Page 10 of Big Sexy Love
Olive’s recent searchhistory:
Packing forAmerica+tips??
Chances of 27-year-old getting deep-vein thrombosis on long-haulflight
Plane crashstatistics
Final Destinationplane crashscene
What is Jack out ofDawson’s Creekuptonow?
Airbnbsafe?
Airbnbmurders
(incognito search)Atonementlibrary sexscene
The last timeI went away for any length of time was in 2013. Birdie bought me a spa trip to Cheshire in an effort to get me to ‘unclench my uptight butt’. And that was only two days away from home in a nearby county, so hardly an epic voyage. I found the whole thing pretty stressful, to be honest. The duvet at the spa was different to my duvet and I couldn’t get to sleep. And there was a big open fire in one of the communal areas that I dreamt was going to somehow catch onto the curtains and set the whole place aflame, chargrilling us all to our untimely deaths. That was two days in a place less than an hour away from my house. This? This is a whole differentstory.
I try to distract myself from the nerves swishing in my belly, by applying myself wholeheartedly to the task of packing. I glance across my bed. I can no longer see the crisp white duvet cover because it is absolutely crowded with stuff. Clothes for every occasion, toiletries for every occasion, reading glasses, books for every mood, my favourite Miller Harris perfume for when I need to feel confident and my old faithful Avon perfume for when I need comfort, my entire skin care regimen, a mini first aid kit, big coat, little coat, shoes for walking slowly, shoes for running, shoes for casual dinner, shoes for fancy dinner, slippers, slipper socks, all kinds of footwear. In a neat pile next to it I have my selection of bras. Comfy bra, sleep bra, strapless bra, padded bra, bra that makes my boobs look very pointy but goes well underneath my red tea dress, bra that doesn’t really do anything at all and went pinky grey in the wash but I am immovablyattachedto.
I glance down at my average-sized suitcase and bury my head into my hands. How do people do this? I need more time to figure this out! How on earth am I going to get this all done by 3 a.m. when I need to set off to theairport?
For the gazillionth time since I left the hospital, I pick up my phone and open up my texts to Birdie. And then for the gazillionth time I close it seconds later. What am I going to do? Cancel? I can’t! I won’t. Birdie is relying on me and there’s no way I’m going to let her down, not now, not when it matterssomuch.
While I’m staring at the pile of gloves I have managed to accumulate into the mix, there’s a light knock onmydoor.
‘You may enter,’ Icallout.
Alex pops his head round the door, his soft round face grimacing as he sees the state of my room. There was a time when he wouldn’t even knock, just burst in and plonk himself down onto my bed for a natter. But since he’s been with Donna we seem to have settled into a politeawkwardness.
‘Oh dear,’ he says, wandering in, eyes searching for a place to sit and unable tofindone.
‘I know.’ I gesture around the room, shaking my head. ‘I’ve been trying to reduce the piles for the past hour but I’m finding it…tricky.’
Alex picks up a pile of scarves from where they’re laid out over my easychair.
‘Well you can start here. Nobody needs to take ten scarvesanywhere.’
‘An attendee of a scarf festival would,’ I sayreasonably.
‘There’s no such thing as a scarffestival.’
‘Actually yeah, there is! Where else would folk gather to celebrate the beauty of a well-wovenchunkyknit?’
Alex shakes his head, but I’m actually telling the truth. There is such a festival and if it wasn’t held in some remote Scottish village with a history of terrible stormy weather then I would definitely begoing.
I gather the scarves to my chest. I cannot choose between them. It took me thirty minutes to choose these final ten that were still in the running towards becoming America’s Next Top Scarf For My Neck. ‘I have scarves for all occasions here, every type of weather, every type of outfit. What if I leave the wrong onesbehind?’
‘You’re going to New York, not Easter Island. If you find yourself in need of a different scarf you will be able to buy one. If you find yourself in need of a different hat, or coat or pair of shoes, they have shops! They have lots of shops in New York! It’s all shops, pretty much. And you’re only there forfivedays!’
‘Yeah,’ I say. Of course he’s right. I am being daft. I just don’t want to come unstuck when I’mthere.
Alex puts his hand on my arm. ‘You know youdon’thave to go,right?’
I frown. ‘I’m helping Birdie! Ihaveto!’
Donna pops her head around the door. ‘You don’t actually, Olive,’ she says, casually joining in the conversation as if she’s been listening behindthedoor.
