Lisa laughed. “I’m glad they’re taking good care of you and I’m really happy to hear you’re getting better.”
“What about you? Will you be joining the household soon?” Fergi asked. “You mentioned it briefly before you so suddenly took off to Spain. It will be fun; we can fight over the remote control and break into each other’s rooms. It’s been decades since we did that.”
“And subject myself to your heavy metal music and have you ratting me out every time I do something I shouldn’t?” Lisa said. “As tempting as that sounds, I’ve actually booked another month here.”
“Oh? From your messages, I got the impression the hotel was awful, and that Benidorm was awful.”
“Well, I’ve changed my mind about a lot of things and…” Lisa hesitated.
“And what?”
“I’ve met a woman. It’s not serious or anything, but let’s just say she’s made my stay a whole lot more fun, so I don’t mind being here at all anymore.”
“A woman?” Now it was Fergi’s turn to fall silent. “I didn’t see that one coming. Tell me about her.”
Lisa glanced at Stella, who was going through some paperwork with the bartender. The urge to walk up to her, push her against the bar and kiss her was strong, but of course, she couldn’t do that. Having eye candy while she relived their night was a welcome distraction, but she found herself doing little else than fantasising about Stella lately. “Her name is Stella and she’s Spanish. She’s the poolside manager here and I’m gawking at her as we speak.” She turned her gaze skyward when her brother burst out in laughter.
“Sorry,” he said, clearing his throat. “But that just sounds like the script for a cheap, lesbian porn movie.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Lisa agreed. “She’s seriously hot but that’s only the icing on the cake. Stella is funny and kind and down-to-earth; she’s taking me hiking on Friday.”
“She sounds like the opposite to Sandrine.”
“What do you mean by that?” Lisa twirled a lock of hair around her finger and fought back a grin as she caught Stella looking back at her. “You never mentioned that you didn’t like her.”
“I didn’t want to say anything because she was your girlfriend, but you have to admit that she was a little high-maintenance. Certainly not down-to-earth.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Lisa sighed. “Looking back, I wasted years of my life with Sandrine. She moved on so fast, it’s like none of it meant anything to her.”
“Nothing’s a waste, we learn from our mistakes.”
“Sure. And when did you suddenly become so wise?” Lisa asked with sarcasm dripping through her voice. “I’m used to hearing things like ‘Can I borrow some money?’, ‘Is your friend single?’, or ‘What’s the correct way to eat a banana?’”
Fergi laughed. “Since my accident. And in case you’re wondering; I finally figured out the correct way to peel a banana. You need to peel from the bottom and use the tip as a handle.”
“Glad you’ve got your priorities straight.” Lisa grinned. “When do you think you’ll be able to get back to work?”
“Hopefully in a month or two. I’m aiming to walk to the bakers by the end of this month. As soon as I can do that, I’ll contact HR and tell them I’m ready to be eased back into the office. They’re not expecting me to return until next year, so they’ll be pleasantly surprised. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m actually looking forward to working again.”
“Huh. You always hated your job.”
“Not anymore.” Fergi paused. “How’s the job hunting going?”
“It’s not.”
“Nothing interesting?”
“Lots of interesting jobs, they just don’t want me.” Lisa sighed. “I’m willing to settle for anything now. I can’t stay here forever, and I really don’t want to move back in with Mum and Dad.”
“You’ll figure something out,” Fergi said. “Look at me. The doctors weren’t sure if I would ever walk without a stick again, yet here I am, resting after conquering the driveway. It might have been a short stroll, but I’m walking.”
“That’s fantastic.” Lisa winced. “I shouldn’t be complaining about the job thing. It’s nothing compared to your situation.”
“Not true, everything is relevant.”
“Hmm.” Lisa followed Stella with her eyes as she walked past her. She shot her a subtle wink, and Lisa giggled at the flirtation. “Do you still have your flat?”
“No, I didn’t want to pay rent while I wasn’t living here, so I gave it up but that’s fine. I’ll find another place, maybe outside of London. I’ve had a lot of time to think about what I want, and I’d like to buy something in the countryside, providing the commute to work isn’t too long. It’s time for a real house and maybe even a girlfriend, if I can find someone who’s crazy enough to date me.”
