Not According to Plan

Home is where the heart is

So Mark's all revved up about backpacking, and urges us all to the dry cleaners so he can lend Dan a shirt. Almost all of the shops in the mall, below the skyscrapers, would be closing within minutes. So the three of us, pace our way with speed. Mark beelines for the dry cleaner and I stride to the engraver who is situated a few shops down. The engraver himself is just about to roll his door down.  He rolls his lip, glances at his watch and then at me. "You're lucky today," he scuttles back behind the counter and soon emerges with my item, placing it on the bench between us.  "It came out beautifully." 

I hold my breath touching the wooden tea candle holder. The pine is rustic, the knots can be seen in the wood and the engraver has etched a message.  "Living dreams together," I read, my heart clenching. Twisting the holder in my hands, I examine the the other side and the decoration he's spent time doing. "It's perfect thanks." 

The engraver beams, dimples showing on his cheeks, happy he's made another customer smile. I pay the invoice which enables the engraver to shut shop and leave. 

"So it is for Mark?" 

I throw a glance over my shoulder. Dan has his hands in his pockets, he's pacing or hovering between the engraver and the dry cleaner. 

"You are so curious." 

His inquisitive attitude bewilders and impresses me.   He stretches out his arms as if asking for me to throw him a ball with his palms open and his fingers wide. "I told you I'd find out by the end of the night."

"Actually...you said, after 'one drink'."

"Yet you stayed for more than 'one drink'."

"You were counting? All the talk about being off the beaten track I'd thought you guys wouldn't have noticed...." I smile coyly.  Alcohol buzzes round my system and I hand the candle holder to Dan. 

"We got a bit carried away," he admits, slightly brushing my fingers as he takes it from my hands.  "Planning the ultimate gap year."

"I've the feeling Mark wished he'd left ... yesterday." 

"C and P?" Dan asks, his fingers sliding over the wooden initials. "Not M and K or K and M." 

He hands the candle holder back to me and I place it in my handbag.  "My best friend Cindy got engaged." My chest is tight, my stomach is in knots. I shove my shoulders back and throw my hair around, trying to appear like I don't care. I can't be one of those simpering snivelling women. "I thought Mark was acting all funny because they got in first but no...." I raise my eyebrows, force a smile, as if I'm making a joke. But the wobble in my voice is unmistakable, betraying my feelings. 

"You're a bit...intense. All the planning..." Dan says and I bite down on my lip. I'm not sure why I care about Dan's opinion, I barely know the guy. "You put an offer on a place without checking with him." 

"But planning is dreaming, isn't it?" I slide a stray piece of hair from my face. "Buying a house isn't a surprise. We've discussed it. Hell we've  seen loads of places together. We've  even had offers on two. He'd seen the advert. We'd talked about it. Someone was going to snap it up. I had to put a move in. I thought it would be a surprise. It's the dream house." 

"What's that saying about 'home is where the heart is'?" His voice is gentle as he speaks, thoughtful almost. The words themselves make my heart squeeze as I consider the saying. His words revolve in my mind. "What are you saying?" There's hesitation in my voice. Comprehension comes to me and Dan is sensitive enough to not look in my direction, at my shaky palms which I stuff into the pockets of my coat, willing myself to keep my cool. His attention is focused on some  piece of invisible dirt on the tiles in the middle of the mall floor as if it were a piece of precious gold.  "It's not a dream house if no one you love is in it."