‘How so?’
‘My friend Benji did the wardrobe forA Midsummer Night’s Dreamat The Globe over the summer. He might be able to pull me a favour.’
‘Really?’ I could feel tears in my eyes. I’d been unhappy for such a long time. It was overwhelming to suddenly have something so fabulous to look forward to. ‘That would be incredible, Abs. Thank you so much.’
‘Leave it with me,’ she said, nodding to herself. ‘And in the meantime, I’m ready to show you what I’ve been doing in your bathroom, so to speak.’
I did a happy little wiggle and ran after her, excited to see it. Jimbo had done an amazing job on the rest of the flat, and the blues and purples had gone. It was like Jurassic Park, minus the dinosaurs, with the walls in different shades of green. He’d put up my floating shelves, which were now covered with floating plants, and added some colour and excitement to the white walls. I’d spent a fortune on greenery and needed to keep it all alive for as long as possible. Lil’ Will was doing well at least, enjoying his sunny spot by the window and starting to shoot up already.
‘Right, stand there. Let me do one last check,’ Abi said, disappearing behind the bathroom door. She had paintbrushes sticking out of her ponytail and flecks of blue all over her dungarees. She’d been working non-stop for three days, so whatever it was and whatever it looked like, I had to love it. I mentally prepared myself. ‘OK, come in, come in!’
I walked in smiling, but my jaw dropped when I saw what she’d done.
Abi had painted all three walls as a forest glade. The shower was running to add to the effect, and she’d worked the water into the design, so it looked like a waterfall. The bath was on the edge of a thermal pool, and there were conifer trees on either side, dotted with tiny birds in different colours. It was way beyond anything I’d been expecting.
‘Abi! This is so cool and beautiful! I don’t even know what to say. I thought it’d be a couple of crocodiles painted on the wall.’
She laughed. ‘Thanks for the vote of confidence.’
‘I had no idea this is what you meant. I’ve seen your mural, and the one you did for your friend Holly, but that was a nursery; it wasn’t the adult collection.’
‘Sounds a bit dodge.’
I took a closer look. The birds were all different, each one full of intricate detail. A kingfisher, a hummingbird, a woodpecker. I spotted some brown animals snuffling in the trees. ‘Is it a family of deer?’
‘Kind of,’ she said, pointing at their wide snouts. ‘Reindeer. And then, wait for it…’ She pulled on the light cord, which had a dragonfly hanging off it, and the bathroom went dark. Apart from the ceiling. Tiny flashes of green glowed on and off randomly, giving the illusion of something very familiar. ‘And… my creative vision is complete.’
‘Fireflies?’ I said, gazing up at them in wonder.
‘Yup. I did what I could, using the photos you shared in the group chat.’
‘It’s amazing.’
‘You can light your new candles and imagine yourself there.’
She turned the light back on, and the fireflies disappeared.
‘This is so incredibly thoughtful, Abs, thank you.’ I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears that were forming.
She smiled. ‘I’m glad you like your place again – it’s my housewarming present.’
‘It might be time to get the boxes over from Mum and Dad’s,’ I said, looking around.
‘Yep,’ she said, giving me a hug. ‘Time to unpack. Me and Kat will help, you’re not on your own, you know. We’re so proud of you.’
‘Are you?’
‘Yes! Mark really messed you around and you did nothing to deserve it. Between you meeting, marrying and now going through a divorce, he’s been non-stop. Never quite sure, always busy, off with his mates. You’ve put up with so much. You deserve a fresh start and a home that fills you with joy. Somewhere you can relax and feel safe.’
I was touched. ‘That’s how I felt at Firefly.’
‘But not here?’
‘Not yet.’
‘It’ll come. You’ve only just got back. Give it time.’
‘I hope so,’ I said, looking around. ‘This definitely helps.’
