by H P Steven
“Ah same old here bro, caught up with Mike and Louise last night after Iva’s birthday party at Thai Square,” I said.
“Man you love that place,” Cam laughed.
“Just had some good nights there that’s all man,” I said.
“What else, have you heard from Anna?” Cam asked.
“Nah not for a while, I’ll text later.”
“Yeah man awesome, you should, time waits for no man aye.”
“All right bro, good luck today. I’m gonna get up and get the day started with a run I think.”
“Yeah man I’ll let you know, don’t forget about dinner this week,” Cam said.
“Yeah man sounds good, take it easy mate.”
Hanging up as Cam said, “Bye bro.”
Oh man, the day started out great. Had a run around Wandsworth park and got back home and back out the door an hour later. Heading off into the city for a look around, felt like getting a bit touristy. Taking in sights and having a fun day. Finally made it to the British museum which seemed pretty stupid afterwards. The library in the middle and the atrium was impressive, but if you want to see this stuff, jump on a plane for three hours and go see it. I thought to myself the whole time I was there.
Though the day flew by, I made it back to Putney to have a cheeky pint at the Coat and Badge— just as people must have been leaving work for the day. When my phone started vibrating. Reluctantly checking it I discovered a message from Cam. I had completely forgotten he was off today to have lunch with the possible mother in law.
Hey man, dinner tomorrow! Meet us at Green Park tube station at around 6:30pm bro. Off to the Ritz for dinner on the mother in law, that’s if Susan says yes. Off to pop the question tonight, we’re off down Fulham Road.
Cam
Ha, looking at this thinking crap, I might have to dust off the suit. I text him back.
Hey Dr soul glow,
Good luck bro, why the hell do you want to go to the Ritz? I’ll go but is there a 6 or 7 course meal they add a wine to each meal, that could be more fun. Congrats on getting past the Mother in Law bro! See you three tomorrow. Oh, haven’t text Anna, might do it now, just let it flow bro!!
Laughing to myself, I tried to think up something cool to send Anna.
Thought about the horseman and the swamp toad story I saw on TV. Yet thought better of it. And went with something cheesy, thinking she’ll probably think I’m out having a few beers. So should come across okay.
Hi,
What’s the best way to tell someone they’re beautiful? Then should I tell them I can’t help but smile when I think of them?
It’s easy cause it’s…….
Leaving it at that I pressed send. Put my phone back in my pocket and took another sip. Smiling to myself the bartender asked me.
“You look like someone that’s done something incredibly stupid or down right brilliant,” he said.
I replied, “Neither I’m just having a shocker.”
The bartender just laughed and suggested I should have another beer.
I didn’t argue and enjoyed another one before heading home. Luckily on the way home I finally got a text from Audrey,
Hey Phil,
Sorry about the hold-up how’s Tuesday/Wednesday next week at a place near great Portland Street tube station, just a quick meet and greet, I’m seeing Meredith later. But would be good to quickly go over the pages you handed in. They look really good.
Speak soon
Audrey
Ha, sounds good, I thought. I know a bar/food store near that stop.
Finally making my way home I set up the computer and headed to the kitchen to get a start on dinner. Switching the TV on, on the way through. When Cam and Anna send through texts. Quickly walking back into my room to see who it was. Thinking I’ll check them after I’ve eaten I loaded the printer and set off a few more chapters, just got the final bit to write now. So, excited I headed back into the kitchen to cook up some Jamaican jerk turkey. Dinners good and healthy and equally lucky tasty. I chilled out and watched a bit of tv. Thinking stuff it. I’m wondering what’s happening with Cam. Wouldn’t put it past him to stuff up the words and for Susan to laugh at him. So I went back into my room, checked where I’m at printing and took my phone back out to the lounge.
Hey bro,
Come out, Susan’s crying and super stoked but we want to celebrate, had dinner. Wasn’t there long, made a massive scene, or could we come to yours, is it okay if Susan’s mum comes,
Laughing I text back,
Bowl over the more the merrier. See you soon.
Then I happily checked what Anna had text me and smiled. Before quickly putting my shoes back on and heading to the bottle store on the Main Street. Unfortunately, I run into Cam and Susan and her mum when I get to the front gate.
“Hey hey, you three. Woohoo!” I yelled, “Congrats!” Opening up the front gate shaking Cams hand as he walks in. Giving Susan a massive hug and kiss on the cheek. “Congrats, to you both.”
Stopping abruptly to introduce myself to Susans mum. “Hi I’m Phil, Cam’s friend from New Zealand.”
“Oh great to meet you. These two couldn’t wait till dinner tomorrow so we’re here now to have a drink and celebrate.” Holding up a couple bottles of champagne.
“I was just about to run down to the bottle store to do the same thing, great minds,” I joked.
“Nah we all sorted mate,” Cam insisted.
“All right let’s head back in,” I replied.
“Yeah sounds good Phil,” Susan added.
“Man congrats bro,” I insisted, patting Cam on the back. “Still got some beers in the fridge anyway,” I added.
“Ah cool,” Cam remarked.
With us all heading back to my place, Susan’s mums already ripped the foil from a champagne bottle and was unscrewing the top. With a bang, the bottle top goes flying, right past my ear and into the front door.
“Holy shit,” I snapped. Taking a step backwards from the door,
“Easy on mum,” Susan insisted. “Let us get inside first,” Susan added.
“Ha, sorry bro,” Cam remarked when I leaned in to unlock the door and step inside.
The next few hours are a bit of a blur if I’m being honest of champagne and weeding talk. Was so good of them to pop into mine. Had a little bit of time to check out the printer and put some work into a folder? But what a great night to have a drink on such as massive day for two great people. Jokingly I said at one point.
“I still think you can do better Susan.”
“Oh well I guess on the big day you’ll get a wonderful partner for life and an amazing wife Cam, and Susan at least you’ll get a new dress.”
Cam was about to take a sip of champagne but the smile on his face caused him to ask me where I had come up with that dumb joke.
“I got that off YouTube today,” I joked.
With Susan’s mum nearly choking on the sip of wine she’s just had.
“Oh I’m sorry.”
“No, you’ll have to say that at the wedding when you’re giving your best man speech,” Susan’s mum remarked.
“Well, actually, Margaret we haven’t asked Phil yet if he’d do it,” Cam said.
“Yes, I’d like to be wined and dined before I give my answer,” I laughed and winked towards Margaret, who smiled back.
“You’ll do it though won’t you Phil?” Susan asked.
“Yeah of course,” I said.
“Oh good bro. I’ve already asked Drew to be a groomsman as well and I’ll probably get Pete to be the other groomsman,” Cam commented, taking another sip of beer.
“Well, as long as they know who the best man is bro, there shouldn’t be any problems. How’d your parents take the news Cam?” I asked.
“Yeah really good, Mum started crying while Dad was trying to get her to calm down aye,” Cam said.
“Ha, well you are her little boy mate,” I joked.
“Yeah, thanks mate. Anyway we should pro
bably head off soon, some of us still have to work in an office,” Cam muttered.
“Oh Phil how’s the book, are you still smashing out the words?” Susan asked.
Before Margaret looked up and wondered if the same person she had just met knew how to write, the smile on her face gave her away. Before she asked me what the books about.
“Oh mum, we aren’t allowed to ask its bad luck,” Susan declared.
“Thank you Susan. The words aren’t letting me down at the moment and should be finished the first draft soon. Meeting Audrey next Tuesday, probably at Villandry,” I added.
“Ah nice bro, can’t wait to have a read of this book,” Cam remarked.
“Wedding gift bro,” I laughed
“Honestly Phil you don’t need toget us anything, just being there on the day and having a great time is enough,” Susan insisted.
“Hang on, he has to get us a gift,” Cam added.
“I will mate no worries,” I said.
“So dinner tomorrow night. I’m staying in a hotel in Mayfair, do you have any ideas of any good restaurants or are we all still keen on the Ritz? Also Cam mentioned you had said something about the wine and food, five or six course meal selection,” Margaret asked.
“Yeah we can check it out, but if we can’t get in we could try Maze,” I suggested.
“Well, we’ll have a look tomorrow morning and surprise you mate,” Cam said.
“Just gonna use your phone and ring a taxi,” Cam added.
“Yeah bro, it’s just in the kitchen I think,” I answered.
“Yeah man, I’ve just found it.” Cam laughed.
“So what else do you do, Phil?” Margaret asked.
“Well, apart from writing I still go in to the old job and do the occasional shift for fun,” I replied.
“Only occasionally,” I added.
“Well, that’s more than me,” Margaret joked.
I didn’t ask what she did for whatever reason and saw them out to the taxi as it arrived a short time later.
“Well, congrats again you two and nice to meet you Margaret,” I said.
“Yeah man see you tomorrow night,” Cam insisted.
“Bye guys,” I declared.
“See you tomorrow Phil,” Susan insisted.
“Absolutely, looking forward to it,” I said.
Turning around and heading back inside, happily or slightly tipsy enough to send Anna a quick text. Her reply is something I still can’t help but smile at.
Phil
Your drunk but congrats to Cam and Susan, you’re an idiot I can’t be there and I wish I was. You can’t send me messages like that. Especially the one like the last one that wowed me. Stop it.
Not your friend anymore, talk soon. You over confident bastard, lol
Anna
It still makes me smile.
Waking up the next morning is possibly the reason why I’ll never drink champagne ever again. I’ve never felt that terrible. My stomach churned, I never had a headache that was this bad, the room was swaying.It was a rough day. God I’m never drinking champagne ever again. I organised more work, cleaned the house up and went and did some shopping. After lunch time as I was starting to finally feel alive again. Luckily I didn’t hear from anyone, though I was still heading to Green Park tube station later that night. It was starting to get hotter. No doubt we might have been heading into the two weeks of summer, London was famous for during the time I had spent here.
As my phone rang and my old boss was trying to get a hold of me.
“Hey Phil, any chance you can cover a shift tonight?”
Unfortunately, I couldn’t and explained to him that I was catching up with some friends who were recently engaged.
Went down better than I thought it would.
“Friends come first, that’s my moto,” I joked.
“Well, all right, I’ll try again some other time,” he said.
“Yeah man, as soon as I’m free I’ll let you know be good to get back into the business,” I insisted.
“Always great to come back, but always better to come and go,” I added.
“Yeah all right, I’ll speak to you soon,” he said.
“Yeah man too easy,” I replied, hanging up the phone.
Nothing like getting home and unpacking the groceries and chilling out on the couch. Placing my phone on the coffee table in front of me. Just as I see a message come up from Hannah.
Hey doofus,
Back Wednesday night, heard about Cam and Susan please pass on our congratulations and hope you cleaned the house, not looking forward to running into Kalliope, how you doing with that?
I sent back.
Ha, yeah no worries and its Captain Doofus. House is all clean. I’ve just been shopping and all sorted in the freezer so I’ll leave something in the fridge for you both to re-heat. Um, ??? About Kalliope.
Sitting there throwing my phone on the couch, putting my feet up on the coffee table I dozed off for a while. Waking up to my phone going nuts. I leant over to the coffee table, answering it.
“Hey bro, just leaving work off to meet up with Susan just making sure your awake,” Cam said.
“Ha, good call mate just woke up, what’s up?” I asked.
“Far out your useless.” Cam laughed.
“I’ll jump in the shower and head in mate.”
“Ah cool bro, we’ll be around just text when you’re there okay.”
“No worries, see you soon mate.”
Nothing better than trying to shower and rush out the door, luckily the tube station was so close I didn’t mind having to walk back and grab my wallet with my oyster card in it. Feeling rather stupid I made sure I finally had everything. I made my way back to the tube station then through the hall ways and up the stairwells. Down the long corridors and up the stairs into the air at Green Park tube station. Taking out my cellphone to check the time, noticing a couple of missed messages, one from Devin.
Hey bro, we need to meet up with Cam Thursday morning, tell them we said congrats, got some bad news as well bro, broke up with Hannah as I’m heading home in a couple of weeks, still seeing each other till I leave, don’t tell her you know.
Dialling Cam’s number, waiting for him to answer I found a park bench in the park just down the road from the Ritz.
“Hey man what are we doing?” I asked.
“Um, waiting for you man, where you at?”
“Just got here, hence the call, what’s happening on Thursday?” I asked.
“Oh right you’ve spoken to Devin then.”
“Yeah man I’ll see you soon, now what we doing? I’m all suited up,” I remarked.
“Ha, nice there’s a really good McDonald’s just up the road,” Cam replied.
“Yeah funny, dickhead.” I said as I saw all three of them walking towards me laughing. All dressing up for the occasion.
Hanging up.
“Nice of you guys to show up.”
Cam laughed, “Yeah man, nice of you to have woken up in time.”
“Thanks for coming, nice suit,” Susan added.
“Ha, yeah man way to suit up bro, looking sharp” Cam joked.
“Yeah thanks, so what’s the plan for tonight?” I asked.
“Ah it’s a surprise,” Cam said.
“Hey Margaret where we going?” I asked.
“Can’t tell sorry Phil, sworn to secrecy.”
All three of them laughed when I joked, “Okay but if we end up at McDonald’s I’m gonna be pissed.”
“Nah man, we’re off to Maze,” Cam said.
“Ah cool finally, I’ve wanted to go there for a while,” I replied.
Stepping inside for what was one of the funniest meals ever. The food was amazing as I always expected it to be.The portions were on point with everyone being as tasty as they looked. The staff were awesome and helped us order the best wines to go with each meal, I felt a little bit guilty when the bill came and offered to pay for my portion of the bill, Surely this will ea
rn me some brownie points I thought to myself.
“Oh it’s okay Phil, I’ve got this,” Margaret insisted.
Well if your sure.
“It’s okay Phil, just great you could make it,” Susan added.
“Yeah bro, what a night,” Cam commented.
“Thanks, this place is awesome,” I said.
“Yeah man, couldn’t get Susan’s brother here till Friday, so had to come out and check out a few of these places. Still not sure where we are getting married. But enjoying this time for what it is, and making every moment we can special,” Cam remarked.
“Yeah mate, enjoy it,” I said.
“Been a couple of good day’s man, but Thursday should be good, you all set? I’ll text you the details tomorrow,” Cam remarked.
“Oh nice man, looking forward to it,” I said.
“Shame about Hannah and Devin, but he was saying she never really sees herself back in NZ,” Cam said.
“What? He told me not to say anything.”
“Yeah he told me that as well,” Cam replied.
Just then Susan walked back to the table after going to the ladies room and asked what we were talking about.
“The stag do,” I mentioned.
“Yes, as Phil’s the best man it’s up to him to come up with a plan,” Cam laughed.
“I’m thinking hunting and fishing in the South Island, or if you guys actually set a date I can always move stuff around,” I replied.
“So no pressure on setting a date then,” Susan joked.
“Nah, let’s have an awesome engagement party,” I insisted just as Margaret comes back to the table after paying the bill and carrying a couple of bottles of champagne.
“Night cap before we head off, but I agreed. We need to discuss the engagement party,” Margaret commented as she popped open the first bottle.
“We will mum, but not during these two bottles. Let’s have dinner with Scott and go from there,” Susan insisted.
“Have fun on Friday. I’m gonna hopefully take Anna out to dinner, or at least see her,” I added.
“Ha, she’s back at work next Monday, I was wondering when she flies back in,” Cam remarked.
“Good luck with that, probably should have held off on a few of those text messages man.”
