Page 47 of Clara's Secret Garden
‘What? No. Damien’s sister’s arrived unexpectedly and he’strying to blow up the air bed.’ She shrugs. ‘No pump so he’s having to do it byhand.’
‘Oh, really? Good one, Irene.’
‘It’strue. I looked it up online. You get a bin bagand swing it around to capture the air then you squeeze the end closed to trapit in there and...’ She snorts. ‘I don’t know why I’mexplaining myself.I’mperfectly innocent. It’syouwith the mindlike a sewer, missy, jumping to such sleezy conclusions.’ She shakes her head.‘I really wonder about your state of mind if you could seriously imagine I washavingphone sex over the roast beef and horseradish sauce!’ She flicksher eyes to the ceiling in disbelief, pushes back her chair and totters away,colliding with the doorframe and apologising to it on the way out.
Not the first triple gin of the day, then.
I sink back down in my chair and in the silence thatfollows, Bertie pipes up: ‘What’s phone sex, Clara?’
My face feels redder than a hideous motorway tomato saucespillage. I catch Rory’s eye and he’s trying to supress a smile, and Lois givesa bark of laughter, but it’s really not funny.
I’ve never felt so embarrassed in my life.
‘Going to the bathroom,’ I mumble and flee the kitchen.
Opening the front door as quietly as I can, I step outside.Leaning against the wall, I hold my face up to the cooling September breeze asI endeavour to find my lost equilibrium.
A moment later, Rory emerges.
He leans against the wall beside me. ‘It was getting hot inthere. In more ways than one.’
‘Not funny.’
‘Well, itwas.’ He grins. ‘Just a little bit?’
‘I don’t want to talk about it, Rory. I made a complete andutter prat of myself back there.’
‘No. You didn’t.’
‘OfcourseI did.’
‘To be honest, I thought the same as you.’
‘Really?’ I glance at him doubtfully.
‘Yeah. I couldn’t quite believe what Irene was coming outwith. Especially with Bertie sitting right there.’ He nudges me gently. ‘I’mnot surprised you yelled at her. I’d probably have done the same if I wasn’t aguest.’
My embarrassment subsiding a little, I give him a sheepishlook. And my ridiculous heart melts a little as I gaze up into his beautifuldark grey eyes... which right this moment are full of so muchwarmth and affection, I’m finding it almost impossible to look away...
No. Stop it.
He’s with Lois so pull yourself together, otherwiseyou’ll be in danger of making a fool of yourself for the second time in tenminutes.
‘I feel better,’ I mumble. ‘Thanks.’
‘Good. Although I didn’t just come after you to make youfeel better.’
‘No?’
‘I wanted to ask you if you’re still up for taking Elsie tothat dance class.’
‘Oh! Yes, of course. Any time she likes.’
‘Great. It’s just I know she’s looking forward to it.’
‘Well, tell her there’s a class on Monday and if she’d liketo go to it, so would I.’
I’m kicking myself for not remembering I promised to takeher to the class. I’ve been concentrating so hard on avoiding Lois and Rory,and trying to act ‘normally’ in their presence, that I’ve become a bitself-obsessed lately.
