still order take-away, right?’
‘We could,’ he said. Laurie detected a note of reluctance in his voice, but chose to ignore it.
‘Good. I’m in the mood to celebrate,’ she babbled. ‘My Sinaloa boots have been selling really well and—’
‘Laurie,’ Jay said, putting a hand to his head, a confused expression on his face. ‘Did I get the time wrong? I thought we said seven o’clock?’
‘We did,’ Laurie said, making light of it. ‘But there was an emergency – a presentation that needed doing, Danny needed me to stay. I should have called, right? But I thought if I just got on the tube right away, I’d only be—’
‘Two hours late?’
‘Yes,’ she said. Balls. It didn’t sound great, when you put it like that. ‘Danny needed me.’
‘OK,’ Jay said slowly.
‘What?’ Laurie said, feeling defensive. It sunk in that she’d let him down – he’d made an effort for her, and she hadn’t even bothered to turn up on time. She strengthened her resolve. She wouldn’t be weak, wouldn’t admit she was in the wrong. ‘I’m sorry, Jay. Is that what you want me to say? I’m sorry. But work’s work.’
Jay shrugged. ‘Look, Laurie – let’s forget it, it’s not that big a deal, come through and I’ll whip something else up. It’s just, like you say, a phone call would have been good.’
‘I know,’ Laurie said. ‘But Jay, it’s just – your work is different, isn’t it? I mean it’s not like a proper career. With your band – and with the furniture stuff – you can stop and make personal phone calls and it’s no biggie … but I …’
Jay’s eyes were wide in surprise as Laurie continued.
‘… I mean, I’m not saying it’s not important, but I mean it’s not …’
‘It’s not as important as what you do?’ he said. ‘Laurie, God, can you hear yourself?’
‘There’s not the same responsibility, is there? A boss, a salary or—’
‘Right,’ Jay said. ‘I think I get the message here. Your work comes first, and it always will. I guess it’s better that I find that out now, rather than later.’
‘That’s …’ Laurie started. But she couldn’t deny it. As much as she wanted to make things OK between them again, she couldn’t tell him he was wrong. Her work did come first.
‘I’ve worked hard to get where I am,’ Laurie said, trying to justify herself. ‘I can’t let it slip. We can’t all be dreamers like you, letting your creative bird take flight and …’
Jay raised his eyebrows. ‘Wow.’
Laurie floundered, searching for something to say to put things right. But nothing came out. Eventually she gave up. She turned around and left his flat, her cheeks burning hot, slamming the door shut hard behind her.
Weeks had passed, then months, with them hardly speaking to one another, and that’s how it still was. Jay had only been hers for a fleeting moment – but after that one of her best friends was gone from her life and it hurt. Really hurt. Now, on Sunday mornings she’d listen to Jay’s music coming through her bedroom floor because it made her feel like she was down there with him. She should try dating other people, Siobhan said. But Laurie didn’t know what she wanted any more – maybe relationships weren’t for her. Maybe, after all of this, she didn’t want anyone at all.
‘Well, it’s a shame, if you ask me,’ Lily said with a shrug. ‘You seemed a good pair, you two. But you’re a hard-headed woman, I know,’ she said. ‘But anyway, it’s friends you need,’ she smiled warmly, ‘and you’ve got plenty of those.’
Laurie glanced over at the pictures of Lily’s grandchildren hung in gold frames on an untouched part of her wall. The question slipped out before she could stop it. ‘Were you ever in love?’
‘Oh yes,’ she laughed. ‘Or at least I thought I was. With my babies’ dad, Jimmy. I had my children, now I’ve got my grandbabies – and they’re my sunshine, even if they’re far away right
‘We could,’ he said. Laurie detected a note of reluctance in his voice, but chose to ignore it.
‘Good. I’m in the mood to celebrate,’ she babbled. ‘My Sinaloa boots have been selling really well and—’
‘Laurie,’ Jay said, putting a hand to his head, a confused expression on his face. ‘Did I get the time wrong? I thought we said seven o’clock?’
‘We did,’ Laurie said, making light of it. ‘But there was an emergency – a presentation that needed doing, Danny needed me to stay. I should have called, right? But I thought if I just got on the tube right away, I’d only be—’
‘Two hours late?’
‘Yes,’ she said. Balls. It didn’t sound great, when you put it like that. ‘Danny needed me.’
‘OK,’ Jay said slowly.
‘What?’ Laurie said, feeling defensive. It sunk in that she’d let him down – he’d made an effort for her, and she hadn’t even bothered to turn up on time. She strengthened her resolve. She wouldn’t be weak, wouldn’t admit she was in the wrong. ‘I’m sorry, Jay. Is that what you want me to say? I’m sorry. But work’s work.’
Jay shrugged. ‘Look, Laurie – let’s forget it, it’s not that big a deal, come through and I’ll whip something else up. It’s just, like you say, a phone call would have been good.’
‘I know,’ Laurie said. ‘But Jay, it’s just – your work is different, isn’t it? I mean it’s not like a proper career. With your band – and with the furniture stuff – you can stop and make personal phone calls and it’s no biggie … but I …’
Jay’s eyes were wide in surprise as Laurie continued.
‘… I mean, I’m not saying it’s not important, but I mean it’s not …’
‘It’s not as important as what you do?’ he said. ‘Laurie, God, can you hear yourself?’
‘There’s not the same responsibility, is there? A boss, a salary or—’
‘Right,’ Jay said. ‘I think I get the message here. Your work comes first, and it always will. I guess it’s better that I find that out now, rather than later.’
‘That’s …’ Laurie started. But she couldn’t deny it. As much as she wanted to make things OK between them again, she couldn’t tell him he was wrong. Her work did come first.
‘I’ve worked hard to get where I am,’ Laurie said, trying to justify herself. ‘I can’t let it slip. We can’t all be dreamers like you, letting your creative bird take flight and …’
Jay raised his eyebrows. ‘Wow.’
Laurie floundered, searching for something to say to put things right. But nothing came out. Eventually she gave up. She turned around and left his flat, her cheeks burning hot, slamming the door shut hard behind her.
Weeks had passed, then months, with them hardly speaking to one another, and that’s how it still was. Jay had only been hers for a fleeting moment – but after that one of her best friends was gone from her life and it hurt. Really hurt. Now, on Sunday mornings she’d listen to Jay’s music coming through her bedroom floor because it made her feel like she was down there with him. She should try dating other people, Siobhan said. But Laurie didn’t know what she wanted any more – maybe relationships weren’t for her. Maybe, after all of this, she didn’t want anyone at all.
‘Well, it’s a shame, if you ask me,’ Lily said with a shrug. ‘You seemed a good pair, you two. But you’re a hard-headed woman, I know,’ she said. ‘But anyway, it’s friends you need,’ she smiled warmly, ‘and you’ve got plenty of those.’
Laurie glanced over at the pictures of Lily’s grandchildren hung in gold frames on an untouched part of her wall. The question slipped out before she could stop it. ‘Were you ever in love?’
‘Oh yes,’ she laughed. ‘Or at least I thought I was. With my babies’ dad, Jimmy. I had my children, now I’ve got my grandbabies – and they’re my sunshine, even if they’re far away right
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