Page 79 of The Two Lives of Lydia Bird

‘No, yeah, it is.’ He sounds unsure. ‘Things have just moved more quickly than I’d let myself hope they could.’

‘Did you decide which film company you like best?’

‘I did,’ he says. ‘The one who asked if I could stay over here for a while and develop the script. Until Christmas, even. Maybe.’

He says it super casual, as if it’s normal to be planning to spend an extra half a year on the other side of the world.

‘But what about work and everything?’

‘I think it’ll be okay,’ he says. ‘I’ve spoken to the head and he’s looking into a sabbatical for me.’

‘That’s – that’s really great,’ I say, and I hope he doesn’t catch the note of despondency I can’t quite keep from my voice.

‘So, I thought that – if you can get the time off work – you might fancy coming out here for a week or two? See the sights? We could walk the Hollywood Stars and you can stalk Ryan Reynolds or someone.’

I’m taken aback, really surprised, and relieved that our friendship is back in a place where this feels like a good idea to him.

‘I’m in Croatia,’ I say.

He goes quiet for a few moments. ‘Croatia?’

‘It was kind of a last-minute thing.’

‘On your own? Or …’

I hear the question he doesn’t ask me.

‘On my own, yeah.’

‘Wow.’

I don’t know if I’m offended. ‘Is it that shocking?’

‘No, no, it’s not that,’ he says. ‘You just caught me by surprise.’

‘Elle had the baby.’

‘She did? When?’

‘Yesterday morning.’

‘Oh, Lyds, you missed it! Are you going home soon?’

I close my eyes. ‘I didn’t miss it. I was there, I delivered the baby myself.’

He laughs and I realize he doesn’t believe me.

‘I’m serious, Jonah, I delivered my niece. She’s fine, thanks for asking.’

‘God, okay. Right, yes, I’m sorry, I thought you were kidding around,’ he says, struggling to get the right words out. ‘So, you delivered Elle’s baby yesterday and today you’re in Croatia on a spur-of-the-moment holiday?’

He relays all of this back, fact-checking, as if I might realize I got some of it wrong.

‘Yep.’

He waits for me to explain further, but I don’t.

‘So that’s cool,’ he says. ‘Tell them congrats from me.’

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