The Reunion

desperate to get out, and the closer we got we realised that it was two blokes and they weren’t going anywhere. They were sitting down. About ten metres from where our clothes were.’ She passed her hand over her eyes. ‘God, it was a nightmare, we were just getting colder and colder and it wasn’t bloody funny any longer, I could see Kay’s lips going blue, so I just thought, fuck it, and I ran, as fast as I could, out of the surf and up the beach…’ she was laughing, shaking her head.
    ‘And I was sitting there,’ Conor took up the story, ‘with my brother, Ronan, and he sees this girl and he’s like, bloody hell, she’s starkers, and he’s just pissing himself laughing but Jesus, I was just sat there, mouth open, my eyes out on stalks. Couldn’t believe it. Never seen anything so gorgeous in my whole life.’ He was grinning at Jen, she had her hands over her face. ‘And the next day, I saw her in the town and she saw me, and she blushed, deep red – the colour she is now, actually. And that was it. I was in love.’
    Lilah and Andrew slow-danced to ‘Nightswimming’ while Conor and Jen snogged like teenagers on the sofa, so Natalie and Dan found themselves in the kitchen, doing the washing up.
    ‘I hope they’re not going to be at it all the time when I’m staying with them,’ he said, jerking his head back in Conor and Jen’s direction.
    ‘Oh, is that happening? I thought Jen had vetoed.’
    Dan raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh. Well, as far as I know, it’s happening. Con said it would be OK. She’ll get used to me,’ he said giving Natalie a wink. ‘I can be quite loveable when I try.’
    ‘Of course you can, sweetie,’ she said, proffering her cheek, not her lips, when he bent down to give her a kiss.
    ‘Is he hitting on you again?’ Andrew was standing in the doorway watching them, his dance over. ‘Honestly, can’t leave you alone for a second.’
    ‘No, you can’t. Here,’ Dan threw his dishcloth at Andrew’s head. ‘You’d better take over, I need to change the music.’
    Andrew stood at her side. ‘Don’t do it all,’ he said, ‘I’ll finish up later.’
    ‘Don’t be silly, I’m here now.’
    He slipped his arm around her. ‘What would I do without you?’ he said, giving her a squeeze.
    ‘All the washing up, probably, because I don’t think you’ll catch Lilah with a pair of Marigolds.’
    His arm still draped around her shoulder, she felt it again: happiness, and the faintest shadow of fear.
    ‘We need to hang out more, you and I. I miss the talks we had, on our walks in France.’
    ‘Yeah, I miss them too.’ She looked up at him and he smiled at her and she felt tears sting the backs of her eyes.
    ‘Oi!’ Lilah came bouncing into the room, two shot glasses in hand. ‘Here. Tequila!’
    ‘I’m working tomorrow, Lilo,’ Natalie said.
    ‘We’re all working!’ She pressed the glass into Natalie’s hand. ‘Come on. You have to. It’s my anniversary.’
    ‘Our anniversary, actually,’ Andrew said.
    ‘Yeah yeah, whatever. Drink.’
    Natalie took the glass and downed its contents, swallowing as fast as possible, pulling a face. ‘Bleugh.’
    Lilah gave her a kiss on the cheek and grabbed her soapy hand. ‘Come on, Drew can finish that. Come dance with me.’ She pulled Natalie into the living room and they leapt around the room, Dan, Conor, Jen, Lilah and Natalie, to ‘Disco 2000’.

Chapter Thirty

    December 1995
    ‘ HE’S DRIVING ME mental. MENTAL,’ Jen said, suddenly aware that she was talking rather loudly and that the people on the next table were looking. She’d almost finished her third gin and tonic and they’d only been there an hour. She really ought to eat something. The bar, dimly lit and heaving, did not look a likely place to get a snack.
    ‘He’ll be gone in a week or so, won’t he?’ Lilah asked, scanning the room. ‘At least you’re not stuck with him.’ Jen looked at her quizzically.
    ‘Not Dan,’ Nat said, rolling her eyes. ‘Aren’t you listening? She’s talking about Conor.’
    ‘Oh. Well, then you are stuck with him. As I am with Drew. Jesus Christ! Living together is not what I expected. It’s so much less… It’s just
less
, don’t you think? Less going out, less presents, less sex, less fun.’
    ‘Fewer presents,’ Natalie said.
    ‘What?’
    ‘Nothing.’
    ‘Are you correcting my grammar, Natalie?’ Lilah threw a piece of lemon rind at her. ‘I’ve warned you about that. God, have you