ANGELCAKE

Chapter 34 - Making a Fool of Herself at the Doctor's

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Paranoia set in.

Was that the roof caving in, in the barns? What was that vibration?! Was the cottage's foundation collapsing?! She was sure that was a vibration! Was the roof coming down completely in the spare bedroom?! What if she slipped climbing down the ladder and broke her back? That would be a slow, painful death and then no one would find her for months and the animals would starve to death, locked in. Maybe she should leave the animals not locked in, in case that happened, but then what if the fox came? What if they got out onto the road again? Yes, with her luck, they probably would get out onto the road again! What if the electricity company came and shut off the electricity without notice? What if that enormous tree in front of the house uprooted itself and fell on the house? It was positioned in the perfect spot to annihilate her bedroom – right in the middle! (The other one that fell in the last storm only just missed the house after all.) There were a lot of storms ahead and it looked like it wanted to go over! Knowing her luck that one tree touching that cretin Martin's property would probably fall over too (right onto his tractor) and then he would sue her! Then what would she do???? (Thinking about trees, what if one of the trees next to the flat in London fell over and hit it?) And the fireplace hadn't been checked. Who knew when the last time it was swept! What if the fireplace backed up and caught the cottage on fire?! She heard that was possible! And what if a sewage drain got backed up... or BROKE? (She supposed, she could go in the field... but things were hard enough. How long could that carry on for?!) And what if the pipes broke? What if she had an accident driving – like Mimi and mamá and papi! Who would look after the animals? What if someone was squatting in her flat in London and had ruined the place, or worse, removed a big beam holding it up, or something else serious, causing damage to the neighbour's property and she was held responsible?! That could happen – she was sure she heard about something similar happening to some poor «salaud» when she lived there. She hadn't been able to afford to insure the flat the past two years, what would she do?! Her good camera had already mysteriously turned up broken AND her portfolio was missing! What if her computer packed up?!! What if her car stopped working??!!!

She looked like death. She was such an unattractive wreck now, there was no way any serious company would even think of hiring her. She didn't even know where any of her clothes were under all those boxes and everything that wasn't missing, was mouldy and probably chewed up by mice and rats and covered in their poop... Tutu was old. What if she died before she got to see her again? She was terrible! She should be writing them! She should go to see them! It was Agnès's birthday – she should have sent something! She didn't have any soap powder. She couldn't hold out any longer. She needed to get to the store and buy things. How much could she spend on food this week? But then if she spent anything she wouldn't have anything left for the animal feed. They probably would get out onto the street – especially with that D'Adhémar coming over. She needed to fix the latch on that fence. Her hair was falling out. She looked dreadful. She'd be bald soon. She had lost her looks!!! That was it. It was all downhill from here. She would be alone forever! What sort of soap powder would she wash her sweaters in? Maybe she could use the dish liquid. She needed to fix the latch on that window. What sort of latch did she need? But she couldn't afford it. Maybe there was a latch on one of the old windows somewhere. How would she get it off? What if the vet came and demanded to take the animals away as payment? She needed to try and move some of those boxes to look for those sweaters. She needed to find a nice one to wear to an interview (if she got one).

WAIT!! Shhh! SSSHHH!! Was that a car door??!... WAS IT?!!