‘I did it. I texted Francesco.’
Charlie issued a whistle. ‘He’s got his name back,’ they observed, as they closed down the bar for the night.
‘And I snogged Thomas yesterday.’ Penny acted shy about saying it, but she didn’t truly feel it. It had been a nice day with him, and she felt more like her old self today than she had done in ages.
‘Shocker,’ replied Charlie.
‘What?!’ said Penny. ‘How can you think you knew that was going to happen when I didn’t even know it was going to happen?’
Charlie pulled a face. ‘You knew it was going to happen,’ they said.
Penny pretended to think about it, her eyes moving shiftily to one side. ‘Yeah,’ she admitted. ‘I did.’
They grinned at each other. ‘You’ll see him again?’
She nodded. ‘I will,’ Penny replied. ‘He’s good company. Good chat. And it gets me out and about, doesn’t it?’
‘I suspect the next out and about you have will actually be more in and out, if you get what I mean …’
‘Gross!’ said Penny, laughing in spite of herself. ‘Why would you say that!’
Charlie laughed too. ‘I’m not wrong though, am I?’
Penny didn’t answer. ‘I guess I’m ready to move on,’ she settled on, knowing she really was ready to talk to Francesco, too. Her phone buzzed.
Update at my end, a text from Sharon said: My love life is very boring because: married, so I miss hearing about yours! Tell me everything about this man you used to go to school with …! Xxx
‘By the by, I meant to say: Priyesh came by again today. The wine merchant. He said it was to confirm that he is coming to the party, but he seemed quite annoyed you weren’t here.’
‘I suppose that’s what we get for inviting him,’ Penny groaned.
‘What exactly happened that day in the summer? It’s like he can’t wait to see you again. Did you flirt with him? Because he might even fancy you.’
Penny guffawed. ‘Impossible,’ she said. ‘He didn’t ask me a single question, and I remember because I complained to Clementine about it on a voice note right after. He basically performed a one-man play for me and then I came inside. I think he just likes to feel important, is all.’
‘Hmmm,’ replied Charlie. ‘I just have a feeling, though.’
‘A feeling? That’s very helpful, thank you.’
‘Welcome.’
‘Okay,’ Penny continued. ‘I’m going upstairs to reconcile the accounts from the comfort of my sofa. You’re okay to lock up?’
‘You betcha,’ responded Charlie. ‘And Penny?’
Penny spun to look at her friend.
‘I’m glad you’re feeling perkier. It’s really nice to see.’
Penny!!!!! came his reply, popping up in the corner of her computer screen after she’d linked her MacBook to her iPhone apps. Penny looked at the clock. Seven minutes past eleven. Francesco would be getting out of service around about now.
Nothing else came, so Penny took the hint that it was her turn to say something. I just wanted to say hi, she typed back. Stuart said you’d been in Bridges.
Yeah, Francesco replied. I’ve been thinking about you is all. I didn’t know why you’d disappeared …
I’ve been thinking about you too, Penny said. She yawned. I’m going to bed now, she added, but talk soon, maybe?
For sure, said Francesco. I’ll call you?
Yeah, said Penny. If you do, I’ll pick up.
I’m really pleased you’ve made contact.
Yeah. Can we just … not even talk about why? I just wanna move forward. I don’t want to rehash everything.
Moving forward sounds like a great plan, he typed back. I think I know why, anyway. It’s okay. I’m glad you’re back.
Okay … she typed back. Well. Talk properly soon. Night xxx
Yeah! And sleep tight. I’m really pumped to hear from you Penny x
She closed her laptop and lay on the sofa, staring at the wall. He was going to call her. She was excited about that. And he’d seemed cool and breezy, happy to agree to simply move forward. That probably meant he thought he was off the hook, Penny reasoned, but exactly like Charlie had said, that didn’t matter. Penny didn’t need some big long conversation about what had happened, with a big grovelling apology that threatened to make her cry, she just wanted his dumb jokes back in her life. She tried not to read too much into his response. I think I know why, he’d said. That was almost an apology without anyone having to actually raise their issues. Close enough. Anyway. It didn’t matter now. Penny forgave him, because to do anything else just felt too heavy.