London Calling [H.S.]

I Found a Boy (Adele)

Annie

"You can take off if you need to," Lizzy said. I glanced at my watch, it was 4:00, I wasn't off for an hour.

"Patrick isn't expecting me until my normal time. Do you want to throw off your father-in-law by having me show up early? He'll start to expect it."

"Well I figured you'd want to walk back to Harry's and change first. I kind of assumed he'd be driving you to the pub," she said laughing. He'd driven all around London yesterday and today showed up with lunch for Lizzy and I. He made me feel spoiled in just a few days. I wasn't sure I'd be able to allow him to continue like this because when he left for work I'd be lost. And I wasn't sure I'd want to adjust back to riding the tube every day. Maybe I'd take him up on the driving lesson in England so I could steal one of his cars while he was gone.

"I was just going to take the tube. I'm trying to convince him that I'm not helpless and don't need him to take me everywhere. I survived the first six months here without him driving me."

"He likes spending time with you. Between your two jobs and his career you will eventually like the moments where he drives you to work. My favorite part of my day is in the morning, before the girls get up. Frankie and I can just be together and have some quiet. He makes absolute rubbish breakfast tea but the mornings he's gone before me I miss it."

"You two are like nauseatingly perfect. I mean have you ever had a fight in your life?"

"Nothing major. I mean we squabble like normal people. But it's typically over what topping to put on our pizza or the flavor of ice cream to have for dessert. Though I did threaten him within an inch of his life when I was in labor. I nearly broke his hand." I laughed at her. They were the perfect couple, I'd known it the instant I met them. They genuinely enjoyed each other's company more than most people who had been together as long as they had. They were what had given me hope when I was first here. That someday someone would walk in to my life and love me despite the fact that I was occasionally a bit crazy and had weird quirks. "But not every couple fights about things. I mean we love to argue about stuff for fun. You've seen us. But nothing serious. I always thought the never go to bed angry thing was a lie, but I've never gone to bed angry with Frankie. Not in 12 years. We are best friends."

"I love that. You guys inspire me. Maybe someday I'll have that."

"I think you could now. It's just early to think like that if you're in the situation. But Patty told me what he noticed when you two were in the pub Sunday. I know what I've seen."

"What exactly did Patty tell you?" I asked. I was curious if he told her what he told me when we were there.

"That he looks at you the way that Frankie looks at me and the way Patty looked at Catherine. He does. I've seen that look a million times from my husband. The look he gets when I'm being absolutely mental and it's as if that makes him love me more. Or that I'm the only person in a crowded room. Harry looks at you like that. When he was in for lunch today and you were getting animated about some article you read online. He was laughing at you and smiling. His eyes said so much. Like 'this woman is absolutely mental but that if I have to face life without her ranting about something it would be boring and I'd hate it'. I don't say this to scare you. I know that you're usually hesitant about this stuff."

"You're picking on me."

"I'm not. But you are usually really hesitant."

"I know. I'm trying not to be. He's a good guy. I know that. And I saw the look too. Though I saw more of the 'she's bat-shit crazy' in his eyes."

"Stop it. Let yourself be happy."

"I'm trying boss." I pulled my coat on and backpack. If she was gonna let me leave work early I was going to take advantage. "What time do you want me in tomorrow?" I asked.