He nods. ‘I can hear you saying bad words as you stab the needle and cotton into the dress you’re working on. I always thought sewing made people calm. Not you, Aunty Emily.’
‘Really?’
An ear-to-ear smile spreads across his little face. ‘You do. I’ve videoed you doing it.’
‘Show me.’
Coming to sit next to me he takes my iPad and brings up a short video clip from tonight. ‘This was you after we’d had tea.’
I sit and stare at myself in the video, sat alone, lips clamped shut, eyes flashing with anger and attacking an innocent, dusty pink evening gown with a needle and cotton. Felix turns up the volume and I can hear myself huffing, puffing… and muttering a few swear words.
Oh, God, I shouldn’t be allowed near a needle and cotton. I look possessed.
He scratches his head. ‘I’d refused to eat my tea again which made you cross but I think it was Facebook which made your face go that weird purple colour.’
I gasp in fright. He’s right. I am so annoyed my face has turned a nice shade of … plum.
‘Felix – I’m so sorry,’ I mutter before pulling him into my arms. ‘This is an eye-opener for me.’
I can hear him sigh. ‘I wasn’t a good boy either, Aunty Emily.’ He looks up at me. ‘Don’t shout but I looked at Facebook too and it made me want to throw things and say stuff which is not very nice.’
Throwing my arms around him I nuzzle my face into his hair and detect my posh coconut shampoo which I have told him a million times not to use. For goodness’ sake – is anything sacred with a nine-year old?
Baxter returns from the bedroom, this time with one of my fluffy slippers, which is almost as big as him. ‘Did you and your mum ever train Baxter?’
Felix shakes his head. ‘Mum took him to one puppy class and the man shouted at Baxter for being naughty, so she left.’
‘Why does that not surprise me?’ I take some deep breaths and tell myself to stay calm. Felix is gazing at the Facebook icon. ‘Social media is bad for both of us, Felix. You’re not old enough to be on there and I should delete it.’
A giggle escapes from his mouth. ‘You’ve deleted Facebook and downloaded it again twenty-eight times this month, Aunty Emily.’
‘Sorry, Felix,’ I say, cursing my lack of self-control with Facebook.
He turns his gaze back to the iPad. ‘Christmas is not the same this year, Aunty Emily.’ We both go silent, and I find myself wishing I could hear Vivi singing downstairs while she lights all her expensive spiced clementine candles. Felix’s finger hovers over the blue Facebook icon sign. ‘You’re also sad because you want to see what Rory is up to.’
‘Rubbish,’ I snap, trying to lie my way out of the situation. I don’t like to admit this, but a lot of the time Felix knows me better than I know myself.
Felix nods, opens Facebook, goes to my ex-boyfriend, Rory’s, Facebook profile and points at the post he’s been tagged in. The post, from Beth Harrison, stares back at me. From her profile picture I can see she’s blonde, likes to wear bubblegum pink lipstick and enjoys laughing at the camera. I don’t want to read the words she’s added but my eyes are already focused on them.Looking forward to my third date with Rory Wilkinson tomorrow afternoon. Feeling festive and romantic xxx
The urge to take my iPad from Felix and browse the ten comments which have appeared on the post since I saw it earlier this afternoon is strong. I wonder what people have been saying about her post. No, I can’t do that. Shoving my hands under my legs I bite down on my tongue.
To my horror I watch Felix open the post. ‘I’ve read the comments, Aunty Emily.’
‘Felix, let’s put the iPad away,’ I say, with gritted teeth. ‘There’s a good boy.’
He carries on. ‘Rory has invited her over to his flat.’
My mind is now busy creating images of my ex-boyfriend happily lighting candles, throwing rose petals over the carpet, and slaving over a hot oven to rustle up some mouth-watering food. ‘Felix, I don’t want to listen to this.’ Hang on – how does Felix know this. ‘How do you know she’s going over to his flat?’
Felix points to the one of the comments. ‘One of her friends has asked her what they’re doing on date three.’
‘I don’t think it’s healthy for either of us to be checking up on Rory’s Facebook posts.’
Felix nods while staring at Rory’s Facebook page and I try to extinguish the ball of anger, frustration and sadness which is travelling up my spine.
CHAPTER2
EMILY
