Chapter 18
Chapter
Eighteen
EMOTIONAL DIARRHOEA
Neve
Four days. Four days and I hadn’t heard back from Jack.
I was determined to not let it get to me, or I was in denial that I cared.
But I had just had good news that Hope was fine, her MRI came back completely normal.
It was a huge relief; it’s something that felt like a dark cloud was just hovering over me.
But now, that cloud was gone and me and my beautiful girl can move on.
So in celebration, Bella and I are taking her to a spa. “Pearl gave you another day off?” Bella asks as she swerves through London traffic.
“Yes, she said the laundrette was closing today as the machines are being serviced,” I state.
“Ha! More like Pearl is getting serviced.” Bella snorts. She slams her hand on the car horn. “Move out of the way you bellend!”
“Bloody hell Bella, it’s a funeral procession!” I exclaim.
“Well, then they should take the side roads, not go through the main high streets. I mean the living have places to be,” she argues back.
I turn and look in the back seat at Hope who is thankfully unaware of her unhinged Auntie Bella. She is sat on her tablet with her headphones on, playing her games.
At last we arrive at the spa, and all three of us are soon robed up and having our pedicures. “Now this is heaven.” Bella sighs.
“Mummy, can I have each toe painted a different colour?” Hope asks.
“I’m sure that will be fine,” I answer while looking to the young girl who is doing Hope’s pedicure.
“So, you haven’t heard from the D-o-c?” Bella asks, trying to be subtle.
“Nope and I don’t care. I don’t want to talk about this today. Today is supposed to be a nice day, a celebration, so no mention of it again,” I answer nonchalantly.
“Pfft, yeah alright. By your second glass of wine later tonight you’ll get your emotional diarrhoea. It will be oh why hasn’t he called me? Wah, wah, wah. Is my vagina all big and flappy from having a kid? Did I suck too hard? Why oh why hasn’t he called me?” she mocks in a whiney voice.
The women that are doing our pedicures continue like they are used to hearing all sorts and thankfully Hope has put her headphones back on, watching something on her tablet.
“I swear to god, Bella. Will you just think before you speak? For god sake, Hope is nearly five years old, not sixteen. I should not have to keep explaining stuff to her that most adults don’t even understand because her Auntie Bella has the mouth of a sewer,” I hiss.
“Champagne?” one of the staff asks walking in with a tray of two glasses of champagne and one orange juice for Hope.
“God yes please,” I answer eagerly. I down the drink and place it back on the tray and the member of staff looks a little taken aback.
“I tell you what love, you may just want to bring us the bottle. She’s had a tough week,” Bella states smiling.
I palm my face and groan. “I’m sorry for snapping, really I am.
I just, god. What with everything I was going through worrying about Hope, all of which he knew about, he knew how worried I was.
And he just leaves me hanging? No explanation.
I mean he doesn’t even know that she is in fact okay.
I mean, am I really that awful that apparently no one wants to stick around? ” I sigh.
Bella downs her drink. “Okay, so apparently it’s just one glass of champagne that opens up your emotional diarrhoea,” she mutters, while leaning over grabbing her phone.
“Bella, what are you doing?” She holds her hand up silencing me.
“Hey babes, can you text me Jack’s number, as he’s still not contacted Neve and she’s here pulling her hair out whining like a puppy,” she says into her phone.
“I am not whining like a puppy!” I argue.
“You are a bit Mummy,” Hope interjects.
I spin my shocked gaze in her direction. “Am I?” I question.
“Yes Mummy, you should just call him and if he’s a meany, then you should let Auntie Bella punch him in the face,” she states while clenching her fist and making a punching movement.
“Jesus Christ what have I created?” I mutter, shocked by my four year old’s response.
“A strong powerful woman that won’t take no do-do from no man,” Hope states while attempting to click her fingers.
Bella leans across me high-fiving her. I roll my eyes, smiling and slightly relieved Bella at least had the thought to change the word to do-do rather than shit.
“Now this is an all natural, vegan face mask that will refreshen and hydrate your skin feeling soft and youthful,” The beautician states to all three of us as we lay there with thick masks on our face and cucumbers on our eyes.
“It’s even sensitive to those with delicate skin.
Now just lie back, relax for a little while and listen to the sounds of the ocean,” she adds before walking out.
The room fills with ocean sounds, as well as the soothing scents of lavender.
I sigh, feeling myself relax. My phone pings with a notification but I ignore it.
It pings again. Ignore it Neve, it’s probably just spam.
Relax, I remind myself. I fidget a little to get comfy and try again to relax.
Another notification alerts. “Oh for god sake, will you just turn your bloody phone off?” Bella snaps.
I sigh and get up removing the cucumbers I pick up my phone, “It’s him!” I screech. “Did you text him?” I ask.
Bella jumps up and comes beside me. “No, it was just an empty threat. What does he say?” Bella asks, leaning over and trying to read my messages. I walk away from her reading the messages.
J: Neve, I am so sorry for not contacting you sooner, things at work have been well insane. I won’t bore you with the details through text but maybe you will let me bore you over dinner tonight?
I read it aloud. “Can I come?” Hope asks.
I smile and look up at her but before I can answer Bella jumps in. “How about I take you for a pizza? Including an all you can eat dessert menu?”
Hope sits up, taking her cucumber off her eyes and starts eating it. “Will we get to watch Encanto?” she asks staring Bella down while crunching on her cucumber.
“Of course, what do you think I am crazy? Of course there will be Encanto, then maybe I could introduce you to my favourite movie?” Bella asks.
“What’s that?”
“Magic Mike.” Bella winks.
“Absolutely not,” I interject.
“Fair enough. Maybe in a few years.” Bella shrugs.
“More like ten years,” I add. “Anyway, do you want me to read the rest of these messages?”
They both nod and sit there intently. I read on.
J: If you can’t do tonight then maybe tomorrow? I just really want to see you.
I smile reading on to his next message.
J: I don’t mean that in a stalker way. It would be just great to see you again.
I finish reading his final message and look to Bella. “Now what?” I ask.
“What do you mean now what? You text him back and say you would love to have dinner with him. You give him the chance to explain himself. You don’t like the explanation he gives, you call me with the signal.”
“Okay.” I nod as I type my reply to Jack.
“Wait, what’s the signal? Hope asks.
“Kackaar! Kackaar!” Bella calls out, making her best bird sound she can. I roll my eyes.
“So what, I just make that sound in the restaurant and like the bat signal you just know to come to my rescue?” I ask sarcastically.
“No you tit, you phone me.” She rolls her eyes, shaking her head.
In that moment the beautician walks in and is shocked to see us all upright and not laying down relaxing.
“Hey love, there has been a change of plan. She need the full works, like waxed from head to toe and if I were you I would bleach too,” Bella instructs the beautician.
The beautician looks me up and down. “Well, that can be arranged.” She nods.
“Fabulous. Right come on my little queen. Let’s leave Mummy to get stripped while we go for a swim in the pool,” Bella says holding out her hand for Hope.
“Oh erm, let me take off your masks first,” the beautician offers.
“Nah, you’re alright love. I’ve got some wet wipes in my bag we can use to clean it off with.” Bella smiles, walking out the door with Hope who is practically bouncing at the thought of swimming in the pool.