Finn's Business.pdf

Streamline Graded Readers

Level 3

Finn's Business

Stephen Rabley

Series Editors:

Bernard Hartley and Peter Viney

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Oxford University Press

Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6DP

OXFORD and OXFORD ENGLISH are trade marks

of Oxford University Press

ISBN 0 19 421910 0

First published 1988

Fourth impression 1994

'Surprise!'

Finn McGill couldn't believe it. Her office was full of people

- completely full. Everyone at the London Fashion Company

was there. For a second she just looked at them.

'How did ...?' she began. 'I mean, I only went out for five

minutes. I wanted to get a sandwich!'

Everyone laughed, then Finn's boss, Diana Matheson,

walked towards her. She was holding some flowers.

'Fiannola,' she said. 'We just wanted to say "congratulations"

on your new job in Paris. We'll miss you, of course, but it's

really good news.' Finn looked at her boss and smiled.

Illustrated by: Liz Roberts

Printed in Hong Kong

'You're twenty-one and already you're one of the best young

fashion designers in Britain,' Diana continued. 'Soon, you'll

be one of the best in Europe - I'm sure of it. Good luck, and

don't forget. Come back and see us.'

'Oh Diana, please,' said Finn. 'I'm going to cry.'

Again everyone laughed. 'It's OK,' said Diana. 'I've

finished.' She gave Finn the flowers, then turned around.

'Well, what are we all waiting for?' she asked. 'Let's begin the

party.'

An hour later Finn quietly left the room. She went upstairs

to Diana's room and stood at the window. Below her, cars and

people filled the busy streets of Covent Garden. It was a hot

July day. A man was playing a guitar outside a restaurant.

Finn began to feel sad.

'Am I doing the right thing?' she thought. 'I don't speak

French. I've got no friends in Paris. Am I just leaving London

because of Jamie?' Then suddenly Finn saw her own face in the

window and smiled. 'Come on,' she said quietly to herself.

'Don't worry. You're only sad because it's your last day here.

Paris will be wonderful. The new job will be wonderful, too.

And Jamie? Well, you love him, but he doesn't love you —

that's all. It happens to people all the time. No ... you're not

running away. You're just beginning a new job in a new

country. What's wrong with that? Now, go back to the party

and enjoy yourself.'

She turned away from the window. Just then the door

opened. It was Jamie Miller, one of the other designers at the

London Fashion Company. 'Oh, here you are,' he said.

'There's a phone call for you. Diana asked me to find you.' He

began to leave, and then turned. 'Are you OK, Finn? You look

Then Jamie said, 'I'll see you downstairs in a minute, OK?'

He left and Finn looked at the floor for a second. Then she

picked up the phone on Diana's desk. 'Hello, this is Finn

McGill. Is there a call for me? Yes, I'll wait.' She moved to the

window again and looked out. The man was still playing his

guitar outside the restaurant. Suddenly she heard her father's

voice.

'Fiannola, is that you?'

'Dad, what a lovely surprise!' said Finn. 'How's everything

at home in Belfast?'

For a second there was no reply, then:

'I'm afraid there's bad news, Finn. It's your mother. They

took her to hospital this morning. She's had a heart attack.'

'Oh Dad,' said Finn quietly. 'How bad is it? Is she going to

'I don't know,' replied her father's voice. Then he said, 'Can

you ... can you come home? She's asking for you.'

'Of course,' said Finn. 'I'll catch the first plane. And don't

worry, Dad. Everything will be all right - I'm sure of it.

Everything will be just fine.'

The next morning Finn and her father left the hospital in

Belfast together. 'Thanks for coming home so quickly,' said

John McGill. He was a tall man with thin brown hair and a

tired face. Finn didn't reply, but held his arm tightly.

At the car she stopped and looked around her. 'I think I'd

like to walk home,' she said. 'I haven't seen the old place for a

long time. Is that OK with you?'

'Of course,' her father answered. 'I'll see you later, back at

the house.'

Finn watched her father's car. When it disappeared, she

began to walk home through the streets of Belfast. At first she

thought about her mother. Was she going to live? The doctors

said 'She's doing well.' Was that true or not? Then she thought

about her father. He was the head-teacher of a big school, and

'I'm fine,' replied Finn with a bright smile. 'I just needed a

few minutes alone, that's all.'

Jamie laughed. 'I understand. Surprise parties aren't always

easy, are they?'

'No, not always,' replied Finn. They smiled at each other.

usually he was in complete control of everything. But today he

looked different — frightened and suddenly so much older.

After half an hour Finn was in the centre of the city. Then

she remembered the Blue Moon cafe. 'It's just around the

corner from here,' she thought. 'Maybe I'll stop and have a

quick cup of coffee.'

There were lots of people in the small, warm cafe. At first

Finn couldn't find a seat, but then she saw one by the window.

She sat down, ordered a cup of coffee and looked around her.

Everything was the same - the pictures on the wall, the old

wooden tables, the ...

'Fiannola McGill! Is it really you?'

Finn looked up. A young woman in jeans and a red T-shirt

was standing next to her. She had a baby in her arms. 'Mary

Killane!' Finn replied. 'I don't believe it. I haven't seen you for

. . . six years! Not since we left school.'

The two women looked at each other for a moment. Then

they both began to laugh. Just then someone left and Mary sat

down. 'Finn, you look great,' she said. 'You look very ... oh,

I don't know ... very London? Again they both laughed.

'Well, you look great, too,' said Finn. 'Both of you.' She

smiled at the baby. 'Oh Mary, it's really good to see you.'

For nearly an hour the old school friends talked about their

lives. First Mary described her job in a bookshop, her husband

and her house in west Belfast. Then Finn talked about her

parents, her work as a fashion designer and her new job in

Paris.

'Paris!' said Mary. That's fantastic. Oh Finn, you're so

lucky. When do you start?'

'In three weeks,' replied Finn quietly.

Mary looked surprised. 'You don't look very happy about

it,' she said.

Finn slowly turned the coffee cup she was holding in her

hands. 'Well, I'm not really. You see, Mary, I've always

wanted to have my own business ... to work for myself.'

'And won't you be able to do that in Paris?'

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