Seeing Stars Read Online Free Page A

here with a mobile phone. I’ve never had a go on one. I want to learn to text.’
    ‘You have to text someone else with a mobile,’ Zillah said gently. ‘And you don’t have any friends with one, do you?’
    ‘No. Bugger. Don’t know why you ain’t got one. I could text you, then.’

    ‘I only live next door, and why would I want a mobile phone? Everyone I want to talk to is within shouting distance.’
    ‘To be honest, why does anyone want one, duck? Who do they talk to? And why? It’s a mystery to me. You can’t tell me all those
     people you see with ’em clamped to their heads in Hazy Hassocks and Winterbrook used to spend that long on the phone at home
     or down the call-box.’ Gwyneth paused in her shelling to peer at a handful of peas. ‘Thought they might be maggoty, but they’re
     not … Ah, and yes, I do know someone with a mobile, so there. Lewis has got one, hasn’t he? I could text him.’
    Zillah sighed. Oh yes, Lewis had a mobile phone. And probably every woman in Berkshire had his number.
    She nodded. ‘Of course you could. He’d probably love it. Mind, you’ll join the long, long list of females sending him strange
     and clearly exotic messages by the way he hides them from me when I’m at his place, but I’m sure he’d be delighted to hear
     from you.’
    ‘Of course he will. He’s a nice boy.’
    ‘Hardly a boy.’ Zillah raised her black eyebrows. ‘He’ll be thirty next year.’
    ‘He don’t look it though, does he? Bless him. Such a handsome lad. Thirty … my, my – where does the time go? It seems only
     five minutes ago he was a babe in arms. Mind, in my day any young fellow worth his salt would’ve been married and fathered
     at least half a dozen kiddies by the time he was thirty.’
    ‘Lewis’d run a mile from the first and has probably already achieved the second.’ Zillah stared up at the flax flower sky.
     ‘What would I know?’
    ‘There, there. Don’t get upset.’ Gwyneth balanced the colander on her knees and leaned down to pat Zillah’s plump shoulders.
     ‘He might be a bit flighty, but you know underneath it all Lewis is honest and hardworking and friendly and always kind and
     helpful and—’
    ‘Mmmm. Very helpful. Especially today. You didn’thave any trouble persuading him to collect her, did you? This Amber? From the station?’
    Gwyneth machine-gunned an entire pod of peas into the colander with scary accuracy. ‘I asked him if he’d mind and he said
     he was free and he’d be pleased to do it. Why? Have you got a problem with that, young Zillah?’
    ‘No.’ Zillah quickly shifted the cats and picked at a threadbare patch on her long skirt. ‘No, of course not. If she hasn’t
     got a car it’ll be murder trying to get here by bus, and a taxi would cost a fortune from Reading – but, well … she’s young,
     free and single, isn’t she?’
    ‘Ah, the last two as far as I know. And youngish. She was twenty-seven last birthday.’
    ‘Oh, God. And is she pretty?’
    Gwyneth shook the remaining empty pea pods onto a sheet of newspaper among the tumbled nasturtiums at her feet. ‘I’ve never
     met her, have I, Zil? Mind, if she takes after her Gran she’ll be a real stunner. Jean broke umpteen hearts when she was a
     lass. And little Amber was a bobbydazzler when I last saw a photo.’
    Zillah groaned. ‘And when was that?’
    ‘’Bout twenty-five years ago.’
    They laughed together. Gwyneth’s laughter rang more true.
    ‘Have I missed a joke?’ Big Ida emerged from the doorway of Moth Cottage, carrying a tray with three mismatched cups, an earthenware
     bowl of water and two plates of biscuits.
    ‘No, duck, only young Zil here getting herself into a panic that Lewis will decamp with Amber en route from Reading.’
    Big Ida handed round the teas and placed the bowl of water and Bonios in front of the slumbering dog. ‘Crikey Moses – that’s
     a definite in my book. Lewis is a bit of a gigolo, after all. Don’t know