A Surprise ⇢ Callum Ilott

SEVEN

When Catherine returned from doing the groceries, she picked up her mail at the mailboxes in the joint entrance. She found two newspapers; the local and nationwide newspapers. She grabbed the newspapers and was about to close the mailbox until her eyes fell on a small piece of paper. She grabbed it and looked at it. Numbers. A confused frown grew on Catherine's face, and she looked around in the hall to see if anyone was there.

"Ow," she whispered when she saw it was a phone number.

But why would anyone write their phone number on a paper and dump it in my mailbox? Catherine closed the mailbox and grabbed her phone. Maybe it was a mistake or a joke, but it made Catherine curious. She typed in the phone number on her phone and called it. Was it Callum's phone number? Please, let it be his phone number. While she was waiting for the person to pick their phone up, she walked up the stairs to her flat.

"Callum's speaking," the voice on the other side of the line said.

Catherine's eyes widened, and a happy smile grew on her face; it's Callum! "Hey Callum, it's Catherine. I have found your phone number in my mailbox."

"Oh, Catherine!" Callum sounded enthusiastic. "When I left, I went back because I wanted to give you my phone number, but you didn't answer. That's why I put a note in your mailbox. Thank god it's the right mailbox," he chuckled.

"I must have been in my own world," she smirked and opened the door to her flat.

"No worries," Callum replied. "I have your phone number now. Anyway...er...do you want to go on a date with me? I want to get to know you better and..." He let out a shy chuckle.

"Yes," Catherine blurted. "I would love to," she added. There was already a smile on her face, but it only got bigger.

"Yes!" Callum excitedly, but softly said. He hoped Catherine wouldn't have heard this. "When is it suitable for you? Friday?"

"Uhm..." Catherine couldn't stop smiling. She put the bag of groceries on the ground and looked at herself in the mirror in the hallway; she looked stupid with that gigantic smile on her face. And she couldn't even place her finger on it why she was this happy. "I have to work in the morning, but I am free after four o'clock."

"Saturday is fine too, if you prefer that."

"Friday is fine, I have something else on Saturday." She ran her hand through her hair and let it rest on her cheek.

"Friday is perfect," Callum said. "I will text you the details later."

Catherine nodded, but she realised Callum wouldn't see it. "Yeah, sure."

"Alright, cool. I hope you have a nice day and I will see you on Friday!"

"Thanks! You too. See you on Friday. I can't wait." Catherine grabbed the groceries bags and walked to the kitchen.

"Cheers."

"Bye," Catherine smiled and ended the call. Her eyes fell on George, who still sat on the couch. It made her hold back her excitement; she wanted to tell him about it, but he knew Callum, and she first wanted to figure this out for herself. "Hey," Catherine greeted George.

George looked up from his phone. "Hey," he said. "You look happy."

"Yeah..." she hummed and took off her coat. "Just a fun call of a friend," she muttered and started to unpack the groceries. "I thought you would leave."

George said he would leave after an important call, but he was still at Catherine's. "I'm just finished, actually. I was about to leave."

"Uhu." Catherine grabbed a glass of water.

He grabbed his coat. "I will see you on Saturday."

"Yes," she smiled. George gave her a hug and a kiss on her cheek. "See you on Saturday."

"Do I need to pick you up?" He walked towards the hallway. "Just let me know before Friday evening," he said when he saw her doubting.

Catherine nodded. "I will let you know," she thankfully said. "Cheerio."

"Cheers!"

❉

"...so that is it for today," Catherine told Andy during the handover of their shifts at the restaurant. She unbuttoned her chef's jacket and removed the chef's cap from her head.

Andy nodded. "Thank you," he said. "And thank you for last week. You're a saving angel to cover me up this weekend."

"No worries. I hope everything is alright now," she said and gave him a polite smile.

"Yeah, well, I'm not fully recovered, but I can't stay home forever. I've heard from Will that Sir Connor Bash has made a compliment about our service and dishes this week with you in charge of the kitchen. And he had one particular dish he was blown away with: your fried gnocchi." A huge smile was playing on Andy's face. "That man is hard to please, so that says something, Catherine."

Catherine shyly smiled. "Thank you. I just did my job, nothing more."

"You deserve to feel good about it, you have talent." Andy padded her shoulder. "And now I see you, I have to talk to you about your free days. You have made too many hours this year, six build-up days and Will wants a decision on what you're going to do with it: extra holidays or pay out. Let me know what your plan is before next month."

She nodded. "I will let you know which days I will be taking off."

"That is why you are my favourite employee," Andy said and laughed. "Now, clock out and go home."

A laugh rolled over Catherine's lips. "Good luck tonight. I will see you next week."

"Bye, Catherine," he sang.

Catherine walked to the dressing room and removed the jacket. She opened her locker and grabbed her phone to have a look at the time; too late for her liking. There was no time left to go home and make herself ready for the date with Callum. But she knew herself and her job, so Catherine brought her clothes and makeup with her. She got changed and did her makeup. Minutes passed, it made Catherine regret her choice of staying longer while not necessary.

With one last look in the mirror, Catherine left the dressing room. She looked nice, she thought; she was wearing blue jeans, a long-sleeved knit top and black heeled ankle boots. Her makeup was natural, and her hair was in a low, messy bun.

"What are you still doing here?" Andy asked when he faced Catherine, who was about to leave.

"I have a date," Catherine happily said. "Bye!"

Her eyes glided over her watch, she had only ten minutes to get to the train station. And it was a fifteen minutes walk if everything went right. Catherine made her way to the station on a fast pace, walking through a red light a few times, but she made it.