All the bravado I’d felt when I’d spoken to Mr Yin about my plans had deserted me. I just felt sick all the time so I’d rung Tara in a panic this morning, begging her to help. Micah had appeared in the kitchen as I was talking to her on the phone, so he’d come along with me to The Vine.
‘Shall I get us some drinks?’ Tara said.
I looked at my watch. ‘It’s a bit early, T.’ It was Sunday morning and the bar wasn’t even open yet.
‘I meant coffee.’
‘Oh yes, coffee would be good.’ Probably for the best. I’d barely slept last night worrying about the mural and how I was going to pull it off. I’d made a list of everything I’d need to make it work, so I could take it to my meeting with the council. But I’d got scared when I wrote “scaffolding and ladders” and hadn’t written anything else. And I had absolutely no idea how to do the rest of the project – a notebook for residents to write in I could just about manage, but finding Elsie? I hadn’t a clue where to start.
Tara got up and made us all coffees. The hissing of the machine made it hard to talk for a minute, but as she put our drinks down in front of us, she said: ‘Is Finn coming?’
‘No, why?’
‘Because this whole project is linked with his historical stuff, and he’s cute, and I think he should be here.’
I looked down at the froth on top of my coffee. Tara had drawn a heart in the milk.
‘What did he say when you told him you’d got the grant?’ Tara asked.
‘I’ve not told him yet.’
‘Stevie, why not?’
‘Because he’s busy and I didn’t want to bother him,’ I said. ‘His students have got their exams and there’s a lot of marking to do.’
‘It’s Sunday,’ Micah pointed out.
‘So?’
‘So message him now and tell him. They won’t be doing exams today and he might be glad of a break from marking.’
‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘Oh for heaven’s sake, it’s not you who’s doing an exam.’ Tara picked my phone up from the table and briskly entered my passcode without even asking me what it was.
‘Hey,’ I said. ‘How do you know that?’
‘Sweetie, you always use your birthday.’
‘Max’s birthday,’ I muttered, realising as I said it how ridiculous it was. I didn’t even need Micah rolling his eyes to tell me.
‘There.’ Tara handed the phone back to me.
‘What did you do?’
‘Messaged Finn.’
My heart thumped hard as I opened the message. Tara had written: “Great news! Got the grant so my mural is happening. Having a chat about it all now at The Vine if you fancy joining us. Could do with your help. Coffees and croissants on me.”
‘Are there actually croissants?’ Micah said hopefully, reading the message over my shoulder.
‘Micah,’ I tutted. Then I looked at Tara. ‘Are there?’
‘In the kitchen.’
Micah did a little fist pump and I turned my attention back to the screen. The message wasn’t horrendous. In fact, it was just the right balance of friendly and needy. Way better than I’d have written. Which only made me feel more hopeless.
‘I feel sick again,’ I groaned.
