Free This Is Your Life by Susie Martyn

the entire street’s seen it!  Darius’s Mum is her neighbour,’ she told Lizzie.  ‘Why don’t you join us for a drink?  We haven’t even ordered our food.  Lizzie can’t make up her mind…’ 
    ‘Darling s, we’d love to… if you’re absolutely sure…’  The boys looked delighted.
    ‘Goat’s Cheese salad, Lizzie darling – it’s to die for,’ said Angel, brushing against her arm as he sat down, giving her a feel of that denim.  She’d been right.  Soft as velvet.  ‘It’s the house special - on the quiet.  The Old Goat…don’t you see?  Anyway, it’s divine, I assure you…’
    Pulling up an extra couple of chairs, Darius proceeded to explain how they’d just bought a cottage nearby.
    ‘ We’ve relocated, flower,’ he explained to Lizzie.  ‘Our little antique shop. From the King’s Road to Rumbleford… sounds quite poetic doesn’t it?  Angelus, it’s called – after both of us – An-gel-us …’ he annunciated.  ‘Anyway, we needed a little bolt-hole.  A love-nest,’ he whispered, just to make sure she understood.
    ‘How exciting !’ said Katie.
    ‘Well it is …’ said Angel. ‘And what we really want more than anything is to sit outside in the evenings, petal.  Have little cocktail parties…’
    ‘ You know how we love parties…’ interrupted Darius theatrically.
    ‘… and invite our new neighbours.  It’s the quietest place on earth there darlings… like you just wouldn’t believe…You can hear the flowers talking and almost touch those stars, I swear.   So different to London…’
    ‘It is,’ said Darius, but you could hear the ‘but’ in his voice.  ‘I mean, it seems scandalous to whinge darlings, but the garden’s…’ He looked over his shoulder furtively, ‘… bombed.  A war zone.  There.  I’ve told you.’  He sat back looking disgusted.
    ‘You know what we’re like,’ said An gel to Katie.  ‘We’re just not DIY-ers.  We shouldn’t moan because really, we’re just so lucky to have found it, but I mean petal, just look…’  He apologetically showed them his hands, as lily-white and manicured as Katie’s.
    ‘Mmmm…’  Katie was thinking.  ‘ But you know, I’ve actually just had the most stupendously brilliant idea.  You’re just not going to believe this, but Lizzie’s a garden designer.  Why doesn’t she do it for you?’
    The boys and Lizzie stared at each other – the former in ecstasy, Lizzie in total horror.
    ‘Oh, Lizzie.  Please say you’ll do it.  We’re desperate…’ they pleaded in unison, each of them grabbing her hands.
    Lizzie looked from one to the other in shock .  It was way, way too soon.  The idea was one thing, but she hadn’t actually decided , had she, nor got as far as the many practicalities. There was the small matter of a car, for instance.  She’d have to say thank you, very firmly, but no.  Maybe in a month’s time, if they still wanted her, but at the moment, sorry, but it’s just out of the question.  A picture of a tiny cottage miles from anywhere crept into her head, with one or two flowerbeds that needed weeding and a patch of long grass to mow…
    ‘Darius could col lect you on Monday,’ offered Angel, as if reading her mind.  ‘And don’t worry about tools darling, we’ve no end of those around the place…’
    ‘Oh!  Perfect!’  Katie clapped her hands in glee.
     
    The Goat’s cheese special did indeed look divine but as the boys left, Lizzie was having doubts.
    ‘Katie! What were you thinking?  You’ll have to call it off.  Tell them it’s all a mistake…’
    ‘ Oh Lizzie, it’s a great idea,’ said Katie smugly.  ‘Wasn’t I clever to think of it?’
    Lizzie had shaken her head.              
    But as they ate, Katie was determined to talk her round.
    ‘I don’t see what the problem is,’ she persisted.  ‘ I mean, one garden, Lizzie – what will that take you.  A couple of days?  You’ll have that long