𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 / louis partridge

chapter 19

"Mommy!", I shout excitedly as I run down the stairs and see her. She is so beautiful. She is about to take off her brown cashmere coat and puts her handbag on the floorboard. She looks up at me and her features turn into a loving look. "Hey, sweetheart! Give me a hug!" she says and comes towards me. I stand on the bottom step and press a kiss to her soft hair. "How was work?" I inquire, pleased. "Everything's been going well," she answers curtly, because, as usual, she's not allowed to reveal much about the job. "Why are you in such a good mood? I mean, I'm delighted...but I'm also surprised." "I just love you. Mum, you're the best. Seth said he told you about my heartbreak. Lynn and Charlotte are here as well, by the way. We're about to cook something in a few. They've managed to make me happy, somehow but luckily." "Then so am I now, too. Darling, remember these words: Some people aren't worth it and others will come back, making mistakes is as much a part of life as forgiving." 

Lynn and I are wearing aprons from my grandma back in the day, Charlotte is sitting on the kitchen counter taking photos with the analogue camera, my brother is sitting on the bar stool watching us while the rice simmers in front of him, my mum has her arm around Seth and my dad is leaning against the radiator looking at us all. We are cooking Asian curry with chicken and quinoa from a recipe by Lynn. " You will see, it's so good, you can't stop eating it!" she declares enthusiastically. "Then I'd best not start at all," my dad quips, getting napkins and starting to set the big dining room table for the six of us. "Henry, will you get candles too? After all, there has to be a bit of atmosphere on the last day of this month, hmm?" my mum reminds him. In the meantime, I pour the ingredients into the sauce and Charlotte looks at everything very closely. "If it tastes as good as it looks, I'll take your portions," she says with a laugh. "How did your exams go? Or tests, much more, college is only next year. The time really flies, oh Lord!" my mum says. "It went surprisingly well, I've already got my psychology results back, I achieved 94 percent," Charli announces proudly. "Wow, congratulations. That's a real performance," dad congratulates her. " Well, you really need to get cracking on those GSCE exams, my dear daughter, Miss Grace," he admonishes me. Unfortunately, my grades are only average at the moment, but I'm determined to change that. 

After another while the dinner is all set up and we changed into some more solemnly outfits. Lynn is wearing one of my black, simply dresses, Charlotte wears a cute top and a skirt and I put on an elegant blouse in combination with a black pair of trousers. Together we take a seat and start eating. "Lynn, oh gracious, you have really outdone yourself!", my parents marvel enthusiastically. I just have to confirm it, she has cooked awesome. Because Seth still has to finish something for school, our sociable gaming group dissolves relatively early. "A glass of wine?" I offer Lynn when there are only the two of us left downstairs. "Don't mind if I do, just bring it on!" "I should have guessed," I smirk. We take our seats in the thick, old leather armchairs in the library and take turns reading poetry to each other. "A real intellectual evening," I say after Lynn has read her fourth poem. It's really funny, like feeling 80 with an old friend. Then I play the piano for a while and a touch of nostalgia comes up. As we diligently capture everything with Charli's camera, this evening should not be forgotten.

"What do you think about taking another evening round?" my best friend asks me abruptly and spontaneously. "No complains," I say enthusiastically, and we quickly change out of our dressy clothes and replace them with loose trousers, polo shirts, sweatshirt jackets and sneakers. I leave a note for my parents on the kitchen counter so they don't have to worry. "Wait, I'll just do my hair," I say. "Hurry up, go, go, go!" "Don't push it," I say with amusement and pin my hair at the back of my head with a big clip. "Looking gorgeous.", Lynn says and I can only say it back. We look at each other one last time in the big wall mirror of my deceased great-grandmother and then throw on our puffer jackets. "Ready?", I ask. "So fucking ready!", Lynn assures me. We open the door and step out into the cool night air, then the front door clicks shut behind us.