Still, she woke to a message from him this morning. One that she’s already reread several times over the course of the day, despite the fact that it only consists of three words.
Happy birthday Lissa. X
‘So,’ she says, ‘I thought you’d both like to know that I am officially on the job hunt again.’
‘Excellent,’ Darcy says.
‘About bloody time,’ says Mia.
‘And I’m thinking – I’m going to start applying in the charity sector.’ It was talking to Ash on their night out that reaffirmed it for her. Listening to his passion for music, for what he does, and realising that she’d not spent enough time figuring out what she wanted. And okay, this has nothing to do with art, but it’s a step towards her idea about helping kids like Rosy, like the kid she herself was.
Darcy cocks her head. ‘Like, more volunteering?’
‘No. Well, I mean, I’m going to keep doing the charity shop thing because it’s actually quite fun, but I mean more like switching to working in marketing for a charity.’ A charity that deals with bereavement, preferably, but any step in that direction would feel like a positive one as far as she’s concerned. And okay, she can’t jet off too far away, but she could do a commutable distance, couldn’t she, and still have her base here?
‘Well I think that’s an excellent idea,’ Mia says.
‘Much better than becoming a chef,’ Darcy agrees.
‘What’s wrong with chefs?’ Lottie asks.
Mia grins at her, and in that moment, she looks so damn happy that it makes Lissa want to hug them both. ‘Nothing,’ she says. ‘Only Lissa can’t cook.’
Lissa makes a fake-offended sound. ‘I can. My pesto pasta is to die for.’
‘What do you do?’ Darcy asks Lottie.
‘Work at a magazine, basically writing fluff pieces. Probably be out of a job in five years.’ It makes Lissa think of her dad’s claim that soon his job will be lost to AI, and she smiles a little.
Darcy holds up the empty wine bottle, makes a face.
‘I’ll order another one,’ Lissa says, getting to her feet.
She’s halfway to the bar when Mia sidles up next to her. ‘You don’t think I’m going to let you pay for drinks on your birthday, do you?’ She links her arm with Lissa’s, and they head the rest of the way to the bar together.
‘What aboutyourjob?’ Lissa asks after they’ve ordered the wine. Her cousin frowns at her in question. ‘A while ago it seemed like you might not be totally happy with it.’
Mia taps her fingers on the wooden bar. ‘It’s not the job I don’t like. It’s just going up and back to London all the time, it’s a bit tiring. And I …’ She glances back at Lottie, who has her head bent towards Darcy, already in easy conversation.
‘You want to have time to visit her?’ Lissa guesses.
‘Yeah,’ Mia mutters. ‘Something like that.’
At some point in the evening, possibly after the third bottle of wine, Darcy orders four tequila shots.
‘To birthdays!’
‘To job hunting!’
‘To aeroplanes!’ Everyone looks at Mia at that one, and she shrugs. Lottie, however, grins at her.
‘Another round of shots?’ Darcy asks.
‘Absolutely not,’ Lissa says. ‘We’re too old for all that.’
‘Speak for yourself,’ Lottie says brightly. ‘I’m not even thirty – I’ve got at least four more rounds in me.’
‘Regardless, I’m out,’ Lissa says. She hugs them all goodbye, whispering, ‘I like her,’ to Mia as she does. She opts to get an Uber home, figuring she’s too tipsy and it’s too late to manage the walk solo.
