Valerie pulls out her purse, counting the few crumpled notes tucked inside, letting out a heavy sigh. Her funds are running painfully low, and searching for a decent job in London is proving to be much harder than she ever imagined. She mentally tallies her list of essentials, trying to quell her nerves. In the freezer sits a pack of chicken thighs and some frozen burgers; the cupboard holds rice, pasta, and a box of teabags. For now, shell have to manage with just a pint of milk and a loaf from the corner shop.
Mum, where are you going? Little Harriet runs out of her room, her big blue eyes searching Valeries face with worry.
Dont you worry, sweetpea, Valerie says, forcing a smile to hide her anxiety. Im just going out to look for a job. But guess what? Aunt Sophie and her son Henry are popping over soon to keep you company.
Henrys coming? Harriets whole face lights up, her hands clapping excitedly. Will they bring Mr Whiskers?
Mr Whiskers is Sophies tabby cata fluffy bundle of love that Harriet absolutely adores. Sophie, their neighbour, always offers to look after Harriet while Valerie heads off to job interviews in the city centre; todays is at a food distribution company in Westminster. Getting to the office means an epic trekmore hours on buses and the Tube than the interview itself is likely to last.
Its been more than two months since Valerie and Harriet moved to the capital. Valerie cant help but berate herself for that snap decision: uprooting everything with her young daughter, pouring most of her savings into rent and groceries, banking on landing a job quickly. But the London job market is fierce. Despite having two university degrees and buckets of determination, every stable position feels just out of reach. Back in their small hometown of Bath, her mother Margaret and younger sister Charlotte relied on her as the anchor of the family. Without her, they were hopeless at muddling through.
Mr Whiskers is staying at home, darling, Valerie says softly. He doesnt like car rides much. But I promise, well visit Aunt Sophies soon and you can cuddle him as much as you like.
I want a cat too! Harriet pouts, folding her arms.
Valerie shakes her head, a gentle laugh escaping. Harriet always reacts the same way at any mention of pets. Back in Bath, at grandma Margarets house, theyd left behind Smokeythe lean, black catand a little yappy dog called Biscuit. Harriet played with them all the time when they visited, and now she misses them terribly.
Sweetheart, this is a rented flat, Valerie explains. The landlord doesnt allow pets.
Not even a goldfish? Harriet asks, her eyebrows rising in surprise.
Not even a goldfish.
At the moment, pets are the least of Valeries worries. Her mind is fixed on one goal: landing a job. Her savings are almost gone, bringing fresh waves of anxiety with every day. At least shed paid six months rent upfront, but that had nearly wiped her out.
The doorbell rings, snapping Valerie out of her thoughts. Sophie and her five-year-old son Henry stand on the doorstep. Sophieas alwaysholds a tupperware full of homemade chocolate chip cookies and a generous slice of her mums famous lemon drizzle cake. Like Valerie, Sophies a single mum, but she lives with her parents in a cramped flat nearby. Saving for her own place in London sometimes feels about as realistic as winning the lottery.
