Just The Way You Are(65)

‘You told him he was a bad owner?’

‘I wanted to encourage him, that even he could learn how to do it, no problem.’

‘Yasmin, he probably didn’t appreciate being called bad.’

‘Well, his Yorkshire terrier probably doesn’t appreciate being called Big Dog. Or having an owner who cannot be bothered to learn how to look after him. Now, can you look at my flyer ideas because even thinking about this is making me upset.’

After a quick look at the flyers – Let the Dog Mother train you how to stop being a bad dog owner – I decided that having a look at other dog trainers’ websites would be an excellent way to develop Yasmin’s reading comprehension skills. After the fourth website, it finally clicked that a more positive, supportive approach might work better, and I suggested we take a look at professional dog-training courses to see if there were any she could sign up for.

When Trev arrived, ten minutes early, she was just getting started.

‘Don’t mind me.’ He blushed. ‘I’m happy to keep myself busy until it’s time to switch over.’

Yasmin looked up and gave a brief smile, before reabsorbing herself in the computer screen.

‘I’m going to get a drink. Would anybody else like one? Ollie, you look like you could do with a strong coffee. Yasmin?’

‘I would love a coffee but the machine is still broken,’ Yasmin replied.

‘Oh? I might be able to do something about that. I think I’ve got… yes… here it is.’ Trev rummaged around in his rucksack before taking out a screwdriver. He took off his cap and went over to where the coffee machine still bore a sign declaring that it was out of order. He turned it around, pulled open the moveable compartments and poked about inside before picking it up to inspect the underside.

‘Excuse me, what do you think you’re doing?’ Irene huffed, clomping over. ‘Can’t you read?’

Yasmin’s head snapped up as I sprang to my feet. I hoped that Irene had simply made an insensitive mistake, but then – this was Irene.

‘Not very well, no.’

Irene’s lips twisted in horror as Trev pointed the screwdriver at her to emphasise his point, then turned to prise open the back of the machine.

‘You can’t just come in here and start vandalising library property. Stop it at once!’

Ignoring her, Trev carried on prodding about in the machine while Irene huffed and puffed.

‘I said stop it!’ She turned to me, eyes bulging. ‘Are you going to do something, or will I have to call the police?’

Before I could answer, Trev reclicked the back into place. ‘Not unless you want to offer them a cup of coffee.’ He gave a grin that I think he fully intended to be a tiny bit menacing. ‘Stick the power back on, would you, love?’

Irene gaped at him. Shaking his head, Trev bent under the table, flicked on the socket, pressed the machine’s ‘on’ button and then selected a black coffee, deftly slipping a cup under the spout as the hot liquid started spurting out.

‘It’s broken!’ Irene said, bobbing from one foot to the other. ‘It’s going to start spilling everywhere!’

At a perfect centimetre from the top of the paper cup, the machine gurgled to a stop.

‘Any sugar?’ Trev asked, glancing at Yasmin.

‘Yes, please.’

He ripped open a sugar sachet with a flourish, poured it in and gave it a vigorous stir with a wooden stick before placing it next to Yasmin. ‘Here you go. Sorry about the wait.’

‘Thank you,’ Yasmin replied, watching Irene over the rim of the cup as she took a tentative sip.

‘Oh,’ Irene said weakly, her hand still clutching at her heart.

‘You got a recycling bin for paper?’ Trev asked her, holding up the Out of Order sign.

‘Um, yes. I’ll take it.’ She opened her mouth and closed it a couple of times while Trev waited. ‘Thank you. And, um… I need to go and cancel the repair man. Excuse me.’

Watching her scurry off, Trev made two more coffees and brought them over.

‘Too much to ask for an apology,’ Yasmin said, frowning.

‘I got a thank you.’ He shrugged one shoulder, slipping his cap back on.

‘Still.’ Yasmin pursed her lips. ‘She threatened to call the police!’

‘I know what people think when they first see me. It’s my own daft fault. I was trying to look scary and intimidating, so I can hardly complain when it works.’

‘Not all people,’ Yasmin said softly, still scrolling down the computer screen as she sipped her coffee.

‘Pardon?’

‘Not all people think that about you.’ She flicked her eyes over to him for a split second. ‘Some of us have seen enough to not make that kind of judgement.’

Trev’s whole face went slack in surprise.

‘Personally, I think that eyes are the window to a man’s soul.’ She squinted at the screen. ‘You have kind eyes.’

It wasn’t Trev’s most productive session. He spent the hour alternating between trying his best for a minute or so, before inevitably his attention drifted back over to where Yasmin was still working her way through the online information about dog-training courses.

When Jaxx arrived bearing yet more samples of Nomato sauce, Trev was more than happy to hang around for a taste test.