‘Don’t be.’ She nodded pointedly in Hugo’s direction. ‘It’s nice to see a couple who actuallylikeone another.’
Hugo rolled his eyes. ‘She always gets like this when she starts on the wine.’
‘Well, maybe you drive me to it.’ Maya raised her glass to her lips, blatantly gulping it back, her eyes fixed on her husband. Then she reached out once more and refilled her glass almost to the brim.
Hugo stared straight ahead while Jay and I shifted uncomfortably. We all fell quiet until I made conversation about a birthday party that the boys had been invited to at the weekend. We chatted some more and then Maya went to refill her glass again but noticed the bottle was empty. She waved her arms to signal a passing waiter, forgoing the QR-code ordering system.
‘Can I get another one of these?’ she shouted over the music, holding up the bottle when he had arrived over to the table.
‘Do you really think you should order another one?’ Hugo said, checking his chunky Rolex. ‘We need to get back for the babysitter.’
‘It’s only ten; she’ll be okay for a while longer.’ She turned and winked at me. ‘She’s seventeen; she’ll be glad of the extra money.’
‘Well, I think you’ve had enough now, darling,’ Hugo went on patronisingly.
‘But the bottle is empty; what about Liv and Jay?’
‘Darling, you’re the only one drinking it.’
It was true. Jay wasn’t drinking, I had barely touched my glass and Hugo seemed to have stopped drinking his wine as well.
‘If Maya wants to order another bottle, let her,’ Jay said, trying to smooth things over.
We both watched Hugo’s face turn incandescent.
After a few minutes, the waiter arrived back with the bottle, uncorked it and filled Maya’s glass.
‘So, tell me, Hugo, where did you say you’re building those offices?’ Jay tried once more to engage him. I loved this about my husband: he always made an effort with people and showed interest in them.
‘Not far from Vincent’s hospital.’
Jay nodded. ‘It’s a nice spot there along the coast. I did one of my nursing placements there, actually.’
‘Oh, I used to know someone who was a nurse there. Did you ever come across a girl called Louise Forde?’
Jay blanched. ‘Y-yeah, I did…’
‘Ireland is too small,’ Maya said, taking a sip from her wine. I noticed her glass was almost empty so I refilled it for her.
‘I think she’s probably had enough now,’ Hugo said to me but I ignored him. Although she had drank a lot, it was none of hisbusiness. It angered me how he tried to dictate what she could or couldn’t drink.
‘How do you know her, Jay?’ I probed.
‘I, eh, just do…’
Hugo laughed. ‘Wow, state secret.’
‘Well, come on.’ I poked him on the shoulder. ‘Spill the beans.’
‘Well, we went out for a while when we were younger.’
‘Oh, she’s an ex, I see.’ Maya laughed, her eyes glassy from the wine. ‘Be careful, Liv,’ she warned, wagging her finger playfully. ‘I think Jay has a few skeletons in his closet.’
‘How long were you together?’ I asked, bristling as I wondered why he had never told me about this girlfriend before. He had mentioned other girls’ names but I had never heard him mention this one.
‘Ah, maybe a few months.’
‘Ooh…’ Maya teased.
