Cathy Hopkins - [Mates, Dates 05] by Dates Mates, Sole Survivors (Html)

uninterrupted sleep.
     
    ‘How was the course?’
asked Mum when she popped in at lunchtime.
    ‘Interesting,’ I said.
‘Some of it was a bit boring, but some of it was brilliant.’
    ‘What were the people
like?’
    ‘Mad. But actually by
the end of it, they’d sort of grown on me. Even a grumpy old one called
Prudence.’ Prudence had given me a huge hug when I left, as though I was her
dearest friend. ‘It’s fantastic to be home, though. It feels so quiet and
comfortable and roomy and there’s loads I can do here.’
    Mum smiled. ‘Did I
ever tell you the story about the farmer who felt his house was overcrowded and
went to see a wise man?’
    I shook my head.
    ‘I use it at work
sometimes when I’m talking to people who are unhappy with their lot in life.
Want to hear it?’
    I nodded.
    ‘A farmer was very
unhappy with his home,’ she started.
    ‘He had a wife and two
daughters and only one room. He went to a wise man and asked what he could do
to improve the situation. The wise man told him to move in three dogs. So he
did what he was told. The next day, the wise man told him to bring in the cow
from the field and let it sleep with them. The farmer thought it was a bit
strange, but again, did as he was told. The next day, the wise man told him to
bring in the chickens. The next day, a few goats. By the end of the week, there
was a whole farmyard living in the house and it was unbearable. The farmer went
back to the wise man and asked him what to do next. First take out the dogs
then the cow, said the wiseman. Then the next day, the goats, then the hens.
The farmer did what he was told until he was back to the original situation.
His wife and his two daughters and himself. He was over the moon. It felt so
quiet and spacious and the farmer never felt unhappy again.’
    ‘Exactly,’ I said.
    ‘Well, let’s see how
long the feeling lasts,’ Mum laughed. ‘And your dad called me from the shop. He
said that Chris’s son was at the course?’
    ‘Yeah, Daniel. Creep.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘We were getting on
brilliantly but then he just left, no message, nothing. Honestly, boys - you
never know where you are with them.’
    Mum smiled. ‘Oh, I
think you may hear from him sooner than you think. He phoned the shop today to
ask for our number here.’
    ‘Really?’ I felt my
spirits lift in an instant and dashed to check the answering machine. There
were two messages flashing.
    ‘Hi, it’s Nesta, call
me when you get back,’ said the first.
    ‘Hey Lucy, it’s
Daniel,’ said the second. ‘Sorry I had to leave last night, I hope Mum gave you
the message and told you what happened…Anyway, I’ll call again later.’
    Luckily I didn’t have
to wait long as the phone went soon after Mum had returned to work.
    ‘Hey,’ he said.
    ‘What happened?’ I
asked. ‘I never got any message from your mum, but then we did leave first
thing this morning so I didn’t see her.’
    ‘Flood,’ said Daniel.
‘Our neighbour phoned to say that a pipe had burst in his flat and was pouring water
into ours. We’re on the ground floor. Anyway, Eric was coming up to London at
supper time so I cadged a lift. All sorted now, but I think I got here just in
time. You must have been mad at me disappearing like that.’
    ‘No, not at all,’ I
fibbed. ‘I had a fabulous evening. To tell you the truth, I didn’t realise that
you’d gone until after the lecture.’
    ‘Oh,’ he said,
sounding a bit disappointed. ‘I was hoping you’d missed me. I missed you. I
felt like we really connected down there and I’d like to see you again, if
that’s OK with you.’
    I grinned to myself. I
loved the way he came straight out with it. No games, no pretending to be cool.
We’d connected, and he wanted to see me again. I decided to be just as honest
back.
    ‘I’d like to see you
again too. I really liked meeting you.’
    ‘I’ve got a few things
to do this afternoon. How about this evening?’
    ‘Fab,’ I said.
    Life