‘Well, I’m glad it’s not just me whose life has turned to shit,’ Leon said, draining his glass and reaching for the bottle.
‘Oh Leon,’ Maggie said, ‘hark at me making it all about my problems, and I didn’t even ask how you were getting on. How are you?’
‘I’m okay,’ he said. ‘I’ve had longer to get used to my new status than you. And it’s all right really. I hadn’t been what Becky wanted me to be for a while. Well, forever really, but it took her the best part of twenty years to work out that she couldn’t mould me into her version of a perfect husband. So, when she suggested that our marriage had run its course, it was pretty easy just to agree with her. And living alone has a lot to commend it, I’m discovering. I can eat takeaway from the carton in my boxers and there’s no one there to object.’
‘Ew!’ squealed Angie. ‘Save us that particular mental image!’
Leon looked affronted. ‘There’s nothing there that you haven’t both experienced before,’ he said.
‘Well, I’m not sure that I want to experience it again!’ Angie said, and they all laughed more loudly than the comment deserved, a welcome relief from the tension.
The waitress arrived to take their order, but as no one had even opened their menu, Angie sent her away.
‘So, does that mean I’m the only one that has their shit together right now?’ she asked in delight. ‘Praise be! It’s a miracle! I’ve waited a bloody long time for my turn to come round.’
‘And talking of getting your shit together,’ said Leon, ‘have you heard from Tiger recently?’
Angie saw Maggie start at the mention of his name. It’s still there then, she thought idly, after all this time. There was something else as well. She thought she saw Leon’s jaw tighten slightly. Had he and Tiger had words last time he’d been home? That seemed unlikely, but she couldn’t think why else there might be any bad feeling between the two of them.
‘Not seen him for about a year,’ she said. ‘No, wait, it’ll be closer to two. God, is it really that long?’
‘Well, time is flying,’ Maggie said. ‘Evidence – one thirty-year reunion dinner.’
‘I suppose so,’ said Angie. ‘Last time I heard anything he was working at a diving school in the Caribbean. The Cayman Islands, I think, wherever they are.’
‘As a dive instructor?’ asked Leon. ‘That’s cool.’
‘No!’ replied Angie. ‘Tiger?! Do you think he’d ever get himself organised enough to do a PADI qualification? No, he was taking bookings, driving the boats, cleaning the equipment. That kind of thing. Anyway, he’s been there a while, so he must like it.’
‘It’s not like him to stay in one place for that long,’ said Maggie. ‘It must be going well.’
‘Either that or he just can’t save the money to move on,’ replied Angie.
‘Aren’t the Cayman Islands a tax haven?’ asked Leon thoughtfully. ‘I imagine it’s pretty expensive to live there.’
Angie shrugged. ‘No doubt he’ll be back when he gets bored. Right, I’m starving. Let’s get some food ordered,’ she said.
‘And then I can test your memories with this little quiz I’ve devised,’ said Maggie.
Angie groaned, but she didn’t mean it. A little bit of gentle reminiscing to a time when life was simpler was probably exactly what they all needed.
33
By the end of the evening Maggie and Leon were really quite drunk and very sweet with it. Angie had feared that there might be tears, given everything that had been disclosed, but actually their drunkenness had slanted in favour of an enhanced perception of just how fond they all were of one another. Maggie’s quiz had been the start.
‘Who accidentally dropped their contact lens on the floor in the college bar during the Friday night disco and made the DJ turn the lights on so that everyone could look for it?’ asked Maggie.
‘Oh, I remember that,’ said Leon. ‘Wasn’t it that girl whose room was directly above yours, Ange? The one with fabulous tits.’
‘Leon!!’ said Maggie so loudly that the people at the surrounding tables all looked round, causing Maggie to stare back defiantly in a most un-Maggie kind of way.
‘What?’ asked Leon indignantly. ‘She did have great tits! What was her name? It’s on the tip of my tongue. Guinevere or something.’
‘Genevieve!’ said Angie. ‘Was that her with the contact lens? She was such a princess. I remember us all stopping dancing and crawling around on our hands and knees looking for it.’