Page 54 of Just Like That

‘Nick.’ Seth repeats the name, as if trying it out for a fit. ‘And the… six-pack?’

‘I’m not even going to answer that.’

‘Spoil… sport. I had a… date today.’

‘You did?’ I look to Jackson to make sure Seth isn’t just ribbing me, and he nods confirmation of this.

‘Yup.’ Seth puffs himself up in his seat, looking smug. ‘With Alison.’

‘Is this the woman you met in the waiting room?’

‘It is. She’s… bea… beau-tiful… and interesting, and… bea… beaut-iful.’

‘You said that already.’

‘Yes, but she’s so bea… beaut-iful… it has to be… said twice. That’s also… a word I’m… having problems with… in my speech therapy – so it’s good to… keep practicing.’

‘I see.’

I ignore the nagging feeling I get from this news, remembering my previous conversation about this woman with Jackson. Instead, I try to focus on the positive: that my brother seems to have found someone he connects with.

‘Are you going to be seeing each other again?’ I can’t help asking.

‘Yes. Thursday. We’re meeting at… the Scottish… the, eh… Scottish… Na… National… Gallery… of… Modern Art.’

With his lingering memory issues as well as his speech limitations, Seth struggles to get this name out, but I’m pleased to see that he does manage. It’s a real marker of his progress.

‘And you’re playing third wheel again.’ I smile at Jackson, who shrugs easily.

‘It’s all good, Jess. It means I get to explore the gallery myself. I might even pop across the road and have a wander round Jupiter Artland too, if there’s time. With the hours I work, there’s never normally the opportunity for such luxuries.’

‘You will… have time.’ Seth grins at him. ‘Alison can’t get… enough of me.’

‘So modest, eh?’ I say to Jackson, jerking my head towards my brother. ‘OK, great, well enjoy.’

‘We will,’ says Seth. ‘Hey… if your… date goes well… maybe we can… go on a… double date.’

I chuckle. ‘We’ll see. Let’s take things a step at a time for now.’

Nipping out of the room, I quickly type out a WhatsApp message to Nick.

I’m good for tomorrow evening if you’re still up for it? Xx

I can see that he reads the message straight away and starts typing, then a reply appears on the screen.

Definitely. Can’t wait. X

Sending him back a thumbs-up with a smiley face, I lock my phone and momentarily clutch it to my chest, feeling a rush of excited anticipation for the next day. Then, taking a deep breath to calm my teenage hormones, I return to the living room to take over from Jackson.

The next morning, I work from home – essentially avoiding Craig, so that when I do eventually talk to him about the situation with Nick, it will come across as my first natural opportunity to do so. Loaded with guilt about not being immediately up front, I have to remind myself that Craig has royally shafted me over the whole part-time hours thing. He hasn’t treated me with the respect I deserve, instead making me feel like nothing more than a revenue-churning cog in his machine, so why should I run to him with my disclosure – especially when it’s still such early days with Nick? I’m not even sure I could put a label on what we are if he asks.

I tick off my tasks for my other projects as quickly as possible so I can head to the wildlife park, which has kind of become my sanctuary – not because Nick is there, but because of the soothing effect the animals, Rana in particular, have on me. I drive to East Lothian under a dark and foreboding sky and pass a very productive afternoon with Lauren and Monika, who are both kicking off their first events this week. We make sure everything is lined up perfectly and I help them iron out any last-minute issues. Of course, there aren’t many of these because – not meaning to be big-headed – I do know my stuff.

I’m expecting the events to be a breeze, given we’ve already done a test run with the dating, and the senior citizen coffee mornings are fairly straightforward. All we need is an endless supply of tea and coffee, some tasty baked goods (which Serge has all sorted for us), and a yoga instructor for those who would rather do something more physically challenging than wander round the park. The tickets are already nearly sold out for the first few weeks of both events, thanks to a brilliant effort by the wider team here (which to my delight, includes Nick), so we’re ready to roll.

Having everything so well under control means I’m able to finish at 5:30 p.m., allowing me half an hour to get glammed up for my date with Nick. Once I’m satisfied that I look the part, I duck out of the empty staff changing rooms, sneak across the courtyard and head for Rana’s enclosure, where I’ve arranged to meet him. The air is humid, the sky filled with huge, mushroomy dark clouds, which makes me wonder if we’re finally in for a spectacular downpour.

On rounding the final bend, I see Nick sitting on the bench chatting away to Rana.

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