The Reunion

sound remarkably like Del Boy.
    ‘Bon. You are… not staying one more night?’
    ‘We might do,’ Lilah said brightly. ‘It depends.’
    ‘Depends?’
    ‘Will it be possible to get back up – up this road, I mean, to Madame de Chassagny’s house – today?’
    ‘Ah, oui. They ’ave the… ’ow you say? Chasse neige?’
    ‘Snow plough?’
    ‘Yes, yes, this is it. It will go maybe at lunch time? Maybe later. They will take you, if you wish. I can ask them.’
    The expression of relief on Andrew’s face spoke volumes.
    ‘OK. I call the man, I ask ’im to take you.’
    ‘That would be fantastic, thank you so much.’
    Lilah pouted. ‘I was quite looking forward to another night here, away from all the drama.’ She shrugged. ‘Although I suppose it will be nice to have clean underwear. What shall we do in the meantime then? While we’re waiting for the snow plough, I mean? You want to go back to bed?’

 
     
    27 February 1993
    Hi Mum,
    Thank you, thank you! I adore the dress – and Armani! You’re so sweet. I shall be the best-dressed girl in the college bar. Well, I already am the best-dressed girl in the college bar, obviously (there is a woeful tendency towards jeans and Docs round here), but I’ll be even better dressed now.
    I had the loveliest birthday. The new boy, Andrew, took me out for a breakfast at Dino’s, which is just this little greasy spoon, but he’d arranged to have them bring over a bottle of champagne with my bacon sarnie (a bacon sarnie! See, I am getting into the student spirit). When I got back to my room later that morning it was
full
of orchids – he’d surreptitiously nicked my key and got some friends to sneak into my room while we were out and put them everywhere. My room is now so beautiful. I love it.
    And I love it here. You’re going to laugh when you read this, but thank you thank you thank you for making me revise for my A-levels. I can even forgive you for locking me in my room the night before my history exam when Darren Sanders invited me to go to SW1 (VIP room!). I’m just having the best time – I’ve met the coolest people, honestly: they’re so different to my London friends, they’re not into money at all, they’re clever and interesting, they talk about art and philosophy and shit like that, and I don’t know what they’re talking about half the time, but they don’t seem to care. They like me! There’s this girl, Natalie, she’s on my course, and she’s just amazing, she’s read everything there is to read, and she can talk for hours about politics and poetry, and she’s funny and adorable.
    And I’m in love with Andrew! Really. I think I mean it this time. And you’re going to adore him, Mum, I promise. He’s totally not like Darren, he’s an absolute honey. He’s really clever, athletic, he works hard and he treats me so well. Plus he’s drop dead gorgeous. I was thinking of asking him to come to London at Easter – would that be OK?
    Anyway, have to go, have a tutorial in twenty minutes. Thanks again for the dress, Mum, and thanks for pushing me so much, and thanks for taking all my shit. I miss you loads, I’ll see you in a few weeks.
    Love, love, love,
    Lilah

Chapter Twenty-six

    THE SILENCE BLANKETING the house seemed deeper even than usual. Calm after the storm. Jen slept in after a fitful night’s sleep, and yet when she woke all was quiet. She leaned over and flicked on the lamp next to her bed. Yes. She breathed a sigh of relief, turning it off again. The power was back. She could at least provide her remaining guests with hot water and a cooked breakfast.
    She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. Her head swam a little and she thought for a moment she might be sick. She breathed in and out, slowly and steadily, placed a hand on her belly. All quiet and still there, too. She took a long, warm shower, leaning her forehead gently against the tiles, eyes closed. She wished her mind would stop racing, wished she could gain a sense of inner peace to match the quiet outside.
    There were so many things to worry about: Andrew and Natalie, the state Lilah might be in, whether or not Andrew and Lilah would be able to get back to the house, that conversation with Dan last night. She felt a fluttering, a slight movement in her belly and then a sharp kick. Her shoulders dropped a couple of inches, she exhaled slowly, relieved. She didn’t like the way she’d been feeling the last couple of days, the