Last Night…
Harriett had never eaten so much. Sandra was adamant that she needed feeding up.
‘Just eat it, Harriett. It’s easier, else she will just nag you until you do. Trust me. I’ve learned to do as I’m told.’
Sandra pointed the BBQ fork at Martin. ‘If that were true, you would have fixed those lights the other night when I told you to.’
‘I told you I didn’t have the bulbs! Where do you expect me to magic up bulbs from when we’ve been banned from using any form of electronic devices whilst we are on our anniversary retreat?’
‘How long have you been together?’ Paul asked, smiling at their exchange.
‘Fifteen long years,’ Sandra and Martin said simultaneously. They laughed and chinked glasses.
‘Wow, congratulations. The longest I’ve ever managed is two years,’ Paul said.
Harriett took another bite of the burger Sandra had given her. She didn’t want them to ask her. Didn’t want them to find out that at the age of thirty-eight, she had never had a relationship, had never slept with anyone. As the day moved into dusk, they spoke about the nights they’d had as kids. Sandra had been a bit of a wild child. Paul and Harriett had shared a look as Martin raised his eyebrows.
The outside lights came on and Martin declared it was fire time. He expertly lit the fire pit as Sandra topped up their glasses. Harriett was feeling the wine, even though she’d managed to swap it for lemonade later on in the evening. She didn’t want to tell them she was on medication, she just wanted it to be normal. She wanted this to be a normal evening where she could pretend that she’d told Paul about her past and he didn’t care and they were a couple. Here they were on an evening out with another couple. Normal.
Hours later, as the night started to turn chilly despite the fire, Sandra stood up and announced, ‘Right. Spin the bottle time!’
Paul and Harriett put up their hands. ‘Sandra, come on. We are not American teenagers at a frat party. We are not playing spin the bottle.’
Sandra sulked as Martin took the bottle of vodka from her. Sandra swayed and Paul stood up.
‘Listen, I’m shattered. Had a long drive. It’s been fabulous, but this old guy is going to have to say thank you for a wonderful evening and good night.’
Sandra tried without success to change Paul’s mind as she swayed in Martin’s arms. Finally, to shrieks of laughter, Martin lifted her in his arms.
‘Right, woman. Bed for you. Stop embarrassing us with your drunken behaviour.’
Sandra giggled as Martin carried her into the house, waving her hand as Paul put the lid on the fire pit and opened the front gate. Harriett looked back, not wanting to forget this night. Once she’d told Paul, this might never happen again. Who invited random strangers to a party? A couple, yes. But not a random single person, although—Harriett thought—Sandra probably set up her friends on blind dates. She was one of those kinds of people.
‘They are an amazing couple, hey?’ Paul said as they walked along the sandy pathway. The sand was still warm from the heat of the day. Tomorrow was set to be a scorcher and then it was on the turn, the forecast storm signalling the end of summer. The final hurrah before autumn took over.
‘Yes. Fifteen years is a long time.’ Harriett could have kicked herself for bringing it up. She didn’t want to talk about relationships or her lack of them. Once he knew her life story, he would understand, but she didn’t want to lie now, and tonight wasn’t the right time to tell him. She wanted to enjoy this evening if this was all she would have.
‘Sure is. We should be so lucky.’ That’s when he reached over and an electric shock ran through her body as his fingertips found hers. She wouldn’t have believed such a slight touch could wake her body; she felt alive, like a firework exploding on New Year’s Eve. Like every atom in her body had moved to that one point of contact.
A blur ran between them and Paul jumped back as Harriett gasped. ‘Shit. Oscar, you little sod.’
Harriett put her hand to her chest to slow her heartbeat, sad that the moment had passed. She could hear Chester whining from the house. She’d left him inside with music on as the fireworks the kids had let off on the beach had scared him. He was always better in his bed with the TV on in the background. Paul said nothing bothered Oscar and he had joined them for more fuss than he could handle from Martin and Sandra, eventually curling up under Paul’s chair.
Harriett walked quickly to the door, her dress swishing in the gentle breeze. It was one of the dresses Dr Maytree had given her. A pale cream linen dress with swirling roses running throughout the pattern. It fit perfectly and just in the right places, Sandra said. Harriett had stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself. It was true how clothes transformed you, she felt like she was standing straighter, more comfortable. Like a magical dress, it gave her confidence. Even when Sandra asked her about her scar, she only hesitated slightly. She stuck to the truth as much as possible. Sandra was shocked.
‘You got attacked!’ She leaned forward like she had won the gossip lottery. Sandra was a lovely woman, but Harriett doubted her friends ever confided anything they didn’t want the whole street to know, and she could just picture her leaning on fences on their estate back home.
‘Yes,’ Harriett swallowed. She had practised what she would say. Once she told Paul the truth, if he stayed, then she would tell him about the scar. She wouldn’t want him to think she’d lied to these nice people, so she just omitted a few things.
‘You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to. Sandra, leave Harriett alone. She doesn’t have to tell us.’
‘She knows that. Who do you think I am? Judge Judy?’
Harriett got a few minutes of reprieve from answering as Sandra explained to Paul that Judge Judy was a real judge but she was on TV and literally no one could stand up against her cross-examination.
‘It’s okay. I just got attacked, that’s all. Wrong place, wrong time. They thought I’d done something to someone they loved and they were mistaken.’ Harriett knew the last part was a bit of a stretch, but she hoped Paul would forgive her when she explained. If she could. She didn’t even know herself.
‘What a bitch! I hope they caught her and she got sent down for what she did. I hope she rots in jail forever. I fucking hate criminals.’
‘Don’t mind her,’ Martin said, as he chucked another log on the fire. ‘Not only is she pissed but she watches so many police programmes she thinks she’s literally a copper!’
This lightened the tension and Harriett felt grateful. She wanted to change the subject but Sandra wasn’t finished.
‘So, did she get done for it then?’
‘Yes. I think so. I just wanted to get past it. Didn’t want to know.’
‘You are the nicest person, Harriett. I would have been glaring at that bitch from the moment she got in the courtroom.’
‘Superman has got nothing on her laser eyes!’ Martin said to laughter.
‘Damn right. I protect myself and my own. If you ever see her when we’re together, you let me know. I will whoop her ass.’
Martin spat out the mouthful of beer he’d just swallowed. ‘Jesus, a few drinks and she sounds like some kind of Italian mob. You’re a middle-aged white woman from Leeds, calm yourself down, love.’
He ducked just in time as Sandra threw a cushion at him. ‘I will whoop your ass as well. You mark my words.’
‘Bring it on, wife.’
Paul looked at Harriett and they grinned. He mouthed, ‘You okay?’ and she nodded, turning to watch Sandra try and fail to “whoop” Martin’s ass. She gave in and tried to feed Harriett some more cake instead.