‘I’m going to think some more about getting a dog. This nice lady here has just enlightened me. I didn’t realise how hard and challenging a little dog could be.’
Jade casts me a filthy look. I can hear Felix whisper to her, ‘Ignore my Aunty Emily, she’s angry about Rory.’
‘Who’s Rory?’ Jade whispers back as I glare at Felix.
Before I have time to catch what Felix says to Jade, the woman taps me on the arm. ‘Are you going anywhere nice today?’
‘Taking my nephew to London for the day. What are you doing?’
Chuckling she turns to me. ‘I’m going to ask my boyfriend, Sidney, to marry me.
I can feel my own smile stretching across my face. ‘Wow!’
Calming down her excitable golden hoops with her fingers she giggles. ‘Sidney has no idea. He is a doctor in accident and emergency. He’ll be working for most of Christmas Day so I will have to propose before he goes to work.’
I watch her lean back into the seat and a goofy happy expression takes over her face.
‘That’s so romantic,’ I find myself gushing.
‘It will be if Sidney says yes,’ she says, with an unforgettable hearty laugh. ‘I have decided to take matters into my own hands. We have a fantastic relationship; we love each other, and I fancy a big wedding.’
I can hear Felix whispering to Jade. ‘Do you like Sidney?’
She replies, ‘He’s cool, he comes to see me play football a lot.’ With a quick glance in my direction, she turns back to Felix. ‘Will she get back with Rory?’
I desperately try to hear what Felix is whispering to Jade but the woman taps me on the arm again. ‘Have you got anyone special in your life?’
Shaking my head, I try to ignore Rory’s face which has appeared in my mind. ‘I did but we split up earlier this year.’
Jade and Felix are giggling to each other. Felix is showing her something on my iPad.
The woman taps me again and points at Jade and Felix. ‘Those two have only just met and they look thick as thieves.’
A sense of unease creeps over me. Jade is peering at what Felix is typing into my iPad. She sneaks a look in my direction, and I grip onto the train armrest.
‘Aunty Emily, I need the loo,’ says Felix, holding the iPad against his chest. ‘And so does Jade.’
I watch them both get up and walk down the carriage towards the toilets. Why must they take Baxter and my iPad with them? After opening my mouth and raising my hand in a bid to stop them I catch sight of Felix flashing Jade the iPad screen as they get near the carriage door. They both giggle and I put down my hand. Felix deserves some happiness and if that means playing games on my Ipad then so be it.
CHAPTER11
FELIX
Felix, Jade, and Baxter enter the train toilet and lock the door behind them. He brings out his mum’s old mobile phone and hands Aunty Emily’s iPad to Jade. Holding up the phone he starts to record. ‘Mummy, I’m in the train toilet. Meet my new friend, Jade.’ He thrusts the phone screen at Jade.
‘Umm… hello Felix’s mum.’ Jade goes back to watching Baxter sit up in her arms. Felix notices how her smile grows wider every time Baxter looks up at her. ‘Felix – can I keep your dog?’
Jade waves Aunty Emily’s ipad at him. ‘Send the message now. Go on do it.’
He wipes his runny nose with the back of his hand. ‘Aunty Emily is going to shout but I know she loves Rory and once they are back together, they can adopt me.’
Jade lets out a sigh. ‘This is so romantic, Felix. You are going to bring them back together and then you will all live a H-E-A.’
Felix puts the phone on the side and lets it record. Jade stands in front of it holding Baxter. He takes the iPad from Jade. ‘What does that mean, H-E-A?’
‘Happily Ever After. My mum reads a lot of romance books, and she cries a lot while reading them. She says it’s all about the H-E-A.’
Scratching his nose Felix frowns at Jade. ‘My friend Sai has a mum who watches sad films a lot. He says she cries too.’
