The Desperate Wife’s Survival Plan by Alison Sherlock Read Free Book Online Page B

glared at Samantha.Who cared about shoes at a time like this?
    Charley was still trying to rein in her tears.
    ‘So what now?’ asked Caroline, gently.
    Charley sniffed. ‘I’m going to try and get a job. Though God knows, the employment market isn’t exactly buzzing at the minute.’
    ‘Perhaps you could try some of the shops on the high street,’ said Julie. ‘You’ve got experience from working in Steve’s all those yearsago.’
    Charley smiled, but shook her head. ‘Already tried. Nobody’s taking on any more staff.’
    It had been one of the most humiliating days of her life when she had walked into each of her favourite shops and asked about employment. After all, previously she had spent most of her time in these places, buying glittering tea lights, retro storage boxes and cute cushions. So much money wasted onsuch fripperies. If only she had saved, instead of squandered, her money. If only she had put a bit of cash aside for a rainy day. If only she hadn’t been so stupid, she told herself. So greedy. So spoilt.
    Hindsight would have been Charley’s preferred superpower of choice at the moment.
    She gave them a small smile through her tears. ‘But Aunty Peggy knows someone who is taking on new staff.’
    Her friends stared expectantly at her, even a little excited.
    ‘It’s a cleaning job.’
    ‘A what?’ said Samantha, beginning to laugh before swiftly turning it into a cough.
    ‘I need a job,’ said Charley. ‘And it’s cash in hand.’
    ‘Cleaning houses?’ prompted Caroline.
    Charley nodded.
    ‘Well, you’ve always kept your home lovely,’ said Caroline brightly.
    ‘Absolutely,’ said Julie, nodding frantically.

    But Samantha couldn’t keep her horror hidden. ‘I think we’d better open this other bottle of wine, don’t you?’ she said.

Chapter Eleven
    CHARLEY WOKE UP with a throbbing headache. She blamed the bottle of wine that she had finished drinking by herself after the girls had left.
    She also blamed it for the massive row she’d had with Steve when he finally came home, equally drunk. To her surprise, he had gone off in a strop and slept in the spare bedroom. She was less surprised to find the house empty when she wokeup late in the morning. Now she needed to struggle up and get dressed, because she had a job interview.
    She had hoped that Steve would give her a lift but there was no reply to her apoplectic text message, so she gave up and began the long walk to her parents’ house to pick up a car which Aunty Peggy was lending her.
    Seeing her parents filled Charley with guilt once more. But a new job wouldcertainly help in repaying them and so would a car. Besides, a car meant freedom, a touch of normality in this bizarre new world in which she suddenly found herself.
    She glanced at Julie’s house as she walked past. To her utmost inner shame, she had always looked down her nose at it. Secretly she could not believe that Julie had never wanted to smarten up the place. Now she was beginning to realisethat perhaps Julie had never had enough money. Perhaps living within her means was what mattered to her and, after all, it was Charley’s house with the Sold sign outside, not Julie’s.
    A steady drizzle began, compounding Charley’s misery. Pounding the pavements in frustration, she eventually found herself walking up the driveway towards her parents’ front door. But her path was blocked by a smallcar. Charley’s mouth dropped open at the sight of it. It looked like the survivor of a demolition derby masquerading as a blue Mini. But the numerous dents had obviously not stopped it from being roadworthy as Aunty Peggy had told her that it was taxed and with an MOT for the next ten months.
    Charley gave the vehicle a wide berth before letting herself into her parents’ house. But all was quiet.A note told her that they had gone food shopping and that the keys to the Mini were, of course, in the green bowl on the hall table. With a heavy heart, Charley realised it