Nell
PRESENT
“So, tell me more about Marcus,” Alex says as he’s packing his case to leave. “I feel I really need to get a handle on the guy.”
“I don’t know that much about him,” I admit. “I only know him because he’s friends with Romy and Rob.”
“He works with them, right?”
“Yes, they’re partners in an advertising agency.”
“Don’t they all live in the same area?”
I nod. “He lives a couple of streets away from them. Until he moves in across the road.”
Alex raises his eyebrows. “I can’t work out if the guy is just needy or creepy. Did he say when he’s moving in?”
I hand him a pile of shirts. “January, he said.”
“What does Romy think about it? Did she even know what he was up to or has it come like a bolt from the blue to her too?”
“No, she knew, so I feel a bit annoyed with her. She could have warned me. There was this whole scenario when they came for dinner a month or so ago. Marcus went off to buy champagne, saying he had news to share and when he came back, he made it about Rob’s birthday the previous week.
I could tell that Romy had been expecting him to say something else and he admitted on Monday that he’d promised Romy he’d tell me about buying the house.
But, in his own words, he chickened out. So she already knew at that point.”
“Have you talked to her about it?” he asks, closing his case.
“No. She’s sent me a couple of messages but I haven’t replied. I should have, I know, but I can’t bring myself to. It’s hanging over me, I hate it.”
“Why don’t you call her now? Get it over and done with. Don’t pussyfoot around, like you British always do. Tell her how you feel.”
“Hmm.” I hate confrontation but I need to clear the air with Romy and the longer I leave it, the harder it’s going to be. “Maybe you’re right.”
He stands, picks up his case. “Do you want privacy?”
“No. It’s fine. Let’s go downstairs, I’ll phone her from the kitchen.”
I call Romy, part of me hoping she won’t pick up. But she does, immediately.
“Hey, Nell, I’m glad you called.”
“I thought I should,” I say, putting her on speakerphone so that Alex can hear.
“I know you’re probably annoyed that I didn’t tell you about Marcus but it wasn’t my news to give and anyway, he asked me not to.”
“Don’t you think it’s strange that he didn’t want me to know he’d bought the house across the road?”
“Yes, but it was the same with us. We only knew he’d rented a flat in the same area after the fact.”
“Didn’t you find that weird?”
“No, we thought it was great. It made it easier work-wise too, especially back then when we were just starting out and couldn’t afford office space. We used to work from ours.”
“So why has he suddenly decided to move?”
“It’s not a sudden decision. He’s wanted to buy for a while and he’s always said that if he ever bought something it would be in the Paddington area, as that’s the station his train leaves from when he goes to see his family.
At the moment, he has to cross half of London.
” She pauses. “I know you probably see it as an invasion of your privacy but it’s not as if he’s going to be popping over every evening for a drink.
At least, not unless you invite him,” she adds.
I look at Alex, a question in my eyes. He understands and nods.
“It’s actually not going to be an issue,” I tell Romy.
“Alex will be spending most of his time in the UK from January so we’ve decided to look for something bigger as he’ll be working from home some of the time and will need a study.
” Alex raises his eyebrows in mock surprise and I give him a smile and a shrug.
“You’re going to move?” Romy can’t keep the surprise from her voice. “But, Nell, you love your house. It’s lovely.”
“I know, but I’m sure we’ll find somewhere equally lovely.”
“Marcus is going to be upset.”
“I don’t see why.”
“It’s just the way he is. As I said, he wouldn’t have invaded your privacy but I think he liked the idea of you being nearby.”
“Ten feet away,” I say.
“Is that why you’ve decided to move, because he’s moving in? Because that’s how he’ll see it.”
I want to tell her that I don’t care how Marcus sees it.
“No,” I say. “As soon as Alex mentioned spending more time here and moving in with me on a permanent basis, we realized the best way forward was having a flat or a house we’d chosen together.
But we’ll be neighbors with Marcus for a while as it will take a few months to find somewhere,” I add, to soften the blow.
“We’re going to start looking in January. ”
“I’m really pleased for you, Nell, it’s great that Alex is moving in with you. You’ll be telling me you’re pregnant next.”
“Let’s try and catch up before Christmas,” I say, neatly avoiding what Romy just said.
“Good idea. I’ll have a look at the calendar and get back to you.”