Page 156 of How We Began

When I woke up, I didn’t move for a little while. I was just grateful Ben wasn’t around to see me that drunk. It would have been awful if I left him with that impression of me. Probably best to pretend that nothing happened.

“How’s that locomotive, Lilah?” Ben shifted next to me in bed.

Crap.

“Loud,” I groaned.

“Excellent. Would you like me to tell you what you were doing last night?”

“Ugh.”

“You and Meredith got thrown out of our favourite pub, something to do with harassing a regular’s dog.”

“Ugh.”

“You then decided to go for Tapas, where you tried to turn the restaurant into a karaoke bar. The thing was, you were the only one singing.”

“Ugh.”

“You then proceeded to call me and demand that I come and pick you up because you wanted sex.”

I had nothing to say to this so pretended to fall asleep. I even managed a little snore.

“Then you asked me if I would come back and visit you.”

Crap balls.

I pulled the duvet up over my head. “Will you?” I asked in a small voice.

“Yes.”

(3.00 p.m.)

“How are you feeling, my love?”

“Like I need a new stomach.”

“Can I get you anything?”

God, I feel useless. I’ve laid here the whole day with the locomotive giving free rides. I managed to manoeuvre myself so I could lie with my head in Ben’s lap while he read a book, but that’s as far as I’ve got. He even passed me my diary and a pen with a knowing look. It surprises me that he never asks what I’m writing about in here, but that’s just Ben Chambers. He observes and seems to love all my quirks without question.

“Can I have an herbal tea?”

“Do we own herbal tea?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Okay, I will go and get some,” he said before trying carefully to move out from under me.

I wrapped my arms tight around his waist. “No, no, it’s okay. Sod the tea. Don’t move an inch. You’re the best pillow in the world.”

What a way to waste a day. Twelve days to go.

I truly am useless.

12th June

Gosh, I can’t believe I have managed to get us barred from the old man pub on the High Street. That is an achievement even for me. Where will we go during the summer holidays when Digby Bar is closed?