‘Hey, how are you?’
Daisy blinked, closed the laptop, shifted it aside, and leaned her elbows on the counter. ‘Very quiet here. How are things?’
‘Pretty dull, to be honest. Hospital visits, emails, and pacing around my flat. I’m sick of London. I cannotwaitto get back down to you.’
‘You always say that.’
‘I know. I miss you. I hate not being near you. Everything feels off.’
Daisy felt the words go straight through her. ‘I miss you too. It’s been strange, hasn’t it? Not bad-strange, just, I don’t know, weird. I had got used to you being here.’
‘I was in the study earlier trying to work and I just thought, I’d rather be watching you rearrange book piles than be here answering emails for a job I’m not sure I even like anymore. You have to pay the bills, though, right?’
Daisy pressed her palm to her cheek. ‘For sure.’
‘I miss my life down there already. You, the shop. All of it.’
‘We’re still here and not going anywhere, at least, I hope we’re not unless the big guns chase the lot of us out.’
‘You are my somewhere, Daise.’
Daisy’s stomach flipped and did an odd twist.
‘I’ve been walking to the hospital every day and thinking about what’s next and how much I miss you. I know we have to think about the twins and all, but I’m tired of all this splitting my time nonsense. I want to be where you are.’
Daisy swallowed. Miles had just delivered something massive as if he was talking about the weather. Her eyes pricked and she tilted her head to blink away the fizzy bits at the corners. ‘I don’t know what to say to that, really. You have to be there for your mum.’
‘I know. She’s still so bruised. I didn’t realise how frail she’d become. I kept thinking she’d bounce back like last time, but she’s slower now and not eating much, which isn’t helping.’
Daisy pressed the phone tightly to her ear. ‘That must be hard to see. I’ll come back up for the day and give you a hand.’
‘It is. I sat there earlier thinking, how did we get here? How did I become the one sorting out care notes and filling in hospital meal slips?’
‘Because you’re the one who showed up and you’re the good one.’
‘I don’t always feel like it.’
‘You are. You’ve done everything you can. More, actually.’
‘I’ve been thinking about what happens when she gets discharged and everything that’s going on down there with you. She’s nowhere near ready to go home on her own. My brother’s no help and it’s all fallen on me. She just needs space and some quiet. I wondered what you’d think about her coming to Pretty Beach for a bit. Just a few weeks to convalesce and rest up somewhere near the sea. Somewhere that doesn’t smell like disinfectant and microwave dinners. I know I mentioned it before, but now I’mserious.’
‘Right.’ Daisy ran her finger along the edge of the counter. ‘You mean, be here with her and with us.’
‘Yeah. That’s exactly what I mean.’
‘That sounds doable.’
‘Not the most enthusiastic response I’ve had to a plan.’
‘Ha.’
‘The flat is tiny so I’ll need somewhere else.’
Daisy smiled. ‘I think it’s a good idea and she’d love it here. The air, the view and this time of year is very cosy. It’s a different pace and it might do her the world of good.’
‘And I’d be close to you. I’ve been thinking about this for days. I love you, Daise.’
Daisy gulped. ‘I love you too.’
