Page 43 of When We Were Friends
‘That’s literally me,’ said Paige. ‘And if a product doesn’t scan I always say, “It must be free then.”’
‘Yes!’ said Morgan and she groaned, playfully punching Paige on the arm.
‘Well, you wouldn’t believe the complaints people turn up with in A&E, like kids sticking popcorn kernel in their ears… and worse,’ said Emily.
‘Love that!’ said Tiff. ‘I shared a bag of popcorn with Keanu Reeves once, you know. Total fluke. He thought I was a producer. I played along as long as I could.’
‘Holy crap, Tiff! What was he like?’ exclaimed Morgan.
‘As good-looking as on the screen?’ asked Paige.
‘As kind as everyone says he is?’ Emily leant forwards.
Tiff beamed. ‘Yes, he was down-to-earth, humble, unostentatious – and an absolute God.’
‘I might text Lewis and tell him,’ said Emily and she took out her phone, ‘he’s a huge fan of theMatrixmovies.’
‘Joe is too,’ said Tiff. ‘He made me hot chocolate to wheedle out as much information as possible.’
‘Text him,’ said Paige with authority. ‘You want to.’
Morgan exchanged glances with Emily and Tiff. Small smiles. This was the Paige she was familiar with and Morgan lapped up the sense of familiarity. Paige always had called her, Tiff and Emily out for not facing their truths.
‘You reckon?’ said Tiff.
The four of them pored over Tiff’s phone as if they were back in 2004. Emily spotted the word Manchester in Joe’s last message and Tiff explained he was coming up this weekend. The three others chorused that they should definitely meet up. Tiff went to type but changed her mind. In the end, Paige grabbed the phone and ran inside, locked herself in the toilet and stayed in for several minutes, despite Tiff hammering on the door, the others laughing. Finally, Paige strode out and casually passed the phone back.
‘I’ve said you’d love to meet him in Manchester that Saturday, and put a kiss on the end.’
Tiff looked outraged. Emily wiped her eyes, Morgan held her ribs, Paige airily smiled. They collapsed onto the sofa and armchairs.
Paige researched flights. ‘You can’t book direct from Nice to Newquay. We’ll have to fly to Gatwick. From there, it takes nine hours by train or five by car. So it’s best to fly again. All in, with the change at Gatwick, if we have an early start, I can get us there tomorrow evening. Then that’s the last air miles used up.’
‘Are you sure you don’t mind draining your supply?’ asked Morgan.
‘No problem. Felix’s current trip to Dubai will already have started a new pot. But let’s try ringing that Ocean Activity Centre first. No point going there if he’s not there now.’
There was no reply. They rang the other surf shops in Fistral just in case Hugo had arrived in the area and found work elsewhere, but neither could help.
They couldn’t waste Paige’s air miles for nothing. ‘Let’s leave it and just go home,’ said Morgan, putting on her brightest voice.
Paige studied her face. ‘No. I love Cornwall and haven’t had a break from work for a while. Let’s do it. Like I said originally, Felix and I will never use up all our air miles.’ She looked at Emily and Tiff, her eyebrow raised.
‘It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do,’ said Emily.
‘And we might find him…’ said Tiff.
Paige gave the thumbs-up to Morgan who, looking relieved, swiped up and down on her phone, scrolling through hotels. ‘There’s a little B&B not too far from Fistral Beach. I could book two rooms, if that suits everyone?’
‘Yes. It won’t cost much split between four,’ said Emily.
Morgan’s cheeks reddened. ‘I’ll pay. I don’t assume you all—’
‘No you won’t,’ said Emily firmly. She looked at the other two, who agreed.
‘I’m so grateful you three are on this journey with me,’ said Morgan, looking as if a customer had spoken highly of her service to the manager. It happened more often than her colleagues approved of. ‘Thank you.’ Her voice wavered. ‘I’m so very thankful.’
Emily’s phone bleeped and she smiled.
