Work, work, work

We have to get your dress made.’

I wanted to marry those little mice, Jaq and Gus, and I used to dream of them making me the most beautiful dresses in the world.

When I stepped back onto the street, there were hardly any people strolling down the mall and it made me feel flat. I checked the time and I didn’t have any more to kill. I needed to hustle to get to La Trattoria.

I expected to find Mum waiting for me, sitting at a table beneath the pictures of celebrities covering the wall. Instead, I sat beneath the pictures and checked Instagram. Hayley had sent me a friend request. I accepted it straightaway, interested to see if one of her brothers was a big-time basketballer.

There were photos of Hayley sewing with her grandma. I couldn’t ever picture myself posting a picture of me sewing with my grandmas – not that I don’t love them, it’s just not very cool.

I checked the time. I called Mum. No answer. I ordered an iced chocolate, thinking about how much Caitlin would hate it, and thought about pizza with ham, salami, thick cheese and sauce. I’d order gelato later too.

When there was still no sign of Mum, I started to stress. I told myself she had a work meeting that ran over. I noticed I was jigging my leg up and down and I was starting to sweat. So I called Mum again. She didn’t answer.

The restaurant started to fill over the next ten minutes. When the waiters began circling me impatiently, I called Mum again and let it ring until it went to voicemail. I left a message: ‘Mum, are you okay?’

I decided to catch the train back to The Village. I’d message Mum to tell her, so that we wouldn’t get our stories crossed if Dad thought something was up. And then my phone rang. I answered it without looking. Damn! What an amateur. It was Dad.

‘Hey Phoebe, how’s dinner? You and Mum okay?’

‘Yeah Dad, we’re fine,’ I told him.

‘Can I speak with her?’

‘Sure, but she’s in the loo, and we’ve just ordered. Can we call you back in ten?’ I said, hoping Mum would show up.

‘It’s okay, I can wait,’ he said. ‘I need to get a hold of her.’

I waited, panicking. My mind was blank. I looked at the front door of the restaurant and realised that if I lied, Dad would find out. If I told him the truth, the yelling and the questions would start all over again.

I sat there blank for as long as I could, wishing that Mum would walk through the door at any second. After what seemed like ages of waiting, I had no choice other than to say, ‘Dad, if I tell you something, please don’t be angry.’

‘What is it, Phoebe?’ he said, the tension in his voice already starting to rise.

I closed my eyes, about to tell him, ‘Mum isn’t here,’ and then I felt a kiss on the cheek.