Page 42 of It Was Always You

She gave up trying to interrupt the monologue that ensued in the front seat. She switched off and added a nod every so often. The man could really talk! They pulled to a stop outside a beautiful old building.

‘Anyways, lady, you need anything, you call Pauly, okay? I can pick you up and take you wherever you need to go. It was real nice talking to you.’

She climbed out and handed him a wad of notes. He fumbled through them and tried to hand her change back. ‘No, you keep it, Pauly.’

‘Awww, lady, you’re too kind, too kind. Thank you. You have a good stay in the Big Apple now.’

‘I will certainly try, Pauly. Thanks again. Good luck with Deano.’

The yellow cab pulled away and as it did so the driver waved at her. The concierge opened the door and doffed his rather spiffy top hat as Lily nodded and smiled. Immediately a smartly dressed bellhop came over and took her bags, loading them onto a trolley. She checked in at the reception desk and made her way to her suite.

Once her bags had been deposited, she removed her coat and shoes and flopped onto the bed. She fumbled in her handbag and pulled out her mobile. When she turned the phone on, just as she expected, there were several messages from Adam.

I miss you already, Lil. Can you come home please? (sad emoji)

Hi Lil, it’s me again, sorry about my last message, I know you can’t come home yet but I’m bored and sad. (sad emoji)

Me again, what time do you land? You’re not answering me and I’m worried.

Hi again, please can you reply when you get this message?

My mum is trying to get me to go stay over the half term break and I don’t want to. I need help with a good excuse.

Too late she has convinced me to go stay. My mum that is. She wants to feed me coz she says I’m getting too thin!

Lil, where the fuck are you? You should be there by now! TEXT ME!!

She threw her phone across the bed where it landed and bounced onto the floor. Oh shit. She scrambled to the end of the bed, expecting the phone to be in pieces. Thankfully, it wasn’t. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was eleven at night. Guilt washed over her, and with a groan she picked up the phone and dialled Adam’s number.

He answered after one ring. ‘Lily? Are you okay? I’ve been worried sick.’

‘Adam, I’m fine. You have to stop worrying. The flight was delayed, that’s all. Then I got in a cab with a sweet old guy who wouldn’t stop talking, and I’ve just collapsed onto my bed and found half a dozen messages from you.’

‘Ah… yeah… sorry about that. I don’t like it when you don’t answer.’ Silence took over the line for several moments. ‘I worry, Lily. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened⁠—’

‘I’m fine. Please stop worrying, okay? I’m shattered and need to sleep. I have an early start in the morning.’

She heard a huff. ‘Okay… sorry… I just worry.’

Rubbing her eyes, she nodded as if he could see. ‘I know. It’s fine. I’ll talk to you later in the week, okay?’

‘Okay… night, Lil.’

‘Night, Adam.’

‘Lil?’

She sighed. ‘What now?’

‘You keep calling me Adam. You only do that when you’re pissed off.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Sorry. I’m not pissed off. Just tired.’

‘Okay, night.’

‘Night.’ She hung up before the ridiculous conversation could carry on.

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