A Cornish Affair

Nothing

Rosie's mood over the following week was at an all time low.  She didn't know how to react to the fact that there was no contact from Ricky. Nothing.

She had fought hard against her desire to check any form social media on her phone until Thursday. Nothing.

She had half desired the appearance of a note on her windscreen when she had left school each afternoon. Nothing.

Lee had been around. He'd accused Rosie of being a 'miserable cow'. But this had obviously not helped in the lifting of her mood. She hadn't argued back though, secretly scorning him for not appreciating that she was there at all. All she had decided to give up, afterall, was just for him.

Ricky was becoming a memory; the evening they had spent together only to be in the minds of the two people who shared it. Rosie had no intention of ever sharing her recollections of that night with anyone, especially Tina.

Lee had dropped Rosie off at a local restaurant for Hannah's birthday on Friday night with the added advice of have a drink, it might lighten you up a bit!  She had given him the disdain look that the comment had deserved, before kissing his cheek, thanking him for the lift and getting out of the car.

Rosie was spending the evening with Clair, Hannah and Tina. It wasn’t Hannah's ideal way to spend her birthday,  but Mark was away on a business trip, so the girls were the second best option. 

Pushing open the door, Rosie saw them all straight away. Saw? That should be heard surely! Their laughter drowning out the conversations of those around them.

"Here she is!"  Clair called across the bar. "What time do you call this?"

"Sorry," Rosie apologised, kissing them each on the cheek in turn. "I had to wait for Lee it get home. Happy Birthday Missy!"  she said, handing Hannah a gift bag containing the scented candle she'd bought at the market.

"Thank you," Hannah squeaked, looking into the bag. "I'm just glad you are here!" Rosie gave her a quizzical look as Hannah continued. "We have hardly seen you recently."

"I saw you less than two weeks ago. What are you talking about?" Rosie laughed nervously, looking between the three women for some sort of explanation.

"Tina said that you weren't in on Monday,"  Clair admitted, quickly putting her drink to her mouth as if to stop herself saying anything else.

If Rosie hadn't have had four days to think of a reply to this fact she may well have opened and closed her mouth a number of times, failing to answer. But as it was, she was more than prepared.

"I was at my parents. My sister was over for a little tea party thing for my niece Lilli's birthday." The words roll easily from her tongue.

"At nine o'clock at night?"  The sarcastic tone in Tina's voice was obvious.

"No, you...no!" Rosie shock her head at Tina. "They'd gone home! Lilli had school the next day so they couldn't stay late. I stopped over to spend time with my folks. I hadn’t seen them for a while." Rosie turned to face Tina. "Sorry I missed your call. It was too late to reply when I heard your message." Rosie rose her eyebrows as she saw a distinctly sheepish look on Tina's face.

"It was strange that was all. Lee didn't know where you were!" she began.

"Lee doesn't know where I am a lot of the time,  doesn't mean I'm up to no good!"

Rosie felt awkward lying to her friends, but there was no way any more facts of her and Ricky's brief relationship were passing her lips, to any of them, even Clair.

Hannah lent towards Rosie, "Tina thought you might have been with Ricky!" Rosie choked on her wine that Clair had pressed into her hand for effect.