Page 50 of Things We Need to Say
‘Oh, I certainly am.’
* * *
When they were seated at a corner table in their favourite restaurant, Jay asked, ‘So come on then, tell me what we’re celebrating?’
She told him and Jay immediately raised his glass to clink with hers. ‘Oh, Em, I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that. I know what you’ve been going through and at last that Heather woman is going to get what she deserves. But more thanthat, I’m glad that now, finally, you have the chance to prove to everyone just how good you are.’
‘Let’s just hope I can do it.’
‘Oh, you can. I know that for a fact.’
‘I must admit, it does feel like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Which is why I feel like dancing.’
‘Then dance we will. Till the early hours. And I’ve got nothing on tomorrow, so we can have a lie-in and a lazy Saturday together.’
‘Sounds wonderful. It’s been ages since we’ve had the time to do that.’
‘And we’re going to make the most of it,’ he said, leaning across the table to kiss her.
* * *
Winston’s was crowded when Emma and Jay arrived. They ordered drinks and were lucky enough to find a spare table as a couple got up to leave. The music was loud yet mellow, and they drank and danced and laughed for the next few hours. Emma couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so carefree. She vowed that she would make the time so that Jay and she could do this more often. She was so happy she didn’t notice Susie walk into the bar until she was standing over their table.
‘Hello, Jay,’ Susie said, smiling, then turned to Emma. ‘Hello... Um, sorry, I can’t remember your name.’
‘Emma,’ she replied through gritted teeth. She hoped that Jay wouldn’t let Susie spoil their evening.
‘Oh, yes, Emma.’ She turned back to Jay. ‘Haven’t seen you in here for a while, Jay, darling. Thought you’d got too serious to party.’
‘Never too serious to party,’ Jay replied. ‘But life has moved on for me. As I told you at the christening.’
‘The christening, yes. So you haven’t had a change of heart after our conversation?’ She smiled at him in what Emma suspected she thought was a seductive pout, but Jay didn’t react.
‘No, Susie, I haven’t. Emma and I are very much together, but I wouldn’t want to be with you even if I was single.’ As the music slowed, he turned to Emma. ‘Fancy a dance, Em? The air around this table has gone suddenly toxic.’
He pulled her into his arms on the dancefloor and she snuggled into him, her heart pounding. Jay sending Susie away like that was the perfect end to what had been an amazing day.
* * *
Emma didn’t feel quite so amazing when she woke up the next day, with the sun streaming through the bedroom window, dazzling her.
‘Oh no.’ She groaned and quickly shut her eyes. ‘It’s far too bright.’
Jay smiled. ‘That’s what happens when you refuse to drink water before you go to bed after a night on the booze.’
‘Okay, you’re right, I should have listened to you. But if you’re feeling fine, could you get me a glass of water and some paracetamol?’
Jay chuckled. ‘I’d be happy to. And after that, you can go back to sleep for a while and I’ll put together a picnic.’
‘A picnic? What for?’
‘I think we need some fresh air in our lungs. So I prescribe a walk on Hampstead Heath, and after our lunch we can come back here and, if you’re still feeling rough, we can snuggle on the sofa and binge-watch a box set.’
‘Sounds just about perfect,’ she said. ‘As long as you hurry up with the water and painkillers.’
* * *
Although the journey on the Tube made her feel queasy, Emma felt herself returning to something resembling a human being once they were walking across the heath. As they sat down on a bench on Parliament Hill, Jay opened the bag he had been carrying and spread out the picnic on the seat between them. Emma immediately picked up one of the homemade sausage rolls he’d prepared while she had been sleeping off her hangover and bit into it ravenously.
