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‘Do you know what it is?’
‘No, but we’re going for a walk tomorrow. That might help.’
They’re out again tomorrow? I swallow my irritation and make a light joke. ‘What are you guys doing next weekend?’ I chuckle.
‘We’re going to this Lebanese place he discovered and I’m going to show him some of the places in Shoreditch and Hackney that Seth took me. On Sunday, we’re going to a lunchtime concert. We’re doing stuff together to try to become friends again.’
For someone I genuinely believe is smarter than most of the general population, Ariella is as thick as bricks when it comes to Jasper. I listen as she excitedly tells me about her and Jasper’s plans. From one dinner, he has just sewn up every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, three weekends in a row; and she thinks all of this a good idea. Lara was right. I had no idea what I was up against.
‘Why are you asking about next weekend?’
‘Next Saturday, Em’s having a dinner party. Jack and Lou will be there. You’re invited. Lou has been working on whatever’s wrong with her and she needs to own up, ask forgiveness and be reassured that she has our support as she continues to heal and so on…I’ll let Em know you have plans, and she’ll reschedule.’
‘I’ll come. I’d like to support Louisa and Jack. I’ll move things with Jas when I see him tomorrow. I’m seeing him on Friday and Sunday anyway, so he’ll be fine.’
I didn’t expect it to be this easy. Now all I have to do is tell Em that she has to find a way to kick her kids out, get Lou and Jack over, and throw a dinner party on Saturday night.
TWENTY-NINE
ARIELLA
I think I am finally finding some equilibrium. Since Caleb’s intervention, I’m attending my 6a.m. yoga class every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It’s making a difference. I feel centred and happy. I’ve inherited an Arctic Circle project everyone in my team was hesitant to touch; but I’m hungry for the challenge as Zambia is ticking along nicely and all it requires is regular check-ins. Save for any fires that erupt, we are three weeks ahead of schedule.
Rebuilding my friendship with Jasper has also helped. He convinced me to change my weekend patterns, which made sense. When we were together, I spent most of my weekends at home; now that we are apart, he suggested that I should be doing stuff with my weekends, so we put some activities in to get me started.
So far, they have been fun. Togetherness with him is so easy, we’ve had to adopt a no-kissing rule so that we don’t blur the lines. We do, however, spend most of the time holding hands, and there is lots of hugging. I’ve missed his hugs.
Even Caleb, since our chat on Saturday, has been quietly neutral. We’ve returned to being comfortable around each other, and day-to-day life is back to being easy this week. We have restarted ourWiremarathon and it’s good to have my friend back there as well. I know he doesn’t like Jasper, but he has been free of judgement and a good listener. Which is much more than I can say for Lara.
‘The route to getting over Jasper isn’t handing over all your free time. You do realise he has managed to monopolise all your weekends, and you’ve gleefully consented to this?’
Lara is in a foul mood as she moves salad leaves around on her plate. She has imposed a diet on herself and has grumbled all week. It’s day three and it is only getting worse.
‘Lara, why are you on a diet? Your body is amazing. You’re not going to sustain eating salad three times a day, and it’s making you really grumpy.’
‘I know I’m gorgeous, but I can’t fit into my favourite skirt! It cost an arm and a leg, and I have at least two million more wears left.’
‘But you’re miserable. I’m considering force-feeding you pasta to make you happy!’
‘Nope. Must be done. Besides, you wouldn’t understand. You’re toned and glowing. Are you secretly still playing with Caleb’s magic stick?’ She waves her fork accusingly at me. I burst out laughing.
‘No. I’m back at yoga. You should come.’
‘Sweaty people in a hot, still room, shoving their bums in the air, trying not to fart? No thanks! Is it helping with your foot?’
‘Sadly not. It still hurts. You should come to yoga, though.’
‘I’d rather have salad for the foreseeable future.’
‘Caleb came, and he was fine.’
‘Still pretending to be supportive, is he?’
‘He’s not pretending. He’s trying not to be so hard on Jasper.’
‘Have you asked yourself why Caleb’s being so nice?’
‘We’re friends.’
