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‘Come on, let me help,’ Melanie said, pulling Paige’s arm up and over her shoulders, her other hand sliding around her waist. Paige’s body jolted at the touch. But she leaned slightly on Melanie until the feeling in her legs overtook the pain and she could stand.
Melanie let her go and led the way back out the room, closing the door to.
‘What have you brought to eat, it smells amazing?’ Melanie asked, her voice still soft as she began walking down the stairs.
‘Connie’s famous mushroom risotto. Her third husband taught her how to make it. He said that if food was the way to the heart then this was the way to . . .’ Paige stopped talking quite quickly.
‘Turns out, you’ve made quite the impression on Alfie,’ Melanie said changing the subject quickly.
‘Yeah? Why’s that?’
‘He’s been asking Emily when he was going to see you again. And when I picked him up from school today he had felt-tip on his chin. He says he’s had a “purse-in just like Pwaige”. He was very upset when I washed it off in the bath.’
Paige grinned. ‘He’s a good man.’
Melanie shook her head. ‘Come on then, let’s eat. I’m starving. Then I’ll go through the plans so far, and you can tell me what you think and add any others in too.’
The way Melanie groaned when she ate the risotto was a little too much for Paige. But soon enough that was over, and they both sat at the kitchen island ready to crack on.
Paige studied Melanie as she got all her things in order. Connie was right about Melanie not looking after herself, Paige had been wondering the same. The skin underneath her eyes seemed more grey, and she had an air of exhaustion around her that made Paige wonder when she’d last slept properly. Which reminded her. ‘Oh, hang on I have something for you that might help.’ Paige made quick work of running to her car, before getting straight back to the kitchen island.
‘Here, it’s for you,’ Paige said.
‘What is it?’
‘Nothing special. I just had one about and figured it would be more useful for you. But if not don’t worry.’
Well, she sort of had it lying about. Once she’d ordered it. Her reading with Connie had told her she needed to help Melanie, so that’s what she was going to do. Well, it hadn’t said Melanie specifically, but she knew that’s what it had meant.
Looking into the bag, Paige watched as Melanie’s eyes lit up.
‘Oh wow. Are you sure? I mean this would be amazing, but I’ll just borrow it until I get one of my own, if you don’t mind?’
Paige looked at the brand-new reinforced rucksack. ‘Don’t worry. Just take it. I honestly don’t use it.’
‘It looks brand new. Thanks, Paige. You’re sure?’
‘It’s just a rucksack, Melanie, and you need it.’
Melanie nodded, and with a Melanie megawatt grin she inspected the bag. ‘Thanks, Paige.’
‘No worries, right let’s get back to it.’ Paige sat back down, her chest warm as Melanie’s happiness infused her every cell.
‘Am I right in thinking that Monday’s and Tuesday’s are our quietest days?’ Melanie asked, gently placing the rucksack by her feet and looking at her iPad but not before adjusting her skirt and then her glasses, in other words she was back to all business and Paige wanted to prove she could do that too. So, she opened up her notebook and the to-do list app on her phone. But she would be lying if the sight of Melanie’s grin didn’t make her feel light as helium. But no, she needed to focus.
‘Yep, that’s right. Were you thinking of having the artist selection audition thing, on one of those days?’ Paige asked.
‘Yes. I’m wondering if we could do it as early as Tuesday, so I guess the first task then is to find times we can be available and hope Councillor Houghton can make it too.’
‘Did you think we should try and get press coverage for the selection?’ Paige asked.
‘Yeah, but I think we need to make the choosing panel more diverse,’ Melanie said.
‘What about Alfie? He’s got great taste,’ Paige said with a smirk. ‘And I can think of a few more people that we could ask too.’
‘OK, so if we did it after school next Tuesday, I would probably be picking him up anyway. But where are we going to do it?’ Melanie asked.
‘We can do it at mine. I’ll close one side of the bar down for a private function,’ Paige said.
