Least Said (20 page)

‘Are
you
really
all
right,
love?’
she
asked.
I
shrugged,
and
she
continued,
‘I
do
know
what
you’re
doing,
Wendy,
and
as
your
friend
I’m
insisting
that
this
really
has
got
to
stop.’

I
looked
at
her
as
if
I
didn’t
know
what
she
was
talking
about.
‘What?’
I
asked.

‘All
this
brooding
on
the
past,
expecting
someone
who
is
little
more
than
a
stranger
to
step
back
into
your
life
for
the
sole
purpose
of
destroying
it.
It
just
isn’t
going
to
happen.’

Her
words,
so
sane
and
sensible,
snapped
me
back
to
reality
and
I
felt
the
huge
weight
that
had
been
sitting
on
my
shoulders
lift
once
again
–
just
like
that
–
and
suddenly
smiling,
I
heaved
a
huge
sigh
and
said,
‘You’re
right.’

She
laughed
and
gave
me
a
hug.
‘Aren’t
I
always?’

Everyone
arrived
back
at
the
table
at
the
same
time,
and
we
were
soon
tucking
in
to
our
own
preference
and
tasting
everyone
else’s
too,
talking
and
laughing
at
the
same
time.
I
couldn’t
think
when
I’d
enjoyed
a
meal
more
–
even
though
I
regularly
spent
more
time
than
I
would
have
chosen
to
partaking
of
the
various
choices
offered
by
this
particular
fast
food
chain,
due
to
William
make
a
bee-line
for
the
place
in
any
given
town.

I
think
Bette
spoke
for
us
all
when
she
said,
‘Do
you
know,
this
is
quite
delicious
and
I
can’t
believe
what
I’ve
been
missing.
I
think
I
should
have
had
tea
instead
of
coke,
however,
as
I’ll
now
be
hiccupping
all
night.’

‘Try
this,
Auntie
Bette.’
Will
offered
her
a
bite
from
a
chicken
nugget,
and
she
accepted,
chewing
with
every
appearance
of
enjoyment.

‘So,
what’s
on
your
calendar
for
the
next
few
weeks?’
Tina
asked,
as
we
drove
across
town
after
taking
Bette
home
and
seeing
her
safely
inside
–
leaving
the
men
and
Will
to
head
for
home
in
Jon’s
car.
When
we’d
left
her
she
was
sitting
waiting
for
the
next
episode
of
Coronation Street
to
begin
with
her
laptop
in
front
of
her,
a
chapter
of
her
next
blockbuster
up
on
the
screen.

‘Absolutely
beats
me
how
she
can
concentrate
on
the
goings-on
in
soap
land
and
write
a
novel
at
the
same
time,’
I
said,
full
of
admiration
for
the
older
lady’s
creative
talent.

‘Don’t
you
have
music
on
while
you
work
on
your
cakes?’
Tina
asked,
and
knowing
full
well
that
I
did,
she
added,
‘Well,
there
you
are
then
–
and
you
haven’t
answered
my
question.’

‘Making
cakes,
cakes
and
more
cakes,’
I
grinned.
‘Oh,
yes,
and
going
to
a
wedding
that
I
created
a
four
tier
cake
for.
A
wedding
for
which
I
haven’t
a
thing
to
wear
and
the
reason
for
that
–
as
you
know
-
is
because
I
totally
freaked
when
I
went
out
into
town
to
buy
myself
an
outfit,
after
convincing
myself
I’d
seen
the
ghost
of
weddings
past
–
or
one
wedding
in
particular
-
and
immediately
headed
home
from
the
shops.’

‘When’s
the
wedding?’

‘Next
weekend,’
I
shrugged,
‘I
can
probably
find
something
suitable
in
my
wardrobe.
It’s
not
as
if
I
don’t
have
any
clothes.’

‘Why
don’t
you
spend
this
weekend
with
us
in
London?’
Tina
offered,
‘all
three
of
you,
I
mean.
You
could
go
to
a
show
with
Jon
while
you’re
in
town
and
leave
us
to
babysit
Will.’

‘We
couldn’t,’
I
insisted,
though
I
was
undeniably
tempted
by
the
whole
idea.
A
weekend
away,
shopping
and
a
show,
not
to
mention
time
spent
with
my
best
friend.

‘You
could.’

‘We
could,’
Jon
echoed
Tina’s
words,
and
then
he
hesitated
and
said
dubiously,
‘As
long
as
we
won’t
be
getting
in
the
way,
because
we
do
appreciate
how
busy
you
both
are.’

‘Never
too
busy
to
spend
time
with
friends,’
Calum
said,
his
tone
firm,
before
adding
with
a
distinct
chuckle
and
his
attention
on
Tina
and
me,
‘as
long
as
you
don’t
make
too
much
of
a
habit
of
it
and
you
don’t
expect
us
boys
to
come
shopping
with
you.’