‘Ki- Ki, I – ’
‘I’m giving you thisfuckingdress and thesefuckingheels and you are going tofuckingwell accept them.’ Repeated use of the f-word was a danger sign that Kira was reaching her limit of patience. Libby pressed her lips together for a moment as she gazed down at the dress.
‘Thank you, Ki-Ki,’ she whispered, aiming a tremulous smile at Kira.
‘Oh, you daft bugger,’ Kira said; but her own voice broke and her eyes were suspiciously wet as she pulled Libby in for another hug. ‘Right,’ she muttered as she pulled away and surreptitiously wiped under her eyes. ‘Get changed, then let me work my magic.’
Ten minutes later a new and improved Libby stepped out of the bedroom.
‘Fu – ’ Pav started to say, as his grip on Rosie’s woodlice box slipped and it nearly fell to the floor before he could grab it again. His wide eyes flicked from Libby to Rosie. ‘I mean, clucking bell. You look – ’
‘Incredible,’ Jamie cut in, standing up from the sofa and staring at her with his mouth slightly open. The dress was perfect: it skimmed her figure in a way Libby was comfortable with (unless she was working she was not into showing much skin or making too much of her ‘assets’), and she had allowed Kira to use just a hint of nude, slightly shimmery eye-shadow and mascara with very light pink tinted lip-gloss. Kira had insisted she wear her hair down but did at least pull back the front portion to secure it in a clip.
Libby hadn’t been sure about all the fuss and bother, and she was definitely feeling bad about taking the dress and shoes, but when she saw Jamie swallow and the tips of his ears go red she knew she’d done the right thing.
‘You look like a pwincess, Mummy,’ Rosie said, her voice full of wonder, having never seen her mother in anything like what she was wearing. Libby smiled at her and then her gaze went back to Jamie. For a long moment they were both frozen, just staring at each other across the room. Kira’s clapping cut through the tension and they turned to her.
‘Right, kids, time to go,’ Kira said, ushering them to the door. ‘You too, Cock Doc. Take those power tools of yours and get.’
‘Aunty Ki-Ki,’ Rosie said, her little face now red with anger, ‘I am showing Mr Pavie my woodlice. He can’t leave yet.’
‘Rosie, I – ’ Pav said, starting to hand back the box to her.
‘Sit. Down,’ she told him, her voice surprisingly low and menacing for a four-year-old, and he let her push him over to the squashy sofa, where he sank down amongst the copious mismatched throw cushions.
‘Be safe, you two,’ Pav called as he tried to hide his grimace when Rosie opened up the woodlouse box, which she’d plonked on his lap. Jamie ushered Libby out of the flat before she could change her mind.
Chapter 18
I don’t have a choice
‘So, what do you fancy?’ Jamie asked. Libby bit her lip and read the menu.
‘I …’ she cleared her throat, ‘I like everything, so … you choose.’ She closed the menu with visible relief and smiled across at him.
‘Uh … okay,’ he said slowly, returning her smile with a slightly bemused one of his own. Libby sat back in her chair and pushed her hair behind her ears. She started twisting her fingers on the table in front of her, but when she noticed him focusing on them she quickly tucked them out of sight in her lap.
‘Libby, what’s wrong?’ Jamie asked softly. He had closed the menu and laid it down next to his place setting, all his attention on her.
‘What? I’m fine.’ She forced the brightest fake smile she could manage but it only made Jamie’s frown deepen.
‘You’ve been tense since we got here. Is it something I’ve done or – ’
‘No, no, of course not. Just … just ignore me.’
Jamie’s eyes went to the ceiling for a moment before he started chuckling and rubbing the back of his neck. ‘Libby, not sure how your dates normally go, but in general I try to avoid ignoring the other person. Look, if you don’t like Thai we don’t have to – ’
‘I’ve never eaten Thai food,’ Libby blurted out, her eyes on her spoon, which she had started fiddling with. ‘I’ve never eaten anywhere like this, okay? The closest I’ve ever been to a proper restaurant is Pizza Express and that’s only when I’ve got all the vouchers that mean you pay about a fiver. I’ve eaten Chinese takeaway and curries at Mum and Dad’s but …’ she threw her hands up ‘… well, you don’t order Thai food in. At least not in my family. So … I …’ Her cheeks flushed pink and she face-planted into her hands on the table. ‘Ugh, this is embarrassing.’ Her voice was muffled but she knew Jamie had still heard, when he reached across the table and prised one of her hands away to take it firmly in his.
‘Life interrupted,’ he muttered as he searched the beetroot-red side of her face that was now visible. She frowned as she slowly lowered her other hand.
‘What?’
‘Pregnant at seventeen, A-levels, then baby, then medical school. All you’ve done is work or look after Rosie since you were a child yourself.’ Libby looked to the side and shrugged one shoulder. ‘Listen, I’ll talk you through the menu. Order what you think you might like. If you hate it we’ll leave, go to my place and order pizza with Beauty.’ When she pressed her lips together and gave a short nod he sighed. ‘Honestly, it’s fine, even if you hate it. Pav can’t stand Thai food – something about a bad Pad Thai, a lady-boy he mistook for the real thing, and a drug-fuelled full-moon party on Ko Pha Ngan.’
Libby’s eyes widened for a moment before she burst out laughing, and just like that she didn’t feel stupid anymore. Jamie understood why she’d never eaten somewhere like this, he understood that it wasn’t a life choice she’d made. Life choices were a luxury a single mother studying medicine did not have.
This was not the attitude of the majority of her fellow students. She’d seen them roll their eyes when she declined even a seemingly innocuous trip to the pub – but drinks cost money, childcare costs money (it’s not like she could ask Kira to babysit when Kira herself would be the life and soul of the party at said pub; and, despite Kira’s efforts, she had to keep her parents reserved for when she worked – that was enough of an imposition). When you wear scrubs to bed instead of buying pajamas, when you buy value ketchup instead of Heinz, when you wear your shoes until they have holes in the soles – then you could judge someone in her position.
