Chapter 3 #4
I sighed, opting to concede for the sake of an easier life. ‘Tabbi.’
‘Oooookay.’
‘So, what do you reckon? If we give you a set of keys for the top-floor flat, could you keep an eye on him while Flo’s away?’
‘I thought she was a “she”?’
‘Shall we just say “the cat” for ease?’ I proposed.
‘Top thinking, Flo-yo. So then, Ms Marcie: can you do us a solid for the next week or so and look after “The Cat”?’
‘I guess that depends on how you plan to make it worth my while.’
Anneka hummed. ‘We’ll bring you back something very special from our travels.’
‘If you promise you’ll deliver it to me in person, you’ve got yourself a deal.’
If this were me and me alone making this ridiculous request – which, of course, it wouldn’t be in a million years because everything about this situation was absurd and unreasonable – the conversation would have ended the moment I corrected Jason’s name.
But Anneka had a way of convincing people, just like Mum did.
‘And I could leave the cat for the odd night or two if I put out some food, right?’
Anneka stepped aside, suggesting it was my duty to respond.
‘Umm, I’m really not sure if—’
‘Yes! Of course!’ Anneka interrupted, shooting me a look before I could finish raising my legitimate concern about leaving Jason to his own devices.
‘Then you’ve got yourself a deal. When do I need to feed him next?’
‘I’ll leave some food out for him before I go, so first thing tomorrow? I’ll leave all the stuff out on the breakfast bar.’
‘Great, thanks. Give me your phone, then,’ Marcie said, but to Anneka rather than me. Anneka unlocked her device and handed it over so Marcie could add her number to her contacts.
‘We’ll check in with you every day,’ Anneka said.
‘Oh, you’d better.’
I’m pretty sure they’d be snogging by now were it not for me. I nudged Anneka out of her trance-like state and she cleared her throat while giving herself a little shake.
‘Okay then! This has been… enlightening! So, we’ll drop off the keys in about an hour on our way out. And here’s my number in case of any cat emergencies.’
Anneka handed Marcie one of her business cards, which bore her contact details, a fifteen-year-old headshot from her Holby City days and the name of her so-called ‘agent’, who moonlighted as a hypnotherapist.
‘I’ll be waiting.’
We clambered back up the stairs.
‘“Cat emergencies”, hmm?’
Anneka shrugged. ‘She’s hot; no harm in keeping a fun conversation going and seeing where it leads. More to the point, you’ve been here for how many months and you’ve not even met your neighbours yet? Come on, Flo, you need to start putting yourself out there again!’
‘I was with Will for twelve years, Anneka. I’m not exactly itching to jump into another relationship.’
‘Who said anything about a relationship? I mean, Jesus, he’s the only person you’ve ever been with, right? Time to have some fun, I reckon!’
We were back in my flat before I had the chance to defend myself – Anneka had never been able to get her head around the fact that not everyone enjoyed superficial sexual encounters.
As Anneka threw herself back down onto the sofa, I gasped: Mum had somehow managed to turn the place into what resembled a tornado-struck branch of Primark in the small window of time we’d been downstairs.
‘What the—’
But, as ever, Mum interrupted before my question had the chance to exist out loud. ‘Is your period due in the next week, Flo-flow?’
Anneka snorted at the pun, which, I had to admit, was a better-than-average one.
‘No.’
Mum tossed a pack of sanitary towels in the vague direction of my bedroom, sending Jason scuttling back under his crinkly shelter. I’d never been more envious of a non-human.
‘Great, well, that’s one less thing to pack!’
I swallowed, and joined Mum on the floor while Anneka tapped away on her phone.
It was time to accept that my plan to do sweet, safe nothing was in tatters – for the time being, at least. Instead, I would have to activate my transparent suit of armour, and push through the next few days as best as I could without coming across as ungrateful.
‘Where are the rest of your clothes?’ Anneka asked, opening the narrow wardrobe next to the desk, only to discover Mum had already emptied it.
I looked around me on the floor. ‘Yeah, this is pretty much everything.’ I wore dungarees and a simple T-shirt every single day – with an added jumper or thermal layer if it was cold.
I’d never found dressing myself enjoyable in the slightest, unlike Anneka, who practically never wore the same outfit twice.
As I numbly transferred the heap of clothes to the suitcase Mum must have found under my bed, I tried to conjure up even a droplet of excitement about where we might be headed.
They are trying to do a nice thing for you, Flora.
The two of them had obviously been planning this for a while given that they’d blagged my passport details from me back in October. But, as much as I tried, mustering any enthusiasm about what might lie ahead was impossible. Instead, the only thing I felt was total and utter emptiness.