Chapter 24
Jamie
Poor Benny looked a bundle of nerves as he pottered around in the kitchen, making sandwiches.
Jamie sat at the table, having a coffee. ‘Relax, mate. You’ve got this.’
‘It’s half ten, and I’m making lunch already. I don’t think I have got this.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with being prepared. And the sarnies will stay nice and fresh in the fridge.’ Jamie couldn’t help but be amused as Benny stopped rushing around to take a breath. ‘Did you check she hasn’t got any dietary requirements? Allergies?’
The lad’s face paled. ‘Allergies? She’s not mentioned anything about that.’
‘Probably not got any then, but double-check.’
Benny pulled out his phone and sent a text to Ellie. ‘I didn’t realize I’d feel so stressed when I asked her to come round for lunch.’ He looked up, flustered.
‘It’s not every day you bring a girl home, that’s why.’
Benny sat opposite him, slumping his elbows on the table. ‘What did you do?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘The first time you brought a girlfriend home. Did you make her lunch?’
The question made Jamie realize he’d never even made Alice dinner. Something he needed to rectify. ‘Erm, well, no. I never invited anyone home. There was only Alice, and she was here all the time anyway.’
Benny smiled. ‘Alice has been your only girlfriend?’
When it came to Alice, Jamie didn’t always know how to explain their relationship. ‘Sort of.’
Benny’s blue eyes held a twinkle of interest. ‘It’s okay with me if you’re together. I can see how happy she is with you. And I’m not stupid — I know that you’ve slept in her room.’ He gave a small shrug. ‘It’s none of my business what you two do. All I care about is my mum not getting hurt.’
‘We just talk, then end up falling asleep. And I’d never hurt Alice.’
‘I once overheard Granny telling Nan that you broke Alice’s heart.’
Jamie felt his own heart crack on hearing that information. ‘It was because I was sent to prison. It hurt her. It hurt us both.’
‘But you’re good now?’
‘I like to think so.’
Benny shifted in his seat. ‘What was it like in prison?’
‘It’s different for everyone, but for me, it was a nightmare.
A place I didn’t think I would survive at first. You go in as one man and come out another.
Not always in a good way. But I was one of the lucky ones.
I had someone on the outside who believed I could be a better person.
Alice saved me in some ways, then I started fighting for myself.
You have to put in the work today that gives you a better tomorrow.
Make good choices, Benny. Think before you act, and be grateful for any support you receive. ’
Benny smiled softly. ‘Alice saved me too.’
‘She’s an angel, isn’t she?’
Benny nodded. ‘Granny was too old to look after me when my mum died, she just didn’t have the energy, and Nan fell apart and wasn’t right for a long time. It was Alice who held us all together.’
While still looking out for me .
Jamie closed his eyes for a moment, taking a silent deep breath.
‘When I leave school, I want to study to become a doctor,’ said Benny. ‘Alice goes into schools and raises awareness about cancer screening. I want to help cancer patients. To be someone who saves lives, like she does.’
Jamie looked at the lad. ‘That’s a great job to have. I look forward to your graduation day.’
‘You’d come?’
‘I’d like to. Guess that’s up to you who you want there.’
Benny offered a warm smile. ‘If you’re still making Alice happy by then, you can come.’
‘In that case, it’s a date for my calendar.’
Benny gasped, shooting out of his chair. ‘Oh no, date. I forgot for a moment.’ He glanced at the fridge. ‘Do you think sandwiches are enough?’
Jamie tensed his brow as he gave a brief nod. ‘Add some crisps to the plates, and pour some juice. That’s a decent lunch.’
Benny checked his phone. ‘She’s got no allergies.’
‘Looks like you’ve got no worries.’
‘I said I’d take her out for a pizza tonight, so why am I so worried about this?’ Benny’s hand waggled towards the bread bin.
‘If it makes things easier for you, how about instead of sitting at the table, you take your food in front of the telly and watch a film or play a video game. Just something to help with the conversation. When you’re out and about, you have distractions, but the lunch you arranged will be quiet.
Intimate. So, add some distractions around you. ’
Benny glanced at the door. ‘I think Alice will be distraction enough. I so know she’s going to pop her head around the door every five minutes.’ He clutched his stomach. ‘I don’t even feel hungry.’
‘You leave your mum to me. I’ll take her to the café, that way you’ll have the place to yourself.’
‘Thanks. And I think I’ll put the telly on. I like that idea.’
Jamie gave him the thumbs up, then rinsed his coffee mug in the sink before leaving the ruffled boy to get on with making a fuss.
Alice was coming down the stairs. ‘Hey, what you up to today?’
Jamie placed his arms behind his back so he wouldn’t cuddle her into his arms. ‘I’m taking you to the café for lunch, then I’ve got my shift there.’
‘Oh, so your plan is to keep me away from Benny and Ellie.’
Jamie chuckled. ‘My plan is to cook dinner for you tonight. Benny’s out for pizza, so it’s just the two of us.’ He met her eyes and grinned. ‘You want to be my date?’
Alice chuckled. ‘Why not?’
‘Good.’ He wished so badly he could kiss her. ‘Right, I just need to pop out — I’ll see you at lunch.’
If anyone knew how to cook what he had in mind, Demi was the one, so he made his way to the pub to see if he could find her. He figured she might be helping in the kitchen.
Luckily enough, she was heading to the bar with a cloth.
‘Hello, Jamie. The cleaner’s off sick, so I said I’d muck in.’ She glanced over her shoulder. ‘I don’t normally leave the door open, but it needed some fresh air in here. Robson likes to keep it locked until we’re open.’ She checked the time on her phone. ‘Not long now.’
‘Oh, sorry. I wasn’t thinking about times. I just walked in.’
‘What’s on your mind?’
‘I want to make dinner for Alice tonight, and I need your help. I’m only a basic cook, so was hoping you might be able to give me some instructions.’
Demi tossed the cloth on the bar. ‘I’m all yours.’
Jamie smiled. Tonight was going to be special, and now he was starting to feel as nervous as Benny.