Chapter Eighteen
Tuesday 4th June
'A hard headed woman been a thorn in the side of man,'
She hadn't called, or texted all weekend. He'd known deep down that she wouldn't. Once she had made up her mind about something, she didn't budge and she'd said goodbye to him in March and she had really meant it, even if she hadn't liked doing it.
He also knew what she'd done earlier in situations of extreme stress, so he had a fairly clear idea of what she was doing now. She would have gone into lock down mode. She had probably sat up the rest of that night with Leo and silently built up an impenetrable wall around her; protecting her heart from any more pain or any other emotion. She'd be invincible at work, a steely determination to keep it business as usual. He wondered if she'd walked out of the viewing room and straight into Leo's office and cleared it of all his things. No maybe that would be too much; even for her.
He'd managed to call the solicitor and had begun liaising with Leo's cousin Francis in Sheffield. Francis hadn't seen Leo in years but he was the other executor and Leo's wishes were to be buried with his wife and daughter in Sheffield. They agreed between them to have a memorial service in London and then to have the body interred later the same day in Sheffield with a simple ceremony for just family and close friends, not that there would be many of them. Francis seemed to be the only family left. Harry had begged the undertakers to find an available slot on a Monday or Friday, to enable him the chance to travel back to the UK but he wasn't holding out much hope.
He felt so helpless so far away. He wished there was someone at the Lyell he could call, just to check she was ok. He didn't want to pester her with texts and emails but at the same time he wanted to know that she was alright and that all he imagined about how she was coping was true and that she hadn't fallen apart entirely. He had called his mother but Nikki hadn't spoken to her either.
"Professor Cunningham?" Harry's eyes snapped up to see Candy standing at his desk. He wondered how long she had been stood there. Usually he noticed the sound of her heels as she approached. Had he just been staring into space?
"Are you available tonight still?"
"Tonight?" squeaked Harry, "What day is it?"
He heard Ruby move in her cubicle, obviously wincing at his excruciatingly bad answer.
"We're supposed to be off to East Side Community High School."
"Oh yes, I remember. Do I need my flak jacket?"
"I don't know what you mean, but be in my office at six thirty." She turned on her heels and marched off.
"Oh and I'm sorry to hear about your previous boss, your absence has been noted though. Your contract review is in two week's time. Call my secretary to make an appointment." She called over her shoulder as she stalked off.
He went back to staring into the distance for a while until he became aware of someone else standing in front of his desk. He looked up to see Ruby holding a steaming cardboard cup with a Starbucks logo on the side.
"I heard that Starbucks actually make a drinkable cup of tea, one that even an Englishman could enjoy. I thought you probably needed it."
"Thanks Ruby. I'd be lost without you." He took a sip of his tea. "Actually that's not bad, how did you know?"
"My friend had some English family over to stay; they spent the whole time in Starbucks buying tea! Next time they said they'd bring a box of teabags with them."
"Ruby?"
"Yes, Harry."
"If my contract review isn't for another two weeks and they choose not to renew it… I mean term is over in four weeks."
"You only get two week's notice here. It's the same as being paid every two weeks. It all goes back to the anti-slavery rules, holding someone to work against their will is illegal and so notice periods are a maximum of two weeks."
"So what happens if they don't renew it?"
"Why wouldn't they renew it, your work here has been excellent. You missed one day what could the Dean have against you?"
Harry mumbled an inaudible 'nothing much' and sat back in his chair. He wished he were a hippo. Today he wished he could completely submerge himself; he didn't even wish his eyes to be left above water.
What was he going to do?
He checked the time, picked up his phone and called his old work extension.
"Jack Hodgson,"
"Hello," said Harry wondering now what he was supposed to say.
"Is Nikki there?" he asked.
"She's not at her desk right now, can I help you."
"Great."
"I'm sorry?"
Harry had seen the pictures, googled Jack's profile but even having read where he was born, he'd never imagined the accent.
"Look can I help you?" Jack asked losing patience.
"I'm sorry to hear about Leo, I know you hadn't worked with him for long but I'm sorry."
"Who is this?" Jack growled.
"Don't put the phone down please. My name's Harry Cunningham."
"How did you get this number?" Jack asked. He wasn't taking any sales calls, not the mood he was in.
"I used to sit at that desk; I was a pathologist at the Lyell before you arrived. Harry Cunningham? I'm sure my name must have been mentioned."
"Not often," Jack replied, still not appeased.
"I wanted to know how Nikki is."
"Well why don't you ask her yourself, instead of annoying the hell out of my morning?"
"Is she there?" Harry asked again.
"NO!" came the pointed reply.
"Look, I'm just trying to help. Nikki sometimes handles grief…well…badly. She hasn't spoken to me recently and I was just trying to see how she was doing?"
"Listen; if Nikki's not talking to you then I'm not talking to you."
"Just wait, one more minute please. Nikki; she's acting as if everything's normal. She's working twice as hard as normal. She's had a screaming match with at least one copper and she's always last to leave the Lyell."
"Maybe," Jack replied.
"Is she sleeping?"
"How would I know that?"
"Is she going home?"
"I think so." Jack replied. "Yes I picked her up from her house yesterday, so she's definitely going home."
"Good," said Harry. "Is she eating?"
"I am not her mother!"
"Is she?" Harry's was the voice to show impatience now.
"Not much."
"Can you do something for me? Can you leave a chocolate bar or something on your desk? Don't make a fuss about it, just leave it there. She'll eat it if she wants to. At least she'll have had a few calories."
"I'm not sure…"
"Please Jack, it's not like I'm asking you to spy on her, just leave her a chocolate bar now and then. She won't take it if you give it to her, but if you just leave it on your desk chances are she'll pick it up. Oh and check she's had at least two hours sleep before sending her off somewhere dangerous."
"Alright Harry."
"Thanks," Harry replied.
"I haven't done anything yet." Jack insisted.
"You saved her life," Harry said.
"Oh, well that makes us about even then."
"Yes, I heard about that."
"Did you now?" Jack replied. Nikki might not be talking to Harry at the moment but she must have been recently for Harry to have known that. He noticed the doors open and Nikki make her way towards the desks. "I have to go now."
"Is she there?"
"Yes."
"Bye then."
"I'm sorry for you too," Jack said graciously. He'd not known Leo long, but it was clear that anyone who had known Leo for more than five minutes would be mourning his passing.
"Thanks," Harry said quietly.
"Bye."
Jack put the phone down and met Nikki's questioning gaze.
"Who was that?"
"Just someone 'y…a' used to work with," Jack stumbled purposely not making the pronoun clear.
"I thought no one you used to work with still liked you." Nikki retorted.
"This one seems to," Jack replied, spinning round on his chair to face his desk. He pulled open a drawer and pretended to be searching for something but really he wanted the chance to avoid looking at Nikki. He was beginning to work some things out. That fuss she had made when he had offered to bin the stuff left in his soon to be desk. She'd nearly bitten his head off. He was beginning to suspect the reason. Harry Cunningham may have forgotten to finish cleaning out his desk before he left but it was clear to Jack that Harry also had other unfinished business he hadn't attended to.
Hard Headed Woman: DeMetrius (Elvis)
Thanks to the lovely person who I'm afraid I can't remember who it was who tipped me off about Starbucks tea… See I told you I'd incorporate all the suggestions just that it would take a while! Put the memory loss down to old age. The two week notice periods and pay periods are the way they do it over there, and it does genuinely date back to the abolition of slavery laws. As does the three no show, no calls rule. Not sure how particular NYU are but the hospital I used to work in was very hot on it.
