Shopaholic takes manhattan – book two of shopaholic series – part 15

AFTER A WEEK, I give up on hearing anything from Michael. Whatever he’s said to Luke, I’m never
Going to hear about it. I feel as though that whole part of my life is over. Luke, America, television,
Everything. Time to start again.
I’m trying to keep positive, and tell myself I’ve lots of avenues open to me. But what is the next career
Move for an ex – television financial expert? I rang up a television agent, and to my dismay, she sounded
Exactly like all those TV people inAmerica. She said she was thrilled to hear from me, she’d have
Absolutely no problem finding me work – if not my own series – and that she’d ring back that day with
Lots of exciting news. I haven’t heard from her since.
So now I’m reduced to looking through the Media Guardian, looking for jobs I might just have half a
Chance of getting. So far, I’ve ringed a staff writer job on Investor’s Chronicle, an assistant editorship
Of Personal Investment Periodical, and editor of Annuities Today. I don’t know much about
Annuities, but I can always quickly read a book about it.
“How are you doing?” says Suze, coming into the room with a bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes.
“Fine,” I say, trying to raise a smile. “I’ll get there.” Suze takes a mouthful of cereal and eyes me
Thoughtfully.
“What have you got planned for today?”
“Nothing much,” I say morosely. “You know – just trying to get a job. Sort out my mess of a life. That
Kind of thing.”
“Oh right.” Suze pulls a sympathetic face. “Have you found anything interesting yet?”
I flick my fingers toward a ringed advertisement.
“I thought I’d go for editor of Annuities Today. The right candidate may also be considered for
Editorship of the

annual Tax Rebate supplement!”
“Really?” She involuntarily pulls a face – then hastily adds, “I mean. . . that sounds good! Really
Interesting!”
“Tax rebates? Suze, please.”
“Well – you know. Relatively speaking.”
I rest my head on my knees and stare at the sitting-room carpet. The sound on the television has been
Turned down, and there’s silence in the room apart from Suze munching. I close my eyes and slump down
Farther on the floor, until my head’s resting on the sofa seat. I feel as though I could stay here for the rest
Of my life.
“Bex, I’m worried about you,” says Suze. “You haven’t been out for days. What else are you planning
To do today?”
I open my eyes briefly and see her peering anxiously down at me.
“Dunno. Watch Morning Coffee.”
“You are not watching Morning Coffee!” says Suze firmly. “Come on.” She closes the Media
Guardian. “I’ve had a really good idea.”
“What?” I say suspiciously as she drags me to my room. She swings open the door, leads me inside, and
Spreads her arms around, gesturing to the mess everywhere.
“I think you should spend the morning decluttering.”
“What?” I stare at her in horror. “I don’t want to declutter.”
“Yes, you do! Honestly, you’ll feel so great, like I did. It was brilliant! I felt so good afterward.”
“Yes, and you had no clothes! You had to borrow knickers from me for three weeks!”
“Well, OK,” she concedes. “Maybe I went a bit too far. But the point is, it completely transforms your
Life.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“It does! It’s feng shui! You have to let things out of your life to allow the new good things in.”
“Yeah, right.”
“It’s true!