Blind Date

Chapter 12 • A Simple Phone Call

"Oh no, this is terrible," I exhale a helpless breath, sitting up straight on the couch. "Did you hear that, Maggie? JJ's uncle died." Maggie sits up next to my leg, panting out her breaths and I reach down to pet her head. "Yeah, poor JJ."

My heart breaks for her, but knowing that she's with her family right now makes me feel somewhat better. I know I can't do anything to bring her uncle back, but I wish I could take her pain away.

"I want to do something for her. I know; I can have flowers sent to her. I don't know her address, though. Wait, Gem knows where she works. That's perfect. Don't you think, Maggie?"

She answers me with a yawn while I text Gemma saying we're on our way over. Tucking my phone in my shirt pocket, I stand up from the couch and grab onto Maggie's harness.

"Alright, Maggie, take me to the door, please."

She leads me over and I open the door for us to leave. I make sure the door is shut and as we walk up the pathway to the back door of the house, my phone dings.

'New text from Gem: Okay. We're in the den but I'll meet you at the back door.'

"Sounds good to me," I say to myself. "Hope I'm not interrupting . . . anything, like that one time. Remember that, Maggie? Yeah, it was disgusting, huh? I'm sorry you're the one who had to see it."

She stops us from walking and I reach out to feel for the door, just to make sure where we are. I decide to wait for Gemma since she said she'll meet me here, unlike usual when she says I can come inside.

Rushed footsteps on the hardwood floor inside let me know she's coming and I hear the click of the door opening.

"Hey, you two, come in," she greets us and Maggie leads me inside. "We were watching a docu on Julia Child, well, Michal was watching it. I was putting the finishing touches on the sunnies."

"Finishing touches? So you finished them?" I excitedly ask and she hums in answer. "Are you going to submit them?"

"Oh, I dunno," she hem-haws. "They're not all that great. Plus I originally made them just for you."

"Yeah, but if they pick your design, that could mean some serious money. I'll even volunteer to be your model, so you know that's how much I believe in you. Think about it, Gem, you could be famous, at least here in Holmes Chapel then who knows, maybe all of the UK."

"I didn't make them to become famous, love. I made them for you," she says, patting my shoulder. "Anyways, I uhm, need to clean them up a bit. I'll let you try them on later."

"Okay," I sing-song, earning a giggle.

"Yes, well . . . would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you. We actually came over to ask you something."

"Oh? What is it? Here, have a seat at the table," she guides me over and I feel for the chair before sitting down.

"JJ texted me a little bit ago saying her uncle passed away."

"Christ, that's terrible. Is she okay?"

"I guess. I dunno. I haven't replied yet. I will later, though. She's spending the weekend with her parents and I don't want to interrupt her time. I'm glad she's not alone, but I want to do something for her. And this is where I need your help."

"What plan do you have brewing in that hopeless romantic brain of yours?" she teases, making me grin.

"I want to send her some sympathy flowers to her work but I need the address. I assume you know it, or at least can look it up since you know name of the architectural firm."