Page 32 of Five Things I Love About You

‘Sorry, Miranda,’ Sophie says, eventually.

‘Yeah me too,’ Kirstie says, sheepishly. ‘I just worry about you.’

‘I know, but there’s no need. Whatever happens, I’ll be fine. Which means I’m going skydiving.’

‘Then I’m coming with you,’ Kirstie says.

‘But it’s miles away, and you think it’s a ridiculous idea.’

‘I love sky-diving and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Besides, it’s Newcastle, not outer-space.’ She turns to Sophie. ‘You’ll come too, won’t you?’

‘Absolutely not,’ she says, looking slightly green.

Kirstie turns back to me and grins. ‘I’ll work on her. We’ll be there.’

12

In an attempt to ignore the fact that I’ve agreed to throw myself out of a plane from thousands of feet in the air in three days’ time, I decide to keep myself busy. Which is why, when Matt messages me the following morning as I’m drinking my first coffee of the day to ask if I’m doing anything, I tell him I’m not. I smile as I read his reply.

Matt

I’ve got an unexpectedly free afternoon if you’d still like me to show you round? No worries if not. Matt

Hearing from Matt has given me a spark of excitement I don’t want to examine too closely. I click back on the message and compose a reply. It takes me a while to get the tone right (honestly, do we ever stop behaving like schoolgirls when it comes to men?!) but once I’m satisfied I press send before I can change my mind.

Miranda

I’d love that, if you’re really sure you don’t mind. Let me know where and when and I’ll be there. Miranda.

His reply doesn’t take long to come.

Matt

Perfect! I’ll meet you at Grey’s Monument at 1p.m. if that works for you? Opposite Waterstones.

Miranda

See you there

The morning crawls by. I check my emails to see if I have any dogs to walk (nothing yet) and read a few more testimonials on the skydiving website. I’ve been trying to reassure myself that it won’t be as scary as it looks, but the more I read the more terrified I feel. I close my laptop and spend longer than I need getting ready. It’s not so bad to want to look half-decent for a new friend, is it?

I set off early, leaving myself more than an hour to get into town. It’s a bright day so I decide to walk. I’m enjoying getting to know my way round, and it gives me a sense of achievement when I successfully navigate somewhere without using Google Maps.

It’s busy in town, even midweek, crowds of people streaming in and out of shops, congregating in the entrance to Eldon Square shopping centre. By the time I arrive at Grey’s Monument I’m still twenty minutes early, so I duck into Waterstones and browse the books, picking up a hardback copy ofA Clockwork Orangewith a gorgeous cover. Should I buy it for Matt as a thank you? Or is that too much?

In the end I do buy it, but I’ll decide whether to give it to him or not later. I shove the book in my bag and head out to meet him.

He’s already there, standing with his back to me. By the time he notices me I’m almost in front of him and his face splits into a smile.

‘Hey!’ he says, and for a moment I consider greeting him with a hug the way I do most of my friends. But he doesn’t move to do the same so I stick my hand out instead. He looks bemused, then amused, as he takes it and gives it a shake. His palm is cool and soft.

‘Thanks for showing me round,’ I say, as we start walking down the hill.

‘Don’t be daft, you’re doing me a favour,’ he says. ‘I took the afternoon off because Gladys wasn’t well and I thought I’d need it to take her back to the vet, but she didn’t have to go in the end. If I stay at home I’ll be tempted to do some work and I absolutely mustn’t.’

‘Oh, what’s wrong with Gladys?’

‘They’re not sure. Some sort of infection in her kidneys they think. She’s got antibiotics and seems to have rallied already.’

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