Hens Reunited

by Lucy Diamond

  After that, there had always been a closeness, despite the differences in their personalities. She’d trusted Georgia – as she’d felt Georgia trusted her. Which was why it had all been so shocking, the betrayal. Almost worse than Jake’s cheating.

  Tears pricked her eyes suddenly. No. Don’t start getting emotional. She needed to stay in control for the next few hours.

  She stood in the doorway, her hand still on the handle. The thing was, Alice thought to herself, what she’d come to realize in the last few months was that she actually missed Georgia. Despite everything that had happened in the past, she missed all the vibrancy and sparkle that came with having Georgia in your life. And so if Georgia was ready to say sorry, then she, Alice, was ready to listen.

  She scanned the room – it was trendy-scruffy, with mismatched chairs and tables, old leather sofas, lamps shining soft circles of light. And there, sitting in a pink brocade armchair, legs crossed, reading a magazine, was Georgia.

  God. Just the sight of her made Alice feel twisted up inside. Georgia had had her hair cut shorter, in a choppy, shoulder-length bob, and had a fringe – very Cleopatra – and was wearing dark jeans and a low-cut red top. Cool as a cucumber, as ever. Alice suddenly felt overdressed in her black trousers and spangly top.

  Still. She was here now. She crossed the room and stood next to her old friend. ‘Hi,’ she said.

  Katie shifted on her bar stool, feeling uncomfortable. Where were they? Had they blown her out? It was nearly half eight now, and she’d said eight to them both. Bloody hell. And Laura wasn’t due until nine … could she really sit here another half an hour on her own? She was starting to feel self-conscious all by herself. It’s my hen night as well, she thought miserably. Didn’t her friends care about her?

  The music in this place was starting to get on her nerves now. It was tinkly piano music, but the melody didn’t seem to be getting anywhere, as if it were on a loop. The lights were too bright and starting to give her a headache. She was beginning to wish she was at home, with her feet up, and some comfort food to tuck into. Maybe it had been a bit ambitious, this whole hen-night thing.

  But then – at last. In came Georgia … closely followed by Alice. Oh my God. They were together! They were speaking! She held her breath as they made their way over. They weren’t scratching each other’s eyes out – wahey! Had peace finally broken out?

  She clambered inelegantly from her stool and stood there, a hopeful smile on her face. ‘Hi! Have you two just bumped into each other, or … ?’

  Georgia grinned and hugged her. ‘Hiya,’ she said. ‘My God, the belly on you. Phwwwoooar, let’s have a stroke of it!’

  Alice kissed her and managed a sideways hug while Georgia was oohing and ahhing over Katie’s bump. ‘We thought we’d meet up first,’ she said. ‘We’ve been in a pub down the road, talking things through.’

  ‘And … ?’ Katie hardly dared ask. ‘Is everything all right?’

  Georgia and Alice exchanged a glance. ‘Yes,’ they said in the same breath. ‘Water under the bridge,’ Alice added.

  ‘I’ve been hearing all about the lovely Dom,’ Georgia teased, raising an eyebrow meaningfully. ‘Sounds like he’s a bit of a catch and a half.’

  ‘And she’s been boring me to death swooning over this Owen bloke,’ Alice put in. ‘Joke,’ she said quickly, but Georgia was smiling.

  ‘And here’s you, our Katie, up the duff and looking amazing,’ Georgia said fondly. ‘We’ve done all right, us three, haven’t we? Another hen night, and we’re all grown up and happy.’

  ‘Grown up?’ Katie snorted. ‘Speak for yourself, love. I was hoping for a bit of silly dancing to Take That tonight.’

  ‘God yeah,’ Alice agreed. ‘And cocktails. And I really hope you’ve got Pretty Woman on video back at your place …’

  ‘Too right,’ Georgia said. ‘Girls, I think we need a toast. Can we get some service around here?’ she asked the barman. ‘Bottle of bubbly, please.’ She turned back to Katie. ‘What are you drinking?’

  ‘Lemonade,’ Katie said. ‘But I reckon I might manage a sip of bubbly. Just to be polite.’

  The barman uncorked the bottle with a pop and poured them each a glass of the fizz.

  ‘Here’s to us, girls,’ Katie said, feeling a rush of happiness as they stood there together, all smiling at one another.

  ‘Definitely,’ Georgia agreed. ‘Cheers to the blushing bride,’ she said, raising her glass, her eyes twinkling.

  Katie grinned. ‘I’ll drink to that. And to you two, as well, my hens and best friends, all back together again. Cheers to the hens!’

  Lucy Diamond

  exclusive interview

  Q&A

  Did you have a hen night yourself? And if so, what did it involve?

  I did have a hen night, yes, but as a thirty-something with three children, I felt rather more ‘mother hen’ than ‘cool chick’, so it wasn’t a completely debauched affair! My partner took the kids away for the weekend, so I invited ‘the girls’ and my sisters to our house in Bath. We hit the shops, went out for dinner and then on to a club for cocktails and dancing. And yes, I did have a list of challenges (thanks a lot, girls) but fortunately for me they weren’t quite as outrageous as the ones that feature in Georgia’s hen night. (That’s what I’ve told my husband anyway – and I’m sticking to the story!)

  Do you have a favourite character in Hens Reunited?

  Ooh, that’s a hard question. I love all three of my main characters, and would hate to choose one over another. Perhaps to be diplomatic, I’ll choose Laura, Katie’s sister. She’s an ideal ally, I think – great fun and a bit of a party animal, but supportive too, when it comes to the crunch. Maybe Laura needs a novel of her own, now that I come to think about it.

  Do you think female friendships are more prone to complications and fallings-out than male friendships?

  I do, and I think you can see that right from girlhood. Without wanting to generalise too much, I think friendship on an emotional level matters more to girls and women, which is probably why it can all go a bit pear-shaped sometimes.

  Who are some of your own favourite writers?

  I’ll happily read anything by Rose Tremain, Jonathan Coe, Kate Atkinson, Maggie O’Farrell, Anne Tyler, Charles Dickens and Sarah Waters. I also love the books by my fellow ‘New Romantics’ authors: Kate Harrison, Milly Johnson, Veronica Henry, Jojo Moyes, Matt Dunn and Sarah Duncan.

  As well as writing adult novels, you also write books for children and maintain your own blog (http://beinglucydiamond.blogspot.com). How do you find the time to do it all?

  Working part-time whilst bringing up three children has actually made me very focused on my writing (as well as extremely tired, admittedly!). When I’m not at my desk working on a new book, I’m constantly thinking about my characters and mulling over what I’m going to write next, so by the time I switch on the PC, the words are ready to pour out. My youngest child starts school this year though, so ‘I’ll have the luxury of a bit more time soon … and the house will probably look a lot tidier too!

  Can you tell us anything about what you’re working on next?

  I’m working on a fourth novel, provisionally titled Sweet Temptation. It’s about three women with very different lives who meet at a weight-watching club and go on to befriend and support one another. It’s about friendship, love and chocolate cake, and is, I hope, funny, moving and uplifting.

  Lucy Diamond’s guide

  to the perfect hen night

  Hen Nights: A Survival Guide

  So, what does a hen night mean to you? Is it your last wild night of freedom before settling down to sensible wifeyness? Or is it just a great excuse for a girls’ night out to remember? Whatever your thoughts, if you’ve got a wedding on the horizon, it’s never too soon to start planning the hen do. Whether you fancy blowing the budget with a girly holiday in the sun, or you’d prefer a spot of pampering in a swanky spa, or even if you’re just a bit of a disco diva
who wants to dance the night away, it’s your call. However you choose to celebrate, the Hens Reunited girls can help you plan your biggest and best hen party. Katie, being the organised one, has tips on the practical stuff, Alice gets creative with themes and styles and as for Georgia, she’s tackling the forfeits and booze (no surprises there). Over to you, ladies …

  Katie: Who to invite

  Choosing your hen party guests can be something of a minefield. Of course your best friends can go straight on the list – as long as they are all speaking to each other, of course – followed by sisters and any soon-to-be sisters-in-law. Work mates can by risky – although you might have a great laugh with them in the office every day, you need to weigh up carefully whether or not you can let them see you doing any of the following:

  wearing a flashing tiara/feather boa/L-plates

  doing karaoke and high-kicks to ‘I Will Survive’

  snogging policemen/any other bloke in the vicinity

  If you fear that your professional reputation may suffer as a consequence, leave the workmates off the list. You don’t want anyone cramping your style on the big night, after all!

  Where to go

  All right, I know I am efficient to the point of being a bit sad, but it is really important to book your accommodation early, if there’s a big group of you. Make sure you check everyone’s budget and find something you can all afford. There’s no point falling in love with an amazing-looking hotel if all your mates are too skint to join you there.

  The most popular hen night destinations in the UK are:

  1. Brighton

  2. Nottingham

  3. Newcastle

  4. Edinburgh

  5. Bournemouth

  6. London

  7. Bristol

  8. Newquay

  9. Cardiff

  10. Leeds

  Alice: Types of hen night

  It’s your party, so anything goes! Here are just a few suggestions for activities which you and your fellow hens might enjoy:

  Indulgence – a pamper package in a spa will revive any weary bride-to-be, but there are other ways to relax too. How about a wine-tasting session, afternoon tea in a country house, a cocktail mixing tutorial, or enjoying a makeover and photo shoot?

  Activity – there are all sorts of ways a sporty hen can have fun. Have a go at quad biking, horse-riding, go-karting, paintballing, maybe even a surfing lesson if you’re by the sea. Try not to break any bones though … hobbling up the aisle on crutches is such a bad look!

  Fun – a comedy club is a great place to start a hen night. Or maybe you could try something brand new – belly-dancing or burlesque, anyone? You can even let out all that Bridezilla stress by booking a sumo-wrestling session for you and your hens. (I’m not joking – they exist!) Go on, you know you’ve always fancied wearing an inflatable fat suit.

  Hen night themes and what to wear

  If there’s a whole bunch of you out on the town, it can be fun to have a theme so that everyone can dress similarly. It creates a fab group feeling – and also alerts nervous men to the fact that you’re on the rampage. Popular themes include:

  Angels – wings, halo and wand. Say no more.

  Devils – if you’re feeling a bit naughty.

  Cheerleaders – for that inner High School Musical fan.

  French maids – ooh la la!

  Policewomen – any excuse for furry handcuffs …

  Or, of course, you can choose a particular colour and all try to wear something in that shade. Don’t forget the L-plates!

  Georgia: Forfeits

  Also known as ways to completely humiliate the poor bride-to-be … If she’s up for a laugh, you can make a list of challenges or forfeits that she has to complete before dawn. Remember the hens’ code, though: what happens on the hen night, stays on the hen night. In other words, don’t tell the groom!

  Here are just some of the forfeits I had to endure (and yes, I did complete them all, thank you very much). Feel free to borrow them – if you have the stamina, of course …

  Snog three random strangers

  Persuade someone to buy you a drink (make it a double)

  Kiss a policeman

  Swap underwear with the man of your choice

  Dance like MC Hammer on a crowded dancefloor. Then try some break-dancing. End with a bit of Riverdance – clears the floor every time!

  Corrupt the youngest, sweetest-looking barman you can find by whispering something filthy into his ear

  Ask the bouncer at the club door: ‘Don’t you know who I am?’

  Cocktails

  Ah, what would a hen night be without cocktails? A lot less rowdy, probably. Here are some of my favourite recipes:

  Dancing Queen

  10ml white crème de cacao

  10ml Cointreau

  25ml blackcurrant vodka

  10ml lemon juice

  50ml apple juice

  50ml grenadine

  2 tsp sugar

  6 ice cubes

  Woo Woo

  25ml peach schnapps

  25ml vodka

  50ml cranberry juice

  Brazen Hussy

  25ml vodka

  25ml triple sec

  10ml lemon juice

  Party Animal

  35ml tequila

  10ml peppermint schnapps

  1 tbsp grapefruit juice

  1 tbsp powdered sugar

  Naked Waiter

  20ml Pernod

  20ml Mandarine Napoléon

  25ml pineapple juice

  100ml bitter lemon

  And for the morning after:

  I fried egg sandwich (ketchup optional)

  I pint of water

  Go back to bed and sleep it off …

  Enjoy!

  Table of Contents

  Begin reading

  Author biography

  Title page

  Copyright page

  Contents

  Dedication page

  Acknowledgements

  Lucy Diamond exclusive interview

  Lucy Diamond’s guide to the perfect hen night