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‘That’s really kind but I already feel like she’s done enough.’
‘She gave you one cookie.’ Joe laughs. ‘Where Mum’s from, that’s borderline awful hospitality when you meet a new friend. She won’t be happy until you’ve moved into her house and eaten everything in her fridge.’
I agree and thank him, but I’m not sure he can hear me over the noise of Poppy cooing at how sweet his mum sounds. And when I hang up, she simply says: ‘Too. Cute.’
Chapter 13
Denise, a genuine miracle worker, has got both Lila and Sidney practising their letter writing before tea. She also has a chicken stew bubbling on the hob in Joe’s kitchen, which Lila “cannot wait” to eat, and a freshly baked Victoria sponge awaiting jam and cream. She’s heavenly.
‘Is it odd that I wanted to stay and let your mum feed me, too?’ I ask Joe as we leave his house and head back to school for the parents meeting.
He laughs.
‘I can relate. Mum’s chicken stew is my all-time favourite comfort food, plus it’s cold and dark out. Remind me why we’re going out again?’
‘You know perfectly well,’ I retort.
‘But the mums, Sophie. The mums!’
He bumps my arm with his and I look at him to see him grinning ear to ear.
I respond with my best don’t-be-a-baby face, wrapping my coat around me tighter as we fall into a companionable, contented silence.
‘I hope Lila and I are as close as you and your mum when she’s older,’ I say after a pause, Joe walking briskly alongside me.
‘You will be,’ he replies, quick as a flash. ‘You’re a great mum, Sophie.’
I find myself stopping dead on the pavement. He turns to face me.
‘That’s such a lovely thing to say.’ I sniff.
Joe considers this. ‘Being a parent is mad, isn’t it? You’ve got no clue whether you’re doing it right. I know I’ve only known you for, what, a month? But it’s clear that you and Lila have a very sweet bond.’
‘I feel the same about you and Sid. It’s reassuring, in a way, because I see that children can be happy and live whole, fulfilled lives without the classic set-up of having two parents around.’
‘I agree …’ Joe trails off.
‘I sense there’s a but coming?’
‘You’re right in a sense. Okay – here’s the but … Being an only parent puts a lot of pressure on one set of shoulders and personally, I would like to share that with someone else.’
‘To be fair, Joe, you could have your pick,’ I say after a pause. He only has to arrive at the school gates to send the other mums into a frenzy. Imagine what he’d be like on an actual date?
Joe makes a pained noise. ‘I’m genuinely hopeless at all that. I don’t think I’m very good at getting a read on people. The whole thing is sort of embarrassing to me and I end up hiding behind this wall I put up.’
‘Ah yes, I’ve seen Aloof Joe in action. I’ve got to say I prefer this Joe.’ I briefly press my fingers around his arm. ‘Because Aloof Joe is a terrible wanker.’
‘Jesus.’ He chuckles, pulling a face. ‘At least Aloof Joe doesn’t get spoken to like this!’
‘No. Aloof Joe gets casseroles.’
‘Don’t remind me,’ Joe groans. ‘Anyway, at least I’m not kind of brutal all the time.’
‘I can be a bit blunt. Sorry. It doesn’t mean I don’t like you. I’m actually warming to you every time we hang out, especially when you tell me I’m a good mum. I deal well with positive reinforcement.’
‘Isn’t that what you do with pets?’ Joe says, arching an eyebrow. ‘Like, rewarding your puppy when it doesn’t wee on the carpet?’
I laugh out loud. ‘Works for me!’
