Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 105301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
“He’s good.” She smiles warmly at the thought of him. “How’s yours?”
“He’s also good.” I mirror her smile.
“I’m the better half though.” Her words are mumbled against the rim of her cup.
I snicker and hum my own agreement. “As am I.”
“PENGINN!” Dillan shouts and I hear his heavy little footsteps come from the living room, right before a penguin doll sails into the room and skids across the floor.
“He’s so weird,” I comment and my mum bursts into a fit of laughter.
“He’s definitely something.” She clears her throat. “He looks just like…”
“I know.” My hands clench on my mug so tightly my skin squeaks against the ceramic. “It’s unnerving how much he looks like him.”
“You don’t have any pictures of Caleb anywhere.”
I look around and wince. She’s right. “I know. It’s not really something I’ve thought about.”
“It’s okay to have a picture up somewhere. Dillan is going to learn about his father eventually. You should make his face familiar so it’s not a total shock.”
Placing my cup on the side, I look around the room before settling on a spot on the microwave. “I just got this really nice silver photo frame from that home store around the corner. It’ll look lovely here.”
“It’s up to you; don’t feel pressured by me.”
“No, God no, I swear I don’t.” I rush to grab the frame from the cupboard under the stairs. “You’re right. It’d be nice to look at his face again. I avoid it usually but it’s been enough time. I want to see him again.”
“Will Nathan be okay with that?”
“I don’t see why he’d have an issue with it.”
A look of scepticism comes across her face, only briefly, but I caught it. I let it go. She doesn’t know the ins and outs of my relationship so she can’t foretell how he’ll react. Besides, if he does somehow react in any way other than nonchalant about it, I’d be concerned about his mental health.
“In other news,” I announce loudly to the room, my face set in a beaming smile, “on Wednesday, I am going to be the line chef!”
“That’s like floor manager, right? But in a kitchen?”
“Kind of.” I bounce on the spot. “I overheard Kerim and Patience talking about it. Patience is ill and somebody has to cover.”
“But you’ve not been there long.”
“He needs to see if I’m capable.”
“Are you?” She’s asking out of concern but it still stings with the feeling that she doesn’t have any faith in me.
“I hope so.”
“You can do anything you want. You’re so clever. We’re all proud of you.”
“That’s what Nathan always says.” I motion for her to follow me to the room where the kids have pulled out all of their toys and have no doubt misplaced all of the remote controls.
Yep, not a single remote in sight.
“I guess we aren’t watching TV then,” I sigh as Emily comes to me with her arms outstretched. I lift her and snuggle her close before she pushes me away and goes to her Nana. After pulling my phone from my back pocket, I check it for the thousandth time and frown.
“How’s he doing in Essex?”
“He’s been there since yesterday morning and we only spoke when he arrived.”
“That’s unlike him.” She seems as concerned as I feel. “How many times has he been over there now?”
“This is his fourth visit in two weeks, but we spoke as much as possible.”
“He’ll be in touch.”
I can’t hide the concern from my eyes. “I’m supposed to be taking the car in for its MOT and a couple of fixes tomorrow.”
“Is it desperately needed?”
“It can’t wait any longer.” I go to rub my tired eyes but then recall the fact I’m wearing makeup so I stop that error immediately.
As if an angel from heaven sent the message herself, my phone rings.
I snatch it, grinning like a happy bunny once more, and exclaim, “You literally have no idea how much I’ve missed you. It’s not nice to keep a girl waiting.”
“In that case, you’ll be saying yes to what I’m about to ask then?” Kerim’s voice shatters my good mood and adds a thick layer of embarrassment to my now sad mood.
“Sorry, I thought…”
“I know.” He coughs away from the phone. “I have to go to a friend’s opening night tonight. Only for an hour. Normally I’d take Patience but this time I’ll take you; it’ll be a good experience for you.”
“What?”
“Bring clothes to change into. We’ll be working until it begins. Nothing difficult.”
“Nothing difficult?”
“You’ll have less than a minute to dress and makeup yourself before we leave.”
“I’m so confused,” I admit and Mum looks at me as if to ask what she’s missing. “Formal?”
“Yes, a dress or something.”
“Okay.”
“So… you’ll come?”
“I’ll still be getting paid, right?”
His answering laugh is loud and melodic. I find myself joining in and my sad mood melts away to a happier one. “We shall see how well behaved you are.”