The Surprise Party

by Sue Welfare

  He didn’t rush to answer, which she knew he would, and after a few seconds more he said, ‘Everyone has just got too many secrets.’

  Megan nodded thoughtfully. She didn’t quite understand what he meant but she had no doubt that it was the truth. ‘What secrets?’ she said.

  He smiled and, bending down, gently kissed the top of her head. ‘They wouldn’t be secrets if I could just tell you now, would they?’

  Megan sighed; apparently there was a lot of difference between telling the truth and knowing what was going on.

  ‘Come on, it’s time for the speeches.’

  Megan nodded. ‘Okay, I’m just nipping outside.’

  Grandpa Jack lifted an eyebrow but said nothing.

  Outside people were chatting and drinking and no one noticed her slipping into Grandma’s cottage. She wondered if maybe Hannah had gone inside to watch TV too. But she wasn’t there. While she had the chance, Megan changed back into her shorts and tee-shirt and picked up a fleece from the porch. She needed to get to the bottom of all this.

  *

  Thanks to Peter’s announcement, the marquee was filling up nicely. People were filing back to their seats and there was a little buzz of anticipation in the air. Which was unfortunate, Suzie thought, as there wasn’t going to be the planned round of speeches, bad jokes, reminiscences or a film show. Hopefully a couple of toasts and a few words of thanks would be enough to satisfy them and then everyone could pile outside to watch the fireworks.

  Waitresses were busy topping up glasses for the toast and Liz had settled herself down at the top table and was sipping a glass of mineral water.

  ‘What did you say to Peter?’ she asked.

  ‘I just told him to cut it right back, just say a few thank yous,’ she said, although what was actually holding Suzie’s attention was Sam, who was now standing over by the bar, being served with what looked like vodka. This struck her as out of character – he was no drinker. As she looked, he glanced up at her, his expression fixed and unreadable.

  ‘I’m just going to go and have a word with Sam,’ she said. ‘Won’t be a minute.’

  Liz smiled noncommittally.

  ‘Are you going to come and sit down?’ Suzie said as she came up behind Sam. ‘We’re about to start the speeches.’ As her husband turned round, she realised just how drunk he was. ‘Are you okay?’ she asked anxiously.

  ‘You tell me,’ he snapped right back.

  Suzie stared at him. ‘What on earth is the matter, Sam?’

  He snorted. ‘I have to tell you?’

  On stage, Peter Hudson was tapping a glass. ‘Come along, come along, ladies and gentlemen,’ he was saying. ‘Let’s get those bums on seats and glasses in hand, shall we?’

  Suzie glanced at Sam, trying to work out what the problem was. He surely couldn’t still be angry with Hannah. The thought made her look around to see where she had got to – at the moment Hannah certainly had a knack of winding everyone up. Maybe she had said something else to her dad. Suzie wasn’t altogether surprised to find Hannah was nowhere in sight. Megan either, come to that. Maybe they had gone off somewhere together. A couple of years ago, Suzie knew she would probably have been right, but these days – well, Lord only knew where Hannah had got to. Megan was probably around somewhere. Her eyes worked the crowd.

  ‘Can we talk about this when we get home?’ she said. ‘I need to get back up there with Mum and Dad and then go and tell the firework guys that we’re nearly ready—’ But when Suzie looked back, Sam had already walked off, something else which was completely out of character. She didn’t like the way that felt.

  On stage Peter Hudson had picked up a microphone and Suzie hurried across to join her parents on the dais.

  *

  ‘Right,’ said Jack, settling himself down alongside Rose. ‘Well, I’ve worked out what I’m going to say once Peter’s done his bit.’

  Rose smiled. ‘Are you sure you really want to do this?’

  Jack nodded. ‘It’ll be fine. Don’t look so worried.’

  ‘You know that I love you, don’t you?’ Rose said.

  He grinned and leant forward to kiss her. ‘Yes, and at the end of the day, whatever else happens, that’s the main thing, isn’t it?’

  Rose raised her eyebrows, as Peter welcomed everyone to his speech. Hopefully Peter would have the good sense to keep away from the other main thing.

  *

  Further along the table Suzie caught the look that passed between Rose and Jack. They were holding hands, fingers loosely knitted together on the tabletop. As Peter launched into his speech, she saw her father’s fingers tighten around her mother’s, and she hoped that Peter was as good as his word about cats and bags.

  Chapter Twenty

  ‘So,’ Peter said, lifting his glass. ‘In conclusion I’d just like to say what an honour and pleasure it is to be up here, talking to you all again forty years on. I’d ask you all to raise your glasses with me and wish Jack and Rose good health, good luck and happiness and here’s hoping that they have another forty happy years together. The toast is Rose and Jack.’

  To a man, the whole tent lifted its glasses in approval and joined the toast with much stamping and cheering and good humour.

  Suzie smiled. Peter’s speech had been longer than she had hoped, but generally not too bad at all. He’d made a few risqué jokes and a couple of snappy one-liners but had generally kept it short, sweet and funny as promised, and had steered well away from the topics of divorce, separation and the mathematical shortcomings of celebrating the whole forty years. In fact, to give the man his due, he hadn’t dwelt too long on the whole marriage thing at all, concentrating instead on Jack and Rose’s life now, though he had given her a big cheesy wink as he drew the speech to its close.

  Suzie was just about to get up to invite people to join them outside for the fireworks and give the band the nod, when to her surprise her father got to his feet. He was clutching a paper napkin to his chest. There was much hushing and shushing as he took the microphone from Peter.

  ‘What the hell is he doing?’ hissed Liz, leaning around the back of her parents so that she could catch Suzie’s eye.

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Suzie with a pantomime shrug. ‘But at least he knows what’s going on.’

  Liz rolled her eyes. ‘You’d like to think so, wouldn’t you, but have you seen how much wine he’s put away tonight? I’m surprised he can still stand.’

  Jack tapped the microphone experimentally. ‘One-two, one-two,’ he murmured into it, to good humoured laughter and cheering, before unfolding the napkin, clearing his throat and looking out across the sea of faces.

  ‘Just before we all break ranks and get on with the serious business of dancing and drinking and generally being merry, I wanted to say a few words. First of all, a great big thank you from Rose and I to the girls and Sam for this wonderful surprise.’ He turned to look at Liz and Suzie as the applause sounded and then, as it died, continued, ‘Some of you here know the long and not always smooth road that Rose and I have travelled together over the years to get to this evening. We’re deeply touched to see you all here tonight and to be able to share this very special evening with you. You know who you are – our good friends and family, those who have shared the ups and downs, the high days and holidays, the sunshine and the stormy weather and all the things in between.’ He was beaming, his eyes bright with joy.

  Suzie could hear the emotion in her father’s voice and felt her eyes filling with tears.

  ‘One thing that has kept Rose and I coming back for more over the years, above and beyond everything else that has happened, is that we have always loved each other. In the best of times, in the worst of times, right down at the bottom of our hearts there was this little given truth that has kept us going. So tonight, while we’re all together, I just want to tell you all how much I love her and how very glad I am that we’ve shared all these years together and I hope with all my heart that we share many, many more. So bef
ore we get this party started, I give you a toast, my beautiful Rose—’

  As Jack raised his glass to her mum, Suzie felt a great lump in her throat and tears welling up in her eyes. Her father was a strong man, warm and gentle, but she had had no idea just how deep and intense his feelings ran for her mum. Watching the way he looked at Rose now, Suzie felt a great pang of regret. She had to talk to Sam before it was too late. What they had built was also way too precious to lose and whatever the problem was, surely it wasn’t too late to put it right.

  As the last of the cheers faded, the band struck up with the opening chords of ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ – which was so much more appropriate than the anniversary waltz – and Jack led Rose down onto the space in front of the band. People cheered and clapped as he guided her expertly around the floor and a few seconds later they were joined by Peter and Mary Hudson, then a handful of others.

  *

  ‘So, have you thought about it?’ Peter whispered in Fleur’s ear as she joined the queue at the bar a little later.

  ‘Thought about what? I thought you were going to dance the night away with the long-suffering Mary,’ she said.

  ‘Oh come on, surely you haven’t forgotten already? You and me. Me and you.’ He waved the barmaid over. ‘I’ll have a gin and tonic and an orange juice – and what about you, what are you having?’ he asked, nodding towards Fleur’s glass.

  ‘I’m just fine, thank you,’ she said, covering the top with her hand.

  Peter laughed. ‘Oh come on, you weren’t queuing up here for your health. At least let an old friend get you a drink. What are you having?’

  ‘I’ll have a white wine spritzer, please,’ she said to the barmaid, handing her the glass.

  While the girl busied herself pouring drinks, Peter leant in closer. ‘There, that wasn’t so hard now, was it? Feels just like the good old days.’

  Fleur smiled. ‘I thought that we’d already had this conversation. And to be perfectly honest I’m not so sure that they were that good, Peter. What’s to say that if you cheat on one woman that you wouldn’t cheat on another?’

  ‘Oh come on, don’t be such a prude, Fleur. Last time around we were both playing away. It takes two to tango, you know – and I didn’t exactly have to force you, did I?’

  Fleur nodded. ‘You’re right, but you know what? That’s not something I’m particularly proud of. People get hurt . . . and I’ve grown up a lot since then.’

  ‘Grown up or grown old?’ he said, with nasty little laugh that she guessed was meant to hurt.

  ‘I would have said wised up, Peter. Anyway,’ she continued, in an effort to lighten the mood. ‘Let’s leave it alone, shall we? There’s no need to get heavy about it.’

  ‘Who’s getting heavy?’ he said, waving the words away and then, just as she thought he was going to take his drinks and go, he leant in closer and whispered, ‘You maybe want to consider what exactly it is you’re passing up here, honey. There are a lot of women who would like to be in your shoes.’

  ‘You’re probably right,’ she said, holding on tight to her smile, and deliberately misunderstanding him. ‘Successful businesswoman? World traveller, independent, wealthy?’ Deep down in her handbag she could hear her phone ringing again.

  Peter laughed. ‘Come on, sweetie, we both know what I meant. Putting your life on hold, no man, no wedding bells, no kids. All right, professionally you’ve done all right for yourself – but when it comes to your personal life . . .’ he grinned. ‘I mean, honestly . . .’

  ‘Honestly? ’ said Fleur, feeling something cold and dark and furious flare in her chest. Some people just couldn’t take a hint.

  ‘An awful lot of women would be grateful I was showing an interest. Let’s face it, I’m a real catch,’ he purred.

  ‘So’s smallpox,’ Fleur snapped. ‘You wouldn’t know what honest meant if it came up and bit you on the arse. And if you’re trying to bully me into some kind of sordid little fumble while your wife’s back is turned, then boy did you pick the wrong woman . . . sweetie.’

  Peter’s face was a picture.

  *

  They ran and ran, down through the lane, along the footpath and out over the Rec; they ran until all Hannah could hear was the pulse roaring in her ears and she thought her lungs would burst; they ran till her legs felt as if they were on fire. They ran on and on until she didn’t think she could run another step and then they ran some more.

  Finally Hannah followed Sadie in through a gap in a hedge and into a derelict farmyard beyond. There was a tumbledown barn and a row of sheds in the yard, which formed an angle framing rusting machinery and crumbling oil and water tanks covered in what looked like a hundred years’ worth of creepers and dead grass.

  Inside one of the barns Sadie finally stopped and, setting the bottles of drink down on the ground, collapsed onto the pile of crumbling straw bales, sucking in air like it was going out of style.

  ‘Oh Jesus, I’ve got a proper stitch now, bloody hell . . . What a run – I thought they were going to catch us for sure,’ Sadie said, rolling over onto her back and drawing her knees up to her chest. ‘Bloody hell. I can barely breathe.’

  Tucker threw himself down alongside Sadie, holding the bottles aloft like trophies, while Hannah slumped onto another of the bales.

  ‘Shame Simon chickened out really, eh?’ said Sadie, still breathing hard. ‘We could have had a proper party then, lit a bonfire, stayed out all night – or you too scared, Han? You wanting to go home already?’ She said it in a mocking baby voice.

  ‘No, I’m cool, great idea – he’ll be pissed he’s missing out, huh?’ Hannah said, with feigned indifference. She didn’t want to even think about the reception she was going to get when she got home. ‘So where is Simon, anyone know?’

  ‘Bottled it,’ said Sadie, sitting up to inspect their spoils. ‘He was worried about getting into trouble, so he buggered off home, I reckon. He’s not here anyway and that’s the main thing. But we are.’ She whooped jubilantly. ‘So we get the booze. Come on then, Tucker, let’s deal it out, shall we?’

  ‘Lightweight,’ said Tucker conversationally, cracking open one of the bottles of blue alcopops and taking a long pull. ‘So, you reckon we should stay here or head back to your place, Sadie?’ he said, wiping the top of the bottle before passing it on to Sadie. Sadie gulped the booze down, gasping as she pulled the bottle away and wiped her lips.

  Before she could reply, they heard the whiz and crack of a rocket from somewhere not too far away shooting up into the night sky, followed an instant later by a great chrysanthemum of red and gold flashes against the rolling, slate-grey clouds.

  ‘Fireworks,’ commented Tucker unnecessarily, as another rocket cracked into the darkness, exploding with a great burst of silver and gold rain in among the stars. ‘Wow, they’re cool. Are they coming from your gran’s place?’

  Hannah nodded. She had been looking forward to the fireworks.

  ‘I love fireworks. We should have maybe hung around a bit longer,’ said Tucker, eyes fixed on the sky.

  ‘Yeah right, hung around and got caught. Don’t be such a dipstick, Tucker.’

  He sniffed. ‘I was only saying. So are we going to your place then?’

  ‘Dunno,’ she said, handing the bottle on to Hannah. Hannah pretended to take a swig and then another. The drink was sweet and sticky on her lips and it was tempting to have some for real.

  Above them a turquoise and yellow cascade of twinkling, clattering sparks lit them up like the flare from a Very pistol.

  ‘Come on, don’t hog it,’ snapped Tucker. ‘You’re not going to be sick again, are you?’

  Hannah shot him a killer look and then licked her lips and passed the bottle back. ‘No, are you ?’ she growled and then to Sadie she said, ‘So are we staying here?’

  ‘Yeah, that would be a great idea,’ said Tucker. ‘We could light a fire, like you said. It’s getting dark, we could watch the fireworks, it’d be great.’

  Sadi
e laughed. ‘Don’t tell me you’re frightened of the dark, big man.’

  Tucker looked hurt. ‘Do I look as if I’m frightened of the dark?’ he said, which made Hannah suspect that he probably was.

  He got to his feet and began grubbing around for paper and sticks, but Sadie stopped him.

  ‘If we light a fire here someone is just bound to spot it. Last thing we want is the law sniffing round. No, we’ll give it a minute or two and then head round to my place. We should have the place to ourselves. Give Hannah’s family a chance to head on by if they’re chasing us, and if not – well, what’s the rush?’

  Above them a lime-green flash lit up the night like a lurid unhealthy sun.

  ‘Cool,’ whispered Tucker.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Fleur pulled her phone out of her bag.

  ‘Hello?’ she snapped into the mouthpiece, watching Peter Hudson scuttle back through the crowd towards his wife. Bastard. Fleur wondered if Mary had any idea what kind of man she was married to. Outside, the fireworks were cracking and rattling and hissing into the night sky. She could hear the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from the guests from where she was standing inside the tent. Apparently Mary was keen to see them too and was making for the exit.

  ‘We must have got cut off before,’ Frank was saying into Fleur’s ear. ‘The signal’s still not great. How’s it going?’

  Fleur really wasn’t in the mood for small talk. ‘Look, thanks for ringing, Frank, but now is really not a good time. It’s not that I’m not pleased to hear from you,’ she began, still with her eye on Peter’s back. ‘But, like I said, I’m right in the middle of my sister’s party and I can barely hear you above the fireworks.’