mirror, and Eileen said: Look up for a second. He obliged. She ran the brush over his left lower lid with a delicate gesture of her wrist.
Simon, how about you? said Alice.
From the doorway Simon replied peaceably: No, thanks.
He’s pretty enough already, Felix said.
Alice clicked her tongue, putting the cap back on the lipstick. Don’t make personal remarks, she said.
With his hand in his pocket Simon said: Don’t listen to her, Felix.
Eileen withdrew the mascara brush and Felix opened his eyes again. Turning around, he glanced at his own reflection in the mirror impassively and then rose from the seat. Can any of you sing, by the way? he asked. They all looked at him. Just sometimes these things involve a bit of singing, he said. You don’t have to if you really can’t, obviously.
Alice said that Simon had been in a choir at Oxford, and Simon said he didn’t think anyone at the party would be in the mood to hear the bass part of the Miserere for fourteen minutes. What about you, Eileen? Felix said. Can you sing? She was screwing the cap back on the mascara. He looked at her but she avoided his eyes. No, I can’t, she answered. She rose to her feet then, smoothing her hands over her hips. I’m ready to go when everyone else is, she said.
In the car Alice sat in the front seat, carrying a sponge cake wrapped in clingfilm on a plate. Eileen and Simon sat in the back, the middle seat between them. Felix glanced at them in the rear-view mirror and then drummed his fingers cheerfully on the steering
wheel. So what do you do in the gym? he asked. Like, rowing machine, or what. Simon met his eyes in the mirror, and Alice turned her face away, smiling, or trying not to laugh. I do a little bit on the rowing machine, yeah, Simon answered. Felix asked if he lifted weights at all and Simon said not a lot. Alice started laughing then and pretending to cough. What? said Eileen. Nothing, she answered. Felix hit the indicator as they approached the turn off the coast road into town. And what height are you? he asked.
Out of curiosity. With a lazy smile Simon looked out the window. Shameless, Alice said. I don’t get it, said Eileen. Clearing his throat, Simon answered in a low voice: Six foot three. Felix was grinning then. See, it’s just a question, he said. Six foot three. And now I know. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel again he added: I’m like five foot eight, by the way. Not that you care, just telling you. From the back seat Eileen said she was also five foot eight. Felix glanced at her over his shoulder and then back at the road again. Are you, he said. Interesting. For a girl it’s a good tall height. Still looking out the window at the passing facades of summer homes, Simon remarked: I think it’s a fine height for anyone. Felix laughed. Thanks, big guy, he said. They were driving down the main street then, past the turn-off for the amusements. We don’t have to stay that long or anything, he remarked. At this thing. I just said I’d swing by for a bit.
Hitting the indicator once more, he added: And if you get talking to anyone who says anything bad about me, they’re lying. Simon started to laugh. Do people say bad things about you? Eileen asked. Felix glanced at her in the mirror again, waiting to turn right.
Well, there’s nasty people out there in the world, Eileen, he answered. And I’m not for everyone, let’s be honest. He took the right turn then, off the main road behind the church, and after a few minutes pulled in outside a bungalow, where several cars were parked already in the driveway. When he turned the engine off he said: Now just be
normal, alright? Don’t go in there talking about like, world politics and shit like that.
People will think you’re freaks. Alice turned around in her seat and said: His friends are very nice, don’t worry. Eileen said she didn’t know anything about world politics anyway.
Felix rang the doorbell and Danielle came to answer it. She was wearing a short blue summer dress and her hair was loose around her shoulders. Behind her, the house was bright and noisy. She welcomed them inside and Felix kissed her cheek, saying: Hey, happy birthday. You look great. She waved him away with her hand, pleased. Since when do you give compliments? she said. Alice introduced Eileen and Simon, and Danielle said: You’re all so glam, I’m jealous. Come on in. The kitchen was a tiled room behind the hallway, with a ceiling light over the table and a back door leading out onto the garden. Inside, seven or eight people were drinking from plastic cups and talking, and from the living room beside them came the sound of music and laughter.
On the table were various cans and bottles, empty and unopened, a bowl of crisps, a corkscrew. A tall man standing by the fridge said: Felix Brady, where have you been this week? Another man who was standing at the back door smoking called out: He’s been off riding his new girlfriend. When the first man pointed his thumb at Alice, the second man made an apologetic face and stepped inside to say: I am so sorry, I didn’t see you there. Alice smiled and said not to worry. Eating a handful of crisps, Felix nodded over his shoulder and said: These are friends of hers. Be nice to them, they’re a bitteen odd. Looking at Eileen, Danielle shook her head. How do you put up with him?