Page 22 of The Notecard
‘I don’t think she wants to hear it,’ says Hugh bashfully.
‘Just do the first one,’ says Laura. ‘Go on, Hugh, for Megs.’
‘Go ahead,’ I say, sitting down.
‘Okay, right, here goes,’ says Hugh. ‘I’m going to stand up if that’s okay. They call it stand up for a reason.’
Mum laughs.
‘He’s so funny,’ says Mum. ‘They call it stand up for a reason.’
Hugh takes a second to compose himself, and then he looks at me.
‘Hello, my name’s Hugh, and people automatically assume that because I’m called Hugh that I’m posh, which is very unfair. I’m posh because my parents are loaded, I went to an expensive boarding school in Somerset, and I have seven pairs of red chinos.’
I laugh. He is good. Mum and Laura crack up laughing.
‘Do another one,’ says Mum.
‘I need to pop to my room quickly,’ I say, leaving Hugh to his audience.
Keri is making gourmet beans on toast. Hugh is doing his comedy for Mum and Laura. I just need a moment to myself. I go into my bedroom and sit down on my bed. I bought a new blanket that’s so warm and soft. Beth recommended it on one of her Instagram stories. She has it on her bed. It’s grey. It cost quite a lot, but it’s worth it.
I can’t believe I almost died. I can feel tears beneath the surface, and I’m suddenly emotional about the whole thing. It makes you think when you go through something like that. Life is so fragile. We’re all just standing by the edge, but none of us know when we’re going to fall. Life is just hope. Hope we don’t get too near the edge. Hope we’re okay. That our loved ones are okay. But it’s all so fragile when you think about it.
I start thinking about my trip. Why am so worried about telling my family about my travelling plans? Why haven’t I told work yet? I think I’m afraid to tell everyone because then it will be real. Then I will have to go. I’m excited to go, but equally terrified. I will have to leave my job, the life I have, and take off into the unknown. But then you almost die and suddenly the fear of not going, of not taking that chance seems a lot worse than actually doing it. I have a world map on my wall. I bought it a while ago. It has pins of all the places I want to go. Something else I stole from Beth. It’s inspiring. Looking at the map and imaging all the adventures I’m going to have. It’s overwhelming. I’m on the edge and it feels like I’m peering over.
I see a pile of notecards on my desk. They were a present from Laura for Christmas. A pile of thank you notecards. At the time I thought she was giving them to me in a passive-aggressive way because I never send thank you cards. I don’t have time for them. I’m finally going to use them. I’m going to write a thank you card to Nick. He deserves a notecard for saving my life. I take the stack of cards and look at them. They all have different coloured love hearts on the front and the words ‘Thank You’ in the middle. I pick one that has light brown and yellow love hearts on a grey background. It’s stylish. I pick a pen out from my collection of pens. I like pens. I have a lot of them. I sit on my bed and write Nick a thank you notecard.
Dear Nick. I just wanted to write you a note to say thank you. Thank you for saving my life. For being there when I needed you. I have so many hopes and dreams for the future, and without you none of them would have happened. You truly are my knight in shining armour or navy-blue scrubs! Thank you from the bottom of my still beating heart. Love Meg.
I read it back, add a smiley face and a kiss, then I put it in an envelope. I seal it up and I walk into the living room where Hugh has just finished another one of his stand-up bits. Mum is in absolute hysterics, and even the usually dour Laura is laughing. Perhaps Hugh has a future in comedy. I walk across to the office desk and sit down.
‘Mum, Laura, I have some news.’
Laura immediately stops laughing.
‘This better not overshadow my wedding. God, you aren’t pregnant, are you?’ says Laura.
‘No, I’m not pregnant. It would be a miracle. I haven’t had sex since James.’
‘You need to get on Tinder, Megs,’ says Mum. ‘I’m telling you. It’s like a cattle market.’
‘As lovely as that sounds, Mum, I’m fine, honestly,’ I say before I take a deep breath. ‘I’m taking six months off work and I’m going travelling.’
‘When?’ says Laura coldly.
‘After the wedding.’
‘How soon after?’ says Laura.
‘I don’t know yet, but soon after.’
‘Six months?’ says Mum. ‘Where are you going to go?’
‘I’m not entirely sure yet, Mum. Thailand probably, Bali, Australia.’
‘It doesn’t sound like you’ve really thought this through,’ says Laura.
