Pippa raised an eyebrow as Lottie pounced on the tub and peeled the lid back.
‘Hahahahaha, she didn’t!’
‘She did.’
‘Did he see them?’ Lottie asked as she rammed a heart-shaped biscuit, iced pink and decorated with an intertwined J and P, into her mouth. ‘Tastes good though,’ she mumbled through the crumbs.
‘Yes, he bloody did. He insisted in coming in. It gets worse. Mum’s interfering doesn’t stop at baking. Apparently she’s asked him to consider the name Janette for our first born; she reckons it’s due a resurgence.’
‘Hahaha, that’s even better. You’re going to have to talk to her.’
‘I know, but you know she’s not going to listen, like really not listen. She’s convinced she know what’s best for me. My plan is to annoy James so much that he gives up and sods off again.’
‘I love your mum, but she’s nuts.’
‘Truth. With her encouragement, James turned up at school and made a complete tit of himself. I was so embarrassed, turning up in some brash bloody car and making sure everyone saw him.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry. Cup of tea? Did Rosy see?’
‘Yes, please. I don’t know, but everyone else did. Even Kam.’
‘Ooh. Well, that could be a good thing.’
‘How? How can my utter humiliation be a good thing?’ Pippa felt her face scrunch up, she didn’t understand why Lottie would say that. It wasn’t like her to be mean.
‘Look, you’ve got a huge crush on this new teacher and it’s not a good idea. If anything was to happen you’d be on cloud nine for a couple of weeks – you know you would – and then you’ll do your Pippa special…’
‘It’s not a serious crush. It’s just nice to have someone to think about as I drift off to sleep at night. I’m not letting it actually impact on my life. But pray tell, what exactly is a “Pippa special”? Bear in mind, I’m armed.’ Pippa nodded in jest at the drill sat on the table as she handed Lottie her mug and tried not to look as if she knew she was fibbing a bit.
‘You know. You know you know! You’ll be all loved up and then he’ll do something very human and you’ll decide it will never work.’
‘I don’t do that!’ Pippa put on her fiercest voice but she knew that her friend was right.
‘You do! Look how much you were into that Shannon, then you saw the way she ate a snickers and boom, ended the relationship.’
‘I can’t spend my forever with someone who eats the chocolate from the side first! That’s not right.’
Pippa’s outrage was real. How could Lottie not understand? Forever meant forever to her and if she was going to get grossed out every time her partner ate chocolate she couldn’t see that relationship lasting long.
‘Uh-huh, and then Adam: you were keen on him but when you found he liked to play poker with the boys once a month you ended that too.’
‘Poker is gambling, I can’t be with someone who gambles. That could escalate badly.’
‘He was a love, and he wasn’t a gambler per se. He was just someone who liked to get together with his mates now and then, have a beer and play cards. A far more normal hobby than mine I’d say.’
‘Yeah, but I don’t fancy you and anyway your hobby bought the shop!’
‘Rude. I meant taxidermy. My investing is not a hobby! Which reminds me I did a bit of digging on your new beau, and he seems highly thought off. Apparently, he’s some kind of whizz kid; everything he touches turns to gold. You could do worse.’
‘I’m not so sure. He’s an entitled prick with outdated attitudes, who thinks I should fall at his feet because he wants to date me, but only once I’ve lost a little bit of weight apparently.’
‘Ooh okay, maybe put the kibosh on him. But that’s not what I was trying to say, not the important bit. I was talking about you and the hot new teacher. My point was that you love your friends to bits – you’re the most loyal person I know – but the minute a relationship becomes more than friendship you get scared and drop people for the most inane reasons. You’ll do it to Kam, and then you’ll have to work together. It’s a bad idea. I’m your best friend; I’m supposed to be able to tell you what I think, so I have.’
‘Hmmpf.’ Pippa scowled, pulled her glasses back down and picked up the drill. Best friends were definitely overrated.
Chapter Seventeen
Kam sat on his longboard, feet in the water, staring up at the sky. This was his safe place, his quiet place. And he loved nowhere more than here. Being sat out at sea, just past the break and watching the activity on the shoreline, comparing it to the peace here. The perfect place to get his thoughts in order, create order from chaos and think about how he was going to deliver his lessons next week. This was mindfulness in action. And not just some recently discovered trend. Surfers had been doing this for years; the crazy adrenaline of riding a wave had its obvious reward, butthis bit, this bit was important too.
