Very Very Lucky by Amanda Prowse

Author:Amanda Prowse [Prowse, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Published: 2024-01-09T00:00:00+00:00

Emma listened again to Roz’s answerphone message and decided not to leave a third message. It would be enough that her friend would see her missed calls and no doubt Mrs Lineacre, her nosy neighbour, would fill her in on how Emma had banged on the front door to no avail, only for the woman to lean out of her bedroom window to explain how she’d seen Roz ‘. . . jump into a car with a young man wearing very high heels’.

‘Blimey.’ Emma had stared up at her from the pavement. ‘Hope he can drive safely in them.’

The exchange had made her laugh on the way home. First, because it was that or sob at how heartsick she was not to have seen her friend, her beloved friend who was living her end of days . . . what would it be like when she could no longer see her, visit her, call her, because she was gone for ever? And second, it felt good to be slightly sarcastic to Mrs Lineacre, the sticky beak, and also because Thurston was right, it was important not to waste a second of this little life . . . and Roz could certainly never be accused of that.

Arriving home, the kitchen was quiet. Her rather sorry-looking half-sandwich was sitting on top of the microwave. Bruce gave her a dirty look and placed his head on his paws as he curled into his basket.

‘Did I abandon you, Brucie?’ She bent down to smooth his head and rub his back. ‘I love you. Nice big walk tomorrow with me, I promise.’

With her trainers paired and shoved in the cupboard under the stairs, she made her way up to bed. The boys’ rooms were in shadow, and she decided not to risk waking them with a goodnight. Brendan was in bed with the TV on, its blue light filling their room.

‘Did you see Roz?’

‘Nope.’ She kept her tears at bay, just. It didn’t feel good to be going to bed without seeing her mate, the situation unresolved.

‘Is that you, Mum?’ Alex called out.

‘Yes, love, all okay?’ she hollered into the hallway.

‘Yep, night night.’

‘Night, Alex, see you in the morning.’

‘I think he likes to know you’re home,’ her husband whispered.

‘Bless him. How was Reggie?’

‘Same, a little quiet. A little thoughtful. He’ll be okay, Em. Don’t worry.’

With her jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt balled and lobbed into the laundry basket, she delighted in the relief that was removing her bra at the end of a busy day and reached for the pjs that lived under her pillow.

‘Everyone keeps saying that to me, Bren, telling me that things will be okay, but no one can tell me how or when. And no one can help Roz, can they?’ Her heart lurched at this truth.

Pulling back the corner of the duvet, he revealed the white sheet and the space next to him that was hers. She almost fell into the bed, and he pulled her to him, scooping his arm under her body and rolling against her until she lay with her head on his chest.

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