Page 80 of The Night Before Christmas
The sneaky little whatsit.
Bex was still talking. ‘Thank goodness for that as I was hoping you’d be my maid of honour. You’d be fabulous!’
‘Woah there, Nelly. One step at a time.’
‘I’m sorry, you’re right. I’m so excited, that’s all.’
‘I can hear that.’
A pause.
‘Fliss, are you still there?’
‘I’m here.’
She was stalling for time while her mind whizzed back through the past few weeks, searching for any signs that this conversation was ever on the cards. She came up empty.
‘Tell me something though…’
‘Anything.’
‘Aside from the whole, you know, “how on earth did this happen” thing… Did he propose in the hospital? I mean, like, while he thought he was dying or something?’
Or the split second I left the building?
‘Ha!’ said Bex, with a snort of laughter. ‘No, not exactly. Well, yes, actually, although he knew what he was doing.’
‘I wasn’t suggesting he was delirious or anything. I just meant, well, you know it’s quite weird timing.’
‘Not that weird, as it goes.’
‘Go on…?’
‘Um. Look, why don’t I come over tonight and I’ll tell you all about it?’
‘Okay. Deal.’
Felicity couldn’t help calculating the number of days it had been since Adam had sort of proposed toheron New Year’s Eve. Perhaps she’d best not mention that to Bex either.
That night, wine in hand, mind still racing, Felicity asked the first of many, many questions she’d been storing up all day.
‘Did he give you a ring?’
Bex bit her lip and waggled an empty hand. ‘Not yet, he hasn’t had a chance to get one yet. He’s been, you know, in hospital, after all.’
‘Yes, I was there. Oh, well, maybe he’ll get you one made out of tin foil or a Hula Hoop or something.’
Bex gave a hollow laugh. ‘Oh yes. A Hula Hoop, ha ha.’
Felicity chewed her lip. ‘I think I need to tell you something.’
Another hollow laugh. ‘Is it about the Tiffany ring?’ said Bex.
‘Yes! How did you know about that?’
‘Addy told me all about it. He said it was all a misunderstanding, apparently. He never meant to propose or anything, it was just a gift.’
‘Yes, yes of course, it definitely didn’t mean anything.’
