Seven Days - A Lizzie Olsen Story

Thursday

I woke up with a blinding headache, and if I hadn't been sober the night before I would have thought I was hungover. The alarm was blaring at me as I reached over my hand to slap it into silence, my eyes still closed rejecting the day for just a few more moments.

The alarm meant it was 7, and I had some time before I needed to get up and shower.

Lizzie stayed pretty late last night. Once we eventually did get back to talking we did agree that as I wasn't comfortable with the whole "official title" thing the studio suggested, instead we would just need to keep out of the spotlight for a little while until she wraps at least.

I was fine with that, but I know Lizzie was disappointed. She did go into a whole thing about treating me properly and wanting to take me places, but I like being inside. If things do go on further, there'll be plenty of time to be out in public.

My phone vibrated, and I reached over and answered it without looking to see who it was. When it rang it tended to only be Olivia or my mum, and now possibly Lizzie.

"Hello?"

"You sound awful."

"Hi mum."

"What happened, love?"

"I just have a sore head. You're ringing early?"

"Do you have any tablets for it?"

"Aye I'll get some when I get up."

"Do you need me to bring you something? I can call to the shop."

"Ma, you do know we're in a different country?"

"..."

"Ma?"

"I'll post it."

"Aye dead on," I laughed, "Why are you awake?"

"I wanted to get to Tesco before the crowds."

"What, are we expecting a mad rush at Tesco today?"

"Well, you never know. Did I wake you?" she asked.

"No, I was awake. I'm still in bed though."

"I haven't spoken to you all week."

"Naw I know."

"What have you been up to, what's the craic?"

"Nothing really," I could have ran to the moon and back on my lunch break, or solved world hunger and my go to answer would still be nothing.

"Charlie!" she stated.

"What?"

"I mind now why I was ringing you."

"Right?"

"Well when I was in Tesco, I ran into Maeve, you know Maeve from down the road?"

"Aye ma," I replied in an attempt to get her to move on.

"Her son's away working in Australia you know? He married a lovely girl out there."

"Great, what was Maeve saying?"

"Well, she said that her daughter sent her a picture of you."

"A picture of me?"

"She showed me. It was outside your house, you and some woman, I think she's some celebrity. Emily something?"

"Elizabeth?"

"Awk that's it, how could I forget, that was my granny's name, God rest her soul."

I love my ma but Jesus Christ this conversation was driving me round the bend.