TOYL

like this week. I was stuck on the Northern Line for half an hour on Wednesday. Signal failure or something.’
    ‘Maybe,’ he replied. ‘I was thinking of breaking your door down though, just in case.’
    ‘Don’t you dare! Anyway, I’m the black belt, not you. You’d hurt yourself.’
    ‘Okay, Bruce Lee.’ Will feigned disappointment. ‘I just want to look out for my little sister.’
    ‘I know. And you always have done.’
    ‘Hey, that’s why older brothers were invented. Tell you what, I’ll wait here and see if he turns up.’
    ‘No,’ Emma said, moving away from the pub door as what appeared to be another hen party pushed inside; this group was dressed as cheerleaders, with ultra-tight tops and mini-skirts (at least Lizzy hadn’t gone for that idea). ‘Go back to Covent Garden in case he turns up there. I’ll try and call him myself.’
    ‘The others can go back, but I’d rather stick around here,’ insisted Will. ‘This is all pretty strange, Em. You don’t think…’
    ‘Don’t even say it,’ Emma interrupted. ‘Just don’t.’
    ‘You’re right, Em. This is totally different than last time.’
    ‘Hey, there you are!’ said Lizzy, throwing a semi-drunken arm around Emma as she returned to the group. ‘Wondered where you’d got to. Thought you might have sneaked off for a crafty last snog with some hunky stockbroker before it’s too late. After all, you’re still twenty-eight, free and single – for the moment.’
    Emma didn’t meet Lizzy’s smile. Instead she looked down at the mobile phone that was still grasped tightly in her hand, hardly hearing what her best friend was saying. Although she’d been deliberately upbeat to Will’s pessimist, a few unsuccessful calls to Dan following the conversation with her brother had wiped out the party spirit in her. Part of her had thought that somehow he would answer the phone for her, despite Will’s failure to contact him. But now, faced with the same frustrating silence, all she wanted to do was get out of here as quickly as possible and find out what was going on.
    ‘Get this down you,’ Lizzy ordered, forcing a Sea Breeze cocktail into Emma’s free hand. ‘You’re far too sober for my liking. I’m in charge tonight, and whatever I say goes. And I say drink! Cheers!’
    ‘Cheers,’ Emma said half-heartedly, clinking glasses.
    She watched as a beaming Lizzy took a swig of her drink. She’d met the ever-cheerful Lizzy, a strawberry blonde with a big heart and even bigger voice, at an audition three years ago. Since that initial meeting the two had become good friends and had flat-shared for a time, until eighteen months ago when Emma had moved in with Dan. A classically trained singer, Lizzy was now plying her trade on the West End stage, where she had a part in a popular musical.
    ‘You okay?’ Lizzy finally noticed that Emma seemed distracted.
    ‘I’m not sure.’ Emma played with the straw and ice cubes in her drink. ‘It’s Dan. He’s gone missing.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘That was Will on the phone. He said Dan didn’t turn up for the stag party. And now no one can get hold of him. I just tried to call him now. His mobile sounds like it’s turned off, and there’s no answer on the home phone.’
    ‘But wasn’t he about to leave when I arrived at yours?’ Lizzy said.
    ‘Yeah. That’s what worries me.’
    ‘Maybe he’s stuck on the tube?’ Lizzy raised an eyebrow.
    ‘That’s what I thought. But it’s been two hours, Lizzy.’
    ‘I’m sure he’s fine,’ she offered, lightly touching Emma’s side.
    ‘You don’t think he’s had second thoughts, do you?’ Emma’s hitherto buried insecurities found a voice. ‘You know I said he’s been acting weird over the past few weeks. Maybe he’s decided that I’m not what he wants.’
    ‘Don’t be silly. Dan’s a great guy, and he’s crazy about you, Em.’ Lizzy squeezed her arm. ‘Anyone can see that. Men act weird now and again – it’s genetic. He’s probably just sitting on a park bench somewhere, feeding the ducks and contemplating his final days of bachelorhood. Trust me, my brother was the same before his wedding – had some kind of pre-commitment crisis and thought about travelling around Australia for a year instead. And this is the guy who can’t stand insects or heat.’
    ‘I sound hysterical, don’t I?’ Emma smiled, taking a nervous sip from her drink. It wasn’t like her to get worked up – she was usually calm and