JESS
‘You don’t have to leave, Mum. It’d be nice to have the company.’
‘It will give you a chance to get ready for your date with us out of the way,’ said Carol, standing by the door.
Jess’s stomach had been turning over with nerves from the second she woke up, anticipating her evening with Declan. And she wanted company to stop her spiralling. What if things didn’t work out between them? It was one thing being friends and stopping for a chat on the shared landing, but a proper date. It would be awkward if things did not go well, with living so close to each other. She reminded herself then of how she felt when he stood close to her.
Her mum was taking Maisie and Libby to the cinema on South Road to watch the latest Pixar movie, before dropping Libby off home. She had board games for her and Maisie to play this evening, including Hungry Hippos that Maisie adored playing. Carol couldn’t wait to spend time alone with her granddaughter, and was trying not to think of the journey home, and the inevitable conversation that would follow.
‘Thanks, Mum. I’ll probably spend the whole time stressing over what I should wear,’ said Jess, desperate to look just right.
‘You’ll look gorgeous whatever you choose,’ Carol replied with a wink. ‘Right, let’s go.’ She ushered the excited girls out of the front door.
Jess could not remember the last time she had been on a date, even with Maisie’s father. They had been part of a group of friends who hung around the local haunts, and things progressed quickly to cosy nights in, often just the two of them in his flat, eating takeaways and drinking beer.
Sunday mornings had involved her standing on the touchline and cheering him on when he played football. They never really went on romantic dates, and when she became pregnant with Maisie there was even less chance of that, especially with Jess’s terrible morning sickness. She dreamt of being wined and dined somewhere nice and dared to hope that if the golf date went well with Declan, she might have the chance to get dressed up and go somewhere special with him.
‘Actually, I will walk out with you. I need to nip to the Co-op for some hairspray,’ said Jess.
As they walked down the path of the apartment block, Maisie bent down and picked something up at the edge of the path near the grass.
‘What do you have there?’ asked Jess as Maisie held up the pretty gold necklace.
‘This belongs to Alice,’ said Maisie with certainty. ‘She always wears it.’
‘Really? Then we must return it,’ said Jess as she led Maisie to her door.
When Alice was presented with the necklace she was overwhelmed.
‘Oh, my dear girl.’ Alice’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘Where did you find it?’
‘Just outside, near the grass,’ Maisie told her.
Alice had been deadheading roses yesterday when she returned home, and it must have slipped off somehow, although she was bewildered as to how.
‘You don’t know what this means to me.’ Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude as she grasped the necklace to her chest. ‘I thought I would never see it again.’
‘Well, it’s a beautiful necklace,’ said Carol. ‘I would hate to have lost it. Well done, Maisie. Thank goodness for children, and their eagle eyes, hey.’ She smiled.
‘Oh indeed. The necklace has rather a lot of sentimental value as my late husband bought it for our golden wedding anniversary,’ she explained. ‘I’m so thrilled. Thank you, Maisie.’ She pulled the little girl to her and hugged her.
When Alice learnt they were heading to the cinema, she insisted on giving Carol a twenty-pound note to buy them all some popcorn, before clutching the necklace and saying a silent prayer of thanks. If Maisie had not found the necklace, goodness knows where it might have ended up. It seemed God really did work in mysterious ways.
After fastening her necklace on, she stroked it, and the tears she had been holding back from the children flowed freely. She hadn’t realised how upset she had been about losing it, but having it around her neck once more brought her such peace.
‘Have fun,’ said Jess as she left Carol and the girls and headed into the shop. She would have a little glass of wine whilst she curled her hair, as despite any reservations she may have about entering into a new relationship, she could still feel those dancing butterflies in her stomach.
THIRTY-SIX
DECLAN
Two hours later Declan took a deep breath and knocked on Jess’s front door. He hoped she could not sense how nervous he was feeling.
‘Ready? We might just make the next train.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Oh, and you look lovely,’ he remarked, taking in her appearance. She was wearing jeans and a red top that matched her lipstick.
‘Thanks,’ she said, feeling suddenly self-conscious and tucking a strand of her softly curled hair behind her ear. As they took the short walk to the train station, the scent of Declan’s cologne drifted towards her in the warm summer breeze. Jess never dreamt she would live on this wide, tree-lined avenue albeit in a rented apartment. Places like hers rarely came onto the market at a price she could afford.
‘Your mum’s nice,’ said Declan, making conversation as they walked, and feeling inexplicably nervous. Maybe things would lighten up when they got to the golf venue and had a bit of fun. At least he hoped so.
