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‘How are things going with Leo, by the way? Has that happened yet?’ Carmel asks casually.
I sit there for a moment as she studies my expression and has a giggle. ‘How…?’
‘Jasper and I like a weekly catch-up,’ she says sipping at her tea.
‘Is there someone in the mix?’ Sally asks.
‘A lad in their office…’ Carmel tells her and I laugh, incredulous that these two lovely ladies are gossiping about me right in front of my face. ‘He’s been in love with her for like, forever.’
‘No, he hasn’t!’ I shriek. They both jerk back at the volume of my retort. The fox cubs look up at me curiously. ‘I’m sorry – what?’
‘Jasper and Frank have known for a while. It’s their little in-joke. They keep telling him to make a move but he never wants to cross the line.’
‘Leo? Leo who works in the office?’
‘Is there another Leo?’ Sally asks.
‘No. But…We only just…You’re telling me for how long?’ I say, trying to piece everything together in my head.
‘Well, long enough that I know about it. Did something finally happen?’ Carmel asks me with wide, curious eyes.
‘I mean, the other night we may have…we had a long conversation and things may have progressed.’ I had an orgasm on the phone to him, Carmel. He saw things, I saw things.
Carmel claps her hands. ‘Ooooh, that is exciting! How wonderful, at Christmas too. Was it a kiss?’ Sally also sits down with her mug to take in the detail.
‘Not quite. But there was intention and other stuff…’ Sally and Carmel try to work out what that means without me having to spell it out. ‘I just can’t work out where I stand now…’
‘How come?’ Sally asks me.
‘I messaged him. He’s seen the message but not replied. I can’t work out what he’s thinking,’ I tell them. I don’t quite know why I’m telling two strangers my woes, but given one of them knew that Leo had a giant crush on me for longer than he let on, I think they might be able to give me good advice. ‘If he’s liked me for so long then why hold back, why play it cool?’
‘He could be in shock it’s actually happening,’ Sally suggests. ‘Maybe he doesn’t want to appear too keen and scare you off.’
Lovely Sally with the cookies has a good point.
‘Perhaps he’s revelling in the glow of it all,’ Carmel tells me. ‘Floating on cloud nine, he’s having some delirious episode where he’s lost track of all space and time.’ Unlikely but I smile broadly to hear Carmel talk of it with such animation. ‘Why don’t you take the lead? Do you like him in that way?’ she asks me.
Bar all the complications in the background, the problem is I think I do. I nod and they both grin at me. ‘Then don’t wait for him to reply. Open up the conversation,’ Carmel says. ‘Oooh, send him a picture of you and the foxies. What better way to grab his attention?’
‘But I’m dressed like this. He’ll think I’m mad, like I’ve goneout into the country and suddenly gone feral.’ Like those kids who are brought up by wolves.
They both laugh. ‘But just look at them…’ Sally says and we all look down into the basket. ‘He’ll also think it’s adorable. We can put you by the tree and it’ll look festive. He’ll have to reply.’
Carmel is clapping again. She goes over to the fireplace where the fox cubs look at her curiously. Were we rescued for our own safety or for the photo ops? She carries it to the tree and beckons me over.
‘Come…sit at the front,’ she instructs me, putting a tartan blanket to my lap as I cross my legs. ‘Aren’t you the cutest little butter bean?’ I’ll assume she isn’t talking about me as she takes each cub in turn and places them on me. They all squirm, trying to get comfortable, clambering for space. I reach in my pocket and hand her my phone. She backs away from us slowly, making purring kissing noises to get the foxes’ attention. ‘This way, look at Aunty Carmel. Everyone say foxy!’
‘Foxy!’ I say. The cubs don’t respond obviously, though they are supremely confused. I place them back in the box carefully but one of them takes my thumb in his mouth and gives it a sharp but swift bite. ‘Oww,’ I yelp. ‘Don’t be doing that, tiny one.’ He squawks back at me and I pull an angry face at him, getting a tissue from my pocket and wrapping it around my thumb.
Carmel scurries over to show me the picture. I can’t lie, it’s very cute. I do look like I’ve just birthed them though but their blue eyes and fluffy faces peer over my knees and the edge of the blanket and I manage to look happy and presentable despite the hour and my lack of make-up. ‘Go on, send it!’
‘Only the picture?’ They both nod. They watch as I open up his contact, my thumb hovering over the buttons. Why not, eh? I press Send and we all sit there looking at my phone. The ticks turn green on the message. Sally is hugely excited on my behalf and does a jig in that corner of that room. But nothing.It’s like yesterday. He opened the message, he read the message and then he ignored me. Ghosted me. I’m supposed to be spending a few days with you from tomorrow. Please don’t make this awkward. I’ll have to cancel. I can set myself up at home, no worries. Maybe I’ll live in the woods with my new fox family. Carmel senses that I’m disappointed and puts a hand to my shoulder.
‘Maybe he’s just got up…it’s very early…maybe…’
But then three dots appear to tell us he’s typing. Sally yelps and a fox cub cries in reply.
Is that Jasper’s family then?
