Page 40 of Flowers Go Flying in Crumbleton
‘Don’t worry about that,’ said Caroline. ‘I’ve dropped the story. You’ll probably be pleased to hear that I can’t get a decent photograph of the whole thing for love nor money. In fact – I can’t get any kind of photo of it!’
‘Erm… well…’ Murray realised his grin was back in place. ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
‘No you’re not!’ hooted Caroline.
‘Okay – you’re right,’ said Murray. ‘So… to what do I owe the pleasure?’
‘I’m calling to ask you out on a date,’ said Caroline.
Murray’s jaw dropped, but in his stunned silence, he heard a strange squawk on the other end of the line.
‘Erm… you okay?’ he said. It sounded a bit like Caroline had just walked into a wall.
‘She’s fine!’ came a different voice.
‘Gimmie that!’ said Caroline again, sounding muffled and somehow further away.
‘Murray?’
‘I’m still here?’ said Murray, giving himself a little pinch just to check he hadn’t fallen into some kind of weird dream. That voice sounded strangely like Milly.
‘Aha! Unhand my phone, you blaggard!’
Caroline’s yell made Murray ease the handset away from his ear, and a great deal of scuffling and half-strangled giggling erupted on the other end.
‘Hello? Murray my man, are you still there?’ Caroline was huffing and puffing now, but clearly back in control of the phone.
‘I am,’ he said. ‘Do you need some kind of… assistance?’
‘Assistance?’ chuckled Caroline. ‘Nah – your girlfriend’s been picking fights with me and losing since primary school.’
‘Girlfriend?’
Murray’s voice had just shot out of him in a squeak of surprise – and he heard it echoed on the other end by an equally loud yelp.
‘Not… you suck, Caroline… I’m going to kill… and then… wine… git!’
Murray grinned. He might not have been able to make out the entire muffled sentence, but that voice was unmistakably Milly’s.
‘Is she okay?’ he said cautiously.
‘Yes,’ said Caroline. ‘She just doesn’t like it when I sit on her.’
Murray snorted.
‘Anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…’
Giggle… squeak…
‘Shh woman!’ grunted Caroline. ‘Your girlfriend had her brains addled so badly by snogging you, she forgot to ask you for your phone number. I had it – but because I’m a professional—’
‘Don’t listen to her, she’s got wine!’ interrupted Milly before breaking into a round of violent giggles that made Murray suspect she was being tickled into silence.
‘Lies, all lies!’ said Caroline blithely. The fact that she’d slurred the word both times made Murray promptly side with Milly. ‘Anyway – I couldn’t just give her your number, could I?’
‘You couldn’t?’ said Murray, struggling to keep a straight face.
‘No chance,’ she said. ‘Where’s the fun in that!’
