Page 97 of The Fallback

‘Of course you’d be a great mother!’ Jasmine jumped in and said soothingly. All three of them shared awkward glances.

‘Anyway, it’s completely irrelevant,’ said Rosie, breaking the silence, ‘as he’s moving to America. Just like Connor!’ she said with a dramatic sob.

‘Who?’ asked Jasmine loudly as Susan pushed a box of tissues across the island to Rosie.

Susan rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t ask,’ she said. Jasmine looked quizzically at Rosie who explained between sobs.

’Connor? Connor Ryan? Remember, my boyfriend who moved to Washington?’

‘Yessss, I remember him,’ said Jasmine in confusion, ‘I just wondered why we're talking about him?’

Before Rosie could say anything her mother interjected, ‘Because Rosie seems to have got it into her head that he was her one great love, the one who got away and she’s been pining for him for years when all along it looks like she should have just been copping off with Mitch!’

‘Mother!’ said Rosie in shock at the same moment as Jasmine exploded with laughter. It wasn’t clear whether Jasmine was laughing at what Susan had just said or the thought of Rosie pining after Connor all these years.

’Connor?!’ Jasmine asked. ‘You thought that idiot was the one? Oh, good grief!’ she said and took a large sip of her coffee.

Rosie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ‘I haven’t beenpiningfor him,’ she said stiffly. ‘But it was a difficult break-up, you know,’ she said defensively.

‘Yeah, OK whatever,’ said Jasmine. ‘I mean I only met him a couple of times but he was incredibly self-obsessed.’

‘Exactly!’ exclaimed Susan. ‘That’s just what I said!’ They clinked their coffee cups together in a celebratory fashion. Rosie dramatically dropped her head in her hands.

‘But I still don’t understand why we’re talking about him?’ said Jasmine again.

‘Because,’ sighed Rosie, ‘he left me to move to America and broke my heart, remember?’ She noticed another look passing between Jasmine and Susan and chose to ignore it.

‘And now,’ she said dramatically, ‘exactly the same thing is happening with Mitch! We just got together and now he’s leaving me to move to America! AND I’m about to lose my job,’ she wailed.

‘What?’ they both demanded.

Rosie pulled a face. ‘I’ve messed up. I sent an email by mistake and now Rachel is going to kill me, straight after she fires me.’

Jasmine was immediately all business. ‘We’ll recall it,’ she said briskly.

Rosie fixed her with a look. ‘You do know that doesn’t actually work right?’

‘OK,’ conceded Jasmine. ‘But it was a mistake, everyone sends emails by mistake. There was the time––’

‘Have you ever sent an email which outlined, in eye watering details, what your boss’s sexual proclivities are?’ Jasmine’s jaw dropped. ‘Or that they would like to fulfill said proclivities withtheirboss, the Vice Chancellor of an internationally recognised university?’

‘Oh my,’ said Susan.

‘Exactly’ Rosie said grimly, staring at Jasmine. ‘How do you suggest we fix that?’

‘Right, well that might be a little more complicated.’ Jasmine tapped her fingers on the work surface. ‘Can I ask how you happened to have this and who you sent it to?’

Rosie sighed. ’Rachel sent them by accident to me, and I forwarded themby accidentto the comms team atThe Post.’

‘Where Mitch works?’ Jasmine snapped to attention. Rosie nodded.

‘So, we ask Mitch for help?’ Susan suggested.

‘Oh, god!’ exclaimed Rosie. ‘Have neither of you been listening? I can’t ask Mitch for anything right now! He’s moving to America, remember? And I amreallyupset about it?’

‘Well, actually,’ said Jasmine, ‘that’s not strictly true, youcouldask him if you wanted to. But you don’t want to, right?’ She clarified, seeing the look on Rosie’s face.

There was a long silence while Jasmine and Susan reflected on the situation.

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