“It’s our little pick box,” I say, biting my lip and grinning. I suddenly want to pull him down on me, to have him completely. “This is so sweet, Ash. But why does it have a lettuce leaf stuck to the bottom of it?”
“It was in the bin, briefly,” he says, a shy grin on his face.
“Oh, Ash, I’m sorry,” I say, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. “I’ve been such a shit to you.”
“You can save yours and Charlie’s for you guys,” he says. “She’ll be back, Mara.
“I had another idea,” he says, standing up and flicking the kettle on. Then he turns to me. “What about we have a party next weekend? End of summer. Election is tomorrow. You’ll have the results and we can have a wee celebration with your work friends. Thank the boys for the renovations?”
“That’s a great idea,” I say, grinning. I could do that now. Have a party in my house. With Ash. “Next week though?”
“End of August,” he says, his eyes fixed on mine. “I mean, you’re not doing anything on the last Friday, are you?”
I smile. “I suppose I no longer have any plans.” Joe feels like a surreal dream I left behind in Vienna now, and all I want in the whole world is to be right here, in this flat, with Ash by my side. I watch him as he goes through his methodical tea making, dumping bags in the bin and wandering back toward me.
“Are you sure?” Ash says, sliding them onto the coffee table.
“I’m as sure as I can be,” I say, nodding, reaching shyly out to grab his hand in mine.
35
I’m surprised tosee her.
When I open the door she’s standing there, with no Sophie. Her hair is pulled back into a grip, and she’s wearing her glasses instead of contacts. She looks tired. Ash is in the kitchen and stops pouring his coffee when he sees her.
“Charlie?” I say, looking over her shoulder to see if there is a pram on the street, but she’s alone. “Oh my God. How are you?”
“Sophie is with Alex,” she says. “I have tried to call you. I wanted to see you.” She looks behind me to Ash, who has traded his fresh coffee for his wallet and is heading toward the door.
“Sorry to rush off,” he says, smiling at Charlie, then turning to me. “I’ve got to pick something up from work. I’ll leave you two to catch up.”
I smile to let him know all is okay.
“Is that Ash?” Charlie asks, as he disappears off down the street.
“Yes, that’s him,” I say, as lightly as I can.
“Oh, I see,” she says, grinning at me, her eyes dancing. “Looks like he’s settled right in.”
“Come in,” I say, waving her into the lounge.
“I’m sorry I’ve not seen your place yet,” she says, looking around the tiny front room. “It’s so sweet. Gosh, it looks newly done up. So he did it after all?”
“Yes,” I say, spotting the movie pick boxes on the coffee table and cringing. I don’t want her to see them.
“It’s great, Mara,” she says. “I’ll be so pleased to picture you here.”
I stare at her, realizing we haven’t hugged. I go to her now, reaching my arms out. “It’s great to see you, Charlie. What a nice surprise.”
She pulls me in, tight and hard, before pulling back and looking at me with red, sad eyes.
“Can I have some water?” She sniffs. I hurry to fill her up a glass and motion for her to sit.
“What’s going on?” I ask, handing her the drink.
She sighs and then I see her face crack and a couple of tears slowly start to stream down her cheeks.
“I don’t know, Mara. It’s just that you’ve totally disappeared,” she says, rubbing at her eyes.
