Mermaid Hair and I Don’t Care: A romantic comedy about shoes, surf and second chances

by CJ Morrow

  ‘No. They both eat meat, though Gemma does like a lot of salad with hers.’ Lily allowed herself a little snigger. ‘But don’t offer that chilli dip.’

  ‘Ah. Did they have some before? I hope it didn’t cause them any problems.’

  ‘Only Gemma.’ Lily smirked, remembering chill trout pout. She untwined Jackson’s arm from around her shoulders and got out of bed, then padded into his bathroom and enjoyed the luxury of his power shower as she washed her hair; it would probably be the last time she washed it at his place. Tonight would be their last night together. Again Lily wished that her friends weren’t coming for lunch – she wanted Jackson all to herself. Their time together had gone so quickly.

  Of course, in the butcher’s everyone knew Jackson. It was one of those family run shops that had long since disappeared from the town Lily lived in. The butcher’s wife, tall and wiry and called Mags, came out to see him, asked how he felt about leaving before telling him he shouldn’t go, that he should just say no. He’d looked away with sadness in his eyes, then muttered something about doing his duty and about obligations.

  ‘Can’t you talk some sense into him?’ the butcher’s wife said, staring straight at Lily.

  ‘Me? Oh. No.’ Lily shook her head. The last thing she had expected from this woman – clad in a bloody striped apron and wearing white wellies – was a question like that, put in such a way that it sounded like an accusation. The woman shook her head and disappeared into the back of the shop.

  ‘Sorry about that,’ Jackson said, once they were outside.

  ‘It’s okay,’ Lily said, ‘at least the butcher didn’t round on me too.’

  ‘Yes. She did. Mags is the butcher. Her husband serves behind the counter.’

  ‘Oh. Oops. How very sexist of me.’ Lily laughed, but also felt embarrassed for stereotyping. ‘The bloody apron sort of gave it away, I suppose.’

  ‘Sort of.’ Jackson laughed, put his arm around Lily, hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

  It felt so good, so reassuring.

  ‘I don’t suppose there’d be any point in trying to persuade you not to go wherever you’re going?’ Lily ventured. ‘Wherever that is. Not that it’s any of my business,’ she added hastily.

  ‘Obligations.’ Jackson let go of Lily and strode towards his car. She hastened her step to catch up with him.

  Foot in mouth, Lily thought, wishing she’d kept it shut.

  The barbecue was lit and up to temperature, the food was waiting but there was no sign of Tess and Gemma.

  ‘It is today, isn’t it?’ Lily said, checking the time on her phone.

  ‘Yes. Absolutely.’

  They were now fifteen minutes late.

  ‘This is so unlike Tess.’ Lily was starting to worry.

  ‘What about Gemma?’

  ‘I don’t really know what her timekeeping’s like.’ Lily thought for a moment. ‘No, I don’t think she’s usually the late type.’ Too uptight for that.

  Lily messaged Tess and waited for a response, hoping that the signal was strong enough.

  ‘Tess hasn’t replied.’ They were now twenty-five minutes late. ‘I hope they haven’t had an accident. Should we go out and look for them?’

  ‘Probably just lost,’ Jackson said. ‘They’ll turn up in a minute. Don’t worry.’ But his words didn’t match his own concerned face.

  ‘Tess is probably driving, so she won’t answer her phone. Don’t you think?’ Was Lily clutching at straws?

  ‘Yes, of course.’

  Ten minutes later – by which time Lily and Jackson had been down to the end of the lane and back – they turned up.

  ‘Where have you been?’ Lily tried hard not to sound angry.

  Tess, who was driving, raised her eyebrows. ‘Someone put the wrong postcode in the sat nav.’

  ‘Don’t look at me,’ Gemma snapped. ‘I was just following instructions, helping out, to make sure we got here on time.’

  ‘Well, we didn’t,’ snapped Tess, which wasn’t like Tess at all.

  ‘Never mind, you’re here now. I hope you’ve brought your appetites with you.’ Jackson ushered the party through the house and out towards the barbecue.

  ‘Well,’ Gemma said, putting her hands on her hips and surveying the terrace, garden and the sweeping views of the bay. ‘You never said it was this magnificent, Lily.’

  Lily didn’t respond, but began to pour the drinks while Jackson attended to the food.

  After they’d eaten a meal, (which even Gemma declared to be the best barbecue she’d ever had, and she was not one for barbecues at all, Lily followed it up with a baked cheesecake which she had made in Jackson’s kitchen. It was her speciality, the dish she always made for special occasions.

  ‘Good as it always is,’ Tess declared. ‘My favourite.’

  Lily quickly took a photo of it and sent it to Will, it was his favourite too. She could see he was online, but he didn’t reply.

  ‘Well, aren’t we the lucky ones. All this sunshine and sitting in this lovely spot.’ Gemma leaned towards Jackson. ‘You really do have a lovely place here. Sea, sea everywhere.’ She stood up and waved her arms around.

  Lily exchanged looks with Tess, both wondering just how much Gemma had drunk.

  ‘You seem very fond of Lily’s hair,’ Gemma said as she watched Jackson absently playing with it.

  He stopped, letting the strand he had been twirling drop. ‘I love Lily’s hair.’

  Lily felt her heart squeeze.

  ‘I suppose it is quite attractive in its way,’ Gemma continued. ‘If you like really curly hair. I prefer mine smooth.’ She ran her hand over her sleek jumbo bob. ‘Of course it does rather rule her life, doesn’t it Lily? Constantly battling to get the frizz under control, using all the hot water up. I can tell you since you’ve not been at the cottage we haven’t run out of hot water once, have we Tess?’

  ‘Well…’ Tess began but Gemma cut across her.

  ‘Not once. So there. It was you and your hair all along.’

  If Jackson hadn’t been there Lily would have called Gemma a bitch, instead she smiled sweetly but Jackson - a distant look in his eyes – didn’t even notice.

  By seven in the evening Lily wished her friends would go, but they seemed to have settled into Jackson’s garden, enjoying the view. In the end, Lily sent out unsubtle hints; she cleared plates and glasses, stacked the dishwasher and offered everyone coffee instead of alcohol. No one seemed to notice.

  ‘What time are you leaving tomorrow, Jackson?’ Lily said, deciding direct action needed to be taken.

  ‘Before noon,’ he said, sounding morose.

  ‘And you haven’t packed yet, have you?’

  Jackson shook his head; it was a slow, deliberate action.

  ‘I’m an expert packer,’ Gemma piped up. ‘If you want any help or hints, just say the word.’ She was simpering Gemma again. ‘I’ve become so good because of the children. Have you noticed how the airlines keep reducing the baggage weight? You need to take so much with small children and Joseph won’t pay for extra. You know what he’s like, Tess. So, I’ve developed ways of reducing and redefining packing.’ Gemma sat up straight and waited for congratulations, when none came she slumped back down in her seat.

  Tess got up to use the loo and Lily grasped her opportunity, hovering for her when she came out.

  ‘Do you think you could take Gemma back to the cottage now?’ Lily asked. ‘Only this is mine and Jackson’s last night together.’

  ‘Oh God, yeah, sorry. What is the time?’

  ‘Nearly eight.’

  ‘Oh. No. I’m so sorry, Lily. I hadn’t realised.’ Tess marched out onto the terrace and informed a reluctant Gemma it was time to leave.

  ‘But we haven’t finished the wine,’ Gemma protested.

  ‘Please, take it with you,’ Jackson smiled and thrust the bottle into her hand.

  ‘Oh, well, all right.’

  After they’d gone and Jackson had finished cleaning
the barbecue, he joined a wistful Lily on the lawn, where she had moved their chairs so that they could enjoy the sun going down across the bay. He stood in front of her, his arms behind his back.

  ‘So, this is our last night together.’

  Lily nodded, then managed a big smile, not that she felt like smiling.

  ‘In the spirit of fun, no past, no future, no strings and let’s not forget more fun, let’s make it a good one.’ He pulled a bottle of champagne and two flutes from behind his back. He grinned. And so did Lily.

  Lily awoke the next morning to find herself alone in Jackson’s bed. She could hear him moving around in another room; hear the soft closing of drawers and cupboards, as though he was trying to keep the noise to a minimum. She got out of bed, pulled on his discarded t-shirt and used the bathroom before padding around the bedrooms until she found him. He had two cases open and was speedily packing them; he looked up and saw her.

  ‘Sorry, I was trying not to wake you.’

  ‘That’s okay. Shall I make breakfast?’

  He flipped the lid of one suitcase down and closed the zip. ‘Yes,’ he said, coming towards her and hugging her close. ‘Let’s have a hearty breakfast.’

  ‘You’re not a condemned man,’ she laughed and when he didn’t join in she realised she’d touched a nerve. Maybe there was something wrong with him. No past, no future, she reminded herself.

  ‘Scrambled eggs? I need to use them up before I leave.’ He took a bowl out of the cupboard, broke the eggs and started whisking them.

  ‘I can take anything you’ve got left when I leave. I suppose I should be going soon. I feel awful for asking for a lift but I expect you’ll be glad to have me gone so you can get on with your packing. Lily felt awkward, in the way.

  ‘No.’ He laid down the whisk and came towards her, grabbed her face playfully between his hands and kissed her hard on the mouth. Lily enjoyed it, but wondered what he thought; she hadn’t even brushed her teeth while he smelt squeaky clean and delicious. ‘I’ll drop you off when I leave; it’s almost on my way, only a slight detour.’

  ‘Okay. If you’re sure I won’t be in your way.’ She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. An image of Will’s broad chest flashed through her mind, then vanished just as quickly. She could hear Jackson’s heart beating fast as he pulled her in closer and kissed the top of her head.

  ‘I’ll miss this.’ His voice was husky as he gathered her hair into a pony tail.

  ‘Me too,’ she said, gripping him tighter.

  ‘Breakfast.’ He let her go, returned to his whisking.

  They were getting into the car before she dared say anything. It had been playing on her mind, nagging at her.

  She cleared her throat. ‘I’ve been thinking…’ she began.

  He waited.

  ‘We should delete each other’s phone numbers from our phones. That way we can ensure that this was just a lovely holiday romance.’ She paused. ‘Like we agreed.’

  ‘Okay.’ His voice sounded cautious. He started the car without speaking, manoeuvred it into the lane and finally, his thinking evidently done, he spoke. ‘That was the deal. You’re right. We should delete those numbers.’

  ‘Great,’ Lily said, not feeling great at all. ‘And we’re not likely to see each other ever again, are we?’

  ‘You don’t think you’ll come here for another holiday?’

  Lily shrugged. She tried to imagine Will on a holiday like this. ‘No, I doubt it.’ Would she be with Will in the future? Would he want to get back together? Would she have him back?

  ‘Shame, because you’ve done so well at surfing. You should keep it up.’

  ‘We’ll delete those numbers together, when you drop me off.’ Lily took a deep breath. ‘Anyway, you won’t be here will you?’

  ‘Probably not, if things pan out. Although I might pop back for the odd holiday.’

  ‘So what will you do with your place?’

  ‘I’ve put it with a letting agency. The cleaners go in tomorrow and it’ll be a holiday let after that.’

  ‘So if you pop back you’ll have nowhere to stay.’ She laughed. ‘Except your beach hut.’

  ‘Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve slept in it.’ He laughed. But, Lily noticed, he didn’t sound any jollier than she felt.

  ‘No,’ she mused, remembering that night, their first night together.

  He pulled up outside her holiday cottage and switched off the engine. He reached into his pocket for his phone.

  ‘Ready?’ Jackson waved his phone at Lily.

  She pulled his number up on her phone and, holding the phones side by side, they pressed delete. Then laughed, though to Lily’s ears both their laughs sounded hollow.

  ‘Let’s hope neither of us needs to get in touch with the other, eh Lily?’

  ‘Why should we? Anyway, if we’re meant to meet again, fate will engineer it. I’m a great believer in fate.’

  ‘Fate. Yeah.’ Jackson jumped out of the car and pulled Lily’s case from the boot. He waited for her.

  ‘Let’s say goodbye here,’ Lily said. ‘I don’t want any of Gemma’s smart remarks today.’

  ‘Thanks for a great time, Lily. Thanks for making the last few weeks of my freedom such fun. Thanks for the best no strings, no past, no future nine days of my life. Thanks for having mermaid hair.’ He kissed her – a passionate kiss to remember. Her knees almost buckled, she felt a tingle run up and down her spine.

  ‘Same here,’ Lily said, recovering enough to grab her case and walk away. She inhaled deeply, half turned and waved over her shoulder. She couldn’t look at him, couldn’t watch him drive away, couldn’t let their fun time mean any more that it was supposed to. It was over. Holiday romance: done.

  She heard his car roar away up the lane, wiped tears from her eyes and opened the cottage door to find Gemma standing by the window. Had she been watching? Did it matter?

  ‘Hi Gemma.’ Lily forced a sweet smile.

  The following days dragged. Without Jackson there was no point for Lily; she might as well go back home, back to her life, decide if she wanted Will back – if he wanted to come back. Staying here, lying on the beach, popping into the café, being served by Jackson’s relatives, all seemed wrong. She didn’t venture into the sea again, neither to surf – her excuse was that she no longer had a decent wetsuit, even though he had offered to let her keep it – nor to swim.

  Friday evening saw the trio sitting in the pub, studiously avoiding the local cider and looking glum.

  ‘We’ve been lucky with the weather, but it’s supposed to break tomorrow.’ Gemma let out a long sigh before getting up and going to the bar.

  ‘Gem wants to go home,’ Tess confided. ‘She’s missing the children.’

  ‘Is she? She never mentions them.’ Was that as spiteful as it sounded.

  ‘Don’t be fooled; she is missing them and my brother.’

  Gemma came back and plonked three glasses of white wine on their table. ‘Let’s drink to us and our last full day tomorrow.’ Her voice conveyed no enthusiasm.

  ‘Thanks Gem. I’ve been thinking if we’ve only got one more day and the weather is turning, why don’t we go home tomorrow instead of Sunday? I’ve got a lot to do before I go back to work on Monday. Tess too.’

  ‘Oh. Well. If you really want to.’ Gemma’s head rocked on her shoulders. ‘I’m quite happy to go with the majority.’

  It was raining heavily as they packed the next morning. The weather had definitely turned. The cottage was dark and instead of the lovely coolness they’d enjoyed when it was hot, it now felt damp. Lily routed through her clothes for something warm to wear.

  ‘Oh no. This is Jackson’s fleece. I must have taken it when I grabbed my stuff yesterday.’ She held it up to her face, inhaled him.

  ‘I suppose we could take a detour via his place and drop it off on the way home.’ Tess was saying the right words but her face didn’t look happy.

  ‘Naw. He had sev
eral.’ She wanted it. She wanted to keep it. How bad was that? She pulled it on and zipped it up. It felt so good; it was far too long and she needed to roll up the sleeves but that made it even better. ‘Anyway, he’s not there and it’s all locked up.’

  Tess’s lips formed a relieved smile.

  When they were ready to load up the car Lily opened the cottage door to be confronted by a howling wind. But at least the rain had stopped. They started hauling their cases and stuffing them into Tess’s tiny car. Even with Lily supervising the packing, there still wasn’t much room, especially in the back. Lily shuddered at the prospect of the long journey cramped in the back of the car.

  ‘This is the last one,’ Gemma said, dragging yet another stuffed case towards the car, at the same time fighting against the wind.

  ‘I don’t know where we’re going to fit that,’ Lily muttered to Tess just as Gemma let out an almighty scream.

  Lily and Tess watched as Gemma’s jumbo bob rolled up the lane like tumbleweed. Lily looked back at Gemma, then back at the hair. A wig. Gemma’s amazing hair was a wig, not extensions. Gemma’s real hair was thin, wispy, patchy, and very short.

  Tess ran to comfort a now hysterical Gemma. Lily chased after the hair as it gained momentum and rolled faster along the lane. When it was within her reach she pounced, but a rogue gust blew it sideways. She made another lunge.

  ‘Got it,’ she yelled.

  Gemma’s yowling – carried by the wind – hit her like a shockwave.

  Lily offered the hair to Gemma as though it were a precious pet. Gemma snatched it and ran inside, still bawling. Tess followed Gemma and Lily stayed outside and finished stuffing the car before finally entering the cottage to find a red-eyed Gemma sipping water while a sympathetic Tess patted her hand. The wig was now firmly back in place on her head; had Lily not just chased it up the lane she could have sworn the hair was real.

  ‘So. Now. You. Know,’ Gemma managed between sobs. ‘I bet you’ll have a good laugh about it with your friends.’

  ‘I’m sorry about what happened,’ Lily said. ‘And I won’t be discussing it with anyone. I promise.’