‘Don’t be daft,’ Nick said. ‘You’re welcome here any time. Pizza is the least we can do to say thanks.’ He looked towards the two packed cars. ‘Is that everything?’
‘Yep. All my worldly goods are cluttering up your car ready to clutter up your house.’
‘It’s notmycar ormyhouse anymore,’ Nick said. ‘They’reours.’
Elise turned round to mouth at me, ‘He’s so sweet.’
‘I know,’ I mouthed back, grinning.
Half an hour later, the three of us had unloaded the cars and sat down with hard-earned mugs of tea when the doorbell rang followed by the sound of the door opening. ‘Hello? Nick?’
‘Mum! We’re in here.’
Nick’s mum, Sue, poked her head round the door. ‘Great. You’re both here.’ She hugged Nick then me. ‘Congratulations,’ she said. ‘We bought some bubbly to celebrate.’ She handed Nick a bottle.
‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’
‘Congratulations!’ Callie burst into the room and dished out hugs too. ‘Oh, hello,’ she said to Elise. ‘Who are you?’
Elise laughed. ‘I’m Elise.’
‘Sorry,’ I said. ‘Quick intros. Elise and I have been best friends since our first day at primary school. Elise, this is Nick’s sister, Callie, and his mum, Sue.’
‘Champagne?’ Nick asked.
‘Why do you think we brought it?’ Callie said.
Nick disappeared into the kitchen and came back with five wine glasses. ‘Sorry, not posh enough to have champagne flutes.’ He popped the cork like a professional and poured a small glass each.
‘To Nick and Sarah,’ Sue said.
‘Nick and Sarah.’
‘Did you bring the present in, Callie?’ Sue asked.
Callie jumped up off the sofa. ‘It’s in the hall. Just a sec.’
Moments later she reappeared with what looked like a picture wrapped up in brown paper and tied with a turquoise organza bow.
‘Happy housewarming.’ She handed me the package.
‘You shouldn’t have, but thank you.’ I pulled on the ribbon and opened the wrapping to reveal a large black and white framed photo. A young dark-haired boy stood side-on to the camera. He had his arms around a younger girl with dark curly hair and was kissing her on the cheek while she smiled shyly towards the camera.
‘Aw, that’s so cute,’ I said. ‘Look, Nick.’
Nick moved across to the sofa arm to look at the photo. ‘Very cute. Thanks, Mum.’
Callie giggled. ‘Look closer.’
I looked at the photo again. ‘Hang on.’ My jaw dropped. ‘That’s me. Oh my God! Is it? Is that me?’ I put my hand across my mouth. ‘Is that Nick?’
‘Shefinallygets it!’ Callie exclaimed. ‘We thought it looked better in black and white.’
My stomach did a flip. ‘You’ve already met him… a long time ago.’Elise and I exchanged looks.
‘Here’s the rest of the set.’ Sue passed me a few colour photos and I gasped as I took in the images. The first photo showed a young Nick blowing out candles on a cake in the shape of a number six. The next showed him sat on a garden bench eating a piece of birthday cake with a four-year-old me next to him, cake smeared across my face. We were looking at each other, rather than the camera, and laughing. The next one was an inside scene of pass the parcel. There were several children in the photo spread out in a circle but young Nick and I were sat really close together. He was passing the parcel to me and our hands were touching, our eyes locked. The final picture was the framed one.
‘I’ve got goose bumps,’ I whispered holding out my arm to show him. ‘I can’t believe we met… what… twenty-six years ago and we look like we’re together.’ I passed the photos to Elise.
