‘As I said, my mum loved anything foreign.’
He looked back down at his desk and picked up his pen ready to resume filling in the remainder of the form.
‘What about qualifications?’ Ebony looked at him dumbly. ‘Schooling? That kind of thing?’ She’d gone blank for a second. She’d forgotten what it was she was supposed have.
‘I took Cape examinations – A levels basically.’
‘Okay, great, well that will save you some time – a year of training at least. Okay, now for a few personal details to start. Married or co-habiting with a partner?’ He kept his eyes on the page as he waited, poised to fill in the blanks.
‘Single parent. I live on my own.’
‘Okay, good.’ Ebony looked up from tickling Archie’s palm with ‘round and round the garden’.
‘I mean you’ll be entitled to the most help,’ he said. ‘It makes the form-filling a bit longer but it’ll be worth it.’ Archie burped loudly. Yan grinned.
Ebony blushed. ‘Sorry. Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.’
‘It’s no problem at all.’
Ebony kept her eyes on Yan as she tickled Archie’s other hand.
‘Yes. It is. I’m looking for a new start. New flat, new life for me and Archie. Just us.’
‘I’m sure you’ll make it. Well… if I can help in any way?’ He looked ready to conclude the interview. Ebony thought she’d handled the worst of it – now she could relax somewhat and try to work on Yan a little. He seemed the sympathetic type.
‘Is this a good college to come to for single parents?’ He looked momentarily flustered and blinked behind his glasses. ‘I mean, is there some social life here? I’m not much of a party girl but I would like to meet people, you know? Make a few friends. My family aren’t around. It’s just me and Archie, as I said.’
‘Oh yes. I see. It’s a good place if you make an effort. There’s a fair bit of socializing via Facebook, that kind of thing. There’s a Christmas party going on in the canteen right now. We could butt in if you like? Just say hello. Some of the people you’d be doing the teacher training course with will be in there. Some have been studying for a year or two. Would you like to meet them?’
‘Love to. I’m a bit out of practice with socializing. Since I had Archie I haven’t really been out much.’
‘Perfect chance then – nothing too scary, I promise. Follow me. I’ve already been in there with one group for lunch but… what the hell… After all, it’s working in the broad sense of the word.’ He walked back through the office and called across to his colleague on the way. It was the same woman who’d directed Ebony across to Yan in the first place. ‘Just showing a new student where the canteen is and introducing her to the group – okay?’
She looked up from her desk, grinned and rolled her eyes.
‘Go on then.’
She winked at Ebony as if she were used to his liberty-taking. He turned back to Ebony with a smile.
‘Wish it was Christmas every day. It’s a miracle what a couple of lunchtime drinks will do.’
Ebony followed Yan through the office. She caught the buggy on the leg of a chair. He steered it expertly out of the way.
‘I’ll push if you like. I’m used to negotiating buggies through the office.’
‘Thanks. Have you worked here long?’
‘I’ve been here three years. I came here like everyone else to try and catch up on missing qualifications. Which I did, and then I applied for a clerical job here and worked up to being an advisor. I wasn’t expecting to like it that much but I find it a really worthwhile job. It’s nice to help people. I mean, I don’t intend to stay here for ever.
‘What do you want to do?’
‘I don’t have any idea what I want to do long-term. But then hardly anybody does, do they?’
‘No. I don’t.’ Ebony was thinking how strange it must be not to have a twenty-year plan. Her goal was to take her sergeant’s theory exam next year, in March and work in the different departments within MIT, including Organized Crime and Vice. She wanted to learn more about major fraud cases. When she felt ready, she’d take her inspector’s exam. That was her main aim – she wanted to be an inspector in the Murder Squad within ten years. At the end of twenty years she wanted to be a superintendent at least. None of the plan involved a marriage or babies.
‘Do you have a lot of single parents coming through?’ she asked as they walked along.
He turned back to her and smiled, nodding. ‘A lot of people wanting to get off the treadmill they’re on. It’s the nice side of my job, when people come back a couple of years later and their circumstances are really changed – you know? They’re happy. It’s a lot about self-esteem.’
He looked back at her with a quick glance then manoeuvred the buggy effortlessly through the office, out into the corridor, left before the reception desk and down towards the smell of a canteen.
Ebony looked at posters advertising job opportunities on the walls on the way.
‘Yes. Must be satisfying, your job. Helping people change their lives around, learn new skills?’
‘Yes it is. I won’t lie though – I’d rather be lying on the deck of a boat in the sunshine. Or drinking rum in…? Where’s the newest place to go in Kingston?’
‘Oh… there are so many, aren’t there?’ Ebony looked nervously at the people they were approaching. She was hoping she’d managed to cover her tracks a bit and confuse him into thinking she was anxious about something other than remembering all the facts she’d had hardly any time to learn. She’d definitely look them up later and find out what was current in Jamaica.
‘Here they are – meet the rabble.’ In the corner of the canteen a group of mainly women were chatting noisily, with kids running around unchecked. Some were standing, bouncing fractious babies on their hips. He steered Archie’s buggy across to the group and Ebony followed. The canteen looked like it had seen a fair few parties that day. The cleaners were sweeping up party streamers from the floor.
One of the women standing, rocking a buggy whilst holding a glass of wine in her hand, turned and called out to Yan as they approached:
‘You can’t keep away, can you?’
Someone else echoed it with a: ‘What? You back again?’
He gave an exaggerated shrug and rolled his eyes in embarrassment.
‘It’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it. Meet Ebony.’ He turned and waited for Ebony to come level with him. ‘Hopefully, she’ll be joining the group after Christmas.’ There was a chorus of hellos and the end of the table opened up as people made space for them to sit down. An Asian woman with a gold stud in her ear and enormous beautiful eyes poured a glass of red wine and handed it to Ebony from across the table.
‘Sorry, there’s only red left.’
‘Red’s great, thanks.’ Ebony took it from her and took a sip. ‘Cheers.’ She raised her glass and then put it back on the table. There was shrieking and howls of laughter at the other end of the table.
‘I told you they were a rowdy bunch.’ Yan settled Archie’s buggy next to the table. Archie was sleeping. ‘Let me introduce you…’ He worked his way around the table, calling the women out by name. ‘I’ll leave you to chat now. Call and see me on the way out if you need to, otherwise ring me in a couple of days. I’ll have done most of your paperwork by then. I’m on Facebook if you feel like chatting.’
Ebony smiled and nodded as Yan stood and, amongst a few friendly tipsy attempts at berating him for leaving the table, he went on his good-humoured way.
The woman who had first greeted them sat down next to Ebony. She was young, elfin-featured; her name was Sammy.
‘You joining the group then?’
Ebony nodded. ‘Hopefully.’ She’d watched Yan go, thinking about how he’d be checking out all that she had said. Her existence, national security number, her housing association history. All of it had been set up meticulously by Robbo. Now they would see how well it worked. ‘You all seem to get on well?’