Common Knowledge

Chapter 7

Here's this Saturday's update. Seems is just in time!

My stomach was acting up. Went to the doctor. She prescribed a new food regime (*Surprise* *Surprise*). That means food shopping Saturday mornings and meal prep in the afternoons, so I can take my lunch to the office. I absolutely refuse to do any work on Sundays.

I am feeling much better.

Enough about me. Let me know how your week has been.

Here it goes! XOXO

Seven

A year ago I would have sworn that this day in my life was already perfectly planned and even had a theme: Honeymoon, but things hadn't turned out according to the program.

Instead, the theme for this day seemed to be riding in cars with celebrities. To be more specific I was riding in a luxury automobile with Harry Styles and Nicholas Grimshaw. I decided to be philosophical about it.

Hey, when life hands you lemons you make lemonade.

Life lesson learned.

"I like your name, Bliss," Grimmy said. "It must be nice being around you. With a name like that it sure is hard being sulky."

"I just hope my mum and you never meet. She'll be insufferably smug if she listens to your talk about my name that way." I answered

"Oh, I feel there's a story here. Do tell" Grimmy replied. "It'll distract me from Harold's terrible driving."

"I'll have you know that I'm a very reliable driver, Mr. Grimshaw. I've never gotten a ticket." Harry defended himself.

"Only because you charm the traffic police with your adorable dimples. Life is so unfair to the rest of us ordinary people." Grimmy went on.

"Is not my looks, is my amazing driving skills Grimmy. I've always gotten you to your destination perfectly safely, and yet you complain every chance you get. I refuse to go on with this conversation. I'd rather learn about Bliss's name, you should hear her sister's names: Felicity and Allegra, she's even got a chum named Joy. There's certainly a story there." Harry stated.

A warm feeling rose up in my stomach, knowing Harry had taken the time to learn the names of the people who were close to me and remembered them. Spurred by this warm feeling I proceeded to regale them with the tale of Dolores Clarke, the woman who at the young age of 18, set out to be an exchange student in Spain and learned that her name that in the language of that land meant pain. Since that day she swore to do everything within her means to assure her offspring would bear auspicious names, the kinds of names that would ward off pain and bring them happiness.

Harry found the story delightful, "So in your mother's book, you're guaranteed a gleeful lifetime because of your name. Interesting, has it worked Bliss Clarke?" he said fixing his compelling stare on me whilst a smirk showed in the corners of his mouth.

I gulped, under Harry's lie detector eyes I was on the verge of spilling out the whole bit of having been dumped by a fiancé who didn't get my mum's memo on happiness. Even if he had gotten it, it wouldn't have made much difference. To be honest, he never was never bothered to read any of the memos he got. I had to remind him constantly of appointments and deadlines.

Luckily I was saved from a near too much information moment by Grimmy asking "What a nonsensical question, Harold. Is Bliss not spending a delightful afternoon with us in Cheshire? Of course, the name has worked for her. "