What became of us

can’t spend every minute of today reminiscing. D’you know what I mean?’
    ‘Yes,’ Ursula said; ‘anyway she wouldn’t have wanted it.’
    ‘Do you think she would have wanted a Celebration of her Life?’ Annie put heavily ironic emphasis on the words.
    ‘If it raised money for her charity, yes, I do,’ Ursula said.
    ‘But don’t you think we’re all here because secretly we’re trying to ward off the demon cancer with a donation and a bit of piety?’ Annie waved her cigarette around like a wand.
    ‘You may be,’ Ursula said.
    ‘So, if she had died in a car crash, would we still be doing this?’
    ‘Oh come on!’ said Ursula.
    Annie had broken a taboo but it felt uncomfortably as though she might have a point.
    ‘Maybe we would,’ she offered weakly. ‘I mean, Penny loved college life. I think that’s why Leonora thought of it.’
    ‘Lea-bloody-nora!’ Annie said, as if she had forgotten her involvement in the project. ‘It’s probably just an excuse for her to sing to a captive audience.’
    ‘That’s so unfair,’ Ursula said, barely able to suppress a giggle.
    ‘I bet you ten pounds she sings tonight. See, not even willing to bet a tenth of your per-hour fees!’ Annie said.
    ‘I charge two hundred an hour these days,’ Ursula corrected.
    ‘...still I suppose what you’re saying is that if Penny had still been around, she’d have come to this twenty-year gaudy. You’re right. I certainly wouldn’t, but Penny would and you would,’ she said almost accusingly, ‘but Manon definitely wouldn’t. Actually I was surprised when she said she was coming to this.’
    ‘How is Manon?’ Ursula asked politely.
    ‘Elusive as ever. She works in my club so I see her quite a lot, and you know, even though she’s a hat check girl and I’m a famous television personality,’ she put a self-mocking emphasis on the words, ‘I’m still as jealous as I ever was.’
    ‘Were you jealous?’
    ‘Of course I was. So were you.’
    ‘I was not!’
    ‘Liar! We used to spend half our time bitching about her. I remember you saying that she was so slim you could see the bones in her hands.’
    ‘What’s wrong with that?’ Ursula asked.
    ‘It was the way that you said it,’ Annie replied. ‘Anyway, it’s not just that she’s the sort of person who’s effortlessly slim and doesn’t fall down stairs when she’s wearing Moroccan slippers, it’s everything. I mean, did you read her collection of short stories?’
    ‘I don’t get time to read.’
    ‘Oh for heaven’s sake! Why do people with children always say that?’
    ‘Because it’s true,’ Ursula offered.
    ‘Well, make time. You’ll be shocked.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘You’ll have to read and see,’ Annie teased. ‘Needless to say, as soon as you write about bizarre sex, all the critics rave about a “rare new voice in fiction”, whereas everyone simply assumes that every word I write is sheer autobiography.’
    ‘Well, isn’t it?’ Ursula said sharply.
    ‘Not entirely,’ Annie said, blushing. ‘What I mean is Manon does serious readings in Waterstone’s, and I have a photographer from the Mirror watching my house.’ Annie turned her attention back to the menu. ‘Do you want wine, because I know I bloody do.’
    ‘What about your car?’ Ursula asked.
    ‘Oh, I left it at the hotel car park, eventually,’ Annie confessed with a sheepish look of admission that her initial excuse for lateness had been weak.
    ‘Where are you staying?’ Ursula demanded.
    ‘The Randolph. Thought I might as well. What about you?’
    ‘I’m staying in college.’
    ‘In college?’
    ‘I was going to stay with Roy and the girls, but he’s sold the house.’
    ‘Sold the house?’ Annie repeated, shocked. ‘Why?’
    ‘Well, he says it’s because it’s sensible to be nearer Penny’s parents. He’s buying a cottage in their village. It will make things easier for him, I think, when he has college dinners and that sort of thing. And I think Joshua Street reminded them all too much of Penny.’
    ‘So they’re going to live near where she’s buried, that’s logical,’ Annie said.
    ‘Now you’re the one that’s looking cross.’
    ‘Sorry. It’s none of my business. I just feel a bit odd about him selling the house.’
    ‘I did too.’
    ‘I mean, it was our house, wasn’t it?’ Annie said, picking up the menu.

    How come Ursula had got so slim? Annie thought, stealing a glance at her round the side of the menu. She felt