‘No, but Jean Brodie encouraged her girls to be strong. To stand up for themselves. And that’s what I took from the book. I had the start of my flower vine tattoo done in college and dyed my hair blue. Then after I’d been over here a while, I went with Alec when he got a tattoo and I got mine finished. It’s kind of addictive.’
He traced his fingertips down her arm. ‘It’s not like other tattoos I’ve seen. It’s delicate. So beautiful.’
‘Thank you. I love it. And I love that it’s not on show for everyone. Just me and… well you get the idea.’
His face changed a little and I could almost hear the cogs turning in his mind. Me and my big mouth. It wasn’t like I’d been promiscuous but I really shouldn’t have brought up the idea of former lovers in front of him. I waited with bated breath to see what he’d say. ‘Why is this flower different? It’s a rose but the others are more like cherry blossom.’
I relaxed a little when he didn’t quiz me on my past relationships. ‘Oh, yeah. That was done in memory of my abuela. My other grandma and my dad’s mom. Her name was Rosa. She died when I was twelve and I miss her like crazy. We were very close too, just like me and Grandma Aggie. She used to tell me stories about how she met my grandpa just before the war.’
‘A rose to remember Rosabel. That’s really sweet, Star.’ My eyes welled with tears as they always did when I remembered my abuela. He pulled himself up to face me. ‘Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.’
I sniffled and wiped my eyes feeling a little foolish. ‘Oh, gosh, no. Don’t be sorry. I think the fact that I still cry over her just means that I still miss her. She had an amazing life, and I’m so glad I got to spend twelve years of my life getting to know her.’
‘So... thepinkhair?’ He rapidly changed the subject, clearly wanting to continue his getting to know Star journey.
I giggled. ‘Oh, I tend to change my hair colour around once a year. As I said earlier, the first colour I tried was blue. Last year it was purple. Pink is maybe a little too girly for me, but I’m sticking with it for now.’
He twirled a lock of my hair round his finger. ‘I like it.’
‘I’m glad,’ I breathed, before lowering my face to kiss him once more.
26
Fin
Later, as we watched an old black and white movie, cuddled up on the sofa, she turned to me. ‘So, you know lots about me, so I think it’s only fair that you share too.’
I shrugged. ‘I think you know everything. I seem to remember spilling my guts to you on our first proper meeting.’
‘Okay. But I still have questions, though. For example, where did you get your passion for music? I don’t mean to be rude but your parents don’t seem the rock music kind.’
He laughed. ‘Sadly your instincts are correct. But therein lays a story. Our housekeeper, Hetty, was a real gem. She used to bring the best CDs in for me to listen to. She was quite the music connoisseur. I’m talking rock music from the seventies and eighties: Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Rainbow, to name only a few. When Dad was working, I used to put on the old Discman she gave me and jump round my room, miming to the songs as if I was on stage.’ I laughed at the memory and how ridiculous I must have looked.
‘Wow. Hetty had great taste, huh?’
I sighed and smiled as I thought about my dear friend. ‘She sure did. I owe her a lot, actually.’
There was a long pause before Star spoke again. ‘I... I don’t mean to speak ill of your parents, but... well, Hetty sounds like she was more of a mom to you than your actual mother was.’
I sat silently, letting her words sink in. She was right. And that fact made me a little sad.
She turned to face me again, her brow was pulled in and she chewed the inside of her cheek. ‘I’m sorry, Fin. I should keep my opinions to myself.’
I cupped her cheek in my palm. ‘No, you’re right. The more I look back on my childhood, the more I think I was an inconvenience to my mother. And my dad... well, let’s just say nothing was ever good enough, and some things never change.’ She covered my hand with her own where it sat on her cheek. I sensed a drop in mood once again and had to lighten things up. ‘Oh, come on. Let’s not get all melancholy, eh? I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.’
We agreed that she would leave at around eight in the evening so I could do a little more research prior to my first day at McKendrick Law. Well, I say weagreed... Starinsisted. I was more than happy to talk in between kissing for the rest of the night, but she quite rightly pointed out that one just does not turn up unprepared to the first day of one’s new and important job. So, reluctantly, I acquiesced.
After we devoured a delivery of Chinese food and shared a bottle of wine, I called a cab to take Star home. The driver buzzed up and announced his arrival, and I walked her to the door.
I held both her hands in mine. ‘I’ve had such a wonderful time. Thank you.’
‘Me too. I’m so glad I made the rash decision to turn up on your doorstep last night.’
I smiled as she used my own words on me; the words I had uttered on the morning I turned up to ask for her forgiveness. ‘Well, I think it was the best rash decision you ever made.’ I kissed her nose.
‘Why thank you, kind sir. I’m glad it worked to my advantage. So, are you excited about tomorrow?’
Excited wasn’t a word I would have chosen to describe the prospect of starting all over again in a new job. ‘Hmm. Nervous is more like it, I think. I hate the whole settling into new situations thing. I’m much happier just hiding in a corner.’
