Help convincing Papa not to be a stick in the mud.
Amanda
Oh? I’m gonna need more info to go on than that.
Alice
The short version of the story is, I bought a flat. And I haven’t told my parents yet.
Amanda
What? I’m calling you right now!
A moment later, my mobile lights up. I swipe to answer it. Amanda’s image fills the screen, with her unruly curly red hair, green eyes, and a smattering of freckles.
“Shouldn’t you be at work?” I joke.
“Family comes first.” The screen wobbles as she sets her tablet down. “And I’m due for a break. I’ve been working on planning this fundraising dinner for Charlie’s all day. Now spill! Tell me everything.”
“The car ride home isn’t that long.”
“Okay, then just the Spark Notes version.”
“Last October, I found a property listing that I fell in love with. It may not be the prettiest place, but the stained-glass windows, the crownmolding, and all the character features more than make up for how it looks. To my shock, it was in budget and in the cutest north London neighborhood. So I made an offer, and it was accepted!”
Amanda’s eyes widen. “You made an offer? Just like that?”
“I know it might not have been the smartest thing to do, but you know how fast London property moves. As soon as a place is listed, it’s practically sold. I didn’t want someone else to get it.” My cheeks burn hot. “If I didn’t like the place, I knew I could always back out of the deal. Except, um... time seems to have gotten away from me.”
Her eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t the best at checking my email and messages while I was gone.”
Amanda groans. “Time’s up, isn’t it?”
I nod slowly, swallowing hard. “The deal closed Thursday, and I’m due to pick up the keys later this week.”
“Well, I guess there’s no going back now. What do you need from me?”
“Do you think you could help me put together a presentation with some dummy listings and the place I bought? I thought we could pretend we’ve found a few flats that I’m seriously considering. Mum won’t be there tonight, and it’ll help buy me some time to come up with a better plan on how I’m going to break the news to them.”
Amanda gives me a thumbs-up. “Not a half-bad idea. Do you want a PowerPoint?”
“Only if it’s not too much trouble.”
She waves me off. “Never. Making them is relaxing for me. I’ll send over a mock-up to you when I’m done. Give me a couple hours.”
“Thank you so much, A.”
“You’re welcome.” She winks. “And Ali, welcome home.”
Tucking my mobile back into my purse, I let out a sigh of relief. “Amanda is in.”
“That’s brilliant. If anyone can help convince the king, it’s her. She’s a hard woman to say no to.” The car pulls into the palace complex. Bruce cuts the engine. “Shall I put the car away, or do you have any other errands planned before dinner?”
“No. I’ll be in until we leave at seven. I have a massive amount of unpacking to do.”
Bruce chuckles. “Have you made any headway on the eight suitcases of books you brought back?”
