A Wee Posse

Ros turned, flushed with excitement, as Nic came through the door.

‘You’ll never guess…’

He tossed his satchel into a corner, shrugged off his jacket, dropped onto a chair. ‘Guess what?’

‘Sophie’s just off the phone. She’s coming up in a couple of weeks.’

‘Here?’

‘No, silly.’ Ros wiped her hands on her apron, crossed to drop a kiss on top of his head. ‘Edinburgh. Visit her folks. Amazing thing is, Louise is over then for a conference. And Sarah…well, Glasgow’s not that far.’

‘So?’

‘She mooted a reunion, Sophie that is. If we went down…’

‘No chance.’ Nic’s brows rearranged themselves into a frown. ‘I’ve far too much on my plate.’

‘But, Nic, I haven’t seen her since we moved here. It must be two years, at least, since our wee posse had a real get together.’

‘Posse,’ Nic scoffed. ‘Coven, more like, the way you lot huddle together, gossiping about God knows what.’

‘We’re not gossiping. We’re catching up, that’s all.’

He shrugged. ‘Whatever. Anyhow, all that girls together stuff gives me a sore head.’

‘Nobody’s asking you to join in. Mark will be coming as well. The pair of you could…’

‘Mark’s a tosser.’

Ros winced. ‘That’s not true.’

‘They’re all tossers, those city types, living off the backs of…’

‘Do I detect a note of jealousy?’ Teasing voice.

He had the grace to look sheepish. ‘Maybe. If we had their money…’

‘Well, we don’t, but we’re none the worse for it.’ She worked to keep her tone light.

Ros cursed herself for raising the subject. She should have known better than to broach it when he’d just got in from work. Never ask a man for anything until you’ve fed him. Wasn’t that what her maternal granny used to say? Best drop it for now, she decided, bring it up another time.

She changed the subject. ‘How was your day?’

He grimaced. ‘Full morning of lectures. Departmental meeting in the afternoon. More cuts. Nightmare! Everyone at each other’s throats.’

‘Poor you.’ Gently, her fingers kneaded the nape of his neck.

‘How’s Max?’ He didn’t ask about her day.

‘He was shattered when I picked him up. I put him down for a nap before tea. It will be a while yet.’ She broke off, crossed back to the sink. ‘I was a bit pushed this afternoon. Can I get you something for now? Cup of tea?’

‘It will take more than that.’ Nic rose, made for the pantry.

Oh, hell! Ros could feel her chest constrict. Desperate for a sugar rush, she’d eaten one of his chocolate bars earlier. Heart thudding, she said a fervent prayer he wouldn’t notice.

‘Now, then,’ his voice echoed from the recess of the cupboard. ‘Who’s been raiding my treats shelf?’

Better own up. ‘Sorry.’ She smiled an apology. ‘I was desperate.’ Her voice sounded far away.

Nic re-emerged, gnawing on a cereal bar. ‘Thought you were desperate to lose weight?’ He clutched a handful of spare flesh.

‘Ow!’ She pulled away. ‘I was. Am.’

‘Well, we won’t lose weight stuffing ourselves with choccie bars, will we?’

That’s the girls’ reunion out the window, Ros thought, miserably.

There was a wail from upstairs, closely followed by another.

Dejected, she made for the stairs.