The Pollyanna Plan Read Online Free PDF Page A

note’—Alice’s tone oozed with mischief—‘I’ve arranged something super fun for us tomorrow night. Something to really kick off your change of attitude with a bang and to mark a whole new chapter.’
    Emma’s heart sank. Alice’s idea of ‘super fun’ usually involved men, lots of alcohol, and an activity that would push Emma’s boundaries to places she’d never even thought of going.
    ‘Wait a second,’ Emma said. ‘It’s my celebration, right? I should choose what we do.’ She grinned victoriously. Made sense to her.
    ‘No, no, no, my friend.’ Emma pictured Alice wagging a crimson fingernail. ‘If I relied on you, we’d end up in a morgue or something, with you lecturing me on all the ways you could die.’
    Emma opened her mouth to protest that was slightly over the top, but Alice cut her off. ‘Okay, so maybe not now that you’re on board with the Plan, but still. You’ll need time to come around to the proper mindset, and I’m not taking any chances. Not to worry—it’s nothing huge. Just something to get you on the right track. Oops, gotta go. I’ll fill you in tomorrow.’
    ‘Okay.’ Emma glanced at the computer screen where her CV was flashing, all set to fire off to potential employers as soon as she found some openings. No time like the present, she thought, clicking onto one of the UK’s biggest job websites. One hour later, though, Emma had combed through countless listings, heart sinking at the dearth of vacancies. The few advertisements for underwriters were better suited to someone with half her expertise and salary expectations. One post was even based in Azerbaijan. As if! Pollyanna would probably say it’d be culturally enlightening, or some mumbo jumbo like that.
    What if something didn’t come up? Emma paced back and forth across the lounge, fear filling every pore at the thought of eking out days on end here. Stop it, she told herself before the panic spun out of control. Letting emotions get the better of her was not the way to deal with this.
    Perhaps a little positivity would help? After all, easing the stress of rebuilding her life was why she’d signed onto this silly Pollyanna thing. Taking a deep breath, Emma told herself she’d only lost her job yesterday and, given time, the ideal position would appear. Her heartbeat slowed, and relief trickled in as her clear head returned. She’d check the listings again tonight. Right now, though, she needed something else to focus on.
    Frowning, Emma glanced around the bare flat. After spending just a few hours in this space, the white walls and stark furnishings were already starting to seem like a prison.
    Maybe she could take this time to finally do it up? That would fill the spare hours ahead, at least. Emma surveyed the walls. Perhaps a lovely cream to provide some ambiance? But as soon as the thought entered her head, she knew a lifeless shade wouldn’t cut it. No, she wanted something that would leap out and keep her company—a colour to add character to the flat.
    Unbidden, the shade of her childhood room came to mind. She remembered her excitement when her dad had stripped away the babyish pink wallpaper, then sat down with her and combed through the paint catalogue. Smiling, Emma recalled the feeling of potential and freedom—that anything was possible—that the space could be whatever she fancied. In the end, with approval from her father, she’d plumped for a sunny blue he’d customized by painting wispy traces of clouds. Lying on her bed, Emma had felt like she was flying. After the death of her father, she’d slathered the blue with a darker navy, as if by covering the shade she could cover th e gr i ef in side.
    Might be a bit much to paint every surface in the lounge sky blue, she thought now, but even just one wall would lift the starkness. And maybe she could find a matching wallpaper for the other walls, to warm it up? A quick trip to the nearby DIY centre in Kilburn would sort it out. Emma