Page 29 of One Night With You

I close the app, feeling wistful. It’s been a few days since we met JP and started the Finding JP’s Girl account, and I’ve been riding a high. I’ve been booked and busy: always something to do, something to say, and Harry and I have been hanging out a lot too. So tonight, in my tiny temporaryone-bed flat, with furniture that came with the place and no concrete memories having yet been made with these walls, my aloneness hits differently. It’s the first time I’ve felt this way since I arrived in Manchester. Lonely over alone. I think I must be tired or maybe I just need my dinner. Low blood sugar can cause a multitude of ills.

First, though, I try FaceTiming Candice, but she doesn’t pick up. I’ve missed a couple more of her calls, too, so send a text that says:Catch up soon?Jackson rings out as well. I could call Mum, but I always have to do so much explaining about the master’s and my life and keeping hydrated. I don’t have the minerals for it, much as I love her. So I return to mindlessly scrolling on Instagram, rewatching the stories I posted from the day, and feel unreasonably disappointed that Nic hasn’t watched them.Sod it,I decide, thumbing through my call log to get his number from the other day and saving it to my phone. You never know, I might change my mind. I’ll keep the number, just in case.

My stomach growls in protest at going unfed, so I order extra-large mushy peas with my chippy tea via Uber eats, and cry,again, when I listen to JP’s interview back for the millionth time. I’ve only had one glass of warm, cheap wine from a box too big to fit on the shelf in the fridge, but I stop myself from having any more, and then find myself opening up a new text message to type in JP’s name to the top part, ready to write to him. William happened to mention that JP’s phone is connected to his voice-activated speaker, and reads out texts for him because he can’t see a phone screen. I type:

JP, it’s Ruby from the other day. I just watched back our interview and wanted to say thank you once more for sharing so generously with us. You’ve really touched my heart, and mademe think, and I wanted to say so. I’m really excited to see if we can find Amelie!

As I lick the grease off my fingers from my last chip, my phone pings back:

The pleasure was all mine, Ruby. It was nice to have the company and do something different for a change. Stop by again if you’ve got time – I’m sure you have better things to be doing than seeing an old fart like me though, from JP.

The Year of Me isn’t necessarily about doing as much as possible, as much as it is following my nose and embracing what excites me. Icoulddo a fancy class tonight, or find out which pub everyone off the course is at, or even just wander the streets of Manchester like I’ve done several times already, drinking in the vibe. But if I did, I’d be breaking my own rule of tolerating things just to fill a hole. I know it’s important to feel bored sometimes, or even a bit sad. But I also know that, if the Year of Me is about truly leaning into what excites me, simply because it does, I actually should be hanging out with JP some more. Surely you get to that age and have all the answers? I wonder what advice he might have for me andmylife.

Even if I did have plans,I write back,I’d still accept the offer of your company. You’re a very cool man, John-Peter! xx

I wait, excited, to see what he says back. I think I just asked out a ninety-six-year-old.

I’ve always been easily flattered,he says.

It makes me laugh out loud.

Do you know what L-O-L means in text speak?I tap out.

Lots of love,comes the response.

It means laugh-out-loud. So if I type LOL it means you made me chuckle.

Is that right? I’ve never really got on with text speak.

Well, I’d be happy to try and teach you!

He replies:Ruby, I get two text messages a week. I don’t think your efforts would get the pay-off you’re expecting.

I send back:LOL.

I’m happy you find me amusing,he says.

Did you really mean it when you said I should come round again?I ask.Even if it’s not for the project?

How’s the weekend?he says, and I tell him the weekend is perfect.

I’ll bring cake,I add.

Ruby, sweetheart,he retorts.We can do better than cake, can’t we? Make it a can of lager with a lemonade chaser.

I’ll bring both,I sign off, marvelling at how the act of reaching out has resulted in feeling better about my life, and my loneliness, almost instantly – which is a Year of Me lesson in itself.

Connection is everything.

Connection is what it is all about.

Three days later and JP has got the port out, and his fancy glasses to go with it. I shouldn’t drink because of the antibiotics, but I’m sorry: if a ninety-six-year-old man offers you his port you take it, no question. I don’t make the rules, I just follow them.

‘Life’s too short to save them for best.’ He laughs, as he pours out two rather large servings. He’s a proper old-school gentleman with a real cheeky sense of humour – my kryptonite. I told Harry I was coming, but he has a date, so now it’s just me and JP on this mid-October Sunday afternoon.

‘You know, you’re so right.’ I laugh, accepting the drink. ‘I should stop by in my ballgown next time.’

He laughs too. ‘I’d say I’d get my suit on for you, but it hasn’t fit since 1982.’

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