The Men in her Life

yourself and spin about with your long hair whacking anyone who came too close in the face.
    Holly hated the way that people went on about the Sixties. All that crap about changing the world that middle-aged left-wing intellectuals were so pleased with themselves about, oblivious to the fact that there was still war and nuclear weapons and torture and famine. The only visible difference the Sixties had made, Holly often thought, was that it was now acceptable for big businessmen to have beards. People like Louis Gold were always telling her that you had to be there. It was a revolution, a total break with the past. You mean the Pill, Holly would argue, that miraculously profitable invention by the pharmaceutical companies that turned sexual harassment into free love. You don’t really mean that, they would say. No, I don’t, Holly would think, but it’s fun to see doubt cross your smug face.
    ‘What’s up?’ Simon asked, seeing Holly’s frown.
    ‘I was just thinking how much I hated the Sixties...’
    Simon looked perplexed.
    ‘You were only a child...’he said.
    ‘No, I don’t mean...’ She was going to explain but she knew he would think her barmy if she did. ‘Oh, it doesn’t matter,’ Holly said, laughing breathlessly as the number came to an end.
    ‘Shall we have a rest?’ Simon asked.
    ‘Yes, but we can dance more later?’ Holly pleaded like a child.
    ‘I don’t believe it... you’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?’ Simon said.
    ‘I really am,’ Holly replied as he handed her a drink, ‘thanks. Thanks for coming, Simon...’
    ‘My pleasure...’
    Holly had always considered Simon nice but a bit boring, and she wondered now how it could be that she had not found out until recently about the significant accomplishments he had kept secret for all the years they had been neighbours. He could sing and he could dance, and now he was behaving like the perfect gentleman as he noticed that Sonya was alone and asked her whether she would care to dance too. They whirled round the room, with Simon managing to avoid collisions and make small talk to a virtual stranger at the same time. Sonya always had the latest information about blocked pores and moisturizing colour-fast lipstick, but Holly couldn’t imagine what titbits she might have to interest Simon.
    Holly realized that she had never before seen him at a party. In her experience, the attractions of most men paled when you suddenly saw them through the eyes of friends or family, but it was just the opposite with Simon. For the first time since she had known him, she found herself wondering what sort of lover Simon would be, but quickly dismissed the thought. Every man she slept with she lost, and she had lost enough men for one year. Her friendship with Simon was far too valuable to chuck away out of curiosity. And there was Tansy, she reminded herself.
    Mo’s face was the colour of caramel by the time she and Eamon left the gathering.
    Holly hugged her really tight before letting her get into the car.
    ‘You’re not losing me, you know,’ Mo whispered in her ear, ‘I’m harder to get rid of than that.’
    ‘Just don’t tell me I’m gaining a stepfather,’ Holly whispered back, ‘Eamon’s all right, but I’m too old to want his opinions about the way I conduct my life.’
    ‘You’ve never taken any notice of anyone’s opinion about the way you conduct your life,’ Mo chided, giving her one final squeeze, ‘why should you ever start now?’
    ‘True,’ Holly admitted, ‘have a lovely time.’
    The others cheered as Eamon started the grubby old Metro. It pulled away slowly, trailing beer cans and green and white balloons. Holly ran alongside it down to the main road, not wanting to let her mother go. They had said goodbye to one another a million times, but this time it felt different. This time Mo was on her way to a truly separate life which did not involve her at all, and she didn’t want to let her go. She ran until the car was going too fast for them to hold hands, then stood panting, waving until it disappeared from sight, and a moment longer.
    Then she turned and walked back towards the rest of the crowd.
    ‘Shall we go and get something to eat?’ Simon asked as the hard core of the wedding party sauntered back into the hall. ‘If we stay here, we’ll just go on drinking...’
    ‘What’s the time?’ Holly had no idea.
    ‘Quarter past seven.’
    ‘I thought it was about four... yeah, why not?’
    Better