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Paige was out of breath when she ran around the corner and into Lulu.
But then Cleo was stood right in front of her. ‘Stay there. I’ll check if she wants to talk to you.’
‘Cleo, right? Of the Tom Collins fame. You know my gran all but fell in love with you.’
‘It happens.’ Cleo walked off. Paige was grateful as she tried to get her breath back.
‘She’s coming. Follow me.’ Cleo’s expression was non too friendly. In fact, as Paige looked around she saw more than one staff member subtly giving her the stink eye. Trying to ignore them she opened up her phone, got to her notes and started writing some bits and pieces down.
‘Hey,’ Melanie said, and Paige’s face shot up quickly.
‘Hey. Sorry for mithering you at work, I know how busy you are.’ Paige studied Melanie and could see the dark circles under her eyes were back with a vengeance. Paige would bet money that she wasn’t sleeping and hadn’t been eating well either, but still Paige’s heart fluttered wildly in her chest, and she wanted desperately to wrap Melanie up in her arms. Making a decision, she refocused.
‘I just need to ask you a quick question. Well, really, I’d love to sit down and properly talk, but you’re busy and now probably isn’t the right time. But it’s about Saturday. I want to know if it’s still all right for me to come to Alf’s birthday party? I mean I don’t want to make it weird or awkward. If you prefer, I have a gift I can drop with you. But . . . I’d really like to see him. I miss the guy.’
And she did. She missed them all hanging out in her flat watching Disney films. Or reading him books before he went to bed. She’d lost her heart twice over in the last week and this was step one to getting it back. Step two she would begin later tonight.
‘I don’t know . . .’ Melanie began. ‘He has really missed you too.’ Melanie sat down.
Paige held her breath, feeling this was significant.
‘He’s not the only one I’ve been missing,’ Paige said quietly.
Paige watched as Melanie looked around the room. ‘Yes, you can come. Alfie would love to see you. I think you’re practically the guest of honour.’
Paige couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face. ‘I can’t wait.’
‘You’ve clearly never been to a kid’s party before.’ Melanie gave a small smile.
‘What drink do I need to bring? I’m thinking tequila?’
‘I hope you’re not joking, because I’ll be needing it.’
Paige didn’t want to push her luck. ‘OK so I’ll see you Saturday?’
‘Yeah,’ Melanie said. ‘I guess you will.’
Paige got up and out of habit or desperation she wasn’t sure, bent down and gently kissed Melanie’s cheek. Quickly moving away in case that was the wrong thing to do she’d almost made it to the door when Melanie shouted, ‘He’s asked for a piercing for his birthday, by the way.’
Paige was smiling all the way back to Barbarella, thinking about how well it went and revelling in the hope building in her chest. She thought about the things she’d written down and between selling drinks, she wrote them all up in the app.
So when her phone rang, Paige felt more hopeful about her future then she had in a long while, and when she saw it was her mum, she figured now was the time to answer it.
Walking towards the stairs to her flat she braced herself and answered the call.
‘Hi Mum.’ She winced, great start. She proceeded up the stairs.
‘Paige it’s so lovely to hear from you, finally. Anyone would think you were avoiding me.’ Paige didn’t even know where to begin with that one. And she had to bite her tongue down hard to not retaliate, along the lines of reminding her of who had left who. Instead she sat down at the table and moved the conversation on.
‘How can I help you?’ Paige asked, hoping to move it along quite quickly.
‘You sound like you’re in a call centre or something. I just wanted to get in touch and see how you are?’ Yes, Paige had suspected as much. Every five years her mother’s guilt would suddenly kick in and the calls would begin. Unless her mother needed something in which case it would be a little sooner. Paige had contemplated cutting her out of her life altogether. But she knew that would break Connie’s heart. And so instead of the usual antagonistic phone conversation, Paige tried something new.
‘I’m really well. How are you?’
Fiona was clearly surprised at the response. ‘Are you sure you’re OK? Are you drunk or something?’
‘Nope. I’m just fine.’
