Flick looked at Lisa, unsure if she was up to sitting down amid their family and eating. How did you follow a conversation like that? There seemed no right way to proceed.
Lisa thought for a moment. She didn’t want to be alone. Being at Flick’s with the noise of Pete and thechildren in the kitchen, she felt less lonely than she had for a long time. ‘That would be… lovely… thanks.’ She sniffed and wiped her blotchy face.
Felicity leaned over and passed her a glass of wine. ‘Here, get some of this inside you, and then why don’t you pop upstairs and help yourself to whatever you need to get sorted.’
‘Thanks, I’ll try to make myself look human again.’Lisa’s voice was still shaky and she realised her nose was running and wiped it.
‘Bloody hell, don’t push it; there’s only five minutes before dinner.’
Lisa hit out at Flick.
With red eyes and tear-stained faces, they hugged.
As she went upstairs, avoiding the toys stacked to the side of the first three steps, Lisa looked at the pictures on the wall. Each showeda snapshot of Flick’s life since she had not been a part of it. There were photographs of days out, holidays, the children all so much younger, and Flick and Pete getting married – the two of them looking so young. Flick looked stunning on her wedding day and Pete looked thoroughly besotted with her.
Almost at the top of the stairs, Lisa paused; the pictures that had been too far up thewall for her to notice on her way in stopping her in her tracks. Photographs of Felicity with her mum took her back.I can’t believe you’ve gone, MrsF!Felicity’s mum had always been kind to Lisa, despite the fact that some of the antics she and Flick got up to must have tested her patience. Lisa remembered how she made the best chips – real ones, made in a deep-fat fryer – while her own mumhad insisted oven chips were healthier and less smelly.Real chips and a runny egg, please MrsF!Lisa could almost taste them.
Spotting a picture of herself with Flick bought a lump to her throat and caused tears to well in her already-stinging eyes. They must have been about sixteen; dressed to impress, arms linked round each other, pulling faces. Lisa remembered Flick’s mum standingbehind the camera, trying to take a sensible shot while they were being too silly to comply. The fact that Felicity had kept the picture, had it hanging on her wall along with her family photographs, made a sob escape her. Feeling how grateful she was for Felicity’s friendship she wiped away a tear.Only a true friend can turn sad tears to happy tears.
