Love, Rosie (223 page)

brows,
straight
teeth,
and
not
a
nose
hair
in
sight.

Julie:

Rosie:

Julie:

Rosie:

What
does
he
do
for
a
living?

He’s
an
engineer.

So
he
was
polite,
handsome,
and
had
a
great
job.
He
sounds
too

good
to
be
true.
Is
there
the
possibility
of
meeting
again?

Well
after
the
meal
we
went
back
to
his
penthouse
apartment.
He

lives
along
Sir
John
Rogerson’s
quay,
the
place
was
fabulous.
I

stayed
over,
he
asked
me
out
again,
and
I
said
no.

Julie:

Rosie:

Julie:

Rosie:

Julie:

Rosie:

Are
you
crazy?

Probably.
He
was
such
a
good
man
but
there
was
nothing
there.

But
it
was
only
your
first
date.
You
can
never
really
tell
these
things

by
a
first
date.
What
did
you
want,
fireworks?

No
actually,
quite
the
opposite.
I
want
silence,
a
perfect
moment
of

quietness.

Silence?

Oh
it’s
a
long
story.
But
last
night
only
proves
that
you
can
put
me

with
a
guy
that’s
perfect
in
every
way
and
too
good
to
be
true
and

I’m
still
not
ready.
Everyone
around
me
needs
to
stop
rushing
me.

Julie:

OK,
OK,
I
promise
I’ll
stop
trying
to
set
you
up
with
men
until
you

give
me
your
permission.
How’s
the
studying
going?

332

Rosie:

Cecelia
Ahern

It’s
tough
working,
studying,
and
being
a
mother
all
at
the
same

time.
I
end
up
staying
up
till
all
hours
of
the
night
pondering
life,

the
universe,
and
all
that’s
in
it.

Julie:

Don’t
worry,
we’ve
all
had
those
days
and
believe
me
by
the
time

you
get
to
my
age
you
stop
caring.
Is
there
anything
I
can
do
to

help?

Rosie:

Julie:

Rosie:

Julie:

Rosie:

Julie:

Yes
actually
a
pay
rise
would
be
a
terrific
help.

No
chance.
How’s
the
saving
going?

It
would
be
going
fine
if
I
didn’t
have
to
feed,
clothe,
educate
my

child
as
well
as
pour
rent
money
into
the
shoebox
I’m
living
in.

That
always
seems
to
get
in
the
way
of
things,
that
whole
looking

after
your
child
part.
Have
you
spoken
to
Alex
yet?

No.

Oh
Rosie,
you
are
both
being
ridiculous.
It’s
been
over
a
year
now.
I

spent
my
life
trying
to
separate
you
two
from
each
other
but
now

the
fun
is
over.
Tell
him
Ms.
Big
Nose
Smelly
Breath
Casey
has

given
you
both
permission
to
sit
beside
each
other
again.

Rosie:

That’ll
never
work;
he
never
listened
to
you
anyway.
And
it’s
not

like
we’re
not
in
contact
at
all,
Katie
keeps
in
touch
with
him
all
the