Late Night Shopping: by Carmen Reid

For a moment or two only the sound of the kettle coming to the boil could be heard in the room.
     
Maybe because the silence was too intense for her, Lana quickly blurted out, 'It's not a big deal, I just wanted another opinion. I mean, I know what I think. I know what Andrei thinks. I know what my friends think. I just was kind of interested to know what you think.'
     
This was the really difficult thing, because all the time, Lana made things sound so cool and flippant and as if she didn't care. But all sorts of feelings and major emotional issues were just beneath the surface and Ed was sure that he and Annie could mess it all up at any time. Just with one single wrong word.
     
He felt as if he was walking around the most precious, fragile china shop in the world whenever he spoke to Lana about anything. She was confident and assured in so many ways, but still such a baby in others.
     
Coming back to the table with two mugs of tea, he set one in front of her, then went to get her plate of toast.
     
'Peanut butter and jam?' he asked her.
     
'You're avoiding my question,' she hissed at him.
     
'I'm not avoiding your question at all,' he told her gently, 'I'm giving myself time. I want you to have something to eat and drink and then I'm going to sit down beside you and talk about it properly.'
     
She looked up at him to see if he was being straight, and when she didn't see any hint of a smile or a joke about him, she said, 'Thanks.'
     
'But it doesn't matter what I think,' he told her when he'd settled himself down in the wooden kitchen chair beside hers. 'It only matters what you think.'
     
When she didn't reply, he added, 'If you're having sex, Lana, be very careful and respectful. Of your body and your feelings. If you're not having sex, don't feel you have to rush into it. There's a big difference between snogging someone and sleeping with them. Big difference.'
     
Lana's head was down over her toast, which she was carefully smearing with peanut butter.
     
'Is there any way,' Ed wanted to know, 'that I can get you to talk to your mum about this?'
     
Lana gave a snort, 'I think we all know my mum's POV: Pull up the drawbridge, take aim and fire. No men anywhere near my daughter. Ever.
     
'Well . . .' Ed had to laugh a little at this, 'you're her daughter. She finds everything about you growing up just a bit scary. She doesn't want to lose you. That's her number one worry, she's only really happy when we're all together in this house and . . .'
     
'She has a mobile clamped to her head making some kind of deal,' Lana interrupted.
     
'Hey, that's not very fair—'
     
But now he'd blown it, and Lana just got up and walked out of the room.
     

Chapter Seven
Nicole Wilson on a service call:
     
Pinstriped black trouser suit – too tight and
too short (Next)
Pink wrap top (M&S)
Black pumps (M&S)
Tan knee-highs (M&S)
Black and pink saucy underwear (Agent Provocateur)
Total est. cost: £270
     
'We could lend you £125,000 against the
current value of your property.'
     
'Bryan, hello! Yes, it's me, Annie. Hi! I'm really sorry to call you at work, but I wanted this to be private, you know . . . away from Dinah,' she added in a stage whisper. 'I was just thinking . . . isn't the big one-zero coming up for you two? You know, your tenth wedding anniversary?'
     
Annie pretended to sound as surprised as she possibly could when her brother-in-law confided that he was planning a celebration and he didn't want Dinah to know anything about it.
     
'That is such a great idea! How romantic! You know what?' she added, trying to sound completely spontaneous, 'I have this friend and he's just brilliant at this kind of thing. He works as an events manager but I'm sure he'd love to help you out, Bryan. Because I know how busy you are and planning a party like that . . . that's a really big job to take on . . .'
     
She hoped she was making the point strongly but subtly enough. There was no way Bryan could be left alone in