Chapter 14
‘Hi, honey, I’m home!’
‘Good. You’re still writing?’ She nodded to the pad.
‘Yeah.’
‘Well, don’t let me interrupt. I’ll get started on dinner.’
‘Do you mind? I’m kind of in the zone.’
‘No worries.’
When she’d slung her coat in the bedroom, she went to the kitchen and emptied her shopping bag.
She was making fajitas and had bought the ingredients for guacamole on the way home.
As she chopped coriander, squeezed limes and pounded avocados and garlic, the sound of softly strummed guitar notes and Roly’s sweet, husky voice drifted into the kitchen in intermittent bursts, as he repeated chords and snatches of melody.
She’d never heard him sing like this before, solo and acoustic, and she was surprised by the deep, rich tone of his voice.
She was annoyed when she started cooking and he was drowned out by the sizzle of peppers and onions in the pan and the roar of the extractor fan.
When she’d finished cooking, she popped back into the living room. ‘Are you ready for dinner?’ she asked. ‘It can wait if not.’ She didn’t want to interrupt his creative flow.
‘Yeah, I’m done. What are we having?’ He sniffed the air. ‘Smells great.’
‘Fajitas. I just have to microwave the tortillas.’
‘Are we allowed tortillas?’
‘Just one each?’
‘Great.’ He licked his lips. ‘But do you want to hear this song first?’
‘You’ve finished already? That was quick.’
He shrugged. ‘It’s been going around in my head all week, so it was mostly already there. It just needed some tweaking.’
‘I’d love to hear it, if that’s okay.’ She sat beside him on the sofa and he began playing.
Even though she knew he’d been used to playing giant stadiums, she was still surprised how unselfconscious he was about singing to her like this, especially something he’d written himself.
It felt so intimate and personal. She admired his confidence.
More than that, there was something very appealing about it – sexy, even.
And the song was a revelation. She’d expected something simple and generic with a bouncy chorus and silly rhymes, but it was slow and gentle, with a lovely stripped-back melody and poetic, insightful lyrics. It was utterly unlike the insipid bubblegum pop of Oh Boy! She clapped when he finished.
‘So, what do you think?’
‘Wow! It’s gorgeous, Roly. I love it.’
‘You don’t have to say that, just because I’m your landlord.’
‘I’m not! I mean it. It’s really, really good.’
He beamed. ‘Thanks. I’m pretty happy with it myself.’
‘You should be. It’s amazing!’
‘You don’t have to sound so surprised.’
‘I’m not! It’s just… very different to what I expected.’
‘Yeah, well, it’s pretty raw at the moment, obviously. But I’m sure a good producer could do something with it.’
‘Do something?’
‘You know – give it a bit of oomph. Polish it up.’
‘I think it’s got plenty of oomph as it is.
Not that I’m an expert,’ she added quickly, not wanting to sound like she was telling him his job.
It was ridiculous since he’d been in a band, but she’d never thought of Roly as a musician until they’d started living together. ‘When did you start playing guitar?’
He gave her an indignant look. ‘I always played guitar. Well, since I was about eight.’
‘Really? How come you never played it in Oh Boy!?’
He shrugged. ‘There wasn’t much call for it. And I needed my hands for dancing.’
‘Ah yes, the dancing!’ She grinned.
‘Anyway, I’m just using the guitar for writing. When I get into a studio, there’ll be proper musicians. I’ll have a whole band with me.’
‘You’re a proper musician. You’re really talented.’
‘Thanks. But I’m not planning to become some singer/songwriter type.’
‘Wouldn’t you like to be? It could be good to do something different – surprise people. And you’d have complete creative control.’
‘Maybe.’ He put the guitar down and leaned it against the sofa. ‘Anyway, let’s have those fajitas. I’m starving!’
* * *
It was nice to see Roly so happy. He chattered enthusiastically and ate with the gusto of someone who’d earned dinner.
Ella could relate. Unwinding after a good day’s work was so much more enjoyable and satisfying than the smooth slide from day to evening, from sofa to table to bed that she’d got used to.
‘How did it go signing on today?’ she asked casually. It was his first day collecting Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Ella knew he was nervous about it. She’d been anxious all day that he’d be too worried about being seen and bottle out. But she didn’t want to sound like she was checking up on him.
‘It was amazing! I just queued up, signed my name and they handed over the cash, just like that! I even got back pay to the day I was approved for benefit.’ He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of notes to show her. ‘I couldn’t believe it was so easy.’
‘Well, what were you expecting to happen?’
‘I dunno.’ He shrugged. ‘More of an interrogation, I suppose.’
‘Someone shining a big light in your eyes?’
He nodded. ‘Being exposed as a fraud in front of the whole post office.’
‘Ending up in the sidebar of shame in tomorrow’s papers.’
‘Exactly! But there was none of that. I didn’t even get any dirty looks. The woman who gave me my money barely glanced at my social security card, got me to sign the electronic thingy and then started counting out the cash. She even smiled and told me to have a good day.’
‘So she didn’t make you feel like a criminal for collecting social welfare? That was nice of her.’
‘Yeah, it was. I was still half expecting someone to stop me before I made it to the door. But there was nothing.’
‘No hand on your shoulder, no “stop right there”?’
‘No being hauled away by the guards.’ He shook his head. ‘I totally got away with it.’
Ella laughed. ‘You were collecting benefit, Roly, not staging a hold-up.’
‘Still, I can’t believe they just hand out free cash like that for doing nothing! I kind of get why people who work are so pissed off about it.’
‘How many times do I have to tell you? It’s not free. It’s your own money – you’re entitled to get some of it back when you need it. That’s how social insurance works.’
‘Well, anyway, it’s a big relief. Thanks for making me do it.’
‘You’re welcome. And you mightn’t have to do it much longer. That cafe around the corner is hiring. I passed it on my way home and there’s a sign in the window.’
He was spooning guacamole and salsa onto his plate and didn’t even look up, which immediately irked her.
‘You know, that one with the funny name?’
‘Insider Out?’
‘Yes, that’s the one! They’re looking for a waiter. You should apply.’
That got his attention. He looked up at her, eyebrows raised. Then he smirked. ‘Yeah, right,’ he said with a little laugh and returned to assembling his fajita. He thought she was joking.
‘I’m serious.’
He raised his eyes to her again. ‘Me? Work in the local greasy spoon?’
‘Yes, you. Why not?’
‘I can’t be some… waiter.’
‘Of course you can. It’s not that difficult. I used to work in a cafe when I was in college.’
He looked irritated now. ‘You know what I mean. I can’t get a normal job, like a—’
‘Normal person? What, you think you’re too special?’
‘No, but… well, yeah, in a way. I mean, it’s humiliating. And there’s the whole fame thing.’
‘You’re worried you’ll be swamped by hordes of ravening fans?’
‘I could be. And what if the press got wind of it?’
She shrugged. ‘So what if they do? There’s no shame in doing an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.’ She wiped her hands on the kitchen roll.
‘But it wouldn’t leave me much time for writing, and it’s going really well at the moment.’
‘You really should make some effort to find a job while you’re getting Jobseeker’s.’
‘It doesn’t seem to be an issue.’
‘Maybe not yet, but eventually they’ll want to see that you’re genuinely making an effort to find work.’
‘I’m working on my music. Doesn’t that count?’
‘Not really, when you’re not making money from it.’
‘Well, hopefully I will be before too long. Anyway, you’re the one who kept telling me I should sign on for benefits, and now you’re saying I should get a job? I thought the whole point was that I wouldn’t have to worry about money and it’d free me up to focus on song-writing.’
She could have pointed out that he’d had years of not worrying about money when he’d spent his time playing video games and watching TV, but he’d been in a slump and she knew what that was like.
‘Yeah, you’re right.’ She didn’t want to be a nag, and he was working really hard on his writing.
‘It’s only your first month on Jobseeker’s.
I’m sure it’ll be a while before they start hassling you about finding work. ’
‘And hopefully I’ll be back with Oh Boy! before they do.’
* * *
‘Are you doing anything on Friday?’ Roly asked her later as they cleared up after dinner.
‘No, I’ve nothing planned.’
‘I have some tickets for a gig at the Olympia, if you’d like to come? It’s a band my agent manages: Rainmaker. They’re good.’
‘I’ve never heard of them, but yes, please!’ Ella loved live music, and it was ages since she’d been to a gig.
‘Great! You could bring Andrew.’
‘Oh. So… you have three tickets?’
Roly shook his head. ‘Four. I’m asking Pippa.’
‘Oh, great.’ Shit! She’d thought it would just be her and Roly. But she’d already said yes, so it’d look weird if she suddenly changed her mind now that she knew Pippa was involved. She really didn’t relish the thought of spending Friday night with her.
But maybe she was being unfair. She’d only met her once, after all. Besides, Roly liked her, so she couldn’t really be that bad… could she? Nice people didn’t fall in love with horrible ones, did they? Then again, even he’d said she was an asshole.
‘Are you in touch with Pippa again, then?’
‘Not yet, but I’m about to be. It’s the one area of my goals board where I haven’t ticked anything off.’
‘So what’s your first step?’
‘I’m going to start flirting with her on Instagram.’
‘Just like that? Doesn’t she have a boyfriend?’
‘No. They’ve just split up. So I have to strike fast, before someone else gets in there.’
‘So you start chatting to her on Instagram? Why not just call her?’
‘That’s the easiest way in. Her Instagram is basically one big thirst trap, so all I have to do is start liking all her photos, commenting on how hot she looks, bringing the flame emojis…’
‘Ah yes, the way to a girl’s heart.’
Roly laughed. ‘It’s the way to Pippa’s heart, believe me. Then I slide into her DMs and ask her out.’
‘So it’d be like a double date?’
He shrugged. ‘Or just four cool people going out together. We don’t have to label it, do we? It’ll be easier if we keep it casual, don’t you think?’
‘So it’s a stealth double date?’ she asked with a sly smile.
‘Yeah. They need never know.’
‘Okay, I’ll ask Andrew.’ It would be easier than asking him out on a proper date, and being in a group would take the pressure off. ‘But if he says no, you can find yourself another wingman. I’m not third-wheeling it with you and Pippa.’