A WAG Abroad by Alison Kervin

Author:Alison Kervin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2008-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Thursday 12 June (9 days to go!!!)

‘My bandages come off at lunchtime and I’ll look lovely. You won’t recognize me!’ I tell Jamie.

We’re at a small wooden coffee shop tucked away in the Hollywood Hills, roughly half-way between my house and the Raiders clubhouse. We’re here because we’ve called a meeting to work out what to do about the situation with my father.

‘Your dad is lovely,’ says Jamie. ‘I really like him – I think he’s a thoroughly decent person. I’m so relieved.’

‘Yes, he’s nice, isn’t he?’ I say, feeling all tingly inside.

‘I was quite worried in some ways,’ confesses Jamie. ‘I mean, if he’d been horrible I think I’d have ended up belting him because no one’s going to upset you or use you, or make you miserable again. Not if I can help it.’

‘Thank you,’ I say, touched. ‘That means a lot.’

‘Nancy’n’Nell,’ he says, with a raise of his glass, and we drink and we smile. Then I remember.

‘But I can’t play tennis.’

‘No, and I can’t pretend to be Dean for much longer either, but I think we’re going to have to just this once, then the next time we’d better front up and tell him the truth. I’m sure he’ll see the funny side of it.’

‘Yeah, I guess,’ I say, unsure. It feels wrong to pretend another man is my husband. Like I’m being unfaithful or something.

He smiles, and we both look out at the long trucks pulling up on the forecourt as the drivers come in for huge American breakfasts.

‘Do you want anything to eat?’ he asks, seeing a waitress walk by with plates of pancakes and waffles.

‘No, silly,’ I shudder. There must be enough calories in that lot to feed an army. ‘I’d better head off in a minute. I promised Simon I’d go down to the club.’

‘OK, sweetheart. You’re very special, you know.’ Jamie reaches over and holds my hand so delicately I feel like crying. ‘And you have such beautiful hands. Do you mind if I photograph them – for my portfolio? Say if you do. I’m just trying to build it up, and add to it whenever I see something truly beautiful.’

‘I’d be honoured,’ I say. ‘Then when you’re a world-famous photographer my hands will be talked about all over the world.’

Jamie snaps away, holding my fingers gently as he moves them across the table, catching light and avoiding shadows.

I look down at my bright pink six-inch talons and I have to agree with him. The eye-watering contrast between the flame-orange of my skin and the pinky-purple acrylic nail can only be accurately summed up by the word ‘beautiful’.

‘Thanks,’ he says. ‘I just figure that if I take a few every day I’ll soon have a portfolio to be proud of.’

1.30 p.m.

‘What do I look like?’ I say to Dr Johns. I’m so excited, I can hardly breathe.

‘Well, it’s still a bit red, and will be sore for a couple of days, but it’ll be fine. It’s worked well. I think you’ll be very pleased.

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