‘Moms are people.’
‘Worn-out people. And this is not what I asked you to do. Have you no mercy little sister?’
‘Okay, okay. What d’you want to talk about? What have you been watching on Netflix?’
‘You can do better than that, Noelle. Tell me, what’ve you being doing in your young, free and single life, on this glorious summer’s day?’
‘I’ve been to the library.’
‘Okay. Well. That’s pretty dull.’
‘You asked… At the weekend I began a mission to try and track down a long-lost family friend.’
‘Who? One of ours?’
I laughed at the thought we could ever lose a family friend. They were around at my mom and dad’s house every weekend and all the major birthdays and national holidays in between. I explained to her what had been happening.
‘Isee. So, who exactly is this guy you’re helping out?’ Her voice turned sly.
‘I met him in the UK last Christmas. He’s Beth’s boyfriend’s brother.’
‘Oh right. Is he handsome?’
‘Without a doubt. Think Christian Grey but taller.’ Having so many siblings I’d always found the best way to deal with any of their attempts to tease me was to take away their ammunition. Emotionally, it was hard to always follow through with this tactic, and it was in those instances I resorted to blackmail and threats.
‘Is he also into kinky stuff?’
I went into my bedroom to grab my fan and set it up on my desk. ‘A) I would not know because I have not engaged in any sexual activity with him – nor am I going to – and B) you understand that looking like Christian Grey –a fictional character– does not mean that he is remotely like him personality wise?’
‘You’re such a spoilsport sometimes. If he’s so handsome and not a weirdo-stalker type,whyaren’t you interested in doing the horizontal tango with him?’
‘I’m too busy – I’ve got my book to edit,’ I said, which was half the truth and half a lie. ‘And handsome men are completely overrated. They think the world owes them admiration and coddling or something. I’m tired of going into things thinking I’m just going to have some fun, then they want more but don’t want to givememore. It’s so…it’s such a waste of energy.’ I jammed the plug from my fan into the socket in the wall and switched it on, but I was too overheated to feel anything from its meagre breeze.
‘It’s not always like that. Quinn’s not like that.’
‘No. You and Quinn fit. It’s getting a man who fits me that’s the issue. I’m beginning to think I am a square peg trying to squeeze into a round hole. Maybe I’ll be better off staying single.’ I said it lightly, like I was joking. Not like I was genuinely considering celibacy. There was nothing wrong with consciously choosing to stay single though. Think of the freedom. Think of the extra space in the bed.
‘We’ll see, but since youaren’tbusy dating right now…I was wondering if you’d be able to babysit for us one evening soon? So we could get out. Not for long, neither of us can stay awake past ten anyway.’ She snorted.
I went over to my fridge and opened it to stare at the contents, letting the cool air wash over me.
‘I don’t know. My deadline is looming.’
‘Yet you have time for detective missions?’ Her tone grew sharp, but she took a breath like she knew she was being harsh. ‘Sorry. You could write while she sleeps?’ she added hopefully.
‘I can’t concentrate as well if I’m listening out the whole time. Look, I’m not saying no. Just not right now maybe. And don’t make me feel bad for helping Stephen; the guy lost his mother less than a year ago. He’s trying to fulfil the wishes in her will. That’s a worthy cause, wouldn’t you say?’
‘It is.’ She sighed again. ‘And I can ask Mom to babysit I suppose. I just feel bad. It’s like she’s only just got out of having a little one to look after – for the last twenty years. I can really appreciate why she’s so knackered.’
I could too, and just the thought that Lucy might turn to Mom instead had me feeling guilty. I didn’t think Lucy was being manipulative – it wasn’t really her way. She was just desperate. ‘Look. I’ll see what I can manage.’ I grabbed a cartoon of smoothie out the fridge. ‘I’m coming over the weekend after next for the barbecue. We can arrange it then, yeah?’
‘Thank you. I love you!’
‘Yeah, yeah. I love you too. You totally broke your own rule for this conversation by the way.’
‘I know. It’s pathetic – oh, and there’s the baby.’ There was a thin wail in the background. ‘Guess Iwon’tbe getting forty-five minutes of adult time. I’ll see you at the barbecue okay?’
I said goodbye, then went to check out the Post-it wall of increasing anxiety while I chugged mango smoothie straight from the carton. I wouldn’t be able to dothatif I was cohabiting either.
