Lost and Found

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Friday 21st March 2008, Good Friday

Amelia had barely slept, maybe it was missing her best mate, maybe it was because it was a holiday at home, but she was working here, maybe it was the pressure of having to entertain clients for a whole weekend, but her mind was overactive.

Glancing at the alarm clock she sighed at the time, three thirty am, punching her pillow she tried to get comfy but it was to no avail. Reaching for her phone, she dialled Li, her port in a storm.

                “Hello?” Li sounded tired but happy.

                “Did I wake you?”

The squeal that came down the phone line made Amelia instantly happy, “I’ve missed you chicky!”

Sighing she slumped back against the pillows, “me too. How’s tricks?”

Li launched into a detailed explanation of the now finalised cover for her new book, the date for the launch in London was still undecided, Amelia was dreading it, Sol would be there. She’d not told Li who her childhood love was, but when she’d been inconsolable after Sol dumped her, before they’d even got together, Li had listened as she’d ranted about the mystery man who’d destroyed her life. Li worked closely with Helena, and the last thing that she needed was to have a different outlook on her new publisher, and Li was so loyal...she couldn’t do that to her. But it also meant she didn’t have an adequate reason not to attend the book launch, even though it would probably break her heart...again.

So whilst Li gushed, Amelia listened, intently. After a while Li became quiet.

                “It’s like four in the morning with you Am, what’s wrong?”

Amelia smiled, “I just can’t sleep, I’m not going away for the weekend, I wanted to speak to you. When you coming to visit again?”

She’d come over for a week before Christmas, and despite Amelia working in her very recently new job, the two had painted the town red, and managed to squeeze in some shopping and sightseeing. It had really helped her to settle in to her new home, her new life, but that was the only real highlight of the last few months, since then she’d struggled to find her feet, and that was most of the reason that she lay awake at night, worrying.

                “I’d be there tomorrow, you know that. But I’ve got so much to bloody do! I’m being interviewed by a Times journalist this week, as soon as I’ve got this thing up and running I’ll come out, I’ll be searching for inspiration for the follow up book that proves I’m no fluke. That’s where you come in...maybe a novel about this geeky Math head who takes on the world?”

Amelia chuckled, “will I ever lose the geek label?” When Li laughed, she added, “this’ll make you laugh, klutz that I am, I’ve got to go skiing tomorrow.” She explained briefly the events of the evening, pausing occasionally to wait for Li to control her laughter, “so Li, the big question is, will my bosses still love me if I break my leg?”

Li chuckled again, “it’s the outcome if you break Clay’s leg that I’m interested in! Maybe my next book could be a comedy?”

                “Typical! You are supposed to be my friend, supposed to support me!” Amelia tried to hold indignation, but failed. Laughing she eventually hung up and found some form of sleep.

Four hours later she rued her poor night’s sleep. The ever accommodating Marilyn was on the case with the skiwear, promising a full kit out by lunchtime, but Amelia still needed to deal with the ‘dinner’ attire, she was kidding when she protested that she had that all sorted, the smartest thing she had was one of her several straitlaced business suits, hardly the ideal for après-ski. As the morning progressed she started to feel sick with worry, so she sought out Marilyn again.