by Clare Lydon
“Who indeed.” Stevie yawned and stretched her hands up over her head – her muscles wheezed as she arched backwards. “You sleep okay?”
“Yeah – that Rattler knocked me out. That and the gin when we got back.”
“That’ll do it – especially the measures Tash was pouring.” Stevie paused. “Wish I could get the hang of sleeping again.”
They stared at each other silently for a few seconds before Stevie began again.
“You think Kat’s alright? She shot off to bed when we got back from the pub and she looked a bit on edge there, too.”
Geri shrugged. “Probably just tired – it was a long drive.”
“Not like Kat, though – she’s party-girl central normally. Did you notice she wasn’t drinking, either?”
“Maybe Abby’s tamed her,” Geri said. “And after last time, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.”
“Maybe.” Stevie paused, reassessed, changed the subject. Something wasn’t right with Kat but she’d get it out of her over the next three days. “So how’s the world of crime-fighting going? Is London a safer place to walk because of you?”
Geri snorted. “Crime never goes out of fashion, so it’s all good.” She paused. “And our drug squad just did a big drugs bust in East London, so if you want to get some cocaine for your Saturday night out, you might be out of luck.”
“Ha!” Stevie said. “Did you sneak some for yourself?”
Geri smiled. “Not my department or the done thing.”
“Shame – we could have truly relived our university days.” As the kettle boiled, Stevie grabbed the cafetière from the shelf and leant her hip against the counter. “God, I haven’t done drugs for ages. Have you?”
“Negative.” Geri shook her head. “Could that be something to do with the fact we’re not 21 anymore and have responsible jobs?”
“It makes no sense though, does it? I mean, we’ve got the cash to buy them now, haven’t we?” Stevie looked puzzled.
“That’s true. But if push came to shove, you’d probably spend it on new homeware than weed or speed, wouldn’t you? Some lovely new pasta bowls or a bone-china mug would give you far more pleasure.” Geri grinned at her summation.
“How did you know we need new pasta bowls?” Stevie added coffee to the pot and filled it to the top.
“I’ll have one of those please.” Laura yawned as she walked across to hug the two women good morning. She was dressed in red pyjamas and her long dark hair was flyaway this morning.
“Another couple not having sex – what’s going on?” Geri said.
Stevie flinched but Laura laughed.
“We had a drunken shag last night if you’re keeping tabs. Besides, Tash is not a morning person. Believe me, I’ve tried,” she said. “What were you two gassing about, anyhow?”
“Drugs and where to get them,” Geri said.
“Isn’t that bad in your line of work?” Laura yawned again.
“It’s not me,” Geri replied. “Stevie’s decided she truly wants to relive our youth.”
Laura didn’t look convinced. “Really? I haven’t even had a cup of coffee yet.”
Laura sat at the large white table in the dining room, just off the kitchen. She watched as Stevie plunged the cafetière then filled the mugs, bringing her one.
“Your head alright this morning?” Stevie asked.
“Yep,” Laura said. “I paced a bit. We eating in tonight?”
“That’s the plan,” Stevie said. “Vic can work her magic later, then we can go to the pub tomorrow.”
“FlowerPot?”
“Yep.”
“Perfect – then Gimps can try to charm the barmaid and settle our bet.” Laura grinned.
Geri looked put out. “I’m not just here for your amusement, you know.”
“Yes you are – you’re youngish, free and single, you are completely here for our entertainment,” Laura said. “None of us are going to pull anyone else, are we? We’re all married!”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth Laura looked at Stevie and pulled a face. The sentence vibrated in the air as if the music had stalled.
“Sorry, Stevie, I didn’t mean… shit,” Laura began.
Stevie waved her right hand through the air, batting the statement away. “It’s fine. We’re getting over it, so don’t worry.” She almost meant it, too. “Besides, I don’t want everyone walking around on eggshells this weekend because of it.”
“I know, but still…” Laura’s face had flushed burlesque red.
“How are things, though? I didn’t like to ask with Vic there too last night,” Geri said.
“We’re getting there, slowly,” Stevie said with a not-quite-as-indifferent-as-she’d-hoped shrug.
“She seems genuinely sorry – I mean, she was so upset when it happened,” Laura said.
Laura and Vic had always been close and, truth be told, Laura knew about the fling before Stevie. However, these were facts that shouldn’t be disclosed right now – or, in fact, ever.
“Not as upset as me,” Stevie said. Defensive.
“You know what I mean.” Laura risked a glance at Stevie before bouncing her focus around the room.
Stevie shook her head and pursed her lips. “I don’t want to talk about this really – I’m bored with it, I’ve talked about nothing else for six months. This is a weekend off to have some time together. Like the old days when we didn’t have adult problems. Remember them?”
Stevie smiled wistfully but Geri laughed as she swung round on her stool.
“Nah, that’s just your memory clouding things,” Geri said. “We had bigger problems back then. Like how to carry ten pints of cider and black back from the bar when the tray will only fit six?”
Stevie threw her head back, a laugh catching in her throat. “Those were the days. And I know the answer to that problem – drink the other four at the bar.” Stevie laughed some more at her own joke.
“Don’t know about you but I’m starving – shall we make a start on breakfast?” Laura got up and headed for the fridge. “If I put the bacon on, I bet the others will come down. It works with Taylor and Alex at any rate.” Laura located the bacon and put it on the countertop, closely followed by the eggs.
“How are the kids?” Stevie asked. She’d already decided to forgive Laura, which she thought was rather magnanimous of her.
Laura turned, considering the question. “You know… kids.”
Stevie nodded. Being a teacher, she’d dealt with enough parents to know how you were meant to react – conspiratorially.
Laura grinned, telling her she’d passed the test. “Nah, they’re good. With their father for a whole four days. I’m not sure who’s more scared of the possible outcomes – them or us. Still, he does have his parents just down the road, which I think is what finally persuaded Tash to leave them that long.”
“Is he really that bad?” Stevie asked, as Laura sliced open the packet of bacon with a small black-handled knife and began arranging them in a bacon jigsaw on the grill. Stevie heard Laura snort.
“He’s okay, just a bit clueless at times. Tash did most things before she left, but now she’s gone he’s still trying to figure out how to cope and be a dad. Even after all this time. But he’s never been anything but nice to me, to be fair to him.” Laura reached to turn on the grill, still with her back to Geri and Stevie. “I can’t help it if his wife threw herself at me, can I?”
Geri laughed. “She’s only human after all. I mean, remember Steph at uni – and Kat last time?”
Laura spun at such dramatic speed that both Geri and Stevie snapped to attention. Laura clicked together the kitchen tongs in her fingers and stood frozen to the spot, shaking her head rapidly. The tongs snapped together in the resulting silence.
“She doesn’t know.” Laura was using such an exaggerated whisper it was almost a hushed shout.
“Who doesn’t know?” Stevie
asked in the same tone of voice, as if she were a Hollywood diva saving her voice for the concert of her life.
“Tash – she doesn’t know about Kat. You know, last time.” Laura had the decency to look embarrassed at least.
“And you don’t want her to know, I take it?” Grim amusement coated Geri’s words.
Laura rolled her eyes. “I’m not whispering for no reason,” she hissed, nearly loud enough for the whole house to hear. “She’s just… funny about Kat, that’s all.”
Stevie walked to the counter, removed the tongs from her hands and put an arm around her. “Sweetheart, Kat was five years before you two got together, so why would it be a big deal?” The question was rhetorical. “But we won’t utter a word, will we Gimps?”
Geri scowled. “It’s already forgotten. Unlike the casual use of my nickname.”
***
Half an hour later the whole crew were sitting down tucking into bacon, eggs, beans and tomatoes. Hot toast made steamy patterns on a plate in the centre of the table and a pot of tea was waiting to be poured.
Vic smiled shyly at Stevie as their hands clashed going for the scrambled eggs.
Tash’s hair was still bedhead, ginger and wiry.
Geri was ploughing through her plate of food at rapid pace.
Kat and Abby were the only two already showered and dressed. Stevie noted that Abby’s hair was already perfect at 11am and didn’t know whether to be impressed or appalled – nobody’s hair should be that perfect at this time of the morning on holiday.
“So are we going to do some coastal path today?” Tash asked between mouthfuls of breakfast. Being a mother, she tended to do the organising in the group along with teacher Stevie – taking charge was second nature to both of them. The group nodded as one.
“I was having a look at the map yesterday and I reckon there’s a good eight-mile loop we can do, take in a beach, have lunch then come back for dinner.”
“Sounds good,” said Geri. “Stu’s not coming till this evening now as Darren’s running late – he texted me earlier to say go ahead with plans and he’d meet us later.”
“Shame, I want to give our boy a hug,” Laura said.
“Not Darren?” Geri asked, smirking.
“Let’s hope his train’s delayed, shall we?” Laura replied.
Laura
Tash was on the phone when Laura got out of the shower. From her smile and relaxed tone, Laura guessed she was talking to her younger daughter, Taylor.
Laura’s calves and buttocks ached from the walk today and she knew she’d be sore tomorrow. She didn’t mind, though – aching from physical exertion was a pleasure she enjoyed, climbing out of her mind and into her body.
Laura had surprised everyone in the group when she’d got together with Tash, a single mother with two young girls in tow. But as she always said, she hadn’t planned it: the children simply came as part of the package, an unexpected bonus prize.
It was five years ago when Laura had decided to move out of her house-share in Benfleet, Essex, and so she’d arranged to view a prospective flat to buy. When the ginger-haired estate agent got out of her red Golf wearing heels and a certain swagger, Laura knew instantly the day wouldn’t be a total write-off.
The flat itself had been a disaster, smelling of damp and looking like a place where you’d come to die a grizzly death. However, Laura had still nodded and made encouraging noises, her interest piqued. She had picked up a certain vibe from this estate agent and had admired the way she stood with her hands jammed into the side pockets of her mint green trousers.
Laura had looked at a few more flats she wasn’t really interested in just to get into Tash’s red Golf again before she’d plucked up the courage to ask her out for a drink. Tash’s eyes had widened but she’d accepted. That was then.
Now, Laura walked over to Tash, who stroked her leg as she dropped her towel. Laura walked naked around the room trying to locate the body lotion – she mimed squirting the bottle to Tash, who pointed her back to the bathroom. Laura heard Tash say her goodbyes into her mobile phone, then within seconds she was standing in the bathroom doorway watching her moisturise.
Tash leant in and gave Laura a kiss full on the lips, then simply leant.
“All good?” Laura said.
Tash nodded. “Yep, they sound happy. Simon’s taking them to his parents today and they’re sleeping over. I wonder if that means he’s got a new woman on the go or whether he’s just being lazy.” Tash looked thoughtful.
“Well, they love going there so I’m sure they’re happy whatever. Did he remember Taylor’s medicine?” Laura put her leg up onto the closed toilet seat and rubbed cream into her left calf with some vigour.
“Yep, he seems to be doing okay in daddy duties so far. Maybe he’s growing up at last.”
“Let’s not go too far,” Laura said.
Tash smiled. “Maybe we should get an en-suite built in our house – then the kids won’t steal our expensive creams and I could stand in the doorway watching you naked all the time.”
“You’d soon get bored.”
“I doubt it,” Tash said, winking.
Friday Night Dinner
Laura eventually made it down to the lounge, hair still bouncy from hairdryer heat.
“Check out that view.” Laura walked right up to the window to breathe it in. It truly was a spectacular panorama, the sea a sparkling carpet of diamonds stretching as far as the eye could see.
“Trumps my arrival, clearly,” Stu said. He got up with a creak before walking over to the window. “And check out your hair – it’s like you’ve just stepped out of a salon.”
Laura turned to smile up at him warmly. “Or maybe I was born with it.” Laura let herself be embraced by her old friend who, at over 6ft, easily towered over all the women.
When Stu let go, he pushed Laura out to arm’s length and took her in. “You were born with something,” he said. “But I gotta say, you’re looking glowing Ms Turner. Motherhood clearly suits you.”
“Or a weekend away from motherhood.” Laura hugged him back.
“Pish and pash, I’ve met those children – they’re adorable.” Stu took her hand and led her towards the group – Geri on one sofa, Kat and Abby on the other.
“No Darren?” Laura said.
“Not yet.” Stu waved his phone in the air as if it was a physical representation of his boyfriend. “He got held up at work. Gives me a chance to catch up with my girls anyway, so I don’t mind.”
Stu pulled down his green T-shirt as he sat and Laura caught a glimpse of his hairy stomach and back. She remembered going on holiday with Stu back in their uni days and how odd it was to be rubbing sun cream onto someone so hairy.
“Where’s your better half?” Stu asked as Laura sat next to Gimpy, the sofa wheezing slightly as she did so.
“She won’t be long. Did I hear Vic in the kitchen already?”
Kat nodded from across the room, licking her lips. “Yep – concocting dinner for us all, the saint.”
“She’s a keeper, that one,” Laura said.
Everyone felt the weight of the comment as it toppled out of Laura’s mouth and spun on the floor, taking an age to finally stop. Laura wondered when she’d stop saying the wrong thing when it came to Vic and Stevie this weekend. She squeezed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger and grimaced slightly.
“Let’s hope Stevie thinks so, too,” Stu said, confirming what was on everyone else’s mind.
“What should I be thinking?” The whole group jumped as Stevie entered the room.
Stu sprang up and hugged her warmly. “We were just saying how fab a cook your wife is and is it beer o’clock yet?”
Geri smiled up at Stu’s quick thinking, while Stevie glanced down at her watch.
“It’s 7pm so I’d say it’s definitely beer o’clock. And since when am I the beer-keeper?”
“Since now,” Stu said. “Hands up
for beer,” he said, holding both his hands high in the air – he nearly touched the ceiling.
Geri put up her hand as did Stevie and Laura. First to react were Kat and Abby who jumped up from the sofa.
“We’ll get them.” The pair brushed past Stu at some speed.
***
In the kitchen, Abby and Kat stood over the steaming pan of lamb tagine. Kat removed the lid, sucked in the resultant steam and made suitably enthusiastic noises as Vic shooed them away.
Kat already knew Vic was not a fan of kitchen crawlers while she was in the middle of creating and this invasion fell squarely into that category – but it was still an act they played out every time.
“Put the lid back on so it can cook – go on, skit!” Vic replaced the lid on the pot. She had a can of chickpeas in one hand, a tin opener in the other.
“Smells fab – I’m getting hungry now.” Abby grinned at her.
“Well, that’s for dinner – I’m just putting some canapés together for starters, too. So bugger off while I do.” She clapped her hands in front of her stomach.
“All hail Delia,” Kat said, bowing.
“You haven’t tasted it yet.” There wasn’t an ounce of conviction in Vic’s statement. She put the tin and opener down on the side.
“Don’t be modest, sweetheart, it doesn’t suit you,” Kat replied, giving her old friend a hug.
Vic accepted without a murmur.
“We’re getting beers – you want one?” Abby poked her head around the fridge door.
“Please.”
Abby scowled into her phone before pocketing it, then unloaded the bottles of Peroni onto the counter-top.
“Still being good?” Vic asked, eyeing six bottles.
“For now,” Kat smiled. “Going to make us some tea, would you believe.” She walked around Vic and filled the kettle.
“Good for you,” Vic replied.
Abby gave Kat a kiss on the cheek as she left the kitchen, beers in hand.
Vic stirred the tagine, opened the tin of chickpeas and drained them before adding them to the pan. Then she went back to making her tapas starters – garlic prawns, croquettes, ham, olives, chorizo, cheese.