‘Right, well, in that case, it’s very big of you, mate, and if you can get this mess sorted out, I’ll be in your debt.See if Bill can do anything, but it’s going to have to be soon, the jacuzzi’s being delivered tomorrow afternoon.That doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to us going into business together, mind, there’s a lot of talking to do yet.’
Edward nodded.‘No problem.I’ll ring him now and call in a few favours.I know he’s not too busy just now.’Edward’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly.‘You won’t regret it.But before I go, Leo…’
‘There’s more?’Leo said, long-sufferingly.Edward seemed to change his mind.
‘Oh, nothing, it’ll keep.Look, the café closes at six o’clock.All of you come round next door about half seven and I’ll cook you something healthy… and it’ll taste amazing too, so don’t pull that face, Jess.’
Jess grinned.‘And will Beattie be there, Edward?Surely she’ll want to be part of the planning meeting?’
‘Oh, erm, no.She’s away on business tonight.I’ll explain later.’
31
As she got ready to go out for dinner later that evening, Mab looked at her glowing face in the dressing table mirror and decided that even though she felt sadder than she’d ever been and her life was in chaos, she was actually looking pretty good.Her newly slimmed-down figure looked great in a long cherry-red dress of fine wool.The dress had been an impulse buy last year from an online sale.At its original price Mab would have never bought it, and when it arrived, she’d thought it was still an expensive mistake as it had clearly outlined all her lumpiest bits.Now, the soft fabric clung in all the right places.Its plunging neckline showed that the weight had definitely not dropped off her chest, and the gathers in the material at the high waist meant that the dress skimmed all the rest of Mab’s body, falling in gentle folds almost to her ankles.
Mab’s normally wild mop of hair, brushed for at least ten minutes, shone and curled around her shoulders and was held back at the sides with two ornate silver slides, a present from her gran.She put on a pair of dangling silver filigree earrings.They were her lucky ones, bought with an unexpected payment from a magazine company after she’d had a short story accepted some months ago.Then, almost satisfied with the look, she dug around in her jewellery box until she found a necklace of ruby-red beads on a silver chain, and slipped her feet into soft suede boots.There.Not bad at all.Was she overdressed for an evening next door?Maybe, but who cared?This was going to be an important night, Mab could tell, and anyway, she wanted Leo to see her at her best, rather than damp, grubby and mopping up water, as they had both been since their return from the hospital.Maybe he would think again about his judgement of her.But then again, why should he?
In the living room, the lamps were already lit.Jess and Stan had made equal efforts to smarten themselves up, and even George was presentable in a baggy shirt and clean jeans.Nina looked stunning.She had put her hair up, and was wearing a simple slim-fitting navy shift dress with a square neckline.Mab noticed that Harry, dapper in matching navy blazer and cords, couldn’t take his eyes off Nina.They gravitated together at every possible moment, making any excuse to touch fingertips, brush minute specks of dust from each other’s clothes, and to exchange loving glances.Even Jess and Stan seemed unusually friendly tonight.Yuk, thought Mab, in typical George style, then immediately felt guilty for being so churlish.Why shouldn’t the others have some fun?Just because things weren’t going well for herself and Leo, there was no need to be so downbeat about everyone else’s happiness.
Leo appeared, still towelling his hair dry, and Mab caught her breath.How could she have ever doubted that he was the man for her?Leo was wearing tight black trousers, Chelsea boots and a soft cotton shirt that was the colour of cornflowers.He shook his head as he dropped the towel, and his hair, newly washed and still slightly damp, curled over his collar.The gold earring in his right ear glinted in true piratical style.
‘Blimey, Leo, you really do scrub up well,’ said Jess appreciatively.
‘I think we all do,’ agreed Harry, looking around at the assembled company with approval and taking the opportunity to tuck a stray strand of Nina’s fine blonde hair behind her ear.
‘Right, let’s get this show on the road, then,’ said Leo, once again not meeting Mab’s eyes.‘Where’s Alex?’
‘He said he’d see us there.He was taking some wine round next door,’ said Nina.‘I think he was going to see if Edward wanted any help with the dinner preparations too.’
‘Well, we’d better get moving, then.I’m starving,’ said George.‘I hope he’s done sushi.’
‘Oh, I don’t think he’ll have made that, love,’ said Jess, looking worried, ‘but there’s bound to be something you like, surely?’
They filed down the stairs, out into the starry night, and straight into the warmth of Beattie’s Bakehouse.
‘Welcome, folks,’ shouted Edward from the kitchen.He was lifting a huge pie out of the oven, and the smell of freshly baked pastry was enough to make a hungry person whimper, thought Mab.Alex, swathed in a large chef’s overall, was tossing an enormous salad, a glass of red wine at his elbow.
‘Oh, there you are, Alex,’ said Leo, ‘I thought you’d maybe had a better offer.’
Alex laughed, and looked across the steamy kitchen to where Edward was now whisking a huge saucepan of gravy.
‘There is no better offer, mate,’ he said, draining his wine and bringing a tray of glasses through to the little restaurant.‘Sit down, all of you, anywhere you like.’
The table was laid for nine people, with heavy cutlery on a deep green cloth.The centrepiece was a low arrangement of white lilies and delicate foliage, in a large green pottery bowl.Gilt-edged bottle-green napkins lay by each place setting, and dark green candles in antique brass holders flickered all around the room, casting a flatteringly soft light on the assembled guests.Mab felt herself begin to relax for the first time that day.
‘Would anyone like an aperitif?’asked Alex, shaking a silver bucket to loosen the ice.‘There’s gin and tonic, or very dry sherry?’
‘What’s an apperry teef?’asked George.‘And how can a drink be dry?It’s gotta be wet, hasn’t it, Mum?’
‘I’ll explain in a minute, love, but I need to hear the tinkle of ice in a large gin and tonic first.Thanks, Alex.’
Soon, everyone was sitting around the table with a drink in their hand, and George was happily mixing Coke, tonic and a scoop of ice cream in a tumbler.
‘OK, guys, please raise your glasses to what I hope will be the first of many evenings like this,’ said Alex, smiling at Edward as everyone did as they were told, clinking away merrily and taking huge, chilly gulps of their drinks.
Jess gasped.‘Phew, Alex, you certainly know how to mix a gin and tonic.’She began to perk up, and Mab could see that the fiendishly strong drinks were having a similar effect on the others.She raised her glass of pure tonic and ice to Alex in a silent toast of congratulation and he grinned back, chinking his tall glass against hers.
‘Cheers, Mab, bottoms up!’he said.She looked at him suspiciously, and saw him exchange glances with Edward, who raised his eyebrows apologetically at Mab.She frowned, and then began to giggle.Once she’d started, Mab couldn’t stop, and her laughter was so unexpected and infectious that within seconds, everyone except George had joined in.
