The Two Lives of Lydia Bird - Josie Silver Page 0,110
it’s the sunshine or the holiday vibe but my mood already feels a little lighter here, my heart too.
My phone is in my lap as I flop back in the deckchair, wine glass in my other hand. Petar insisted I bring the rest of the bottle up with me. It’s heady with blackcurrants and spice, and it’s dulling my edges nicely. Still no reply from Elle. In my haste to get away I didn’t stop to consider her feelings, but I honestly don’t think for a minute that she’ll begrudge me this. Her every waking moment must be filled with baby-related thoughts; she’s learning how to be a mum and I have no pearls of wisdom to offer her there. If anything, my absence will probably be a bit of a relief, although she’d never say as much.
I sip a little more wine, and my phone buzzes. Elle at last.
Croatia? WTF, Lyds, did the sight of my ladybits send you running for the airport? Am already knackered. Come back soon, miss you. X
I smile, then hold in a little gulp-cry when an angelic photo of a sleeping Charlotte pings in.
She looks a lot cleaner than the last time I saw her, thank God! Too beautiful for words, sis, you did good. Blowing kisses in your direction. Xx
I press ‘send’, smiling as my words head across the seas towards home. God, the baby is gorgeous. I’m not going to get a look-in with that child. It’s as well that I’ve stepped back for a little while, giving everyone else a chance to cluster around and press tiny clothes and gifts into Elle and David’s hands as they clamour for a hold. David has quite a clan and Mum won’t be able to stop herself from camping out on Elle’s doorstep.
Something in me settles, soothed by Elle’s acceptance of my leaving.
I ignore my phone the second time it buzzes, then pick it up moments later, feeling guilty. My first emotion is relief: it isn’t another unbearably gorgeous baby picture. My second emotion is harder to identify so I don’t try: it’s Jonah calling me from LA.
I scrabble to answer before he hangs up.
‘Hey,’ I say, tucking my hair behind my ears as I sit up straighter in the chair. ‘Can you hear me?’
‘Hey yourself,’ he says. The smile behind his voice makes me smile too.
‘How’s LA?’ I say. ‘Have you made your fortune and married Jennifer Lawrence?’
‘Yes, that’s exactly what I’ve done,’ he laughs. ‘How about you?’
I hesitate. ‘Same old same old.’
I don’t know why I don’t tell him I’m in Croatia. Probably because I just can’t face another ‘what the hell are you doing there’ conversation.
‘What time is it in LA?’
‘Lunch,’ he says. ‘I’m eating the world’s biggest bowl of pasta and I thought of you.’
‘Stodgy and pale?’ I say. My skin looks practically blue here amongst the sun-kissed crowds.
He laughs. ‘The waitress’s name is Lydia.’
‘Oh.’ My limited knowledge of LA conjures up a Cameron Diaz-style roller-skating queen with Jonah’s pasta held aloft on a tray as she pirouettes between tables.
‘So seriously, is it going well?’
He pauses. ‘You know what, it really is,’ he says, half laughing, incredulous. ‘Scarily so.’
‘That’s good though, right?’
‘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.