26 February 2013
Derek awoke with a start. His head was pounding. It was still dark outside and the wind was raging. He could hear the branches of the crab apple tree scratching the window. Derek rolled over and snuggled down. A few extra hours sleep would cure his headache. His blackberry started buzzing. Derek ignored it and continued to feign sleep. A few minutes later it started buzzing again. And again. He rove the quilt off himself and stomped across the room in anger to where his crumpled clothes lay. Fishing around his jeans he pulled out his mobile. Derek quickly scrolled the missed calls. Colin, Chloe, unknown number, unknown number, Chloe, Colin, Colin. Restricted number. Fuck them. Derek checked his emails. The documents for the jam business from Colin, Cherry Watches for a promo and an email from someone called Quentin Barrass. Bollocks to that. He'd deal with that lot after some sleep. He scrolled through his texts. Tina has sent a message asking to see him. No way he thought. Stupid bitch wasn't trying to worm her way back to him. Some unknowns asking where he was as well as colin. Why wouldn't they let him relax? He turned his phone to silent and flung it on top of his clothes. Derek jumped back into bed and pulled the covers right up. His snores filled the room just as his blackberry screen flashed signalling any amounts of people attempting to contact the sporting star. Derek slept for a couple of hours. He woke up and headed straight in the shower. He allowed the hot water to wash over his body. Steam filled the bathroom, and droplets of water ran down the windows as his shower experience continued. Derek turned off the water and stepped out of the glass compartment. The cool air gave him goose pimples all over his tight muscular body. He grabbed a towel off the heated radiator and wrapped his bottom half in the fluffy white material. Derek padded across the landing to his old bedroom and started to get dressed. Pulling his new grey French Connection T-shirt over his head he continued to pull his socks and boots on. Once dressed and in the kitchen Derek made himself salmon and eggs on toast. Taking big gulps of orange juice between bites, he proceeded to look through the list of people trying to speak to him.
He emailed Colin about the documents, sent Chloe a text thanking her for last night, deleted Tina's text and saved the email from Quentin Barrass to his archive. It was probably the legal aspect of the jam venture. It only had an attachment and the title 'Please Read.' Derek would forward it to Colin later. He switched his phone off, walked to the door and pulled his jacket on. Derek walked out into the crisp late morning air, pulling his hat and gloves on as wisps of winter rain stung his face. He made his way down the road, heading toward the corner shop with the aim of getting some newspapers and have a quiet day reading through the news, gossip columns and work commitments. Lost in thought, he didn't hear his name being called from behind him. Derek pushed the door to the newsagents open. A bell tinkled somewhere over head. It was very old fashioned inside. Paisley walls and wooden countertops. A slight musty smell hung in the air. 'Morning son.' the old man said cheerfully. 'Hi, I'm after some papers?' Derek asked. The old man pointed him in the direction of the newsstand. Watching Derek browsed the racks, he continued to tie yesterday's papers into bundles ready for collection. Feeling irked, Derek turned his back on him and immersed himself in a feature about England's performance in the test series. There were some really good photos of him. He looked really toned. That pre match spray tan had done the trick. He'd have to get in touch with Colin regarding image rights. Lost in thought, He didn't notice that the door had opened and a group of people walked in. Whilst thumbing through the glossy magazine pages about his relationship with Chloe he felt a tap on his shoulder. 'Hi. I've been trying to contact you.'
Derek spun around. It was Anna.
'Oh, hi Anna. Sorry I've just finished doing some projects this morning which has ate up all my time. I had no choice but to turn my phone to voicemail.' Derek made it up as he went along. 'I've cancelled many commitments for the next few weeks so I can focus on helping you achieve success.' he said smugly. Derek noticed Matthew was in the far corner of the with kimmi picking sweets. 'Are you able to come to my shop and help get some advertising started?' Anna asked. 'We're also having a fundraiser down at the cricket club to help get the team new kits. There's a bouncy castle and a BBQ as well.' she informed him. Derek was mesmerised by her eyes but focused with all his might, ignoring the pulling in his heart. 'Sure. Send me the address in a text, I'll quickly have some lunch and drive down.' Derek told her. He walked over to the counter, paid for his papers and gossip rags then headed to the door. 'See you soon Anna. Matthew, Kimmi, nice to see you again.' he said closing it with a snap behind him. The bell chimed and Derek set off at a fast pace up the road. He felt very excited for today.
Reaching his parents cottage, he dumped the papers and magazines on the fireside table. He could catch up on column inches later.
Derek put on his favourite Ralph lauren shirt and Nicole Farrah trousers. He primed his hair in the mirrors spiking it perfectly then he slapped a coat of moisturiser on his face to brighten his skin up.
Bouncing down the stairs, Derek grabbed his phone from his coat pocket and switched it on. He walked into the kitchen whilst he waited for it to start up. Opening the fridge he grabbed the chicken tikka sandwich filler and filled a bread roll up with salad and lashings of the thick orange concoction. Munching on his food noisily he received Anna's text about the shop. It was one of the numbers he'd been ignoring. He decided to save it under jam business so Chloe wouldn't kick off. Feeling proud of himself at how clever he was, he dumped his plate on the ever growing pile in the sink.
Grabbing his keys and coat Derek jumped in his fathers car and fired up the sat nav. Derek set off on on the bumpy road. He was about ten minutes from Anna's shop. Anticipation bubbling in his stomach,
Derek pulled up outside the little store and stepped out of the car. The windows were individually panned with little stain glass images of jam jars in each one. The door was stripped like a candy cane. Derek opened the door and smelt a wonderful fruity scent make its way up his nostrils. The air was warm and had a sugary hit to it. 'Hello. Anyone here.' Derek shouted.
He heard footsteps approaching he walked to the side door with a big grin on his face. It was Matthew. Derek's grin dropped.
'Oh is Anna here?' he asked.
'Yeah she is, follow me mate.' Matthew said as he wiped his hands on a flowery apron front.
I'm not your mate Derek thought bitterly.
Matthew was a big stocky bloke. Derek felt intimidated. He was muscly himself but more lean. And compared to Matthew he looked puny.
'Anna!' Matthew yelled up a little staircase
Indistinguishable muffling traveled down the old wooden steps.
'Derek is here I'll send him up, aye?' Matthew shouted.
'She's gonna show you the jist, then it's off to the fundraiser.' Matthew informed him.
Derek smiled meekly and began to make his way up the staircase which creaked under his weight.
Reaching the top he spotted Anna over by a stainless steel workbench. Glass jars were stacked high and many old copper pots bubbled on the range cooker. Cupboards bursting with ingredients and baskets filled with plums, apples, and cherries. Colourful pieces of fabric sat near the open window which were cut into perfect squares to cover the jam lids.
Derek could hear the birds singing outside. He walked to the window to take in the breathtaking view. He forgot how serene his home town was. Lambing season was approaching and the sheep were roaming the open fields grazing beautiful crop.
'Hey Derek! Sorry about the heat. I've done the batches for the fundraiser. This is for tomorrows farmers market. I'm running a bit behind as you can probably tell. Matthew has been helping pour the jams into glass jars.'
Anna explained inclining her head to the work station. There were boxes ready for packing all over the back bench.
'I'll help Anna.' Derek offered grabbing an apron off the hook by the door.
He walked over to the table where everything was laid out like a factory production line. He picked up the stainless steel kitchen utensil and dipped it into the massive copper pot. Derek started to ladle cherry conserve into the glass pots. He repeated the procedure over and over until twenty to thirty jars were full of the dark sticky liquid. He chanced a glance at Anna who was work feverishly peeling plums and placing them into a massive iron pan for boiling. 'Now you need to put the lids on, with a piece of cloth over that and secure it with ribbon and a tag stating the flavour. That's cherry you've filled. The tags are in the top cubby hole behind your head' Anna said swiftly whilst stirring another pot which was on the massive 6 rung oven. Derek could feel a sweat on his brow starting to build. It was really warm in the tiny kitchen. He pushed his sleeves up and moved onto the next container what stated it was blueberry jam. Repeating the whole procedure he had another thirty jars done by the time Matthew came upstairs. He started placing all of the jars in huge plastic trays and carrying them back downstairs in his muscular arms. Derek felt a hand clap down on his shoulder. 'Well done mate. New apprentice here Anna.' Matthew said jokingly to his wife. Derek was fuming but managed a weak smile. This prick thought he was cocky. Derek was an international star. How dare he label him an apprentice.
Derek followed Anna down the stairs. He grabbed his coat on the way out jus
7. • Opuss № I