Drip Dry (35 page)

‘No worries,' he laughs as he follows my gaze.

‘It'll be sort of like an affair.' I muse over the possibilities. ‘But listen, only once in a while. I don't need you on my case every second night.'

‘Likewise, my dear.' Alex refills both our glasses. ‘And I propose a toast – to us, and our sordid affair.
May we satiate each other – intellectually, emotionally and physically! Perhaps we could even try one of those newfangled forty-niners?'

‘Don't push it.'

‘Worth a try. But if we're having an affair anyway, could I have a copy of that tape?'

‘No.'

‘You've still got that mole, you know. I checked it out.'

‘Still no.'

‘I'll have to tape my own then,' he says laughing. ‘Anyway, here's to us – cheers!'

‘Cheers!' I concur as I raise my glass and drink deeply. I am feeling extremely content – much like the cat that got the proverbial cream, in fact. I smile at Alex and he smiles back. Hmm, I wonder when our next Tuesday night will be?

Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. There goes that damn spoon and glass trick again. I look up and this time it's my mother calling for everyone's attention. Harold beams next to her as she beats the glass with her spoon one more time and silence falls over the garden.

‘I promise this is the last little speech you'll hear this afternoon! And it will be fairly short and sweet. Firstly, I'd like to let you know that the coffee and desserts are being prepared and will be brought out shortly –' she waves her hand majestically towards the trestle tables, which are being cleared at a rapid rate by the catering staff – ‘and in the meantime Harold and I would like to share with you one of the reasons we picked this date to hold our wedding. You see, originally we wanted to have the closest
date that we could to Valentine's Day and then, when we worked out that today was it, well – I realised that it already was a very special day for our family. Which made it all just perfect. So I'd like you all to join us in singing a very happy birthday to my middle daughter, Camilla, who turns forty today!'

My mouth drops open in surprise as everybody, whether they know me or not, cheers enthusiastically. And suddenly a huge,
very
well-lit chocolate cake (with several small finger marks in it) is advancing upon me surrounded by a rowdy crowd singing happy birthday at the top of their lungs. Within minutes I am enclosed by people, patting me on the back, wishing me the very best, kissing me on the cheek, and shoving presents onto my lap. David and Diane have given up their interrogation of the prospective parents and are leaning over the back of Alex's chair, smiling at the look on my face. Even Terry is grinning a bit and standing over to one side with her arm around a very red-eyed Bronte, and Fergus has put
his
arm around her. Maggie sits down squarely on her brother's lap and he stages a mock heart attack while he winks at me surreptitiously. My mother and Harold stand centre-stage, smiling broadly, and even Phillip and Elizabeth have called a halt to their mutual adoration and joined in the fun. Great Aunt Pru has been left to sleep with her head on the table, but Auntie Annie and her new beau are clapping with the rest. Even Aunt Emma, and a few of her sour tribe, have ventured across the yard to see what all the fuss is about. Diane's boys lounge around the periphery but Samantha and Benjamin have
squeezed through and are standing, with CJ, next to me and grinning for all they are worth.

‘Blow them out! C'mon, blow them out!'

‘Quick, before the fire brigade get here!'

‘You can do it!'

I take a deep breath and blow for all I am worth. Then I have another few goes and finally get all the candles out. Everyone cheers. I stare at the half-melted, pock-marked cake, the pile of presents spilling off my lap, and then up at the crowd of friends and family who are all smiling down at me – and feel all choked up.

‘Mummy! Mummy! Open ours first!' A grubby fist shoves a brightly coloured package into my hands and I grab my youngest daughter's chocolatey face and kiss it firmly. Then I look up at her brother and sister and blow them both a kiss as well.

‘You help me, okay?' I reach up and Samantha kneels down by my side while Ben moves closer and, with CJ's rough but ready help, we tear the wrapping off in no time and suddenly there, nestled in my hand, is a Barbie. But not just any Barbie – this is a special edition, collectible Barbie, a Graduation Barbie, complete with official gown, mortarboard and a certificate of diploma nestled within her tiny hands.

God, I think I'm going to cry.

9.26 pm

There is a knock at the front door just as I finish piling all my presents neatly on the kitchen table, where they can stay until I have time to have a better look. I glance at the wall-clock quickly, wondering who it could possibly be at this time. It can't be Sam – she's staying over at Sara's. It can't be Ben – he's staying over at Diane's. And just about everyone else I know should be pretty exhausted after today's activities.

I walk slowly down to the front door and spare a quick moment to glance into the bathroom mirror and run my fingers through my hair. Then I glance into CJ's room to ensure that she is still fast asleep.

I stand on tiptoe to peer through the peephole in the front door and immediately a broad, contented smile spreads over my face. So I take a minute to compose myself by smoothing down my dress and taking a deep breath before opening the door. And there stands Alex, with a bottle of champagne in one hand and a bottle-green beanbag with a dinky mustard stripe grasped firmly in the other.

‘I've brought another birthday present over.'

‘Lovely! Shall we share it?'

‘I meant the beanbag.'

‘I know,' I say as I shut the door behind him.

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