something ambitious with it.” Ben stared
ahead of him, he was deeply touched by John and Charlie’s desire to be a part of the business he’d created, it took no time at all to know he’d accept their offer, whether he needed the money or not. They were like the three musketeers Ben would trust them with his life, let alone his business.

“OK” he said aloud “
let’s
do it - but we do it right. Jean, make an appointment with John Richmond at the solicitors and we’ll get the paperwork sorted out.” Charlie and John looked at each other and then at Ben, they all raised their mugs and cracked them together with glee.

“One for all and all for one” they chorused.

“God help me” Jean mumbled “now I’ve got three bosses!”

Ben left the office about an hour later; they had talked more about how it would work but agreed that all their roles stay should pretty much the same. Charlie and John would each buy 20% of the business leaving Ben as the majority shareholder still. Lastly they had drawn up a list of potential projects and contacts and divided it amongst them. They would work through the list and report back in a week. Ben felt exhilarated; he had not felt this good since he had decided to run his
own business. They were taking a step up, it was a risk but he couldn’t stand still. Planning, designing and building his own projects had always been Ben’s ultimate dream; he was now many steps closer.

Ben spent the rest of the day visiting Cheadle House and speaking with the owners, allaying their fears and getting them to agree, he hoped, to a change of architect. Then he phoned Stewart, the new architect and filled him in on the details. It was only 3.30pm but Ben decided to call it a day and returned back to his flat on the west side of Rawlinston in a busy, up and coming area that had been revived due to a lot of warehouse loft conversions and a number of lively bars and cafes that had sprung up around them. Ben’s flat, on the corner of West Lyme Street and Lofthouse Road, was a first floor apartment; he passed through the shared entrance lobby at the front and ran up the steps two at a time. He hadn’t felt this energised in ages, he couldn’t wait to get in the flat and start working on the finances for the business and trawl the internet for other leads to possible projects. As soon as he opened the flat door the deafening music hit him
full square
in the ears, the latest R & B rhythms that Ben found incredibly repetitive. There was only one person who played this music, this loud, on his sound system.

“Lucy, Lucy” he yelled, heading into the living room, “turn that bloody thing down.”

A blond haired, extremely pretty teenage girl jumped off the beige leather couch and turned the sound down one notch, making virtually no difference to the decibel level.

“Luce, NOW” Ben bellowed. She smiled a rebellious smile but turned the music down to a dull thud in the background.

“Better?” She asked cheekily

“Much” Ben replied “So, Luce, what are you doing here? You’re not supposed to visiting for another couple of weeks - have you had a row with Mum again?”

“No” Lucy replied with exaggerated affront, “Mum brought me over here actually.”

“She brought you here - I’m not you’re babysitter I could have plans tonight. I can’t just drop everything cos she’s got a new fella to go out with.” Ben paused “Has she got a new bloke?”

“No, she’s still with ‘Clever Trevor’ actually - and she‘s not on a night
out. I‘m nearly fifteen you know. I can manage an evening on my own without any trouble” Lucy said belligerently.

“Actually, that’s highly unlikely as you can scarcely manage five minutes without getting into trouble, but I’m not getting into that now. So why has Mum brought you all this way for the evening?” Ben waited expectantly but Lucy seemed reluctant to answer this direct question and merely let her gaze rest in the far corner of the room by the door Ben had just entered. Ben, with an impending sense of doom, followed Lucy’s gaze to the rucksack and suitcase placed just so they wouldn’t be seen when you first came through the door. Ben swung round instantly

“No, no way, absolutely not - get the bags I’m taking you back now.”

“Too late, big brother, she’s on the plane by now.” Lucy took great relish delivering this news to her brother.

“She’s on the what?” Ben boomed in disbelief “and where does she think she’s going?”

“You know Mum; she said she needed a break, so she booked a week
for her and Trev in Spain. She thought you’d be more than happy to look after your little sister while she recuperated.”

“Recuperated from what?” Ben asked, momentarily distracted.

“Oh from the stresses of everyday life, you know Mum, it doesn’t take much to set her nerves off.” Ben knew this was true, ever since he had been a small child he had been conscious of his mother’s nerves which always made an appearance when she either didn’t want to do something or wanted an excuse to leave all her responsibilities behind for a while on some jaunt or other. When Ben was small he had spent many weeks at his grandparents, his father having left when he was still a baby. His mother had never really got over this slight and despite many other lovers, including Lucy’s father and ‘Clever Trevor’ an estate agent from York; she had remained a martyr to her nerves. A role she played to perfection. Ben realised Lucy was looking at him expectantly waiting for him to provide an answer to her situation. Her big blue expressive eyes looked defiantly at him, but not quite masking the vulnerability behind them. Ben had, in fact, been the most stable factor in her life, and despite her propensity to get into many and varied scrapes he loved her to bits, even though she drove him mad,  frequently!

“OK titch,” he said, using his nickname for her, designed to annoy her, but it was also affectionate “looks like you’re here for a week or so, so let’s go through the ground rules.”

“Oh God, not again” groaned Lucy, sliding back onto the sofa.

“Yes again,” Ben replied sternly “so this time there can be no confusion.”

Ben passed a relatively quiet weekend considering the addition of his unexpected guest, and apart from a small pan fire in the kitchen and a humungous row about going to a club on Saturday night, which he won by simply standing in front of the door for an hour until Lucy gave up and retreated to her room to play a variety of extremely loud dance music until she got bored of it and put on a ‘Friends’ DVD instead. This was all
par
for the course with Lucy, and Ben had many
years’ experience
to call on. Lucy was, in fact, a good kid at heart but she had always had to compete for attention from her mother who was usually working or developing a new relationship, and from a father who had shown absolutely no interest in her from the moment she was conceived. Ben was probably the most stable and normal thing in her
life, it was no wonder she kicked against the traces now and again, but deep down he thought she appreciated the rules and discipline he insisted on, it showed he was genuinely concerned for her welfare.

On Monday Ben spent the day catching up on the work he hadn’t been able to do over the weekend. He worked on the figures for the investment in the company and the potential outlay for the types of projects he was interested in. It was a very tight equation but Ben felt the time had come to spread BW’s wings. Just as he was completing his report for Cheadle House the phone rang, not recognising the tone at first he realised Lucy must have changed his ringtone to the ‘Crazy Frog’ when he wasn’t looking, cursing her quietly again he picked it up.

“Hello, Ben Wilson” he answered in a businesslike manner.

“Hi Ben" Jean’s motherly tones answered “how’s the parenting going?”

“Don’t ask Jean, she’s the sister from hell. I can’t see the 666 but I know it’s there somewhere.”

“Ah, don’t say that, she’s a good kid really - just high spirited.” Jean remonstrated with him.

“Oh really” Ben grimaced “well shall I bring her round to stay with you for a few days” he challenged.

“Hmmm, I’m sure she wants to be with you” Jean side-stepped
neatly, “Now
look, about work,” she continued matter of factly “I’ve arranged for Billy Naylor to pop round to that house and look at the plumbing at 4.30 this afternoon, I know its short notice but he said can you meet him there?”  Ben struggled to recall which house until he remembered his promise to Katie about Tolpuddle House and the artic front room.

“Oh yes that’s fine - have you let Katie know we’re coming?”

“Yes, I just spoke to her and
its
fine with her. Also Stewart Jackson rang and said can you ring as he might have something for you.”

“Sure Jean, thanks, anything else?” Ben enquired.

“No nothing that won’t keep until the morning - you are in tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I’ll see you then.” Ben put the phone down. He quickly dialled Stewart’s number. Stewart was a great architect with good contacts he
might have an interesting lead.

“Hi
Stew
, it’s Ben Wilson”

“
Ben,
thanks for getting back to me. I think I might have a lead on some developments you could control yourself.”

“Yeah, the other works dried up a bit at the moment, and I’m finding it a real drag having to compromise. We all thought the best way was to do it ourselves.”

“Well, look I might have an interesting opportunity for you. I’m just heading out to meet a client now, how are you fixed to meet up around seven?” Stewart asked.

“I’m fine, I’ve got an appointment at 4.30 in Laxley Heath, but I’m fine after that.”

“Laxley Heath, excellent, how about the Rose & Crown in Laxley?
You can get me that pint you owe me.”

“Sure that’s fine - see you later.” Ben put the phone down feeling more
optimistic by the minute. Stewart was a good honest guy, if he thought a deal was a good one then it really could be.

The door banged shut with a thuddering crash. Lucy was home! Ben shuddered there was no way he was leaving her to run riot on a school night.

“Get changed Luce; we’re heading out in half an hour.” He shouted into the hall way.

“Going out - cool” Lucy stuck her head round the door, her blond ponytail bobbing in anticipation, “where are we going?”

“I’ve got a meeting in Laxley Heath and you’re coming with me” Ben answered.

“Laxley Heath and a poxy building meeting.
That’s hardly going out.” Lucy sulked, “I’m not coming there!” She turned to leave in a huff.

“Oh yes you are Lucy Chapman” Ben’s tones brooked no argument “one fire this week is enough for me. I’m not leaving you alone in the flat for at least another seven days!” He tugged her hair as he walked past,
softening his tone with a
half-smile
. Lucy grimaced, she knew Ben’s tones and it wasn’t worth arguing with him in that mood. She’d save the fight for when she really wanted something.

Half an hour later Ben and Lucy were sat in his van heading through the early rush hour traffic towards Laxley Heath.
Lucy still had a face like a wet weekend. She had planned an evening of manicures, pedicures and loud
music;
this unexpected turn of events was not good at all.

“Cheer up Luce,” Ben teased as they pulled up at Tolpuddle House
“it’s
not the end of the world.”

“No, but it’s definitely in sight” she groaned, peering out of the window at the wilderness garden in front of the house, “How long will you be?”

“Not long - I’ve just got to see Billy and agree the work then we’ll go get something to eat.”