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‘Is work going well?’ she asked with more than a little trepidation in her voice.
‘Yes, what about you?’
‘Yes, fine. I’ve erm, got a new doctor and some new medication. But what’s new with you?’
‘Listen Mum you don’t have to do this call thing if you don’t want to. I know we both have separate lives and that’s fine. I genuinely hope yours is going well.’
There was a big sigh and a pause. ‘You sound different Paige. Is this Mum’s influence?’
‘Probably.’ Paige smiled, it was all the amazing people in her life actually. She wanted for nothing when it came to love and affection. She had more than most. And with that realisation a weight she hadn’t realised she’d been holding onto lifted.
‘I do love you, Paige.’ Fiona sighed again. ‘It’s just never easy between us, is it? But I’d really like to keep trying. Maybe I could try and call more often. Maybe even one day I’ll come over and we could grab a coffee?’
Was that it? Her mum wasn’t after anything? A favour? Some money? Paige was cautious.
‘You can ring, I’ll try and answer when I can.’ Coffee was a long way away, but Paige didn’t say that.
‘I’m always rooting for you.’
‘Thanks, Mum.’
‘OK, well, give Mum my love. Take care. If you ever wanted to ring me you know I’d really like that.’
That was new.
‘I’m running my own business so it’s not always that easy.’
‘Oh, I know. Mum won’t stop going on about how brilliantly you’re doing.’
‘I’ll try.’
‘Bye, Paige.’
‘Bye, Mum.’
Putting down the phone, Paige felt her eyes water. It was the nicest conversation they had possibly ever had. Connie appeared at the kitchen table, brew in hand as she passed it over to Paige.
‘You heard that huh?’ Paige asked.
‘You did good, Book.’ Connie nodded.
‘It’s always going to be hard with her though, isn’t it? I’m always going to have to be the one that bends.’
‘Your mum clearly has her own stuff going on that she’s working through. So, it might get a little easier, but yes, it’s never going to be straightforward. And I’m so sorry for that.’
Paige stood up and wrapped her arms around Connie. ‘It’s not your fault, Gran. Parenting clearly isn’t for everyone. And I never lacked, I always had you.’
Connie crushed her a little harder. ‘I love you, Book. And you turned out pretty amazing thanks to me. Drink your tea. Then you need to head off. Aren’t you supposed to be doing something?’
‘Shit!’ Paige shouted, and Connie chuckled.
Paige ran out of the bar as quick as she could, back to the wall to share her new plan with Mya and Sophie.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Melanie
Friday was the day things finally started looking up. Melanie took a seat opposite a woman she now knew quite well, except she had turquoise hair today. She didn’t say anything as Melanie sat down, but that was fine, Louisa was due any minute, and Melanie was more than happy to wait in the tense atmosphere. And it was tense. Even the bar, filled with people on a Friday afternoon, seemed somehow quieter. The background music softer. The lights laser-focused on this table at this moment.
