Title: Shaking The Dust Off
Fandom: Spooks (MI5)
Rating: G
Length: 554 words
Summary: Pamela has a problem with more than just the dust

Pamela finished dusting all the ornaments in her lounge and sat down gratefully. It was surprising how quickly the dust gathered and how tedious it was to carefully work her way along the sideboard and the top of the bookshelf. Of course it was her fault for not keeping up with it.

She pulled a face as she remembered how Deidre had run her finger along the front of the bookshelf and tutted, before saying, “You really ought to find yourself a cleaner again.”

But she didn’t want a cleaner. It would be far simpler to get rid of half the ornaments anyway, which was something she would have to do wherever she moved to. Maybe it was time to start filling boxes with items to donate to the charity shop. Only that would mean asking someone to help her take them and no doubt, Ronald, Deidre’s husband, would offer to help, but did she want them involved?

She’d think about it over a cup of coffee.

She’d just sat down with her coffee and opened her library book when her phone rang.

“Hello!” she said.

“Pamela, it’s Carol,” the voice at the other end said. “Just phoning to make sure you’re all right.”

“Yes, thank you, I’m perfectly well.”

“Only we didn’t see you at church yesterday.”

“I was there.”

“What, at the 9 o’clock?”

“No, I went to the 10.30.”

“But surely you knew. Didn’t you get my message?”

“I did, thank you.”

“So why didn’t you come to the earlier service?”

“I fancied a change.”

“Well, really!” With that, Carol rang off.

“And I don’t like the 9 o’clock, with its dusty old hymn books and dusty old hymns,” Pamela said to herself, standing up. She walked over to the sideboard, picked up a china dog and threw it on the floor, where it smashed into pieces.

“Oh!” She sat back down, her heart pounding. Hurriedly, she picked up her phone again and called a different number.

“Hello!”

“Lucas, it’s Pamela.”

“Are you okay?”

“Well, yes, I think so. I know you’re at work, but can you spare me a minute?”

“Of course. Do you need me to come over?”

“No, it’s okay, I can deal with it. I’ve just broken an ornament.”

“Was it something you treasured?”

“No, not at all. I can’t even remember where it came from. The thing is I deliberately threw it on the floor and smashed it.” Then, as Lucas laughed, she added, “I must sound very silly.”

“Certainly not. First things first, you’re not injured, and you can manage to sweep it up?”

“No and yes.”

“I assume you were provoked.”

“I was.”

“A perfectly reasonable reaction then. May I ask what you plan to do now?”

“Sweep the bits up, finish my coffee and then maybe read my library book. And this afternoon,” she paused to think, “I’m going to look at soft furnishings for my new apartment wherever that may be.”

“Sounds like an excellent plan. Is there anything else?”

“No, I won’t keep you from your work. I’ll give Adam a ring this evening.”

“Right, well, take care till then!”

It was indeed an excellent plan, Pamela thought. And it looked more and more as if she would be moving away and sweeping the dust off her feet as she left.