Reeni glances at the digital time on the oven. ‘No. He was calling in at the Lilypad on the way home. They’ve hit their money target. It will be a lovely space when it’s done. Really peaceful. It does make you think, being there.’
I look over at her. She’s staring at the table as she rubs at some stubborn dough, a shiny curtain of hair shielding her face.
‘Olly went around saying hello to everyone and they all had a smile for him. He even climbed on one lady’s lap when she offered him a chocolate biscuit.’ Reeni sighs. ‘I can’t get my head around how it must feel to know your time is limited.’
My heart twists. Until the other day, it wasn’t something I’d given any thought to. Since talking to Sophie, I’ve not thought about much else. And I agree with Reeni. How the hell is it something you get your head around?
Once the pizzas are back out of the oven, we all sit at the table eating. Reeni’s pre-made pizza is delicious. Just for the hell of it, I try the one I made and true to my expectation, it is far too salty to eat. Olly eats half of two very skinny slices, leaving all the crusts, and then climbs back down from the table. I grab my satchel from the side.
‘Look what I have for you.’ I hand him a toy metal Land Rover Defender and trailer and a bag of toy plastic farm animals I’d found in the charity shop for pennies. ‘Cows,’ he squeals, grabbing them from me. ‘Tank to, Aunty Elly Welly,’ he says without being prompted and takes his presents and starts rolling the Jeep down the hallway.
I’ve brought a bottle of sparkling elderflower and ginger and some homemade cookies made with the last of the ingredients I’d had in the café cupboards for us. I pour out two glasses as Reeni clears the last of the things away into the dishwasher. We move to the lounge and leave the door open so we can still hear Olly chatting away to himself as the toy cow and sheep are cantered along the floor and crashed into the trailer.
‘Come on. I’m busting here. You said you had news.’
I pull my legs up onto the couch and settle myself back into the cushions. ‘Greg and me are over. I’ve had it with him. He only wanted me to get a job in his office.’ I wait to see what she says.
‘Why the hell would you do that? You’d hate it.’
‘I know, right? Shows you how much he really knew me.’
She gives me a friendly push. ‘I’m glad you finally got that sorted. And Jackson?’ Her eyebrows tilt as she gives me a side look.
My cheeks puff out as I let out a sigh. ‘I ruined that.’
‘What do you mean, you ruined it?’
‘We rowed yesterday and I haven’t heard from him since.’
‘Ellie! What over?’
I decide to avoid telling her about him being pissed off at me for wrecking their business. I’m trying to ignore that one. ‘Him being an idiot and sticking his head in the sand instead of facing the truth.’ I grab the cushion closest to me. ‘His mum’s terminally ill, but he won’t see it. He’s telling everyone including himself that she’s going to get better.’
Reeni is quiet as she studies me.
‘Shit. That’s tough. She can’t be that old, can she?’
I shake my head. ‘I wish I hadn’t said anything now.’ I take a large gulp from my glass. ‘He’s so easy to be with, Reens. I can be myself when I’m with him and he’s still bloody gorgeous.’ My heartbeat stutters in my chest.
‘You’re having a go at him for not facing the truth. Have you opened up to him? Told him about that night?’
‘No. I couldn’t.’ My chest tightens. I’ve never told Reeni about what really happened even after all these years although I’m sure she heard it from others. Why the hell will she not let it drop? ‘I don’t have to. We’re getting on fine.’ I clasp the cushion tight to my tummy. ‘Well, we were, until I put my foot in it.’
There’s a pause in our conversation and I know Reeni well enough to know she’s not happy.
‘Do you think that’s wise? Surely you have things to say to each other? If it’s eating away at you, you need to clear the air.’
‘If he’d wanted to bring stuff up, he would have done, and he hasn’t. Anyway, it’s all pointless now, seeing as we’re not talking.’
‘But –’ Reeni is stopped short by a crash from the kitchen and then Olly comes running into the lounge brandishing a blue-and-white rectangular box as if it’s an aeroplane.
‘Wheeee. Whooo,’ he sings as he swoops the box around his head.
‘Olly Grayson. Give that to me!’ Reeni barks. ‘What have you been doing?’
She gets up to chase him around and extract the pregnancy test and I go into the kitchen to see what fell. The blue paper pharmacy bag is lying on its side on the floor with several more of the blue-and-white boxes scattered across the floor. I pick them up.
‘Got it.’ Reeni stops as I stand and turn to face her, three pregnancy test boxes in each hand.
