Hi Georgia,
Thank you for bearing with me, I’m home from work now. I hope your day is going well so far?
Lucky, right. My family have opted out of using my real name, other than when they’re cross, since I was six years old. Long story short, I was playing in the garden when I found a coin in the dirt. I didn’t think much of it, and shoved it in my pocket. The next day I took it to school for show-and-tell, and my teacher practically ran out of the classroom to ring my mum. Turns out: the coin was from 1066. It ended up being worth £1,500.
My parents went digging and found eight more. The story made it onto the front page of theDaily Mail, which my mum proudly framedand hung up in our lounge. I’m sure she’ll want to show it to you all when you’re here.
They sold the eight coins, but let me keep mine. I still carry it around with me as a good luck charm.
What about you? Any childhood nicknames?
Also, how would you feel about exchanging numbers? If you’re comfortable, my number is: +44 115-555-0235.
Sincerely,
Callum
Chapter Four: Callum
Ianswer a call from an unknown number my phone tells me is from Canada. “Hello?” There’s only one person I know who’d be calling me from there, the same woman I gave my phone number to a few hours ago. But would Georgia be bold enough to call me without texting first?
“Hi,” a feminine, breathy voice returns after a beat. “Is this Callum?”
“Uh, yeah, it is. Georgia?” I reach for the stereo’s remote and turn off my music.
“You soundexactlyhow I’d imagined,” she replies, her smile audible. “Sorry, is this weird?”
I lick my lips, grinning up at the ceiling of my dining room as I lean back into my chair. “Are you asking if it’s weird that you imagined my voice or that you called before officially giving me your number?”
“Oh god,” she says, her Canadian accent somehow stronger. It makes my grin burst into a full-fledged smile. “There is just no right answer to that.” Georgia laughs softly, and I consider asking her to do it again so I can record the sound somehow. “I’m growing increasingly aware of how nasally my voice is. It’s not nearly as charming as yours. Please pretend otherwise.”
“I disagree,” I say. “It’s lovely to hear your voice.”
“So it’s not weird, then?”
“No, it definitely is.” We both laugh. “But I like it,” I add. “Everything about this has been a bit mad, though, hasn’t it? I mean, a week ago you were a total stranger who, under any other circumstance, would have probably remained a total stranger. But now—” I cut myself off, before briefly forgetting to fill the silence. “Anyway, I’m glad you called.”
“You know, since I started talking to you, it’s like I canfeelmy grandmother around more. I have the sense that she’s very amused by all of this.”
“I said the same thing to my mum yesterday. It’s been ten years since my nan passed, but this week I’ve been thinking of her so much more. It’s been really nice.” I hear a contented, agreeable sigh, followed by a shuffling sound of fabric. “Where are you right now?”
“I just got home. I’m folding laundry so I can use my dining table as a desk instead of a drying rack. My apartment has a washer and dryer, but the dryer part is more hypothetical—it hasn’t worked since I moved in.”
“Do you like your apartment?”
“Not even a little bit,” she answers bluntly. I breathe out a soft laugh in response, wanting her to continue. “I mean, I’m grateful to have a safe place to lay my head, don’t get me wrong, but that’s about it. The appliances are older than me, I have to slam my body weight against the front door to click the lock into place, and there’s only one window, which is parallel with the sidewalk. I see alotof shoes.”
“And do you, um, like shoes?” I ask.
Her giggle is effervescent, reminding me of the first sips of expensive champagne. “Um,” she says, still laughing, “not any more than the next girl, I guess?”
I run my palm down my face. “Sorry, I have no idea why I asked that ...”
“No, I liked it. I’m glad you’re more awkward than your emails let on.”
“Oh, yeah?” I ask, releasing a self-effacing sort of laugh that doesn’t come close to competing with hers. “Is that right?”
“Absolutely! You’d be far too intimidating if you looked the way you do and were charmingallof the time.”
