Page 4 of My Mistake To Make

Jamie took the two weeks after our breakup off work, meaning I haven’t had to see him and be sucked back into thinking I’d lost something. No, instead, it gave me the chance to focus on my plan. Change, live, throw out the routine and the safety net, and see what the world has to offer.

My phone rang on the shelf in front of me as Elspeth started to mix up the bleach to start the process of turning my dull dark blonde hair purple.

‘Hello,’ I answered, already knowing it was the estate agent. I’d saved their number, of course.

‘Hi, can I speak to Cara McKenzie, please?’

‘Yes, this is she.’

‘Oh, hi, Cara. This is Benjamin from Marshal Properties. We’ve had an offer on your house.’ My heart started to pound in my chest. My house, which I’d worked so hard to be able to buy… was I really going to sell it?

‘Oh, okay, is it a good one?’

‘Yes, it is. It’s come in at the asking price. They loved the house and didn’t want to miss out by trying to negotiate…’

Benjamin reeled off a lot of information about the young couple wanting to buy my house, but I couldn’t process his words. I hardly registered my own voice telling him to accept the offer. My house, my lovely wee house.

‘Accept what offer?’ Elspeth asked with a hand on my shoulder after I hung up.

‘On my house. I’ve sold my house.’

My breath rushed out of me when I said it aloud, and Elspeth gave my shoulder a squeeze.

‘Oh, sweetheart. Purple hair, selling your house, whatever’s next?’

She didn’t wait for an answer, just shook her head and walked away as I considered her question. What was next?

‘Well, I have to admit, it looks pretty good.’

Elspeth grinned behind me as I took in my new look. The dark blonde I had lived with my whole life was now close to platinum, fading down to purple at the ends, and it was curled with loose waves hanging over my shoulders. For the first time in my twenties, I had the hair of someone in their twenties, and I bloody loved it.

‘Oh my gosh, Ellie. It’s better than pretty good. It’s amazing.’

‘Wow, Cara.’ Billy, Ellie’s nephew and the other stylist at her small salon, spun around to inspect my look. ‘You look incredible. Well done, Auntie.’

Elspeth blushed and shoved Billy away, and I reached up to touch her hand on my shoulder.

‘Thank you, Ellie. I love it.’

‘You’re welcome, sweetheart.’ She leaned down to kiss my cheek and then met my gaze in the mirror once more. ‘Change does you good, sweet girl, but just be careful that you don’t let too many changes at once carry you faster than those long legs of yours can keep up with.’

Her words sank in, but I couldn’t stop now. The wheels were in motion, and I couldn’t get off.

‘What on earth haveyou done?’

Dad looked horrified as I sat opposite him at his little table, and he took in, not only my new hair, but also the shiny new ring in my nose.

‘It’s not a big deal, Dad. I just got my nose pierced.’

‘And colored your beautiful hair.’

‘It’s just hair.’

Dad sighed, ‘Cara, are you on drugs?’

‘What?’ I gasped, ‘Dad, no, of course, I’m not. I just fancied a change.’

‘Well, when I walked to get my papers this morning, Francine Carmichael told me that Irene Darner told her that you’ve sold your house. What is going on, Cara? Is that true?’

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