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‘You make the tea and I’ll be right out.’ Connie all but ran to the spare room, and Paige grimaced. Were other people’s relationships with their gran like this? She doubted it. But she also wouldn’t change it for the world. Her gran was unfiltered, a rare gift, and always made Paige feel better about herself. She was the reason Paige had always felt confident, sure of herself and usually confident in her actions.
Until now. And that was the crux of what was going on, she realised. She felt unmoored, lost and it was battering her confidence. Her phone pinged and she looked at it, seeing a strange notification. Realising that it was from the to-do list app Melanie had added her to, she visited the app.
Notification: Louisa has completed task, ‘Talk to energy supplier re tariff’ and has added a note, click here to read it.
Paige did as it suggested.
Note: Hey Mel, spoken to the supplier they’re going to change our tariff.
Why was she seeing all this? It was fascinating. She watched as another to-do action was added.
Action: Set annual reminder to get tariff checked over — Louisa.
Paige spent the next few minutes scrolling around the app, careful not to add or disrupt anything. She saw the tab for the bar, the tab labelled Alfie and the tab labelled art project. Clicking on the last one, she saw a whole host of actions in there. Paige selected two that she could action pretty quickly. One was to put a date in with Councillor Houghton for pertinent updates, and the other was to pick up the flyers and posters, again that needed Councillor Houghton. Scrolling to her contact she called the man in question, who picked up straight away, and then promptly passed her to his PA. After looking in the scheduling part of the app, she found a time that they could both meet with Councillor Houghton, and Paige also agreed a time that she could pick up the flyers.
Then she went back to the app but hesitated before updating it.
Did she need to apologise first for being flirty in the text messages? She had laughed so hard when she’d overheard the conversation. Had she made Melanie feel awkward? Paige rarely had cause to apologise but if felt like she constantly did with Melanie. But then Paige realised that what Melanie would appreciate the most was the help. And so, she updated the app. First by ticking off the boxes next to the actions and adding a note in both.
Note: Agreed a date for us both to meet with Councillor Houghton later this week. I’ve added it below. Let me know if that doesn’t work and I’ll change — Paige.
And in the next action she added, Note: I’ve arranged to pick up the flyers and posters so consider this one done — Paige.
Paige went back to the messages between her and Melanie. Scrolling up she read through the last few. Melanie had flirted with her first, hadn’t she?
A slight buzz in her hand and there was a new message arrow. She scrolled down.
Melanie: You’re ticking all the right boxes x
Paige grinned, pleased she’d figured out the key to Melanie’s good graces, and maybe even to her flirtation.
Her phone buzzed again.
Melanie: I meant that in a light teasing way, not in a bossy well done for picking up the right actions on the list type of way.
A facepalm emoji followed.
Melanie: I’m really not bossy I was just trying to — I don’t know.
Three dots appeared over and over, disappearing each time as if suggesting Melanie was writing and deleting message after message.
Connie appeared over her shoulder, making her jump.
‘Jesus, Gran.’
‘I was talking to you, but you were transfixed. Aww, I do love that Melanie, she’s the sweetest. Even if she can’t flirt for toffee. I’ll have to teach her.’
‘Wait what, why were you reading that? What do you mean flirting? Do you really think she’s trying to flirt?’ And why did Paige so desperately want the answer to be yes?
‘No doubt she’s trying to flirt. I say go for it. Try flirting back and see what happens.’
And then Paige had a complete mind blank.
She typed out, You’re ticking my boxes too. Connie groaned as if in pain, and Paige realised she was still reading over her shoulder.
‘Good Lord what is wrong with you two? You can’t send her that. Here, look at this, just ignore the pictures.’ Connie held up her phone to Paige’s face.
‘What do you mean ignore the . . . no Gran, why are you showing me that?’
