“Hey Brad, hey Shari! Haven't seen you in here for ages!” Rosie beams. She's worked here for years and knows every regular by name and their usual order. “And little Lizzie! You're getting so big and beautiful!” she gushes, and Lizzie agrees.
“Ya! Big! Booful!” Her chubby little finger points to her chest and her brow is furrowed in her most serious expression, causing all three of us to laugh at her cuteness.
“Bless her, I could eat her up! Are you all having your usual? Or does Miss Lizzie want to revisit the menu now she's bigger?”
“Shari and I will have our usual,” Brad checks for a nod from me, “but Lizzie will have the kid's waffle with berries and cream, please, Rosie.”
Once Rosie drops off our coffees, I can't help but ask, “So, how are things going with Larissa? You guys had another date last night, right?” I watch his face for any hints of satisfaction as he replies because I'm apparently a total masochist.
“Yeah, we did,” he clears his throat and some unnameable emotion flickers over his features, “it's going well, actually. Really well. In fact I wanted to talk to you about it.”
“Me?!” I screech, turning several heads in our direction at the outburst. “Sorry! Sorry. I just don't know it's a great idea to talk about your new girlfriend with your...um...baby mama?”
Brad's face drains of all colour, “No! Oh god, no. I didn't mean it like that. No, no, no. I meant I wanted to ask you how you'd feel about meeting her in an official capacity as my girlfriend?” It's his turn to watch my expression now and I try hard not to flinch. “Because I'd like for her to meet Lizzie at some point, but I'd really like your stamp of approval first, Blaze.”
Oh this is so much worse than just imagining them fucking on my sofa spot. This is...
“Wow. Things are really getting that serious between you? It's big step, meeting the kid.”
“I really like her, Shari. And if I want to give this a real try, I have to go all in. Introducing her to you and, eventually, Lizzie is a big part of that.”
“Yeah, no, I totally get it. I'm, I'm happy for you, if you're happy. So, yeah, I'd love to meet her.”
He releases his breath on a whoosh and a slow smile creeps over his face.
“Maybe we could come back here next weekend for brunch? Neutral ground. And drop Lizzie with Trey or one of the girls for a couple hours, so you can meet Larissa unencumbered, per se.”
I try for a smile, “Yeah. Yes. That sounds,”gut wrenching, “lovely.”
Brad watches me for a moment. “Are you ok, Shari? Truly?”
“Of course, I'm fine,”not even close, “why do you ask?”
“You seem a bit down. Not your usual bubbly self, that's all. Is everything ok?”
“Yes, absolutely! I'm just tired, that's all.” He doesn't seem convinced so I tack on, “I promise. I'll have a nap when I get home and I'm sure that'll sort me right out!”Too perky, Shari, tone it down.
Our food arrives, and our conversation moves on, but I'm already dreading next weekend. Because from everything he’s told me about her over the last few weeks, I’m sure I'm going to love Larissa too.
22
FROM TUNA TO SARDINES
SHARI
14th September2025
This is it.The day has come. My doom is nigh. Just march me to the guillotine. Melodramatic? Perhaps. But I have that foreboding feeling creeping along my spine again as I walk into The Full English for the second weekend in a row.
Rosie spots me as I walk in and hurries over, “Morning, Shari. Brad and his...guest are already here. When I saw he'd reserved a table for three, I assumed it'd be the two of you and little Lizzie again!” I know she's fishing for gossip, but I'm too caught in my own head to care or engage, so I just offer a tight smile. Taking the hint, she shows me to the table where the happy couple are whispering to each other and happily grinning in their own happy bubble.Happy, happy, happy.
Brad spots me first, and it's almost comical how fast he springs up from his seat. “Shari! You're here! Morning!” He seems to hesitate for a split second before he leans in to peck me on the cheek as usual.
As he pulls back, I see Larissa is also standing, wringing her fingers together. “Shari, this is Larissa, my girlfriend. Larissa, this is Shari…” he trails off. At least he didn't say ‘Lizzie's mum’, that would have been a kick in the teeth.
She really is pretty – her shiny, light brown hair brushes her shoulders in a very slight wave, and the paleness of her skin makes the colour appear almost gold when the light hits.
“Hi Larissa, it's so nice to meet you. Brad talks about you all the time.” I feel awkward, but I take pity on the poor girl who looks even more nervous than I do, and I pull her in for a hug. She immediately melts into my embrace, and a whiff of lavender tiptoes its way into my nostrils.
