Dawn sat at her kitchen table, her glasses hanging on her nose. She pushed a piece of the jigsaw into its gap. It was a photo of her grandkids splashing in puddles at the farm park. Her phone rang.
“Hey, Jamie. What a coincidence, I was just looking at Mia and Jake.”
“Looking at Mia and Jake?”
“Yes, I was doing that jigsaw puzzle you bought for me last Christmas.”
“Oh, cute. So why didn’t you answer my facetime?”
“Facetime?”
“Yes.”
She picked up her ‘world’s best grandma’ mug and sipped her tea, spotting a missing wellington boot piece. “I don’t think that thing works on my phone, Jay.”
“It should. I’ll take a look when I see you. But I called to see if you’ve checked your post yet this morning?”
She smacked her lips and put down her tea. “No, why?”
“Go and check.”
“Okay, hang on.”
She rose and made her way to the front door, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. There was a pile of post sprawled over the matt.
“I have a couple of adverts for driveways and gutter cleaners, a bank letter and… hmmm, wait, there’s a beige envelope handwritten in calligraphy. I assume this is the one you’re getting excited about?”
“Open it. Open it,” she cried.
Dawn opened the envelope, pulling out a card. She read it and grinned, the phone perched under her chin.
“They’re getting married. In, oh my. It’s in Paris,” she said, releasing air from her lungs. “And I have a plus one.” She laughed.
“The 26th of June. That’s only four months away.”
“Wow, they don’t waste time.”
“I know. I’m so happy for him. He’s nice, isn’t he?”
“Despite my initial hesitations about Mitch, yes, he seems nice.”
“I also checked out his online magazine. He’s actually very talented. I didn’t see your article though. Did you approve it?”
She sat back down at the kitchen table, the post still gripped in her hand. “I approved it. It’s very good. Very Travis Barker bare all kind of a deal.”
“What are you on about? Travis Barker had a drug addiction and a sketchy past to overcome.”
“I’m not comparing myself to him. But I was in love with a very iconic woman. Her mother was a household name. You just need to read the article. He’s going to upload it on the 1st of September.”
“That’s ages away.”
“I know, but it will also be the twenty-two-year anniversary of her death. It will represent a celebration of her life.”
“What a sweet idea. Did he come up with that?”
“I think it was Terry actually.”
“Who’s Terry?”
“My friend.”
“Oh, okay. Well, do you think Mitch would let me have a sneak peek of the article now?”
“I don’t know, no harm in asking, I suppose.”
“I’ll ask him. Now we just have to find you someone to take as your plus one to the wedding.”
“I’m happy to go alone.”
“Oooh actually. Mark? Mark?” she yelled. “Is your lesbian aunty still single?”
“No, she’s with that woman that works for Vodaphone, remember. Remember, cus you asked her if she could get you a discount.”
“Oh yeah! Ah okay, never mind.”
“I don’t want setting up, Jamie. I’m happy as I am. I don’t have time for dating, anyway,” she said, sipping her tea.
“Says the retired woman. You should try working whilst caring for two kids. Oh, wait, you did, didn’t you?”
Dawn laughed. “Sort of, and I know it can be difficult. Although I always found the internal battle the hardest, the ‘am I psychologically damaging my kids by not being there?’ thing.”
“Ahh, that one, I’ve passed that, I have the unabridged version now,” Jamie said with a half-yawn, half-snigger.
“You do? Lucky you,” Dawn joked. “You sound tired. Go get a nice cuppa and put your feet up.”
“I’ll try. So, no set-ups then?”
“Nope, no set-ups, please.”
“Okay, looks like I’m going to be too busy anyway. I’m certain they’ll need my help getting it all organised.” She sighed.