𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋! | harry styles

𝐕

"YOU can't find someone else to fill in?"

"There's no one left, Scarlet. Tia, Holly and Jamie are all in Vegas, and I can't get hold of Leah."

I rest my head against the back of the couch, closing my eyes. "She's probably holed up with Jon somewhere," I say with a sigh.

Tania snorts, and I can picture her rolling her eyes, her lash extensions brushing the skin beneath her eyebrows. "Exactly. Jon has the night off, too, so there's no way she's going to come in. Please say yes, Scarlet. I need you."

It's six o'clock on a Friday evening, and I'm curled up on my couch with Cody sitting at my feet poring over the pages of Where the Wild Things Are, fascinated with the colors and pictures, while I flick through TV channels. My legs and back are aching from a week at the diner, and I was really looking forward to relaxing for a few hours before starting work again.

"Can I have a drink, Momma?" asks Cody.

"Whatever you make in the first two hours is yours. Tips and all," says Tania.

I've already decided to go in-God knows I need the money-but there's something gratifying listening to her beg anyway.

"Juice?" I ask Cody. He nods, and I busy myself with pouring his drink as Tania continues to plead with me.

"If you come in early I'll talk Nick into giving you a Saturday off."

"Oh yeah?"

Now I know she's desperate.

"Sure! Why not. I'll work something out and you can take the night off. Go on a date or something!"

I pour the orange juice into Cody's cup. "Right. My idea of a date is Cody and a pint of ice cream."

"I keep telling you that I can set you up with someone if you want. I've got some clients-"

My mouth drops open. "Oh, God no. Tania-no. I'm fine. Thank you."

She laughs. "Okay, okay. But, when you decide to finally get bored of Chunky Monkey, you let me know."

My cheeks are stained pink and I can feel the heat from the blush as it creeps up my neck. I don't know why it embarrasses me to think about dating. I spend my nights around men; flirting, smiling, making conversation. I guess in the end it's all an act. It's not me. It's Rose. The thought of putting the real me out there after almost five years of being alone scares the hell out of me.

"I'll be there at eight," I say finally. "Let me call you back once I've got Cody sorted, okay?"

"Thank you," says Tania, sighing with relief. "You're a peach. I'll see you soon."

I mumble a goodbye and toss the phone onto the kitchen table. Clearing away the toy cars and picture books, I set Cody's juice down and sit on the floor beside him. His hair is still wet from the bath and is curling around his ears and the nape of his neck. It's ridiculously adorable and, if he let me, I'd spend hours pulling it straight just to watch it spring back again.

"Can you read the story to me?" I ask, nudging his side gently.

He's not old enough to read it all yet, but nevertheless he crawls into my lap and tells me all about the boy in his monster suit and all the other big monsters. When he's finished, we turn back to the start and I read it to him.

Unfortunately, I do have to get ready for work. An hour later, after a quick shower, I'm hairless head to toe, there's fresh paint on my finger and toenails, and my skin is clean and smooth-exfoliated and moisturized within an inch of its life. I flip my head over, letting my hair tumble forward as I blast it with the hairdryer. From between my legs I see Cody wander into the bathroom and climb up onto the toilet seat beside the bathroom counter. I lift my head up and smooth out my bangs. It's completely pointless, since I'll have them tucked away under a wig in a few hours anyway, but something about having clean hair always makes me feel better.