Chapter 52
SIX MONTHS LATER
Nancy
‘I love it here, don’t you?’ Phyllis asked as she and Nancy sat out on her terrace drinking mocktails and watching a colourful barge float by on the river.
‘I do. I never thought I could be this happy,’ Nancy told her.
Selling the house and moving into this apartment had been a difficult decision but she was so glad that she made it.
It was lovely to be living near her friends, the four of them next door to each other in the same little block.
Although Slate was much more than a friend now.
They had grown a lot closer since they’d moved here and often spent the night together in one or other’s apartment.
Selling the house was the best thing she’d ever done.
‘Drinking in the afternoon, ladies, how decadent!’ Slate leaned over the wall, a big grin on his face.
Nancy raised her glass. ‘Mocktails,’ she told him. ‘I’ll save the alcohol until after the gig later.’
‘Good idea. We’ll have to get going soon.’
‘I know, I’m a bit nervous,’ she confessed. They were singing at an outdoor music festival, along with several other bands, in front of a far bigger crowd than she was used to.
‘No need, you’ve got a good voice.’ Slate looked over at Phyllis. ‘Are you coming along?’ he asked. ‘You and Jackie always get everyone up dancing.’
‘I am. Aurora and Milo are joining us too.’
‘Great.’ Slate blew Nancy a kiss and disappeared inside his own apartment to get ready.
‘You two are meant for each other,’ Phyllis told her. ‘You spend so much time in each other’s homes you should knock the wall down between them and make it one big apartment.’
Nancy grinned. ‘That wouldn’t be as much fun and we both like our own space.’
She finished her drink then went back to her own apartment to change into her favourite phoenix T-shirt and black diamanté-encrusted jeans, but Phyllis’s words kept going over in her mind.
She loved Slate and enjoyed being with him, but she also enjoyed time on her own.
Living next door to each other was the ideal situation for her.
If anyone had told her when Clifford had walked out last year that she would be this happy she would never have believed it.
She was worried though, that Slate might want more.
Pam had also remarked that it seemed daft for them to be paying a mortgage on two flats when they were always together.
Nancy didn’t think it was daft. It was important for her to know that she had her own home, one that no one could take from her.
But would Slate be upset if she told him that she wanted things to remain exactly how they were?
He meant such a lot to her, she didn’t want to lose him – but neither did she want to lose her newfound independence.
* * *
The music festival was packed. When it was the turn of the Ragin’ Rockers to sing they were greeted by applause and cheers. They sang a variety of numbers including Slate’s song.
‘You walked out because you wanted to be free, but now you’re gone I can finally be me. So keep on walking, I don’t want you near, keep on walking, there’s no place for you here.’
Nancy joined in with gusto. She had always felt that song spoke to her, and there was no doubt that Clifford walking out had set her free. Her life was happier than she had ever known possible.
Then Slate announced: ‘I’ve got a new song this afternoon to share with you. One that I wrote for someone special.’
A new song? Nancy looked at him in surprise. She had no idea he’d been working on a new song. He hadn’t said a word to her. Maybe they weren’t as close as she thought.
Then Slate started singing.
‘Lady next door, you’re my dream come true, lady next door I just want to be with you, you’re my anchor during the storm, your love keeps me warm. Lady next door, I just want to be with you, be with you, be with you.’
Nancy swallowed a lump in her throat as Oxo and Decaf joined in the chorus. It was a lovely song and he had obviously written it for her. But was he saying he wanted more, to live with her?
Then Slate motioned to her and she walked over to share the mike with him.
‘I just want to be with you, be with you, be with you,’ they both sang together.
The crowd went wild, shouting for more.
‘I can’t believe that you wrote a song especially for Nancy,’ Jackie said when they were having a drink in the refreshment tent later. ‘Was that a proposal song?’
Nancy’s stomach lurched. She couldn’t meet Slate’s eyes, couldn’t bear to hear his answer and to have to turn him down. She didn’t want to lose him, but she was happy how things were.
‘Not a proposal.’ She felt his hand on hers and she looked up to meet his eyes. He was smiling. ‘A celebration of a love that allows us our own space when we want it,’ he said softly. ‘Together apart suits us, doesn’t it, Nancy?’
She smiled back and squeezed his hand. ‘It does,’ she replied, her heart lifting. He was happy with things as they were too.
Everything had turned out just perfectly.
* * *