‘Aww, thanks. Yes, it was good.’
‘Good? It looked more than good. I’m so jealous!’
‘Ha! Yep, it was a lovely day. How are you?’
‘Can't complain, can't complain. Not gadding about with the upper crust, like you, and going to the races, no less!’
Cally laughed. ‘News travels fast. It was quite an experience, I have to say.’
‘I bet it was. Did you see the King? I hear he loves the races.’
‘No King sightings, I'm afraid. Just plenty of fancy hats and even fancier people.’
‘Well, I hope you didn't let them turn your head. We need you here with us Lovelies.’
‘No fear of that.’
‘Good to hear.’
‘What are you up to?’ Cally asked.
Nancy held up a planner. ‘Up to my eyes in the Chowder Festival stuff.’
‘I bet.’
‘Are you up to date with what you’re doing with Nina?’
‘Yes, we’re all set, I think. You know what Neens is like. She’s all over it. There’s a spreadsheet and Robby has assigned roles. I think even Faye might have a job to do.’
Nancy laughed. ‘I know. She’s one of the few the organising committee has nothing to worry about.’
‘I’m going over there to do the preparation soon. We’re going to discuss the setup and suchlike.’
Nancy lowered her voice. ‘I can’t wait to see what her speakeasy is like. Don’t tell Birdie I said that.’
Cally giggled. ‘I know. I’ve already been told I’m a turncoat for not helping at the deli one.’
‘Too funny.’
‘Right, well, I’ll see you for the Chowder Festival, if not before.’
‘Yeah, let me know if you need any help.’
‘Will do.’
Cally went back to her cardboard cartons and continued to sort. At least she had the Chowder Festival to think about and a few things to take her mind off what was going to happen regarding the most important thing in her life.
29
It was the next day. Cally had not replied to Logan’s attempts to contact her, but rather had stewed about him more and more. Not having bothered with a shower, with her hair stuck up on top of her head and in too-big trackie pants, our Cally was not looking or feeling her best. In her oldest, daggiest slippers, she shuffled over to her desk in the corner of the sitting room. As she flipped up the lid and plonked herself down, the glow of the laptop screen illuminated her face in dim early morning light. She'd woken before dawn to a shrill alarm for a chatbot shift, her mind full of tumultuous thoughts, and had not wanted to get out of bed. The chatbot work waited for no one, though, not even for a girl with a missing piece in her heart, so she'd dragged herself out of bed and settled in for an early morning full of entitled moaning from women up and down the country who had nothing better to do with their time. Deep joy. Or not.
Outside the balcony doors, the morning light around Lovely began to change as she navigated through customer queries, her fingers flying over the keys as she responded to complaint after complaint. She’d seen it all before, but sometimes, the mindless work, in a way, was both a blessing and a curse at the same time. A blessing because it gave her something to focus on. A cursebecause she’d done it so many times that it left enough space for her brain to wander, to replay what had happened with Logan, to question every decision she'd made.
After a good few hours of a constant barrage of messages and then a lull in real-time questions, she sat for a bit with her chin on her hand, thinking. As she looked at her laptop, she remembered when Logan had bought it for her and how over the moon she’d been. It was so far removed from the clunky old thing she'd been using before. A gift from Logan, given with thoughtfulness and care. She remembered the moment he'd handed her the bag.
‘You can't keep working on that dinosaur, Blackcurrant,’ he’d said.
Cally closed her eyes as she thought about how Logan called her Blackcurrant. The nickname had started as a joke, a reference to the stained blouse she'd worn on one of their first meetings. The name had stuck and she’d secretly loved it. It had never failed to make her smile. Until now. She turned the laptop over and traced the letters where Logan had had the laptop engraved. One word that had a lot of meaning as far as she was concerned. Now, it felt as if it was peppered by a big, fat, horrid lie.
