Page 62 of Ask Another Day

‘It’s a DECFON ONE situation,’ was all Holly said.

‘Again?’

If Holly wasn’t in the midst of a spiral, she might have taken offence at the disbelief in Rose’s voice.

‘Yes, again. Get your arse over here, ASAP. I’ve had to wait for you to get back from your sodding weekend away with my inconsiderate brother. Time is of the essence.’

Five minutes later, a gentle knock at the door alerted Holly to Rose’s arrival, and she carefully walked the few steps to the door.

When Holly had finally made it to her appointment a couple of days ago, her consultant had thankfully squeezed her in. He’d proclaimed her ankle as healed, but she’d struggled to focus on anything else he’d said. Seb’s attempts at an explanation of what had transpired twelve years ago, trumped whatever news the consultant wanted to impart - good or bad.

She’d listened to Seb’s experience of that night, interjecting just once to clarify she most definitely had not described Seb as her second brother, before retreating back into herself. The revelation he had actually liked her back then should have been that scene in the rom-coms she loved to watch, when the characters declared their feelings and were overcome with their latent passion. She should have launched herself at him and made out in the back seat whilst the traffic continued to back up behind them.

But instead, Holly had felt hollowed out. After the initial shock of seeing Sloane and Seb kissing on the night of her birthday, Holly had decided it had been inevitable. Sloane had always been the prettier, more outgoing of the two, so of course Seb would want her instead. It didn’t make it hurt any less though. When Seb moved away to Leeds, Holly had felt so alone. Sloane had left too. In the space of one night, she’d lost both her friends. Sloane hadn’t even reached out when Holly and Luke’s parents had died - and with her mum still living in the Bay, she knew Sloane would have been told about the accident.

Her best friend for so many years had ghosted her. And now, twelve years later, Holly had to deal with the fact she’d lied to her. One simple lie, told to each of them had changed the course of their lives.

*

Holly unlatched the door and took in the shivering mess that was Rose on her doorstep.

‘It’s bloody freezing out here, hurry up and let me in!’

‘Wear more substantial pyjamas and you wouldn’t feel the cold,’ Holly offered her advice with a wink.

Rose fingered the delicate cream lacy shorts and vest set she wore.

‘Your brother bought me these though, he–’

‘Urgh, stop talking and get inside.’

Rose chuckled as she stepped inside and grabbed one of the blankets Holly kept in a large basket by the chairs in the window seat of the pub.

‘OK, what’s the emergency that dragged me from your brother’s embrace this morning,’ she said as she sat and got herself comfy under the blanket. Then stopped and grinned, ‘Wait. You walked without your crutches!’

‘My consultant wanted me to stop using them as soon as possible. I still need to wear the boot for longer walks, but it feels so good to not wear it all the time.’

‘Amazing!’ Rose beamed at her.

‘Thanks.’ Holly smiled back.

‘So what’s with the emergency call out?’

‘I had an eventful conversation with Seb,’ Holly dangled the nugget of information out for Rose to latch onto.

‘Right…’

‘More life altering than eventful, if I’m being honest.’

Holly could see the delight in Rose’s widening eyes, but her friend managed to kept her voice under control as she said, ‘And?’

‘And, I don’t know what to do about it?’ Holly wailed, dropping her head to her hands.

‘Get me up to speed. What was the conversation about?’

‘My birthday.’

‘The birthday?’ Rose couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice anymore.