a Pleasant Sunday Afternoon

“Lil can you and Gary go to the shops and get me some things?”

“But Bernie we just got home. I’ve hardly unpacked my beach gear and Gary hasn’t at all”.

“Please do it for me”.

“ Come on sis” chimed in Gary “It wont take long I’ve got Bernie’s list.”

“Oh very well” answered Lil resignedly and after she had unpacked her gear the Menards drove off. Alison and Bernie quickly got busy for this was a well planned surprise school reunion for Lil- They had invited all her old girl friends they had got the school albums out and had laid in balloons and novelties for the party. Soon the girls began to arrive bringing food or as Bernie gasped “food food and more food”

“Yes” said Alison looking at the mountains of savouries, sandwiches. cakes, hot dishes, puddings “the Menards won’t have to buy till their parents return” The friends -there were dozens- had all parked their cars in the side street and gathered in the sitting room quietly so that when Gary and Lil returned the surprise was complete.

Gary smiled “well I hope it’s a great day for you and I’m off it’s an all girl thing and I’ll be in the way”. He had made his own plans for the afternoon.

The girls talked and talked about school about their friends about what they had done since leaving school about their colleges and when they were talked out they played a few games like they had when they were in early high school, to the sound of a lot of giggling and playful banter. Bernie and Alison watching from the kitchen as they got some of the food ready smiled “Great idea of yours Alison its made Lil so much happier”

“Yes and the girls have been very careful to take your advice and not talk about their boyfriends. You are very thoughtful Bernie”

“Well I don’t want the day spoilt by Lil getting upset over Steve” Soon they were passing out trays of food and cups of tea and coffee to the assembled friends. Then in all too short a time the girls began to talk about cleaning up which they did so there was no mess left for Alison Lil or Bernie and then to say their goodbyes and go. Most agreed they should do it soon again. Lil came into the kitchen from where she had been excluded during the party and the clean up

“Wow thank you both so much” she hugged her brother’s girlfriend and her own lover, her face beaming. “It was such a wonderful time. I feel so great thankyou. I think I should ring Colleen and see how she is” Colleen had been the one friend from school who had not come. Although she was a year older and she was a year ahead at school, she had been Lil's close friend and some one Lil had looked up to, as almost a mentor and as she had said "someone I want to be like, hardworking, kind, easy to get on with". That Lil had liked and admired her had made it that much harder for Lil to get over what she still saw as Colleen's betrayal over Steve. Bernie and Alison had agonised over whether to invite her or not and finally decided not to for they thought it would bring back too many unpleasant memories and it may also provoke some nasty gossip.

“How are you Colleen?”

“ OK now I guess”

“ Your mother said you’d gone out with that Jim Hawkins guy. Did he upset you? I don’t like him he talks down to you like you’re a kid and he’s not that old”

Colleen bristled; she often found herself defending people she didn’t really like from attacks by others “No look he is a gentleman. He is polite, kind and good-natured. Perhaps if other men were like him instead of trying to get in your pants all the time we would be better off”

“ OK then” replied Lil a little taken aback by Colleen’s vehement defence “just thought I’d see how you were”

“Thanks but I really am alright”

Lil said goodbye and went up to her room to study for college Colleen thought for a moment then decided she would go to Jim and Davie’ supper after all and phoned Jim “I’m delighted Colleen and I’m sure Davie will be too. Would you like me to pick you up? And don’t worry bout food there’ll be plenty there”

“Why yes that would be very nice of you, Jim I’d be most grateful for a lift”

“Done. Ill pick you up about 7.20 and look forward to seeing you then bye for now.” He hung up.

Colleen stared at her phone for a moment thinking, “have I made yet another rash decision I’ll regret later. Why 7.20 it seems sort of rather precise?” and then turned her mind to some work she had to get ready for seminars on Monday.

When Gary had driven away he was very grateful for the excuse the all girl party gave him to disappear for hours. Laura a girl he had sort of met between breaking up with Sharon and being involved with Bernie had messaged and rung him several times. To begin with he was very attracted to her but then when she kept putting him off pleading she was so busy he began to think she was just a tease. But she renewed her invitations. He had done the same as she had to him - brushed her off with excuses each time but Laura had been persistent and yesterday he had been on the verge of ringing her but decided not to and went home where he found Colleen instead. But later on he had thought more and during the time he was alone at the Basement he rang Laura who quickly invited him to meet her the following afternoon at the apartment she shared with another girl.

“Hi Gary so glad you could call round, it’s been far too long. And Lana’s out so you don’t have to make polite conversation to another girl. What kept you?”

“ Well at first I thought you kept telling me you were so busy and I thought you didn’t really want me round”

"But I’ve been chasing you and I know that girls aren’t supposed to do that so you must have known I wanted to see you again”

“Well it’s sort of hard to explain?” Gary began

“What, were you playing hard to get or is there another girl in your life? “