Lizzie's List Read Free Page A

list to do next.
    Note to self
Cross number 1 off my list.
Choose number 2 from my list
Find out who he is.

Chapter 3
Don’t stop me now!
Task 2–Read a classic novel
    You may well ask why this is so important to me, so let me explain. I have never, ever read a classic novel. I am talking about Charlotte Bronte’s Jayne Eyre; Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles; and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Of course like most women, I have seen the TV version of Pride and Prejudice and regularly replay the lake scene when Darcy (AKA Colin Firth) emerges from the water, dripping wet, whilst Elizabeth can only watch in wonder...
    All my life I have been quite happy with easy-reading and am not ashamed to admit that I am partial to a Mills and Boon now and again, but as I approach 30, I feel that I should attempt classic literature, if only to feed my curiosity. Well okay, I’ve got to be totally honest with you–my Mum was always harping on about them when I was a teenager, and insisting I read one, so I have always rebelled against this. Now that I no longer live with her and haven’t for several years, perhaps I am overcoming my rebellion against this. I will turn my thoughts towards choosing a novel and reluctantly ask my literature loving mother for advice with this task.
    Later that morning, as I start to prepare The Tea Cosy for opening, Kate arrives with her usual enthusiastic demeanour and I tell her about my progress with my list. Kate also finds my exposed, naked frolic hilarious. “I can’t believe somebody actually saw you naked in Bluebell Woods, although I’m still a little confused about why you wanted to run through the woods without any clothes on – each to their own. Why haven’t we heard who he is since we pride ourselves on being the keepers of all local news?” asks Kate.
    “I asked myself the same thing and believe me -I’m going to find out more about him and how he knows my name. It’s driving me mad!” I reply.
    Following some more chat, we begin our daily routine. You see–when Kate and I are getting ready to open the cafe, we like to continue our tradition of pretending we are famous singers. As adults, we have progressed, from using hairbrush microphones as we did in our bedrooms as children. I personally prefer my mop as my dance partner and a spoon as my microphone. We start with our favourite song to rev ourselves up for the day ahead – Don’t Stop Me Now, by Queen. Since we sing this song so often, we have our own unique dance routine and our own individual solo parts to sing. Kate finishes her solo part with a gyrating of her hips and then heads back into the kitchen. This is my big moment – my chorus part. “Don’t stop me now, I’m having a good time, I’m having a ball. Don’t stop me noooooowwwwww...” I complete my spin with the mop and sing the final note of my solo part at the top of my voice. Moving into my air guitar section, involving much head banging, I glance upwards noticing a figure in the doorway. In alarm, I drop my microphone (AKA spoon) with a clatter and become a little tangled with my mop. He stands there, solid, with his arms folded and yet another gratified smirk on his face that my idiocy has once again supplied. Having lost the ability to speak, I also stand and stare in stunned silence, mute and unable to throw in some witty remark that would have surely lightened the situation and avoided even further embarrassment. How much can one person take in one day before they shrivel up?
    “I’m sorry to have to stop you now, since you’re having a good time and having a ball,” he says theatrically and gesturing towards my mop. Oh my goodness, he heard everything, all of my strangled cat sounding notes. Why Him again, to see my further embarrassment all within the space of three hours and now I would be happily swallowed up by a hungry killer whale. Had he arrived just one minute later, thirty seconds even, then Kate would have danced out