by Jenny Kane
Having left the children with a babysitter, Kit took Phil’s hand as they left the house and headed down the High Street towards Pickwicks.
Uncomfortable in high heels she wasn’t used to, Kit walked carefully, leaning against Phil for support, frightened that any minute she could tread awkwardly and twist an ankle.
Phil smiled down at her, ‘You don’t have to be so nervous.’
‘I know, but I don’t feel right. I’m not used to these posh clothes, and my shoes are killing me.’
Phil shook his head in mock despair at his wife in her shimmering dress and matching footwear. ‘You look magnificent! Just not like you.’
‘Thanks a lot!’
‘No, really love, you should dress up more often. You’re gorgeous.’
Kit remained unconvinced in her black, sequinned evening dress. ‘Do you think everyone will come?’
Rob hugged his daughter Lily to his side and, having settled her with her sisters to listen to a story from Granny, went to join Debbie in the kitchen. ‘Ready?’
‘As I’ll ever be.’ She was examining herself in the mirror, critically checking the edges of her mouth for stray lipstick.
‘Come on then.’ Rob pulled his suit jacket on, and ushered his wife towards the waiting taxi.
Toby brushed the last fleck of dust off Jack’s jacket. ‘Well?’ Jack twirled in his new suit, fresh from an Italian tailor.
‘Gorgeous.’ Toby grinned suggestively.
‘We haven’t got time for anything like that, young man.’ Jack spoke with mock severity. ‘Now, are you ready?’
‘Yep,’ Toby slipped on his shoes and jangled the door keys impatiently, ‘come on then, or we’ll both be late.’
Peggy and Scott kicked off their shoes. They had barely ten minutes before everyone arrived, and they were determined to take advantage of that time to rest. For days Scott had cooked and prepared food, while Peggy had made sure that the glasses, plates and crockery shone.
Aprons discarded, they sat, Peggy voluptuous in a magnificent low-cut maroon dress, and Scott striking in a black tuxedo. His crutches were propped against the wall in case he needed them. Tonight, however, he was determined not to.
The outfit hung in its plastic wrapper against her wardrobe door. There were literally ten minutes until she was expected at Pickwicks, but Amy felt she couldn’t move any faster.
Paul had welcomed her home with a hug, a kiss and a coffee. Recognising that she was having a silent battle with her nerves he’d said nothing, but steered her towards their bedroom, leaving her alone to get ready.
Amy had neither heard from, nor seen, Jack since February. Kit had told her he’d been back for a week, but she hadn’t attempted to call him because he hadn’t attempted to call her. Childish. Why is everything with him so fucking childish? She had genuinely believed they’d reached some sort of understanding before he’d gone away. Paul always said that Jack was a game-player, and Amy had reluctantly come to agree with him, but still …
The pale lilac outfit glared at her. They had cost a small fortune. Paul had said she looked great in them, and if she was honest with herself, she knew she felt great in them too. Fighting against the fatigue of the week, and the tension which bubbled within her, Amy stripped off her business suit and headed for the shower.
Twenty minutes later, washed, dried, hair brushed, with her outfit and stockings in place, Amy presented herself to Paul. ‘Well?’
‘Bloody hell!’
‘That bad?’
‘Are you kidding?! Here, put the shoes on.’ Paul passed her the delicate silver kitten heels that completed the outfit. ‘Wow! I don’t know about the meal, but I can’t wait for afters.’
Amy coloured with pleasure at his response, and risked a look in the hall mirror. Her boned, sleeveless top tucked her in at the waist, enhancing her small cleavage, while the flowing skirt completed the slimming affect, making it appear as if she was wearing a dress and not a two piece. She felt good, sexy even. Maybe she should have bought some mascara or something? No. She felt strange enough as it was.
Butterflies continued to jangle and flit around Amy’s stomach, but as Paul took her hand and escorted her towards Pickwicks a new strength began to build within her. ‘I feel like I’m in disguise. Like I’m different somehow.’
Paul held her proprietarily to his side, ‘Is confidence included in the disguise?’
Clinging to the memory of the contract she’d fought for and won, Amy replied, ‘I think it might be.’
‘Good girl. Come on, I want to show off the most beautiful woman in the world.’
Amy knew how she felt about him then. She was certain.
Sixty-six
May 25th 2007
Pickwicks was transformed. The majority of the tables and chairs had been pushed to one side of the room, and were shrouded with cream tablecloths. The straw blinds were down at the windows to provide some privacy from the outside world, and rows of little oil lamps and tea lights lit up the room.
Six rectangular tables, covered in burgundy cloth and bedecked with flowers and candles, had been arranged in an approximate square in the centre of the café. Wine sat in coolers and the table was laid with several rounds of cutlery for the meal ahead. Megan, Pickwicks’ new waitress, poked her head out of the kitchen door. Peggy had asked if she’d stay to serve the first course, and then she could scoot off.
Peggy turned the music up a fraction. She’d toyed with the idea of playing some of her favourite musical compilations, hits from the eighties and nineties mostly, but in view of Jack’s vast repertoire of lyrical associations, she had taken the safer option, and decided upon classical.
She looked at her watch; they’d all arrive any minute now.
The “wow, you look fantastic,” and the “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a skirt” comments had been given and received. Peggy and Scott had been thanked and praised for the use of the beautiful setting, and now the male partners were gathering drinks while Kit, Amy, Debbie and Peggy sat chatting around the table.
‘Just Jack and Toby to come then.’ Amy glanced towards the door, hoping they’d hurry up and get the initial meeting over with.
‘He’s always late when it’s important,’ Kit smoothed down her dress, unaccustomed to sitting on so much excess fabric, ‘he’ll make the grand entrance soon enough.’
‘Have you heard much about his travels?’ Amy had been dying to ask Kit about Jack, but hadn’t liked to admit she’d heard nothing from him herself. Now she seized the offered opening.
Kit, who knew Amy hadn’t received any contact from Jack, shook her head dismissively, deciding to play down her own frequent contact with him, ‘Bits and pieces. He went from Spain to France to Italy, and I know he’s relieved his Dad is cool about his lifestyle, but beyond that it’s all been very quiet.’
Armed with alcohol, the men joined them. ‘Here’s to us,’ Scott announced as he sat down, his dazzling grin as wide as ever, ‘and to our future success, health and happiness.’
They raised their glasses, echoing his sentiment, before Peggy diplomatically said, ‘Perhaps we should wait for Jack and Toby to arrive, love?’
‘We’ve waited long enough.’ Scott was decisive. ‘Anyway, I’m starving, and I bet Megan is dying to go home after almost ten hours on her feet.’
‘Won’t they mind?’ Amy wasn’t sure, ‘I mean, this is partly their welcome home dinner.’
‘Tough! Anyway this isn’t only for them; they should have been here on time. I said eight, and it’s nearly nine o’clock already.’ Scott stood up and waved to Megan, who started to dish up the food as quickly as she could.
Their plates were piled high with Scott’s delicious cooking, and the chatter was flowing like the fast-disappearing Merlot, when the door opened and Jack walked in. ‘Sorry everyone.’ He sat straight down at the table and helped himself to some wine. ‘I lost track of time. Food smells incredible, any for me?’
Scott raised an eyebrow and
Rob looked at him questioningly. Jack was alone.
‘I’ll fetch your plate from the oven.’ Peggy spoke tartly as she headed to the kitchen.
‘Do we need to ask where Toby is?’ Paul passed the wine bottle back towards Amy for a top up.
‘He’s out with his mates, of course. Just like I’m out with mine.’
Amy’s palms instantly began to prickle with perspiration. Is this a dressing-up game to him? Would he rather be out with Toby and his other mates? Are we an inconvenience? ‘Peggy and Scott,’ she glanced at their hosts, whose smiles had faded, ‘have provided food for ten people. We were all under the impression that Toby was coming with you.’
Jack took in the eight sets of enquiring eyes, and had the decency to seem abashed. ‘Come on, guys. He hasn’t seen his friends for months!’
‘True,’ Amy’s voice remained calm even as she continued as unelected spokesperson, ‘and it is totally understandable that he wants to see them. All you had to do was call Peggy, or any of us, and say he wasn’t coming. Not a big thing, just courtesy. That’s all.’
After a brief lapse into stunned silence Jack said, as he respectfully regarded Amy in full Property Manager mode, ‘I didn’t think any of you would mind.’
‘You didn’t think at all,’ Amy stared defiantly into his eyes, daring him to turn away from her.
Jack turned to Scott, ‘I’m sorry. Amy’s right. I should have called you. Sorry.’
A few seconds passed before Scott broke the tension ‘Well, you’ve said sorry now.’ He looked wryly at his guest. ‘Now, come on everyone, we’re here to enjoy ourselves. Eat up!’
He raised his glass, and the moment’s discomfort was broken. ‘To us.’
‘To us,’ they chorused, before tucking back into the feast.
As the last of the plates were cleared away and the glasses were refilled, Scott stood before the assembled friends.
‘I haven’t got a long speech prepared, so don’t worry! But we arranged all this, not just to welcome Jack and Toby home, not so we had an excuse to dress in posh clothes for a change, but because I believe we all have something to celebrate. And Peggy and I,’ he took his wife’s hand, ‘wanted to say thank you properly.’ Scott put up a hand to stop the general murmurings of “there’s no need.”
‘You’ll notice,’ he continued, ‘that I’m standing to say all this. You will also notice that my crutches are well out of reach. So first, to you Amy, for working stupid hours on so little pay with no complaints. To you Kit, for helping Amy totally unpaid, and to Jack for the same. Not to forget you, Rob, for running the bookshop alone so that Jack could help out, and you, Debbie, for not strangling Jack for taking advantage of your husband. Finally, to you all, for your visits to the hospital, your messages of support, and your love. We couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you.’
Scott sat down to choruses of ‘No problem!’ and ‘Don’t mention it!’ before Phil pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. ‘If this is the time for speeches, then I feel I should also raise a glass. I would like to propose a toast, to Kit.’
Kit blustered as she looked up at her husband, ‘Phil, honestly, you don’t need to.’
‘Oh, but I do. You’ve achieved something incredible.’ Phil turned back to their friends, ‘Kit, as you know, has recently started a novel. I believe she is about halfway through?’ He turned back to Kit, who almost imperceptibly inclined her head. ‘And, even more than that, her book, The Anthology of Forbidden Secrets, is to hit the streets in four months time. I trust, despite our varying sexual dispositions and tastes, that you will all be buying a copy! So, would you raise your glasses to Kit, and toast the success of her short stories and her future blockbuster!’
‘Here, here!’ Taking the floor, Jack echoed Phil’s sentiments. ‘And a toast to Phil himself.’ Phil looked puzzled, as Jack took his turn. ‘For saving my business.’
‘Too right,’ Rob chipped in, ‘You’ve turned that place around. We’re doing far better than ever before.’
‘Which is why,’ Jack picked up the lead, ‘Rob and I wondered if you’d like in properly?’
‘Really?’ Phil’s face lit up.
‘Yep,’ Jack looked hopefully at Phil, as he continued, ‘I’m thinking of selling up. What do you think? Fancy buying me out?’
Phil glanced at Kit, the satisfied expression on her face telling him she loved the idea. ‘I think I’ll need to think about it. But don’t you dare offer it to anyone else!’
Jack laughed. ‘As if I would!’
Phil stood up again, ‘Well, if we’re going down that line, then I think a glass should be raised to Amy. Without her, so Chris tells me, Home Hunters wouldn’t be doing so well.’
Amy’s cheeks coloured a pleasing ruby that was only partly due to the wine she’d drunk. ‘Thanks. Um, actually I have a bit of an announcement about that.’
‘What is it?’ Kit leant forward.
Amy spoke quietly, unused to being in the limelight, even before friends. ‘I’ve secured a contract today. A big one, with a company in Texas. I feel I’ve maybe earned my place at Home Hunters properly at last.’
Paul looked on with pride and admiration as, once she was thoroughly flushed from everyone’s congratulations, Amy said, ‘As this appears to be the time, I would like to propose another vote of thanks, if that’s all right.’
The general babble died down, and all eyes focussed on Amy, who took Paul’s hand for support. ‘Firstly, I would like to thank Jack for …’
Jack interrupted, ‘You have got to be joking! I’ve only ever caused you hassle, I –’
Amy cut back in, her eye shining, her voice warm, ‘… for sending back my tape. If you hadn’t, well, I wouldn’t be here now, amongst friends. Perhaps you wouldn’t have met Toby. I certainly wouldn’t have re-met Paul, and right now that thought is unbearable.’ She held his hand tighter, and Paul realised, as she turned towards him, that she loved him for real, not just because he desperately wanted her to. His face shone with happiness.
‘It’s the little things that make the big things happen. My Grandpa used to say that, and he was right.’ Amy turned to Peggy, sounding for all the world as if she was gracefully accepting an Oscar, ‘I’d also like to thank Peggy and Scott for giving me a job in this, the best of coffee shops, Kit for her unexpected friendship, and Phil, for giving me the chance to have a career I already love. Finally, to Rob and Debbie, for their constant friendship and support. They don’t know it, but without them I would have fled back to Scotland months ago.’
Amy picked up her glass, ‘Now, is there any pudding, or are we all going to sit here and drown in a pool of sentiment?’
Their desserts devoured and the coffee brewed, the nine friends relaxed back against their seats. Bellies full, their bodies and inhibitions freed by too much alcohol, a comfortable hush fell around the table as Peggy pushed down the plunger of the huge coffee pot, which was then manoeuvred from place to place.
When all the cups were full, and Phil had scooted out to the kitchen to fetch his lone cup of tea, Jack stood up.
‘Come on Jack, we’ve done all the soppy speech stuff,’ Kit beckoned for him to sit down again, but he shook his head.
‘I’ve something to share with you all. If that’s all right?’ He glanced around the table, looking at the faces before him. They all shrugged, each trying to guess what bombshell Jack was going to drop on them now.
‘Although Toby and I have been back for a week, I’ve not been in touch with you. You may have wondered why.’ Jack turned to Amy, but as her face gave nothing away. ‘There is a reason. I hope you will think it’s a good one.’
He rummaged in his coat pocket, pulled out an unmarked CD, and placed it on the table mat before him. Amy and Kit’s eyes flickered to it instantly, both feeling their own private horror rising.
‘As Amy said earlier, this all started with a tape. A blank tape her brother gave to her before she set off to university for the first time, over sixteen years a
go.’
Amy’s mouth had gone dry.
‘And Amy did record a couple of songs, but then I ruined it. I messed up everything, including her tape.’ Jack spoke fast, not wanting to dwell on any specific event, ‘I took it away, not returning it for years and years. Of course, you know all of this …’
‘Jack, really …’ Amy found her voice, but he interrupted.
‘With Toby’s and my dad’s help, I got a lot of things straight in my head while I was away. I did a lot of thinking. Not just about Amy’s tape, but about another tape that I never recorded, even though I promised I would. And about all of you, my friends, who I know I frequently take for granted.’ Kit clenched her hands in her lap, not daring to look at Phil as Jack went on.
‘You all know I’m crap at expressing myself, and I’ve always relied on song lyrics to help me out. Well, I’ve done it again.’ He picked up the CD case and passed it to Scott. ‘The first tune is for Amy, the second for Kit, the third for Paul, Rob and Debbie, the fourth for Peggy and Scott. The fifth and final track is for you all. I chose very, very carefully. I listened to and assessed every single word. It has taken me all week. Every song says what I’d like to be able to say, but without screwing it up, which, let’s face it, I would. Scott, will you put it on? Will you play it for me?’
Glancing again at the assembled faces, Scott waited for their unanimous approval before he moved towards the stereo. No one spoke. Amy instinctively put her hand out to Paul, who took it, the gesture helping to calm her feelings of trepidation.
As the first track came on, Amy felt relief sweep through her.
Jack turned to Paul, ‘If it’s all right with you, I’d like to ask Amy to dance.’
Paul agreed with only slight reluctance. Understanding and accepting that this was Jack’s way of finally giving her up, as he passed Amy’s hand over to his.
As Robbie Williams sang ‘Angels’, Jack whispered the lyrics with him into Amy’s ear. ‘If ever a girl was an angel, Amy, it’s you’, he murmured softly.
