Chapter 14
"Hiya, Nessa! Brew?"
"Mmmmm"
"Oh dear, bad day?"
"What? Oh. No, I'm fine.." she says dejectedly
"Sure? You don't seem fine.."
"It's just.." she trails off and sighs
"Let me guess....Charity?"
"Ergh"
"What has she done now?"
"Nothing"
"Right.....so what's the problem..? Oh....wait, is this one of those situations where she hasn't done something you want her to do, rather than having done something you wish she hadn't?" She manages to ask without tying herself in knots
Vanessa nods
"Okay, so what has she not done?"
Vanessa fidgets nervously, not managing to get the words past her lips. Rhona starts guessing..
"Picked up the kids? Had a shower? Apologised another 400 times? Skived off a shift? No, that one doesn't work. Help me out.."
"Shehasntkissedme" she mumbles
"And again in English..?"
"She hasn't kissed me, okay?!"
"Oh....okay.....well.....I mean, I didn't know that was something you wanted her to do. Is this....new....or..?"
"It's.....we.....she" she deflates with a massive sigh "We've been spending time together because of the kids, and we've been talking, and she's explained things, and....I've missed her, Rhona. When I see her, it.....my heart beats a bit faster still"
Rhona tries to hide her smile, because despite what she said, she's seen the way they've been interacting and sharing lovesick glances at each other when the other isn't looking. It was only a matter of time with these two.
"Right, so have you talked to her about it?"
"There's no point, Rhona. There's been so many times when I thought she was going to kiss me and then she....didn't"
"Really? That doesn't sound like Charity.."
"Exactly! If she wanted to, she would have done by now. She didn't hold back the first time she kissed me, she just went for it, even though I'd shown no interest in her whatsoever....the opposite in fact! I just don't think she wants me any more"
"Yes, but things are different now, aren't they? You've got history. And, to be fair, you did tell her that you never wanted to see her again and sent your engagement ring back. Maybe she still thinks you don't want her to kiss you. Have you told her about your....change of heart?"
"Well....no....but.."
"Well there you go then! Tell her! And if she tells you she doesn't want to, then at least you'll know once and for all. Or....you can just spend the rest of your life waiting and hoping. Come on Nessa, get those big girl pants on and go get your girl!"
"So you don't think I'm crazy for wanting to give it another go?"
"Ness, I've never seen anyone so sickenenly in love. And this is Charity Dingle we're talking about - she doesn't do sickenenly in love. She made a mistake. I know how that feels. But she's absolutely crazy about you. And you two, you're just....you're just meant to be."
She draws in a deep breath. "Okay" Time to be brave, she thinks.