‘Whatever. Shoes are shoes.’
‘Wash your mouth out.’
‘Do you see my point?’
‘I guess so. Although I still maintain I both wantedandneeded those shoes.’
‘Of course you did. Because you only own two hundred pairs already.’ I twiddled with my ponytail. ‘There’s one other reason why I want to meet The One. As it says on the plan, I don’t want to end up like my Uncle Alan.’ What killed me about his death was that the autopsy revealed a massive hypo three days before I found him. Three days. Poor man. I tried not to think about how long he’d been on the floor, knowing he was dying, before taking his final breath. All alone. What a horrific way to go.
‘It’s tragic about your uncle. And I genuinely do get why that would?—’
Ding dong.
Clare and I looked at each other.
‘You expecting someone?’ she asked.
I shook my head and scrambled to my feet.
‘If it’s Mr Right, tell him his timing’s impeccable.’
I flung open the door to find Elise on the doorstep a day ahead of schedule.
5
‘I hope that’s a surprised face and not a disappointed one,’ Elise said.
‘Of course it is. Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you till tomorrow.’ I hugged her. ‘I thought you had some family thing.’
‘I did, but Gary didn’t like the idea of me driving both ways in one day so he insisted I give it a miss. I thought I’d surprise you and help you pack. I hope that’s okay.’
‘Of course it is.’ I bit my lip. ‘But I’d better warn you that?—’
‘Hello Elise. How are you?’
—that Clare is here. Oh crap.
‘Clare? What a delight. I’m good, thanks. You?’
‘Couldn’t be better,’ Clare said. ‘No hubby today? I thought you two were welded together.’
‘We have our own lives too, you know. That’s what makes a relationship successful. Oh, but you wouldn’t know, would you?’
‘Elise!’ That was so unlike her. Somehow Clare always managed to bring out a nasty streak in Elise that I’d never seen surface with me or anyone else.
‘Doesn’t bother me,’ Clare said. ‘I’d rather have a hundred one-night-stands than get hitched at eighteen to the only man I’ve ever kissed.’
‘Well, it bothers me.’ I held a hand up at each of them. ‘You’vehad your childish fun and now you can play nicely. Or you can leave.’
‘But—’ started Clare.
‘But nothing. You can either apologise and be civil to each other in which case you can both stay. Or you can both leave now. Which is it to be?’
‘Sorry, Sarah,’ Elise said. ‘I got lost and I’m a bit stressed.’
‘Apology welcome, but it’s Clare you need to say sorry to.’
Elise stiffened as she turned towards Clare. ‘I’m sorry, Clare. What I said about your lack of relationships was unnecessary.’
