GOLDEN | DANI ROJAS

XVIII: A Reservation for 3

The four hour car ride was nowhere near as awkward as Connie had anticipated. Connie and Jamie acted like old friends; catching up on what it had been like at Manchester City, what Connie and Dani had been up to and what was to come for AFC Richmond. They sang together, but not after bickering over what songs to put on and relentlessly teasing Jamie for being a huge Moulin Rouge fan.

It was around 6pm when they arrived in Manchester, and luckily Jamie had rubbed his two brain cells together and called to book a table at his mother's favourite restaurant on the way down. He had convinced a friend to ask her to meet her there, wanting it to remain a surprise. Though, Jamie had to admit, a surprise in the form of your son skiving off from photoshoots and his newly found friend who he was, regretfully, sure he had never mentioned to his mother was like an odd surprise.

Surely enough, when Jamie and Connie walked into the small Italian restaurant, Jamie's mother, Georgie, was ecstatic to see her son, having not expected it in the slightest. But, she was certainly confused at the sight of a beautiful girl next to him, because surely if there was somebody in Jamie's life serious enough for him to introduce her to his mother, he'd have mentioned her down the phone by now? Nevertheless, Georgie greeted Connie.

"Hello, love," smiled Georgie, the joy still floating in her voice as she kept an arm around Jamie's shoulders, holding out her other hand for Connie to shake. "I'm Jamie's mum, but you can call me Georgie, alright?"

"It's so nice to meet you," replied Connie. She felt all warm inside, deciding that this woman felt a bit like home. And, God, she was gorgeous! "I'm Connie, one of Jamie's friends."

The word 'friends' sounded somewhat strained, as if Connie didn't know if that was quite the right word for them. She thought maybe acquaintances could have been better suited, but when she saw Jamie's lips quirk up into a genuine smile at the sound of the word, she decided that it was fine. Jamie Tartt was friends with Connie Huxley.

"Whereabouts are you from, Connie?" asked Georgie when they had all sat down.

"New Jersey," replied Connie, unfolding a napkin as she spoke, "I moved to London about five years ago. Came here to do a year abroad for my final year of college and just... never went back."

"What's it like in America?" asked Jamie curiously. He seemed infinitely more relaxed around his mother, a gentleness and interest Connie had never seen in him before taking over. "I mean, living there. I've only ever been to, like, New York and Vegas."

Connie pondered the question. America... it had fucking sucked in her opinion. Public transport was trash, lawmakers were moronic and falling ill could bankrupt you. It was sad, because she really didn't mind it other than that. There was plenty to do in her area, and it was awesome to have such huge drinks in gas stations. But, her family was also there, and that was enough to make Connie despise a place regardless of the positives she had once held dear.

"It's alright," Connie settled on, pairing it with a shrug and a small smile as to not seem too in denial about it. "I can't see myself going back permanently, though. I love it here. A lot."

"Do you miss your family?" asked Georgie. She sounded somewhat hesitant, having barely considered that Connie's family might not be the best, especially if she had moved to another country so young. "I'm sorry, love, I shouldn't-"

"No, no. It's okay," assured Connie with a wave of her hand. She took a deep breath, and then decided that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be honest for once. "I don't miss them. I miss my brother, only sometimes, less recently. I miss my niece, because she's perfect. I can very easily, very happily live without my parents, though. I strongly believe that we can make our own families. Not everyone is best suited to the one they were born with."