"Hello?" Pt. 2

August 14th 2016

"Hi."

"Hi."

"Ok, so I'm just gonna come out and say this- I was an absolute dickhead for calling you out on something that I'm probably most guilty for doing. I shouldn't have done that and I'm sorry."

"Do you ever get the feeling that we apologise to each other way more than is necessary?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's like, I'll do something to piss you off and I'll apologise. You do something to piss me off, you apologise. I'm so over being sorry."

"So, what you're saying is that we should stop pissing the other off?"

"No... well, yeah, but no really."

"No, yes, not really?"

"Oh, I don't bloody know."

"Whichever way, I'm over saying sorry, too. Although, it is a very British thing to do."

"Whatever. How's life?"

"Life is good. How is life with you?"

"Still going. Actually, I'm starting to pack."

"Pack? For what?"

"For my move back to London."

"But you're not back until early October."

"It's only seven weeks away, Daniel."

"Shit, really? Only seven?"

"Yep."

"I better hurry up and get the house sorted."

"Our house won't be ready in seven weeks."

"I'm not talking about our house, I'm talking about mine."

"What's your house got to do with it?"

"Well, you'll be moving in, won't you? I need to get it looking female friendly."

"I'm moving in?"

"Well, yeah... aren't you?"

"I'm not sure. It's not like we've ever talked about it."

"I just assumed. I can move in with you, if you'd prefer that."

"Um... I'm not sure."

"..."

"I mean, I haven't really lived in my house. I left for New York before I got the chance to move in. One of my friends has been renting it, but he's due to move out at the end of September and I'm not sure what state the place will be in. I was just going to stay at The Delaney in the meantime, but... I suppose I could move in with you and Alfie."

"Sophie, it's a bit silly you staying at a hotel when you could move in with your fiencé, don't you think?"

"I just wasn't taking it for granted that I could move in, that's all. Are you sure it's ok?"

"Of course, it is."

"Just as long as you make it female friendly, huh?"

"Well, I mean, I better get Jen and Nola over to help me redecorate or whatever."

"You don't have to do that just because I'm moving in. I already know what your place looks like and I like it."

"Ok, but it's not a particularly inviting house, is it? It's a house, not a home."

"Ok, well my house is smaller than yours, but it's rather cosy. If you want, I can call Ben and tell him that you'll be going round to see the place if you want to check it out."

"Is there a garden?"

"Not with the house, no, but there's one nearby for Alfie to run around in."

"Hm... do you have a pool?"

"No."

"Ok. What about a home office?"

"I have a very big bathtub and a spare room. Does that work?"

"I don't want a pool or a home office."

"Then my house is perfect."

"Ok, well, call this Ben bloke and tell him that he'll be having a visitor very soon."

"Ok, done. Just one thing, though."

"What?"

"How much clothes do you have?"

"What?"

"Like, do you need a lot of closet space or very little closet space?"

"I don't have that much. Why?"

"One of my spare rooms currently doubles up as a walk-in closet because I don't have a lot of closet space-"

"I think what you mean to say is that you have too many clothes."

"Nope, it's definitely too little closets."

"But Ben lives at the house so-"

"Yes, Ben lives at the house, but he also lives with a room full of my clothes."

"Seriously?"

"I wasn't exactly going to move the clothes out so he could move in, was I? No, I left them there. Plus, Ben is a fashion buyer at Harvey Nicholls, so he knows fashion. He'd be horrified if I boxed up couture gowns and placed them in storage for six months. Look, he practically insisted that I leave them there."

"Does he have a weird fetish for your clothes, Soph?"

"Maybe. Some men get their kicks out of porn. Ben gets his kicks out of my clothes."

"..."

"Ok, I just heard that back in my head and it didn't sound right."

"You think?"

"The point being, I have a lot of clothes that is spread out, so do I need to clean out the bedroom on the upper floor for your clothes?"

"Yes."

"Ok, I'll just write that down so Jasmine can sort it out."

"Really?"

"What?"

"Out of interest, is Jasmine coming back to London with you?"

"No."

"Then who is going to be the master of you weekly planner?"

"Weekly planner?"

"Your diary. Whatever you call it."

"Oh, uh... I don't know. I'll probably have an assistant for that when I get back to Vogue."

"What if they don't give you on?"

"Oh, they will."

"But what if they don't?"

"Daniel, trust me. They'll give me one."

"But-"

"Really. Trust me. Oh, shit."

"What?"

"Um, my mother is calling me on the house phone. I should-"

"You go. It's probably an update about Lucas."

"Thank you."

"Mhm. Text me later to let me know how he is, ok?"

"-Un moment, maman.- Ok, I will. I love you."

"I love you, too, Soph. Bye."

"Bye. -Ça va?-"