Contents (71)
- THE
- DAUGHTER
- MICHELLE FRANCES
- PROLOGUE
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- EPILOGUE
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
She kissed him. ‘You’re wonderful. But I’ve realized I can only do this from within the company.’
‘Eh? What company?’
‘The lorry driver’s!’ she said, as if it was obvious. ‘I’ve got three options: I become their safety director, unlikely; I buy the company, equally unlikely; or I buy just enough shares so I can go to the AGM.’ Her voice wavered. ‘Then I’ll get a chance to speak.’
‘You what?’
‘This morning I realized I had already done the research, all those times looking at their website, trying to find out what might have happened. I’ve read every word there is to read about them. Including the notes from their annual general meeting. They have this section at the end: “Any other business”. I am going to be any other business. And I’ll ask them to change the rules. So, you see, I need to go to work because I need the money.’
He was still staring at her.
‘To buy the shares,’ she explained, then grabbed her bag and tucked the sandwich inside. As she headed to the door, she turned back to look at him. She smiled. ‘Thank you, Tim.’
EIGHT
She worked every hour she could, every shift, every bit of overtime. The adrenaline kept her going and also a new, welcome strength. It was a feeling that, if she tried to look for it, locate it, it disappeared, but if she kept on going, did this thing she needed to do for Becky, she could sense it somewhere deep down, giving her some comfort. It was such a relief to be feeling something other than the inescapable, debilitating pain that she kept on working and thinking about buying the shares. When she was stacking tins of paint on the shelves, she would imagine herself going into a large conference room and sitting somewhere near the back. Listening. Waiting. Then it would be her moment. Would she stand up or stay seated? She composed various speeches in her head and none of them were quite right, but she still had time.
The money went into the savings account she had used for Becky’s university fund and she watched every month as the number crept up. At first, she’d been afraid to find out how much she needed; a goal that was out of reach would topple her. Then one night she’d made herself switch on the computer and do some searching. The relief at finding out she only needed one share to attend was short-lived. Who would take anyone seriously who only owned a single share? So, she was determined to make as much as she could before the company’s AGM.
Kate could smell Tim’s cooking before she’d even opened the front door. It was nice knowing he was here, at her house, and she’d given him a key so that on the nights they met, he could come in early. He’d insisted on helping her, and if that meant making dinner when she came home late from work, that was what he would do. Tonight, they had invited Iris round and Kate could hear them chattering in the kitchen.