‘What?’Everyone else leant forwards, nearly toppling off the beanbags.
‘Is that your professional, art therapist’s opinion?’ I asked, cheeks flaming even as my traitorous lips insisted on curling into a sheepish grin. ‘Because I thought we were here for that, not to discuss my love life.’
‘You’re right!’ Hattie grabbed my hand. ‘It was completely wrong of me to mention it in a therapy session.’ She met my gaze, making sure I knew she was being serious before she broke into a smile. ‘Next time, I’ll wait until we’re onto cocktails. Although, something tells me that your therapy journey is going to need to face up to the love, or lack of it, in your life.’
‘Can we start cocktails now?’ Deirdre asked. ‘I have so many questions about Sophie and Gideon.’
‘What, and miss you getting to showcase…that?’ Kalani replied, eying up Deirdre’s animal.
‘No judging other people’s art,’ Hattie scolded. ‘Deirdre, would you like to explain?’
‘Can you guess what it is?’
‘Um…’
I thought I could spot a pointy nose, maybe a paw. But that didn’t do much to narrow down the possibilities.
‘Is it a cat?’ Laurie asked, hesitantly.
Deirdre shook her head.
‘A… slug?’ Kalani guessed.
‘What?’ Deirdre pulled her head back. ‘Why do you think I’m like a slug?’
‘Okay,’ Hattie intervened. ‘I don’t think guessing is helpful. Would you mind explaining to us, please?’
‘It’s a sloth.’ Deirdre pointed out the ears, what she claimed were four paws and a pair of eyes.
‘It’s harder to tell because it’s not painted yet,’ Laurie said.
‘It’s harder to tell because it looks nothing like a sloth.’ Kalani giggled. If she carried on like this, Hattie would have to put her in art-therapy detention.
‘Why a sloth, Deirdre?’ Hattie asked.
‘Because it was the most boring animal I could think of. All they do is sleep, or just hang about, being boring.’
‘Deirdre!’ Laurie and Kalani cried together.
‘You arenotboring!’ Kalani went on. ‘Not at all. Would I be friends with a boring person?’
‘To be fair, beggars can’t be choosers,’ Laurie said.
‘Well, yes, but how dare you call one of the Gals boring?’ Kalani was twitching on the beanbag, getting irritated at how hard it was to sit up straight. ‘You’re hilarious, and great fun, and, and…’
‘And I’m boring,’ Deirdre said, seemingly unconcerned. ‘I have a boring job that I hate. I have three – now four – friends, who I love to hang out with, but that’s all I ever do. Since I broke up with Gavin, I live by myself, work by myself, talk to myself – like, all the time! I eat the same meals, plod along the same running route, live in the same village I was born in, and never go anywhere else. My last holiday was a weekend with Gavin in Mablethorpe.’
‘That doesn’t make you boring, though!’ Laurie said.
Hattie held out one hand to stop her. ‘Let Deirdre explain.’
‘I’ve been feeling bleurgh for a while now. Once I got past being upset and angry about what happened. I’ve been stagnant. A little bit depressed, if I’m honest.’
‘What? How did we not spot this?’ Kalani reached across her beanbag.
‘Because being with the Gals is the highlight of my week. You make me feel amazing. But an hour or two back in the house I’ve not bothered to redecorate since I moved in, and I’m flat as stale shandy again. Back in sloth mode. I don’t know if Gavin cheated on me because I was boring, or I became boring because of what he did with Heidi Sprag, but now I’m stuck and I don’t know how to fix it.’
‘You should sign up for a dating app,’ Kalani said. ‘It’s been over two years.’
