Page 64 of Save Us
“Was yours this professional right from the start?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I wish it had been.” She keeps scrolling through the page, and after a while, she pauses. Then she looks sideways at me. “Why do you ask?”
I shrug. “I like blogs. They help me chill. I can learn new stuff and see things I’d never find other ways.”
“That’s how I started out too,” Ember says with a meaningful smile. “And after a while, I made one of my own.”
The words are on the tip of my tongue, to tell her what’s going through my head right now:I have no idea what I want to do with my life, and this is the only thing I’ve been even remotely interested in for years.
Maybe one day, I’ll be able to say it. But the moment hasn’t come yet.
I avoid Ember’s eyes. “How did you know you had something to say?” I ask in the end.
Now a slight smile spreads over her lips. “Everyone has something to say, James.”
Ruby
Even on James’s phone screen, I can see how much color has come back to Lydia’s face. She’s got her hair down in waves, and her eyes are literally sparkling as she tells me about the last week.
“We found it too depressing to be indoors in such lovely weather. So Ophelia just moved her office out onto the patio.” She grins. “Mind you, I think she mainly wanted a good view of the gardeners who are doing some work for her at the moment.”
I have to laugh, and come close to burning my forehead on the hair straightener I’m using on my fringe.
“James and I really need to come for another visit soon. And I want to meet your new tutor. Is she still so superstrict?”
Lydia rolls her eyes. “She makes Lexie look like a pussycat in comparison.”
I glance skeptically into the camera.
“Seriously. She’s really nitpicky, and even makes a big deal about handwriting. If it’s not perfect, it has to be done again. On one hand, that’s really annoying, but on the other hand, I’m glad she treats me like a normal human being.”
“Youarea normal human being, Lydia.”
She clicks her tongue. “You know what I mean.”
I grab the hair spray from the dressing table and shut my eyes as I spray it over my whole head.
“That’s making me want to cough from two hundred miles away,” Lydia remarks, which sets me laughing again. “You look stunning, by the way.”
“You’re too kind, thank you.” I study myself in the tiny image on the screen. Yes, everything is staying put. Hopefully it will hold all evening. “What are your plans for the weekend?” I ask.
“Nothing much. Graham’s coming later, and he’ll be here until Monday morning. I’m pretty sure Ophelia’s going to take the chance to talk him into having a baby shower.”
“Oh!” I squeal. “That sounds lovely.”
“You think?” She pulls a face. “I’m not sure. Isn’t it kind of weird?”
“Why?” I ask.
“Well. After everything that’s happened, I’m not really sure a party is in order.”
I can only shake my head at that. I bring the phone up close to my face and stare seriously at Lydia. “Lyds, you haven’t had the chance to enjoy being pregnant. But it should be a happy time in your life. If you’re ready to let other people in and celebrate yourself and your twins, then I think you definitely should.”
She sighs a long sigh.
“You are happy, right?”
“Yeah, I am these days,” she replies at once.
