Page 29 of Not Moving Out
‘You need to get back at him. You need to walk in on him naked!’
‘Oh my God, yes!’ said Lucy.
We laughed, and then sat and finished our drinks and Caroline’s delicious banana bread before we all had to head off home.
On our way back to our cars, I had a few minutes with Lucy, who filled me in on what was happening with her boys, and also on Stuart’s new adventure. Stuart had spent the past fifteen years managing an English language school in Brighton, but wanted to branch out and start his own school. It would mean more work, longer hours, and he had mentioned the possibility of Lucy coming to work with him, too. If he was going to venture out on his own and create something wonderful from scratch, he would need Lucy’s support. She was brilliant at administration, and the finer details of things, while Stuart was better at being the face of the school. It wasn’t happening soon, she stressed, but the idea of not working with Lucy already made me sad. She was one of the best things about Becket, Godwin & Anderson, and without her my days would surely not be as fulfilling. It was also more change, and I wasn’t sure I could handle any more upheaval given the last few months, and what was to come next.
Chapter Fourteen
Freya
On the way home from Cold Water Club, I stopped at Tesco to pick up a couple of things, before I drove home, ready to start my day. I was running a little late, and I still needed to have a shower, eat breakfast and get ready for work. I opened the front door, walked along the hallway and into the kitchen. I was hungrier than usual, and decided to have breakfast before my shower, but when I walked into the kitchen I saw Joe and Dolly sitting at the table and the air in the room was thick with tension. Something had obviously happened.
‘What’s going on?’ I asked straight away, putting my shopping down on the floor. I had forgotten my bag for lifeagain, and had to pay for another one.
‘I got my letter from Durham,’ said Dolly, and I immediately knew what this meant for her. Durham University was her dream. We had gone up for her interview, to have a look around the campus and to spend the night so she could get a feel for the city, and she had fallen in love. Ever since, she had become obsessed with going there and this letter would determine the next three years of her life, and perhaps the rest, too. Dolly stood up and then Joe followed.
‘Are you going to open it then?’ I asked, stepping closer to her so we were all huddled together in the middle of the kitchen.
‘I’m too nervous,’ said Dolly frantically. I had never seen her look so terrified before.
‘I’ll do it,’ said Joe with an eager smile, taking the letter from Dolly’s hand.
‘Good luck, love,’ I said, reaching out and holding Dolly’s in mine.
‘Thanks, Mum. Okay, I’m ready.’
‘Here goes,’ said Joe.
Dolly and I both looked towards Joe, who had the letter in his hand. He reached down and was about to open it when Dolly stopped him.
‘I’ll do it,’ she said, taking the letter from Joe. Dolly took a deep breath, and then she slowly opened the envelope that contained the letter that might change her life. My heart ached in anticipation and I watched her face as she read the letter aloud.Please let her get in.With everything going on between me and Joe, this felt like the good news that might give us all a lift. She began to slowly read the letter.
‘Dear Miss Wallace, we are pleased to offer you a conditional offer to read English Literature at Durham University. Oh my God, I got in!’ screamed Dolly, and then Joe and I engulfed her and we were all huddled together, jumping up and down and squealing with delight. Our baby girl was going to read English at Durham and I couldn’t have been prouder of her.
‘Dinner tonight to celebrate!’ I said, as soon as we had stopped jumping up and down like maniacs. ‘Wherever you want!’
‘Okay,’ said Dolly, who already had tears in her eyes.
‘Joe?’ I said. ‘Dinner?’
‘I’m in,’ he replied.
‘Right, I’m really sorry, love, but I have to get ready for work. I’m so proud of you and I can’t wait for tonight. Oh, should I invite Mum and Martin?’
‘You mean Marmalade?’ said Joe.
‘Fine, should I invite Mum and Marmalade?’ I asked.
‘Yes,’ replied Dolly with the biggest smile.
I leaned in and gave her one final hug before I had to dash upstairs and take a shower. I still hadn’t had breakfast, but I would grab something on my way out. It had been a crazy morning, and I couldn’t wait to celebrate later.
I was sitting on my bed, trying to decide what to wear for Dolly’s celebratory dinner. Dolly had chosen Wagamama, her favourite restaurant, and she was meeting us there, along with Mum and Marmalade. After college, Dolly spent the rest of the day with her friend Maya, and I was excited to see her again to properly celebrate her success. If only I could decide what to wear. I was feeling a little under the weather, and not particularly attractive, and nothing in my wardrobe was singing to me, which was why I was sitting on my bed, in just my underwear with my dressing gown over the top. I could hear Joe moving about the house getting ready, too. For one man, he certainly made a lot of noise.
I was scrolling on my phone, when I went to Facebook for the first time that day, and the first thing that popped up was a video of Dolly and me. We were at the beach and she was about seven or eight, and she was so adorable and, before I knew it, I was deep-diving into memories of Dolly from a toddler all the way up to her teenage years. Nostalgia soon got the better of me, and I was quickly an emotional mess, and with her off to university in a matter of months, I couldn’t help but be incredibly sad. I wanted my little girl back. I knew it was impossible unless they somehow invented a time machine, or I was involved in some sort of accident and I woke up ten years ago, and got the chance to put everything right. But I wouldn’t because this was real life and not a time-travel romcom film starring Lily James. Photo after photo of Dolly as a little girl popped up on my phone, and the more I saw, the more my heart broke and I couldn’t stop the tears that soon rushed down my face. There was a sudden knock at the door.
‘Freya? Are you okay? I heard crying,’ said Joe.
