Read Online Goodbye Ruby Tuesday by A. L. Michael - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: A. L. Michael
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pulling my hair and calling me names and then his friend Freddie said it was because he wanted me to be his girlfriend!’ She fixed Killian with a steely glare, ‘Do you want Auntie Evie to be your girlfriend?’
The look of shock on Killian’s face was replaced, just for a millisecond, with a grin. His lips pulled up at the edges as he looked at Evie in disbelief, two adults witnessing this child’s unintentional hilarity. And then the moment passed; he coughed, physically shook the smile away and marched off back to his studio.
Esme frowned, ‘He’s a strange man.’
‘Yes, yes he is.’ Evie agreed, ‘Is there a reason you insist on believing that he’s in love with someone and that’s why he’s mean?’
‘Because no one’s just mean for no reason,’ Esme said, exasperated by having to explain the obvious things in life to her clueless aunt. ‘Except Nanny, but I think that’s the peach schnapps. It doesn’t love her back.’
Evie bit her lip, scanning the child’s face, ‘Esme…’
The little face grinned up at her, ‘I’m being cheeky, aren’t I?’
Evie laughed, ‘Yes, yes you are. And sadly, sometimes people are just mean.’
‘I don’t believe that; did you do something to make that man hate you?’
‘No! You’ve been here every time I’ve seen him!’ Evie laughed, ‘Besides, what could I have done?’
‘You told Uncle Nigel you didn’t want to marry him and that made him hate you. Maybe Killian wants to marry you?’
Evie closed her eyes briefly, trying to find the strength, or just something that made sense.
‘Nigel doesn’t hate me, he was just sad,’ she lied.
‘He told Mum you were a flaky bitch,’ Esme said, too innocently.
Evie raised an eyebrow, ‘Don’t think you can swear just because you’re being a gossip. Nigel was sad, and Killian doesn’t want us changing too much of his life. That’s all. Now, do you want to stay here discussing weird men, or go out so I can buy you pretty things?’
‘Pretty things,’ Esme said instantly.
‘Good, let’s go.’
Please let her always be at an age where I can bribe her out of having awkward conversations about boys.
The next few hours were spent in Camden Market, finding material, trinkets, paints, blankets and the odd piece of furniture. Evie watched her goddaughter as her eyes lit up, intrigued to know what things were, what they felt like, where they came from.
Evie’s final purchase of the day was a knee-high lantern with each window pane a different colour glass. Esme had ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ for so long that Evie had arched an eyebrow and asked if she was auditioning for something. But of course, she’d bought it for her anyway. She’d long since realised spoiling a kid was a lot more fun than spoiling herself. There was a lot less guilt attached too.
By the time Mollie came back to the flat that evening, eyes tired and smelling of yeast and butter, at least parts of the flat had been transformed. Three huge bowls of spaghetti bolognese sat on a newly erected dining table, along with a bottle of red and two glasses, and a glass of Ribena for Esme. Little tea lights warmed the still mostly empty flat, but it seemed a lot more homely somehow.
‘Mum, Mum!’ Esme grabbed Mollie’s hand and dragged her through the flat, ‘You’ve got to see what we found!’
‘What we
made!
’ Evie corrected, winking.
‘A secret room! My room!’
Mollie frowned, looked at Evie and then shrugged, letting herself be dragged through the flat. They stooped through the little door; the space inside was beautiful. There was a fluffy purple rug in the corner, next to an old bookcase they’d found in a second-hand shop and lugged back with considerable difficulty. The window had a bead curtain, parted in the middle, rustling purples and reds and pinks in the breeze, giving the room a warm glow. The lantern in the corner glowed too, highlighted by the purple fluffy fairy lights strung around the room, and a
The look of shock on Killian’s face was replaced, just for a millisecond, with a grin. His lips pulled up at the edges as he looked at Evie in disbelief, two adults witnessing this child’s unintentional hilarity. And then the moment passed; he coughed, physically shook the smile away and marched off back to his studio.
Esme frowned, ‘He’s a strange man.’
‘Yes, yes he is.’ Evie agreed, ‘Is there a reason you insist on believing that he’s in love with someone and that’s why he’s mean?’
‘Because no one’s just mean for no reason,’ Esme said, exasperated by having to explain the obvious things in life to her clueless aunt. ‘Except Nanny, but I think that’s the peach schnapps. It doesn’t love her back.’
Evie bit her lip, scanning the child’s face, ‘Esme…’
The little face grinned up at her, ‘I’m being cheeky, aren’t I?’
Evie laughed, ‘Yes, yes you are. And sadly, sometimes people are just mean.’
‘I don’t believe that; did you do something to make that man hate you?’
‘No! You’ve been here every time I’ve seen him!’ Evie laughed, ‘Besides, what could I have done?’
‘You told Uncle Nigel you didn’t want to marry him and that made him hate you. Maybe Killian wants to marry you?’
Evie closed her eyes briefly, trying to find the strength, or just something that made sense.
‘Nigel doesn’t hate me, he was just sad,’ she lied.
‘He told Mum you were a flaky bitch,’ Esme said, too innocently.
Evie raised an eyebrow, ‘Don’t think you can swear just because you’re being a gossip. Nigel was sad, and Killian doesn’t want us changing too much of his life. That’s all. Now, do you want to stay here discussing weird men, or go out so I can buy you pretty things?’
‘Pretty things,’ Esme said instantly.
‘Good, let’s go.’
Please let her always be at an age where I can bribe her out of having awkward conversations about boys.
The next few hours were spent in Camden Market, finding material, trinkets, paints, blankets and the odd piece of furniture. Evie watched her goddaughter as her eyes lit up, intrigued to know what things were, what they felt like, where they came from.
Evie’s final purchase of the day was a knee-high lantern with each window pane a different colour glass. Esme had ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ for so long that Evie had arched an eyebrow and asked if she was auditioning for something. But of course, she’d bought it for her anyway. She’d long since realised spoiling a kid was a lot more fun than spoiling herself. There was a lot less guilt attached too.
By the time Mollie came back to the flat that evening, eyes tired and smelling of yeast and butter, at least parts of the flat had been transformed. Three huge bowls of spaghetti bolognese sat on a newly erected dining table, along with a bottle of red and two glasses, and a glass of Ribena for Esme. Little tea lights warmed the still mostly empty flat, but it seemed a lot more homely somehow.
‘Mum, Mum!’ Esme grabbed Mollie’s hand and dragged her through the flat, ‘You’ve got to see what we found!’
‘What we
made!
’ Evie corrected, winking.
‘A secret room! My room!’
Mollie frowned, looked at Evie and then shrugged, letting herself be dragged through the flat. They stooped through the little door; the space inside was beautiful. There was a fluffy purple rug in the corner, next to an old bookcase they’d found in a second-hand shop and lugged back with considerable difficulty. The window had a bead curtain, parted in the middle, rustling purples and reds and pinks in the breeze, giving the room a warm glow. The lantern in the corner glowed too, highlighted by the purple fluffy fairy lights strung around the room, and a
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