Surprise Move – Sandra 62

[For a quick guide go here: Quick guide.]

[Old back story is here: Story so far at 30 Nov 2020 and other Sandra episodes especially this one.]

[Other back story through in-links.]

[If you're enjoying this you can now buy me coffee here!] 

“Berkhamsted is cancelled,” said Sandra, mainly talking talking to her phone that had just informed her of the fact.

“What’s that?” Asked Frankie, pouring tea.

“A work thing,” said Sandra. “Or rather, not a work thing any more. Probably post-poned rather than cancelled but there you go.”

The last of the current sun shone across the garden and illuminated Frankie’s work shed. It was a back garden socially distanced tea party, bringing together Frankie and her family, Sandra and Yolanda and Eric. Rob was there but being a bit more socially distanced than the others, still smarting from the suggestions made by Compeyson and Arthur, and not yet having entirely eradicated the idea that this had just been a phishing scam. Where there was smoke there was fire, suggested Frankie. Where there was smoke there were usually kippers suggested Eric.

Rob himself didn’t want to talk about any of it, feeling it was all far too far away from reality for him to engage with it. The allegations of his being involved with anything untoward were farcical he had said. But in the meantime, he sat at his own table outside in the garden, with his own mug and flask of coffee, going through emails and occasionally chipping into the conversation if he wanted to.

“How are all the lorries doing at the moment?” asked Yolanda, demonstrating her slight grip on what Sandra now did for a living.

“Oh, they’re busy as always,” said Sandra, had evasively. “The office is half open, but orders are high and there’s plenty of work around.”

“Reckon there are too many,” commented Eric. “On the road and that. Should put it all on trains - be faster and more efficient. And I could get to places quicker then too.”

“When are you getting to places?” asked Sandra. “Not like anyone is travelling much at the moment. Certainly not any big motorway journeys.”

“Well,” said Eric. “If I wanted to.”

“Actually,” said Yolanda, “Now might be the right time to tell you of our other plans.”

Frankie and Sandra exchanged a look. Yolanda and Eric’s ideas were rarely straight-forward and the idea of them having a plan at all right now didn’t fill them with ease.

“Oh yes?” Said Sandra.

“Well,” said Yolanda. “This is something we’ve been thinking of doing for quite some time and, well, if we don’t talk about it I doubt whether it will ever happen.”

“Oh yes?” Said Frankie.

“We want to emigrate,” said Yolanda. “To Australia.”

There was silence in the back garden.

“Yes,” said Eric, “What she says.”

There was another silence. 

“I agree, of course.”

“Not immediately,” noted Yolanda. “That might all get a bit tricky. But it’s something we’d like to aim for.”

“Not to put a downer on this, but why Australia? It’s not like you’ve been there or anything,” said Sandra.

“Josie and Kevin went out there two years ago and are having a great time,” said Yolanda. “They’ve got a lovely place to live, their own beach, a load of new friends…”

“Bar-B-Qs every day,” chipped in Eric.

“So when you say ‘aim for’,” said Sandra. “When exactly are you thinking this might happen?”

“Next year sometime,” said Yolanda. “When everything’s died down a little bit and it’s easier to get around.”

“We want you to be able to come over and see us,” said Eric. “No point in going over there and not being able to have you guys around.”

“How are we meant to just come ‘around’?” said Sandra incredulous. “Australia is not just like - well, getting on the motorway and driving up to see you. You only live fifty miles away now and we don’t see you that often.”

“Well,” said. Yolanda, “Maybe us being further away will mean you can come over and stay for longer.”

“Bar-B-Qs every day,” Eric reminded them.

“Have you looked into the practicalities of all this?” asked Sandra. “I mean, what’ll you do with your house now?”

“Rent it, maybe,” said Yolanda, “Unless you fancy living there?”

“Rob?” Said Frankie, “What do you think about this?”

But Rob just waved it away with his hand.

“Obviously we have a house, thanks. And I’m sure you can all work it all out,” he said. “You guys usually do.”

“We thought maybe you’d like to help us with the practicalities,” added Yolanda. “We’ve had loads of help from Josie and Kevin, but we though you might like to help as well - just to get us under way.”

Sandra looked bewildered at the faces around her. “I’m not sure I have time,” she said.