‘They loved you.’
That was definitely true of Robert, who wasted no time in leaning in and telling me how fit he thought she was, although later on he’d also winked at me whenever Alice did something funny or cute – she’d effortlessly won him over. As for Maddy, well, I’d watched her around Alice, I wanted to gauge her reaction for some reason – see how she responded to me being there with someone else. She seemed fascinated by her and watched her keenly for most of the afternoon with intrigue. I was surprised Alice had failed to notice.
‘You sure?’
‘What’s not to love?’
‘Whoa there, tiger, with the love talk!’ she giggled.
Putting my hands on her hips, I pulled her on top of me and gave her a kiss.
‘Before we get carried away … I have something for you,’ she said, untangling herself from me as she pulled a large present from the side of her bed, offering it to me with a smirk.
‘What’s this?’ I asked her, looking at the neatly wrapped gift and juggling it around, trying to work out what it was – it was soft and made no sound when I shook it; I had no idea what she was giving me.
‘It’s only something small,’ she shrugged. ‘I just thought it would make you smile.’
I tore apart the blue wrapping paper to find a koala onesie and couldn’t stop myself from grinning as I kissed her once more to say thank you. It was the most thoughtful gift I’d ever received, I couldn’t help but be blown away by the gesture.
‘You really are the cutest little thing,’ I said, cupping her face with my hands.
‘Why, thank you! Once you experience the joy of this onesie, I swear it’ll be hard to get you out of it.’
‘Oh, but I hope you’ll try.’
‘Ben!’ she squealed with laughter, giving me a playful slap on the arm.
‘I’m joking … sort of. Seriously, though, thank you. It’s so sweet of you.’
‘Not really, it just gives me an excuse to wear my onesie around you and not feel stupid.’
‘Ooh, ulterior motives, Miss Turner?’
‘Made sense for when you finally managed to make your way back into my bedroom.’
‘Crafty.’
As we sat there grinning at each other a thought popped into my head. ‘Actually, Alice, I have to go home next weekend, for Maddy’s dad’s fiftieth. Fancy coming?’
If I’d spent a little more time thinking about it I’d probably have concluded it was a bad idea, but I hadn’t. Sitting in front of her, basking in her sunshine, it seemed like a perfect idea.
‘I can’t just turn up uninvited.’
‘I’m inviting you.’
‘You can’t do that.’
‘I can, I was given a plus one on the invite.’
‘But I don’t know anyone.’
‘Alice, I’m trying to ask you to come home with me and meet my mum, would you not make it so difficult?’
‘Oh! I forgot she’d be there,’ she giggled. ‘I’d love to.’
Every social event, ever since Maddy and Robert had become an item, had turned into me being asked a million questions about my love life, which ultimately would turn into me being given sympathetic looks and told not to worry because ‘it’ll happen’ if I just ‘hang in there’. That’s a whole five years of being made to feel like I was on the reject pile when it came to love.
I wasn’t prepared to receive the same treatment yet again, as I watched Maddy and Robert act all loved up, as though the past few weeks had never happened. I’d decided I was going to have someone wonderful on my arm to avoid the glum chat. To make me feel like an equal and, hopefully, to help me enjoy what would otherwise be a very dreary night.
I knew Maddy wouldn’t be overjoyed, but hoped she’d be able to understand that I couldn’t just watch her walk away from me. I had to occupy myself – keep my heart busy.
Maddy
Twenty-one years old …
The weekend after our double date, we all went back to Peaswood. It was my dad’s fiftieth birthday and a big party had been planned to celebrate. The hall in our local community club had been booked, a mullet-coiffed DJ hired and a few dozen blue and silver helium balloons had been puffed up for decoration.
After all the drama of the previous weeks I had been thrilled to be going home, back to familiar surroundings where everything was once so simple. However, our calm little house had been taken over for the weekend and turned into chaotic madness. With distant relatives invading us to share in the celebrations, there was a battle over the bathrooms, hairdryers and any tiny little space as we all fought to get ourselves ready for the party.