‘A bit,’ Zoe agreed as she washed her hands.
‘You know your Alex?’ Chantal added.
‘Yeah?’
‘Well, if he’s your soulmate, then do you think you’ll get married again?’
‘I haven’t really thought that far ahead. He’s asked me to move in a couple of times.’
Chantal’s eyes widened. ‘He has? But that’s brilliant! Why haven’t you?’
‘I don’t know. It seems too soon.’
‘From what you told me, I don’t think that’s true. When you know, you know, right? Sometimes you just do, no matter what anyone says. Like me and your dad.’
‘I’m not like Dad. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I think I’m a lot more like my mum.’
‘How so?’
Zoe reached for a paper towel. ‘Well, she’s…she thinks things through more carefully. Look before you leap, that’s her favourite saying. She’s quite practical.’
Chantal gave her head a firm shake. ‘I don’t see it. You have a very sensible and responsible job, and that makes you look that way, but underneath I think you’re a lot more fun.’
‘Mum can be fun…’ Zoe added with a rueful half-smile, ‘I don’t suppose that’s a side to her you’ll ever see. I just mean she’d want to be sure.’
‘You sound sure to me. If I was you, I’d make the move. What have you got to lose? You rent your house, so you don’t have one to sell.’
‘I have my heart to be broken if it goes wrong. A second time.’
‘It doesn’t sound as if he’s going to break your heart to me.’ Chantal gave a careless shrug. ‘It’s your life, but I know what I’d do.’
Zoe laughed. ‘I know what you’d do – I’ve seen you in action, don’t forget.’ At the crestfallen look on Chantal’s face, she nudged her. ‘Joking! Don’t look so worried. Didn’t we just decide we were good?’
‘Oh, yes…’ Chantal’s troubled expression cleared again.
‘Just don’t ask me to start calling you mum,’ Zoe added.
Chantal gave a broad smile. ‘At least I know you’re good with babies. You know everything there is to know.’
‘Not quite, but I’m only ever a phone call away if you need me.’
‘I wish you could be my midwife.’
‘Well, that’s not possible unless you move to Thimblebury. I’m sure yours is great.’
‘Oh, she’s lovely. I only meant because I know you and me get along, so it would have been nice. Is Thimblebury nice? To live, I mean.’
‘There’s not much to do. Almost everyone is a farmer, or else they’re old.’
‘That can’t be true,’ Chantal said doubtfully. ‘Otherwise where are all the babies coming from?’
‘OK, it’s not quite that dull. But it is very quiet. Probably why there are so many babies all of a sudden…there’s nothing else to do.’
Chantal giggled. ‘It can’t be that bad! What do you do in your spare time?’
‘I go for walks, stop by to chat to people I know, read, watch telly…I spend time with Alex and Billie, but it’s all a bit boring, really. At least I’m sure you’d find it boring.’
‘That doesn’t sound boring at all – it actually sounds nice. I’m excited to see the church properly. I saw it online, and I knew it was the place. I wanted a small, pretty church in the country…and of course, it feels like it was meant to be, that it was available at such short notice. The vicar was lovely on the phone too. I’m sure it will be perfect.’
