Aleisha sighed. ‘His name’s Zac. I saw him on the train once. And then he helped me home from the shop with my bags and he lives not far from here. And I saw him at the park and he insisted on giving me his number and we’ve been talking.’
‘Love at first sight.’
‘Mum!’
‘Okay, that’s fine. Just tell me more!’
‘He studies law—’
‘That’s it. Marry him!’ Leilah put her hands in the air, theatrically. ‘I’ve always said you were going to study law! We could soon have two lawyers in the family!’
‘No! Chill out.’ Aleisha was staring straight ahead at the wall, embarrassed. ‘But he’s being really helpful and said he’ll show me some of his uni prospectuses. He’s kept them all.’
‘What a line.’ Leilah winked. ‘No, no. I’m kidding. He sounds like a good guy. He’s how old?’
‘Twenty. Not too old.’
‘That’s okay. I dated a few twenty-six-year-olds when I was your age.’
‘Mum!’
‘Not at the same time. And does he know about your other love?’
‘What other love?’
‘The list. That reading list you showed me.’
Aleisha was startled that she had even remembered.
‘No, that’s nothing.’
‘That could be the start of a love affair. What if the list curator is your perfect guy or girl? It could be a Richard Curtis movie.’
Aleisha didn’t reply.
‘Well … something about this list has really hooked you. You’re still reading, yes? This boy hasn’t distracted you?’
Aleisha contemplated this for a moment. ‘Yes, Mum. I’m still reading. I’m enjoying them, and I’m interested. Besides, it gives me something to do while everyone else is going to Reading festival, or whatever. Or they’re on holidays or working somewhere decent. I’ve not seen anyone in ages, and no one chats to me. It’s like I’m not even around.’
Aleisha took a deep breath. The list wasn’t just a distraction for her any more. She’d learned how to fight for something you believe in from Atticus Finch; she’d learned how to survive with a tiger like Pi; she’d learned never to stay in a creepy house in Cornwall, maybe just go to a B&B or something instead; and from Amir in The Kite Runner she’d discovered it was never too late to do the right thing. Pride and Prejudice … that was more like a guilty pleasure read, but she liked aspects of it – especially the parts that reminded her of Zac.
She thought of Mukesh now – her new, unlikely friend. He’d been a good companion for her at the library. The last time he’d been in, she’d seen him sitting up very straight, with his reading glasses pulled halfway down his nose, focusing on Pride and Prejudice.
‘Hey Mr P,’ Crime Thriller guy （Chris） had said to him, wandering past. ‘Enjoying that?’
Mr P had shrugged, ‘Not right now …’
Aleisha had laughed to herself – she didn’t expect Mr P, usually so polite, to be so honest.
‘I liked the characters – they were very, very funny. All sorts of characters. But the story line, I don’t think it is very … what’s the word … relatable for me, Aleisha?’ Mr P had said. She wasn’t sure it was very relatable for her, either. According to the internet, though, people loved this book – thought of it as some kind of feminist bible.
‘What do you think of Darcy and Elizabeth? Did it take you back to your wooing days?’ she teased.
‘No, no. This is not at all how my marriage started,’ Mr P said to her, almost looking for a reason to put the book down.
‘What do you mean?’ she’d asked.
‘There was none of this prolonged courtship. We were thrown into it – like those marriage matches Mrs Bennet loves to set up. We had an arranged marriage – the first time I met Naina was a little before our wedding day – but it was the most special day of my life. My wife, she was perfect. I was so lucky.’ For a moment, his mind drifted off. ‘You see, just because we didn’t spend months chasing after each other, like Elizabeth and Mr Darcy, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t meant to be. We didn’t know each other at all, but it felt like I’d known her my whole life. I could open up to her. And I did; it was the best decision I’d made.’
Aleisha had thought of Zac then – of the first time she’d seen him; wondering whether she’d known then that they might become friends.