A few weeks had passed since Jamie and Ellie had last
spoken. She had got on with her job – ever professional, pretending that
everything was Ok. She longed for a phone call from Jamie or perhaps just a
text to let her know he hadn’t forgotten about her. But she knew oh so well how
things can happen in other people’s lives that one would have no clue of. Just
because Jamie didn’t seem to be going through a hard time didn’t mean he
wasn’t. And she of all people knows what it’s like to bottle up feelings and
work to let that get the best of you. She calmed herself by telling herself
that Jamie would get in contact with her when he was ready. She did not allow
herself to think negatively of why he didn’t get in contact with her. Maybe he
had another girl pleasing him – she knew this was none of her business and they
were only friends at the moment. How to close that gap? That was the issue that
she thought most relevant to their situation. Work had probably piled up and
that was the reason he was uncontactable.
She didn’t know what went on in his life and she didn’t like
to speculate. Other people did that with her all the time, thought that
appearance meant everything. She is a well-turned-out girl always dressing well
and on time when she needs to be. But people are surprised, look at her in awe,
when they have a conversation with her about what’s happening in the world or
just general chit-chat from day to day. Of course, her friends like Poppy
recognise her as a friend and don’t do all the gawping. But it is the
strangers, the strangers that thankfully she’ll probably never see again. Did
they think she lived in another world? Did they think that her issues
outweighed the state of this world, when indeed they’d grasped that she lived
in it?
She went for lunch at her usual deli and was surprised to
turn around and see Jamie coming through the door. She had ordered and went to
sit at a table. Jamie ordered what he wanted, as the shop was quiet, and came
to sit down opposite Ellie. She swept a few tendrils of hair back with her hand
and clipped them out of her face.
‘I don’t have long. One of our writers cornered me about
their next novel! I only have 10 minutes,’ Ellie told Jamie, looking straight
at him.
‘That’s OK, what I have to say won’t take long. It’s just –
well – I’ve got a friend Sophia who just had her heart thumped by another guy,
would you be up for drinks tonight at my place?’ Jamie spoke softly.
WOW! He was finally inviting her over to his, even if it was
to help someone else. ‘Sure,’ Ellie replied coolly, looking down at her ham and
cucumber baguette. ‘Ok, cool, thanks. It’s at 7,’ Jamie informed her. Ellie
nodded at her serviette.
‘I’ll be there,’ she said, finishing her baguette and wiping
her mouth. She re-applied her light pink lipstick very quickly, holding out a
pocket mirror to apply it with expertise. She bid goodbye to Jamie, they’d
already swapped directions to his place and in a flash she was out of the door
and very quickly passing reception to get back to work.
*Hope you like it. Thank you for reading!
Steph
XxX*
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