‘Please, I’m eating.’
‘You started it.’
‘You never know with castings, it all depends on who else went for it,’ said Josie.
‘Come on, give me your glass, Cass. I’ve been on fizzy water in sympathy with preggers here. Let’s have a toast just in case you get the part.’
The three of them toasted everything that had happened, hadn’t happened and might yet happen, if they were lucky. Cassie felt a pang of melancholy that here was one of those rare snapshot moments when everything comes together on a silly, random night.
Pal was all in for a quick game of Scrabble, when Cassie felt tiredness wash over her, as though her battery had just died.
‘It’s only a quarter past nine but I’m done.’
‘Thank God I’m finally not the only one saying that,’ said Josie.
Between them they made up the sofa bed in the spare room and she flopped down, every fibre of her body collapsing with relief and exhaustion.What a day, her mind began, but something bigger, darker, warmer enveloped her and that was the last thing she remembered.
* * *
‘Smashed avocado on toast with crispy bacon and possibly a sausage?’
Pal’s narrow face appeared around the door above an apron with a Tarzan body printed on it. It took her a moment of bewilderment before she remembered where she was.
‘Oooh, yeah, great, just give me a minute.’
She did love that about Pal, his Labrador-like enthusiasm and excellent cooking skills. His head disappeared and as she sat up in bed, her head swam. Oh God no, she wasn’t going to be sick, was she? Dangling her feet on the side of the bed for a few minutes, the wobble steadied. She shuffled into the kitchen to be met by Josie in her oversized T-shirt and leggings and could see from the back that Pal was naked under the apron, apart from boxer shorts, a concession to having a guest.
‘Wow, Pal, you covered your bum, I’m honoured. Somebody really important must be visiting.’
He grinned at her and, without asking, filled a mug of coffee and pushed it towards her. Her stomach heaved.
‘I’m sorry, I don’t think I’m going to be able to manage this. By the way, did we get royally rat-arsed last night?’
‘No, sweetie, it must be yesterday catching up with you, that’s all,’ said Josie.
‘Oh well, all the more for me,’ declared Pal, piling up a plate.
Cassie wasn’t sure exactly what she felt like eating and wandered over to the fridge for a mooch. It was only after she sat down that she noticed the look on Josie’s face.
‘Cassie .?.?.’
Only then did she register what she was holding: a strawberry Actimel. Their eyes met.
‘Are you late?’
‘No. I’m only due this .?.?. No, wait, it must’ve been .?.?. last weekend. Oh shit.’
‘Pal, babe, as soon as you’ve got through that lot, we’re going to need you to do a run .?.?. to the pharmacy.’
* * *
‘Is it showing yet?’ shouted Josie through the bathroom door. Cassie was sitting on the loo, leaning forward on her elbows and staring at the white plastic stick in her hand.
‘Yes.’
‘Great, well open the door, then.’
‘No, I mean it’s ayes.’
