‘My blood pressure is off the charts,’ I said. ‘My nutritionist has put me on a strict regime of green powder and pomegranate seeds.’
‘Well,my nutritionist,AKA my mother, says one glass won’t hurt,’ Kat said, topping me up.
‘How long are you back, Abs?’ I pivoted. It was so lovely to see her smiley face.
‘Two whole months!’ she squealed. ‘Tony’s filming in Brazil and the neighbours are dog-sitting. I’m taking Mum to seeHamiltontomorrow, then I’m available for brunch, lunch and dunch for the foreseeable.’
‘LA ain’t all it’s cracked up to be, eh?’ Kat shimmied her shoulders. ‘Tottenham girl, back for a hit of the London Badlands.’
Abi giggled. ‘There’s justtoo much sunin California, you know?’
‘Uh-huh.’ Kat nodded. ‘I’ve heard it’s a hot mess.’
‘And the showbiz parties are tiresome. Swimming in the infinity pool, swanning around in the Jeep – it’s doing my head in. Give me the pissing-down rain any day.’
‘Stop it! Like we weren’t already jealous!Iwant to swan around,’ I groaned. ‘Even my watch is telling me to relax these days. Can we please do a life swap?’
‘Your watch is an idiot,’ Abi said. ‘Relaxed has never been your thing.’
‘Which is why you’re such a good barrister,’ Kat added. ‘If you were all chilled out, you wouldn’t be half as pernickety.’
I took a sip of vinegary wine and shuddered.
‘Particular,’ Abi covered quickly. ‘A woman who knows her own mind.’
‘If only I knew how to calm it down.’
‘You haven’t had a lot of time for calm recently,’ Kat said. ‘Defending half the criminal minds of London, a wedding in Greece, moving house – twice.’
‘And now the divorce…’ I whispered, forcing down more wine. ‘I’ve nearly gone full life cycle.’
Kat winced. ‘You have. No wonder you’re stressed. Anyone would be.’
‘The flat is a state as well,’ I said, thinking about the empty space waiting for me at home. I’d only been back in it a month, but it looked how I felt. Unloved and used up.
‘I can help with that,’ Abi said, clapping her hands together. ‘Me and my paintbrush! Let’s mood-board some ideas and choose some new colours.’
‘You’re a sweetheart, Abs, but you can’t waste your holidays painting my flat. I was going to ask your mate Jimbo to decorate it for me.’
‘Oh, well, he’ll do a great job. But I’m happy to help too. I love painting and I’d get to hang out with you. Win, win! I can even do you one of my murals.’
I thought about the beautiful cityscape Abi had painted in Tony’s LA living room. The canals of Venice full of tourists: couples being serenaded on gondolas, St Mark’s Square with an opera singer mid-aria and tables of people eating breakfast al fresco. It perfectly represented Abi and Tony. Venice was where they’d finally got together and the mural was totallythem. Intricately painted details and metallic flecks that gleamed in the sunshine. It was magical. But what would my mural be? What wasmeenough to have it painted on my walls? A Deliveroo driver balancing a pizza box on his handlebars? The inside of a courtroom? Not exactly great inspiration.
‘Honestly, Abs, it’s cool. I’ve already decided to use the same colours I had at the house.’
‘At Mark’s house?’ Kat asked, slowly raising her eyebrows.
‘It was my house too when we decorated it.’
‘Of course it was – sorry.’
‘What about trying a new look?’ Abi said, gently. ‘Something that doesn’t remind you of him. There are so many cool wallpaper designers to choose from. Or you could paint the whole flat one colour? Sunshine yellow is very in?’
I didn’t want to piss on her chips, but I wasn’t about to panic-vomit colour all over my flat. ‘I’d rather stick with what I know for now. I haven’t got the brain space for anything new, and I don’t want to hate it.’
‘Fair enough.’ Abi squeezed me tight. ‘If you change your mind we can just paint over it and start again.’ Her peppy cheerleader vibe was kind and comforting.
‘Keep things easy for now,’ Kat said, looking into my eyes. ‘All these little steps will get you there eventually.’ Wherevertherewas.
