Matt’s eyes widened as Lisa’s defiant expression slumped. He was smiling widely but it seemed as if his wife might cry. Fay realised how tired she looked. She was barely twenty. They were a couple of kids. Fay spoke briskly over Matt’s thanks. ‘So enjoy your evening. Have whatever drinks you like. There’s some food coming round soon.’
‘Well done,’ murmured Len, falling into step beside her as she walked away. ‘That was decent of you.’
Fay shot him a sideways look. ‘Don’t think I’m going completely soft.’
Chapter 35
Roz sighed with relief as she saw Amy finally come through the double doors into the ballroom.
Her daughter was wearing the new top Roz had bought her, over her favourite torn jeans. Beside her was an attractive teenager with long glossy black hair and a short sparkly dress. As Roz began to move through the knots of guests to join them, she stopped in her tracks as a tall figure came through the entrance behind them. Shit. In all the worry about Sherie, she’d forgotten he’d be here.
Jamie was wearing a pale shirt and carrying a huge armful of flowers. Roz realised she was holding her breath as she watched him say something to the girls and then weave through the bodies to where Charlotte was standing in a large chattering group. As Roz stood rooted, Jamie kissed Charlotte and appeared to be introduced to Laura. He kissed her too. He put the flowers in Charlotte’s arms and kissed her again.
He was certainly touchy-feely tonight!
Charlotte jerked her head towards the stage and walked towards it holding the huge bouquet. Jamie seemed to hesitate and then he walked after her. As they passed Fay, Roz saw Fay throw back her head and laugh at something. Len was beside her. Roz saw him put his hand on Fay’s back. She swallowed, suddenly feeling unaccountably alone.
‘Mum, this is Lucinda,’ Amy had appeared at her side and Roz pasted a bright smile on her face as she greeted Jamie’s daughter.
‘How lovely to meet you.’
‘Her dad’s here too.’
‘Oh really?’ Roz could hear her voice, unnaturally high and false. She glanced across the room. She couldn’t see Charlotte or Jamie.
‘It’s very nice of you to come,’ she said, turning back to Lucinda. ‘What would you like to drink?’
‘Cosmopolitans,’ said Amy immediately.
Roz pulled a face. ‘I don’t think so. They won’t serve you anyway. You can have a mouthful of this – she handed Amy her champagne flute – and then you get a coke or whatever.’ She grabbed the last remaining glass from a passing waiter, and raised her eyebrows at Lucinda. ‘Will your father mind if you have a sip?’
Lucinda shook her head. ‘Oh no, Dad’s cool.’
Yes – Roz had forgotten. She’d felt a strange jolt through her at the sight of his tall frame and brown floppy hair, and had half-wished, as she saw his hands on Charlotte’s shoulders, his head bending towards her …
Lucinda had politely handed the glass back to her. Amy was still guzzling from the first one. ‘Enough!’ said Roz, retrieving it. ‘Go and get something soft.’
Before the two girls could move, Charlotte bore down on the them, hugging them both. ‘Bex is over there – she’s really looking forward to seeing you,’ she told Amy. ‘Ask her to get you a mocktail – the virgin mojitos are the business.’ She nodded towards Roz’s hands. ‘Don’t want to end up a lush like your mother.’ She grinned. ‘Two at once – respect!’
Roz shook her head, smiling. ‘You having a good time?’ she asked, as Amy and Lucinda wandered off.
‘I am!’ said Charlotte. ‘Bloody fantastic actually – and it’s about time you did.’
‘Oh, I’m fine.’ Roz sipped at one of the glasses. ‘Just still in a bit of shock about Sherie, you know.’
‘She’ll be OK. We’ll make sure she is.’ Charlotte took one of the glasses from Roz and poured the last bit of champagne into the other one. ‘Come on, I’ve got something to show you before the band gets up there.’
Roz followed Charlotte across the dance floor, carrying her glass. Her friend looked arresting in a three-quarter length turquoise dress and bold turquoise and silver jewellery, her mass of blonde curls floating behind her as she manoeuvred her way through the throngs, pausing constantly as people stopped to congratulate them.
They eventually reached the stage, where to Roz’s surprise, Charlotte pushed open the stage door and beckoned Roz to follow her. They went up some steps and round behind a curtain. ‘Quick,’ said Charlotte, ‘before anyone notices us.’ She scuttled off across the back of the stage, behind the band’s equipment, heading for more steps opposite. ‘Up here!’
Roz went after her, dodging cables and music stands. ‘What is this?’
Charlotte had disappeared above her round the curve of the stairway – ‘It’s the dressing room.’
Roz came into a small room with two chairs and some jackets hanging in a cubby hole. A mirror ran along one wall. On the dressing table below it, were three bouquets in cellophane and green tissue, tied with silver ribbons.
‘From Jamie,’ said Charlotte. ‘He brought us one each.’
‘That was kind of him,’ Roz said, as she realised, startled, that there was someone else in the room.
‘Happy Birthday,’ said Jamie.
‘Thank you.’ Roz stepped forward and picked up one of the arrangements, dipping her face towards the blooms to hide her confusion. ‘I love roses and freesias. They’re beautiful.’
‘And so are you,’ Jamie smiled at her. ‘You are all looking very lovely tonight.’
Charlotte beamed.
‘Right,’ she said. ‘I’ll leave you to it. I have an urgent appointment with another glass of champagne.’
Roz glanced at Jamie, embarrassed. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Talk!’ instructed Charlotte. ‘And then make a dinner date or something. Oh,’ she added, as Roz cringed, ‘do you and Luci want to come to the Hangover Breakfast?’
Roz’s heart sank. This was excruciating. She knew Charlotte meant well but she did wish her friend wouldn’t interfere. She’d explained she didn’t want to be getting any closer to him while he had a girlfriend. She’d only end up being upset. Seeing him again, she was aware how attractive Jamie was, how if she saw him too much, it wouldn’t be enough just to be friends …
She didn’t want him there at breakfast but she could hardly complain when it was Charlotte’s house.
‘I’m sure Jamie isn’t short of dinner companions,’ she said stiffly. ‘I’d better get back to the party too. Thank you for the–’
‘Stay!’ commanded Charlotte, moving rapidly through the door at the same time, as Jamie said: ‘Please just wait a minute …’
Charlotte had gone. Roz stood looking at Jamie, her arms still full of flowers. He smiled at her and her stomach gave a little flip.
‘I would really love to have dinner with you again,’ he said quietly. ‘I had a wonderful time and I’ve been so disappointed that you’ve been ignoring me ever since. May I ask why?’
‘Because your girlfriend was upset that night. The girlfriend you told me you didn’t have. Lucinda told Amy she was sitting in your house crying while you were out with me. I don’t want to be involved with anything like that.’ Roz was aware how stuffy she sounded, and reminded herself how eminently reasonable her argument was. ‘I don’t know why you didn’t just tell the truth,’ she added in a harder tone.
‘I did,’ said Jamie. ‘Caro isn’t a girlfriend. She’s an ex-colleague who I go out to dinner or the theatre with, occasionally. Usually when she’s had a row with her boyfriend and wants someone to talk to about it.’ He gazed at Roz. ‘Which was what had happened that night. He’s an utter arsehole – but she can’t see it. I made her a coffee and gave her a hug and she went home.’
Roz was silent, filled with a sudden and fierce longing for him to put his arms around her. ‘But I gather there are lots of other women too,’ she said eventually.
Jamie smiled again. ‘There have bee
n a few,’ he admitted. ‘I have, since my marriage broke up, been what I believe they call, playing the field. Or what my daughter refers to as ‘putting it about’. She is very moralistic and disapproving as only the young can be.’ Roz felt her own mouth straighten into a censorious line. ‘But only because,’ he went on more seriously. ‘I haven’t found anyone I want to have anything long-term with – or who wants to do so with me,’ he added. ‘And there haven’t been that many. My daughter also exaggerates.’
‘Sounded like a veritable stampede the way I heard it,’ Roz gave a half smile.
‘I wish.’ Jamie stepped forward and took the flowers gently from her and laid them back down. Then he reached for one of her hands. ‘What I do wish is that you would believe me that I am not some ageing Lothario, I’m just a bit of a romantic – I’ve been waiting to find someone who was absolutely right.’
‘Hmm, well, no-one’s perfect,’ said Roz, feeling self-conscious under his scrutiny.
‘Indeed not – but you’re looking pretty close from here.’
‘You hardly know me.’ He was still holding her hand. Roz liked the feel of his warm strong fingers entwined with hers.
‘That’s what I’m hoping to rectify.’ He smelled of shampoo and an earthy, spicy aftershave. His brown eyes were questioning and Roz felt things shift inside her.
‘Dinner?’ he enquired, eyebrows raised. ‘See how we get on?’
She nodded.
He drew her towards him, wrapping his arms around her and holding her in a hug. She felt cared for, safe, small. It was a strange unfamiliar feeling – one she could barely remember. A tiny panicky bit inside wondered if she dared relax into it, and take it for real, but then he stood apart from her, and pushed back her hair and, giving her one more long look, bent to kiss her, and she realised she already had …
The canapés had been circulated, the buffet laid out, and the band were tuning up. ‘I love these,’ said Fay, leaning out to a passing waitress and taking another mini Yorkshire pudding, heaped with beef and horseradish. ‘I wonder if they’ve got any of the spicy sausages left.’
‘It’s great grub.’ Beside her Len had given up on the champagne and had a pint of real ale in his hand. ‘I hope you’re still going to dance with me later?’
‘Might well do.’ Fay smiled at him, surprised at how right it felt to have him with her like this. Once she would have been irritated if he’d stuck to her all evening – now she felt a little flicker of pleasure each time he returned to check how she was, solicitous about fetching her drinks, enquiring if she was enjoying herself sufficiently. ‘Don’t need any of that,’ she’d said tersely when he’d said he wanted to look after her. But it had been so long since anyone had cared like this … she realised she quite liked it.
‘Who are you hoping for?’ she asked now, as she saw his eyes flick towards the door. ‘Please don’t tell me there’s some ghastly strippogram ordered because I tell you now, I shall be most unamused.’
‘Someone made the mistake of thinking it would be funny to get one on her forty-fifth,’ said Charlotte, descending with a smoked salmon blini in her hand. ‘We had to buy the poor bastard a brandy he was so traumatised.’
Fay laughed. ‘Un-sexiest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I told him not to even think about it!’
Charlotte grinned. ‘I’ve come to say that I think we should do the speech in a minute. Cos the band are ready to go. When Roz reappears let’s jump up on stage and say thanks and do the shout-out …’
‘Where is Roz?’
‘In a clinch I hope.’ Charlotte looked pleased with herself. ‘I have been playing Cupid.’
‘Well keep doing it to yourself too – I’m glad to see you and the old boy loved up again.’
‘Yeah – we’re OK. Bless him. He just said to me–’
‘FAY!’
Fay swung round as a dark-haired man of about her age touched her shoulder. She stared at him with a frown. Then gaped. ‘OH my Lord!’
‘Yes,’ said the man, as Charlotte looked on curiously. ‘It is me Emilio.’ He kissed her on both cheeks. ‘It is so long since I’m seeing you and still you are not change.’
Fay grinned widely. ‘You haven’t changed a bit,’ she corrected. ‘And neither have you.’ She hugged him hard. ‘I cannot believe it. What a surprise. Where is Jorge?’
‘He is in the toilet.’
‘Oh Lord,’ she said again. ‘Charlotte, Len – this is my old flat mate from Spain. My dear friend …’
Emilio took Charlotte’s hand and kissed it. ‘Ah Len–’ Emilio held out his hand to the older man. ‘Thank you for the ask.’
‘What?’ Fay looked from one to the other.
Len smiled. ‘I found his email address on your computer …’
‘Quite the secret bloody agent these days!’ Fay spontaneously kissed him on the cheek. ‘But thank you, thank you. I am so happy.’
‘You deserve to be.’ Len kissed her back. ‘You’re special.’
Propped up against the extra pillow Helen Stewart had brought her, Sherie looked at her phone. Nate was still holding her other hand. ‘Charlotte says I’ve got to add Becky as a friend because she’s going to Facebook live from the party at 9.30 p.m. She says I’ve got to watch.’
‘Well you’d better then. Have another chocolate.’
Sherie smiled at him fondly. ‘You’re not going to turn out to be a feeder, are you?’
‘Only to Marquis. Though I would like to make you my amazing Thai chicken and lemon grass curry.’
‘I would like to try it.’
‘And I do a very fine cheese omelette.’
‘One of my favourites.’ Sherie gripped his hand more tightly. ‘I’m so scared.’
‘It’s going to be OK. Look at Fay – how long ago did you say she had it?’
‘Nearly ten years. But Fay is so tough and brave and I’m just not like that.’
‘I don’t think Fay is really either – she’s just built a tough front.’
‘She was so good today,’ Sherie swallowed. ‘We haven’t always got on but she was so kind. Reassuring.’
‘She’s great,’ said Nate with feeling. ‘Straight. I like her a lot – and your friend Roz seems really nice too–’
‘And Charlotte. They’re all lovely. I’m so lucky to have them.’
‘I’m going to make you feel lucky to have me too.’ Nate squeezed her hand.
‘I already do.’ She leant over and kissed him. Then turned her phone so they could both see. ‘Look. It’s starting …’
Charlotte, Fay and Roz stood on the front of the stage. Charlotte had the microphone and had finally managed to get everyone quiet, helped by Roger banging a fork against a glass below, and was waving a champagne flute at the crowd filling the dance floor.
‘As you all know,’ she said loudly. ‘Our lovely friend Sherie should be here with us tonight. Unfortunately, however, she’s unwell in hospital. So we’re going to raise a toast to her and we want you all to sing.’
‘Loudly!’ Fay had a mike from somewhere too and she pulled Roz towards her to share it.
‘I’m slightly drunk!’ Charlotte grinned at her friends below. ‘So I’ll keep the next bit short!’
‘I’ll believe that when I see it!’ came a shout from below, and Charlotte grinned. ‘We all three want to say a big thank you to you all for coming to share our special evening – it means everything to us to have our family and friends here.’ She smiled down at Roger and Laura, and Becky and Joe, at the front of the crowd below her. ‘And all those we love,’ she said waving her arm again to encompass them all. Roz looked across the room to where Jamie, his height making him easy to spot in the throng, was smiling. He blew her a kiss.
‘My beautiful Becky is filming us so that Sherie can see us all,’ Charlotte nodded down at her daughter who rolled her eyes, ‘so we’ve all got something to say. Love you Sherie – see you soon – we’ll have another party just for you!’ Below her, Sherie’s sister Alis
on was making her way through the crowd. Charlotte waved at her.
‘Hang in there, Kid!’ Fay looked directly into Bex’s phone and put a thumb up.
‘Loads of love and see you tomorrow!’ Roz added, blowing kisses at the camera.
‘Now,’ yelled Charlotte, ‘we’re going to sing Happy Birthday on this momentous milestone for us all – our joint half-century … but especially–’
‘Let’s get on with it!’ said Fay. ‘Come on you lot …’
‘For Sherie!’ shouted Roz.
The room erupted into a raggedy but enthusiastic rendition of Happy Birthday, Len leading the singing with a surprisingly booming voice.
Happy Birthday to you …
Happy Birthday to you …
Four miles away in her hospital bed, Sherie watched with tears running down her face. ‘It’s not even for another three months yet,’ she said, smiling as she wiped her eyes. ‘I wanted to hang onto forty-nine till the last possible minute.’
‘It’s only a number.’ Nate had squeezed himself onto the bed and had his arm round her.
‘I know,’ Sherie sighed, pointing to the dressing on her chest. ‘And this all rather puts things in perspective.’
Happy Birthday dear Sher-ie …
‘You’ll always be beautiful, however old you are,’ murmured Nate.
Happy Birthday to you …
Sherie smiled at the figures on the screen. Charlotte looked fairly plastered but immensely happy, Fay and Roz looked quite joyful too.
Charlotte was still addressing the gathering. ‘So, raise your glasses everyone to Sherie, to wish her a rapid recovery and a wonderful sixth decade …’
‘OK don’t rub it in,’ muttered Sherie, half touched, half embarrassed. Nate chuckled. ‘They love you.’
‘And to all of us!’ put in Fay. ‘To Charlotte and Roz!’
‘And Fay,’ added Roz.
The guests raised glasses again. ‘Sherie, Charlotte, Roz and Fay!’ came the refrain. The camera panned round the sea of faces, lingering on the cake – a tall, three-block affair with a silver five and a silver zero, artfully arranged on the top. ‘Looks like a modern sculpture,’ said Sherie approvingly, as the camera came back to the stage.
The Big Five O Page 24