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I do have my Christmas tea! Well remembered. (No sprouts, I promise. Though I do feel they’re underrated.) I have a lot to type. Will you wait for me?

Fantasy Man:

I will always wait for you. X

Noémi put a hand to her chest, feeling a little swoony.

She cosied up to type, her fingers poised. Just knowing he was there, waiting, swept away all thoughts of loneliness. Even though in truth, he might be multitasking by loading the dishwasher or watching reruns of Emmerdale in his underpants.

Book Girl:

Have you ever been faced with a project that is so very important – yet you’re not sure where to start, or whether you’re even capable?

It’s my job to save something, and if I don’t, life as I know it will change. (And not in a good way. In more of an ‘oh God, she’s ruined everything, the massive loser’ kind of way.) Though to save this thing will involve a whole lot of changes too. But doesn’t change always feel scary?

And quite honestly – who put me at the helm? If I could describe it like Swallows and Amazons, I’m a second-in-charge Susan. Quiet organizer, feeder, not bad with a first-aid kit.

I used to be more adventurous – but I’ve seen first-hand that adventures can end badly. No – adventures can rip your heart out and feed it back to you like a disgusting offal sandwich. (I really hate offal – with or without onions. I mean, who would eat that?)

What if I can’t bring myself to make brave changes? What if I change things, but my efforts are just super-sized atrocious (with a side order of chestnut stuffing)?

Sometimes I wish you were here in person to give me the answers. She promptly deleted that bit.

Please throw some answers in my direction. You always know what to say.

Noémi nibbled the corner of her toastie while she let Fantasy Man digest her words. The three dots on the screen wiggled to let her know he was typing a response. Her stomach danced with its usual nervous excitement when waiting for his thoughts.

Fantasy Man:

I’m sorry to read about your predicament, Book Girl. But do you want to know something? I think you already know the answer.

Book Girl:

Do I?

Noémi took a sip of her tea and scratched her head.

Fantasy Man:

Fight for your Wild Cat Island. Embrace your inner Nancy.

She tried not to choke on her tea as she giggled. Nancy was the adventurous twelve-year-old captain of the Amazon Pirates, and oh goodness, hadn’t Noémi once wanted to be just like her, for her brave spirit and sass. Did Fantasy Man have a point? He didn’t always say a lot, but what he did say was considered and insightful. That’s one of the things she’d come to love like about him. She wasn’t keen on people who filled the room with unnecessary words.

Though Noémi wasn’t big on setting sail. These days, she would rather stand on life’s riverbank looking cowardly but dry – rather than flail about and risk sinking like a rubber duck with a hole in its bum.

Fantasy Man:

P.S. Offal – yuk. Though I am partial to a bit of chestnut stuffing. Should I be telling you this? You could track me down with this information. Must change my stuffing variety this Christmas to avoid detection. What are your thoughts on sage and onion?

P.P.S. Talking of things I probably shouldn’t tell you. In the real world, I’m terrified of most things – but nobody would ever guess it. Feel the fear and plough on like an idiot is my motto. It rarely turns out as badly as you think.

P.P.P.S. Sleep well and know that whatever you decide will be the right answer. I have a sneaking suspicion that you’re braver than you realize. X

It wasn’t long before Noémi fell asleep on top of her duvet amid an avalanche of decorative pillows, belly full, with a little piece of his heart tucked away inside hers.

Things to add to Noémi’s Save Our Bookshop (SOB) List:

Be more Nancy! (Don’t drown.)