Bernadette wrapped her arms around Clara’s cashmere-clad shoulders.‘Hello, lovely.Ah, it’s great to see you.Although, I’m going to stop hanging out with you if you continue to age backwards.’
‘Facelift,’ Clara whispered.‘A marvellous French doctor.It was a treat to myself.’
That made Bernadette chuckle.‘My last treat to myself was a pack of three white chocolate Magnums from Asda.I think we have different worlds and different definitions of a treat, Clara.’
They were still laughing when Bernadette shrugged off her coat and pulled out a chair.Before they could get chatting, the waiter arrived to take their order.
‘I’ll have a coffee, please,’ Bernadette said, noticing the other two had already chosen wine.Usually she’d be on the vino bus too, but tonight wasn’t a night for drinking.Tonight was for carrying out the wishes of an old friend.
‘Where is everyone else?’Clara asked.‘Are they all running late?That weather out there is terrible.I saw on the news that there had been loads of accidents on the roads.Have they been delayed?’
‘Ah, the problem wasn’t the roads, but we have had some call-offs.’Bernadette sat back to let the waiter slide a mug of coffee onto the table, and she folded her hands around it to help them defrost.‘I’ve had texts from both Annabel and Danielle to say they wouldn’t make it.Annabel has been held up at work and Danielle has been held up by a gorgeous man in Turks and Caicos, apparently.She says it’s bliss.’
‘Urgh, that cow always gets swept away on fancy holidays.’Diana rolled her eyes.‘It’s those legs of hers.A man just sees them and immediately books a first-class trip to the Caribbean.It’s like some kind of hypnosis.Or witchcraft.’
Bernadette had quickly learned that Diana’s dry, wry bitchiness was all part of her endearing charm.If Danielle were here, she’d take no offence whatsoever and find it hilarious.
Bernadette nodded solemnly.‘Blackpool.That’s the last place Jack took me.What does that say about my legs?’
‘Could probably do with a razor,’ Diana fired back, making Bernadette crease.
‘You’re not wrong.’
Clara was still smiling, but not too widely due to the recent facelift, when she said, ‘And what about Marge?Is she on her way?’
Bernadette had to summon all her acting skills, garnered over decades of putting people at ease, delivering reassurance and masking worst-case scenarios, to deliver a half-truth.Marge had been very clear that she didn’t want the full reality of her situation to be shared, because she didn’t want visitors.Except one.But that was for later.
‘Ladies, I’m sorry to say Marge won’t be joining us.She had surgery a few weeks ago and is still in hospital.But she sends her love, and she says she’ll see you all next year.’
‘Oh no!Can we ask what her surgery is for?Is it serious?’Clara asked.
‘Lung cancer,’ Bernadette conceded, to gasps from them both.‘But she’s hopeful that the treatment has worked, so we just have to stay positive.’
Fudging the truth didn’t come easy to her.God knows, this group had suffered enough lies and duplicity, but she had to respect Marge’s wishes.
‘Please give her our love.Oh, poor Estelle, she must be devastated about her mum.I’ll get the details of Marge’s ward off you so that I can send flowers or visit if she’s up to it.’
Bernadette saw that Clara’s brow was knitted with concern, and she understood.Since that first night, Marge and Clara had formed a particularly special bond.
‘Yes, me too!’Diana chirped in, before her phone buzzed and distracted her.She checked the screen and then made a ‘one minute’ gesture and got up from the table.
Bernadette took the moment to speak to Clara.
‘Clara, can we have a quick chat later, just the two of us?Marge asked me to pass on a message…’
There were some things that both women knew didn’t need an explanation.
‘Of course.Maybe you could walk with me to my car when we’re leaving?’
‘Good idea,’ Bernadette agreed gratefully.
‘Oh bugger, bugger, bugger…’ Diana blurted, all wide-eyed and amped up as she came back to the table.‘You’re never going to believe this – that was Murray on the phone.’
Bernadette felt a sudden desire to put her head on the table.Of course it was Murray.That bloody man had been the bane of her life today.She never wanted to hear his name again.
‘You’ll never guess where he is.’
Bernadette could definitely guess, but she didn’t.Bloody Hippocratic Oath.
