Brick by Brick

Part Thirty Two

Chapter Thirty Two

Pizzas had been ordered, and the champagne gave way to beers, and the four adults moved to the lounge once Eleanor settled in her new bedroom.

Corinne held an open jotter pad on her knees and scribbled down Sammy's animated daydreams.

"I want slate tiles in the bathroom, around the shower, and sage green paint..." she looked across at her friend. "Does that sound nice?"

Corinne looked at the filled page, "sounds amazing...it all does, though I have a feeling this house being the size it is..."

"Small!" Mike added with a laugh.

"QUAINT," Corinne corrected him. "Well there's a danger of the russet in the hallway, the teal in the lounge, then what was that colour you wanted for your bedroom?"

"HOT RED!" She announced, laughing as Joel blushed that very colour again. It was the last thing she wanted to decorate her bedroom in, but she was purposely trying to affect him, prove that he couldn't pretend that there was nothing between them. She took a blush to be a good thing. "It's the new me, I want to embrace feng shui wherever I am. How can that fail me in a bedroom?"

Mike groaned as Corinne giggled, "this is the girl I remember growing up with! Anyway, there's a risk that TOO many bold colours in such a bijou place...well, it could be overkill!"

"Worked for Pablo Picasso," she offered, more than aware that she was starting to feel very drunk, and that could be a very bad thing. "I think I should go to bed."

Corinne laughed, "you are such a lightweight!"

Joel leaned forward, "it has been an exhausting day for her."

Sammy's head and lolled back against the sofa, and at hearing his voice, she rolled it so that she could see him, "you are right Joel. Very exhausting...it's never easy closing a chapter of your life. But I have today, and it's tiring...but it is exactly what I needed to do. The next phase of my life starts here."

His eyes widened, she knew that he could read between the lines, that she was telling him that she'd let go of her connection with the past, but she had no idea if he wanted to be part of that future. Corinne and Mike started moving, and she let her head roll the opposite way to smile at them both. "Thank you BFF. You are everything to me, you know that?"

Corinne laughed, "I love drunk Sammy...she's such a romantic." She stooped to kiss her cheek, "I'll be over tomorrow, ok? I'll help you unpack."

"What about the salon?"

She shrugged, "half day before the Christmas rush. Be here by one, ok?"

Joel stood and sa3w them to the door, Sammy was clearly in no condition to do that suddenly. Corinne smiled as Mike stepped out of the house, "You're good for her, I'm glad you're looking out for her, I've been so worried about her, you know?"

He gave a nod, suddenly the emotion of the moment was weighing heavily on him, before he could speak, Corinne tipped her head to the side as though she was analysing him.

"She never does things half measures, if she makes a decision...then she's almost stubborn about it. I mean why do you think she married Marcus?" She shook her head, "well anyway. Take care of hey, yes? She appears strong, and she used to be, but she's fragile now. Don't break her."

As he watched the couple retreat along the coastal road he stood frozen to the spot. What had Corinne been trying to say? There had never been as much as a hint that Marcus was anything but perfect for Sammy. He was his best friend, surely he'd have known if there were cracks in that relationship?