Chapter 2

I close the door of my bakery as Emma, James and Rose are talking about the pubs we’ll vistit during our pub crawl tonight. Tomorrow is the August bank holiday and since my bakery is in the epicentre of business, schools and universities, I’ve decided to close it tomorrow. Emma and Rose have been bugging me to go out and this seems like the perfect moment. The weather is been unbelievably nice for London and we decide to walk next to the Thames towards Westminster and take the boat to get to Greenwich. I keep quiet along the way and let the other decide the night. I enjoy the view of London. After all these years I still can’t believe I live here. The sight of the Elizabeth Tower and Houses of Parliament make me shiver. We get down to the dock and pay for our ticket. I stare over the water at the moving carts of the London eye. Emma looks at me wearily, “Why don’t we go to that one pub where we can sing karaoke? It’s been awhile and I bet you can use it to blurt out your stress.” She smiles at me knowingly. I’ve used music so many times to express what I can’t say. I smile back at her. Our boat arrives and I decide to go sit on the upper deck. Looking at every landmark along the banks, smiling as I see Tower Bridge and the Saint-Catherine docks and enjoy the wind blowing in my face. I hear James, Emma and Rose laughing behind me, but I don’t pay attention to their conversation. Instead, I listen to the jabbering of the captain telling stories about the landmarks we’re passing and smile a bit. I’ll never tire of London. I look up as Emma takes her place next to me. She smiles at me. “I’m not sure if you’re tired or if there’s something wrong. But you know you can talk to me, right?” I nod at her. “I’m just overthinking. It’s been long in the making, but I think I’m finally happy after everything that happened.” I smile. “I have noticed that. Now, we just need to find you a man and I can leave you in peace.” She nudged my shoulder. I giggled. “I don’t need to find a man, Em. I’m a strong independent woman who does not need a man.” I tell her trying to be serious, but we burst out laughing. It used to be my line when I was a teenager, when my family asked me if I had a boyfriend I would either tell them I had one admirer for each finger on my hand or that I don’t need a man, because I’m a strong and independent woman. The Cutty Sark comes into view and I stand up and go below deck to get of the boat. “Half past nine at your place, right?” James asks me and I nod, smiling at him. “Yeah, we’ll see you then.” I wave at him as he goes his own way. James lives on the other side of Greenwich, but Rose lives on the same street as I do, she moved here a couple of months ago. The three of us walk down the centre of Greenwich, talking about the past weeks and planning our evening. Soon enough, we are walking in our street next to the Greenwich park. “See you in a couple of hours, Rose! Don’t forget to eat!” I yell at her, when she crosses the road, sticking out my tongue after. “I know! I don’t want to repeat the last time we went out!” she yells back before opening the door of her building. Emma and I walk a bit further into the street. I smile as I open the door to my building, glad to be home. Instead of waiting on the elevator we decide to walk up the stairs chatting, but I almost sprint up the last couple of stairs as I hear my cat meowing at the door. I fiddle with the lock and open the door as fast as I can. “Hey, little baby, what’s going on?” I take him in my arms and cradle him like a little baby, he starts purring almost immediately, and I frown. “You just wanted attention? You spoiled brat!” I scolded him but keep him close. Emma closes the door and walks towards my closet. “So, what should you wear, tonight?” she asks rhetorically. I roll my eyes but stay quiet. “Charls, you go shower and get yourself to beauty level zero, I will lay out your clothes on your bed, warm up the curling iron and order a pizza from the place around the corner. Chop chop!” she pushes me towards the door of my bathroom, Prince clearly protesting so I put him on my bed. “I’m going, I’m going.” I grumble. Stepping in the bathroom and closing the door behind me.
It’s ten and I’m already boozed up on my couch holding a half full glass of wine. “No, Charls, you look great!” Emma tells me for the thousand time this evening. She has put me in black, high waisted, leather pants and a grey lace blouse. I curled my hair and put the top section in a ponytail. My green eyes are smokey and lined with black eyeliner and a purple line underneath my eyes makes the green in my eyes pop. To top it off I have bright red lipstick and black high heels. I haven’t looked this good in a while, however, I do not feel comfortable at all. James has been staring in a weird way all evening. “Charlie, just relax. You’re fine” Rose chimes in and fills my glass with more wine. I nod and sip at it while listening to the conversation around me. I giggle at something James said when Emma says our Uber will arrive within 5 minutes, so we have to put on our jackets and our bags. I down my glass in one time before taking my bag and vest. I check Prince’s food and water and pet him one last time before going out and locking my door. I stumble to the elevator. James hands grab my arms, to steady me and I giggle once more. I stare at his hands and he soon releases his grip on my arms. I go stand beside Emma, her eyes stern and giving me a look as to not ruin this evening already. When we’re outside I stand in between Emma and Rose, waiting on our Uber. When it arrives, they put me in the middle seat and James takes his seat in the front. Emma gives the address of the first pub we’re going to. It does seem like a long ride, but it only takes about half an hour. We get out of the Uber, my buzz slightly wearing off. There’s already a lot of people in the pub and James takes it upon himself to get us our drink. Emma and me finally find a boot, not to far from the stage where they’re already singing karaoke. “So, figured out what song you’re going to sing?” Rose nudges me and I smile, “I don’t know yet, maybe Cher? Could be ABBA too, not sure.” James hands us our drinks, white wine for me and Rose and Emma and James are drinking a beer. “She doesn’t have to worry about her song, I already picked it out for you.” Emma winks at me. “Em! No!” I shout. “I know exactly what you need right now, Charlie. And you know it by heart already. No need to worry. You’re up next by the way. So, why don’t you go to the stage and get ready.” I roll my eyes, but down my drink and get up. “Wish me luck.” I sigh, and go down to the stage, the couple before me are singing a cheesy duet about an endless love or something. I smile at the manager, who seems to recognise me. “Long time since you’ve been here.” He greets me, and I smile, “I’ve been bussy opening my own bakery.” I tell him, as he passes me the microphone and I get on the stage. I smile as I see the tittle of the song on the screen. I can work with this. It’s from one of my favourite movies. This can work. I breath in right before I have to start singing, fixating my eyes on a place in the back of the pub.



I wink at my table knowing exactly which dance moves I have to do when. They start yelling and I smile. My eyes fixing again on the back of the pub, right above the heads of every customer.



Someone steps into my view, but in the back of pub. I cannot make out who he is, but he seems so familiar. I lock my eyes on this person, who’s half in the lights and half in the dark. I keep on doing my routine.



I point at my friends, winking again at them and Emma makes a heart with her hands. I smile. I continue my routine, now I’m in it, nothing will stop me from performing it fully. I search the crowd for the man again and lock my eyes again on his appearance. I can make out a bit more now. He’s holding a beer and wearing beige pants, I cannot make out the rest of his appearance but it seems he’s smiling at something.



A flash of his eyes get me out of my routine. I stand there still for a moment, missing a couple of beats. His eyes, so blue. I shake it off and start singing right in time again. My eyes now going over the whole crowd.



I point direct at the person, smiling my cheeky grin. Out of the corner of my eye I spot Emma frowning, and looking behind her. Trying to make out who I’m pointing at. Now the song is over, I risk a glance over at my table, Rose smiling and applauding me. James looks in awe, but I spot something else as well. Not sure what, but I’m too hyped to be worried about this.