do after school specials and never, ever answer work calls, texts or e-mails in my own time. "I quit my job today” I explained. She just nods at her acceptance of my mood and consequent jumpiness. “I was offered that new position I told you about." I hadn’t wanted to spoil her story but she hugs me congratulations.
“Well done honey, that boy is hot.” At that, we order another bottle of red just to finish the evening. When it comes, it has been paid for and has a little note attached: 'congratulations Tharie, have a lovely time, your next evening is mine. Dx' I quickly stuff the note in my pocket before Pete even notices and breathe a big sigh of relief, perhaps he had been here, but he left us alone, a gentleman, he just got a big tick from me.
Now if he likes Walter Matthau films, curries and girls with wood-chips all over them, we could be married. Bloody alcohol.
"So we walk across Bond Street to a third floor of a beautiful old corner building and he lets us in with a key. ”This must be handy for picking up girls," I say to him, "just across the road from the bar." I roll my eyes in mock disapproval.
"Oh, the bar belongs to one of my brothers Danny, he plays piano and wanted a place to keep it." He smiles, takes my hand and leads me upstairs. Where after another bottle of Merlot, we had partly pissed and rocking, fast and hard, regular but vigorous sex, it was amazing!" She empties her glass and begins pouring another from the bottle, "I had a great time, no fuss, just chat and sex." Sipping from one of the clean glasses that appeared on the table without either of us noticing. “A real cock feels very different from the rubber version.”
“Agreed, but I actually can't remember.” I tell her shaking my head and smiling like a silly person. “Anyway, what did you expect?” How much have I had to drink?
"I think I am in love.” shocked, I almost spit out a slurp of wine. Pete continues, “he's asked me to have lunch with him tomorrow." I start to say something very sensible and while my mouth is still open, "and I said yes!" Pete looks very pleased with herself. "I haven’t told the girls!” she giggles happily. She takes a large gulp of red wine, and we both watch as the 'legs' trail back down the inside curve of the enormous glass. Another well filled bowl of steaming hot fat chips arrives, when did we order these? They sit on the table between us and we both dive in, stories about sex give girls an appetite, haven't you noticed?
We break down Pete's evening again into bite-sized chinks, and re-evaluate her position like grown-ups, we have half an inch of wine left and really shouldn’t be drinking any-more and certainly not strategizing. Sorting out life’s little cosmic questions when you've had too much to drink seems very clever at the time, and we decide between us that she should cancel lunch and go for dinner where there's likely more opportunity of a repeat performance, but sober this time.
Pushing aside a fuzzy warm soft blur of wine, I’m left with the thoughts Daniel was there tonight.
Right, getting home then. This'll be fun.
Much later in chapter four, Monday:21thoctober2013, the rescue.
We get up, grab our coats hug goodnight. We leave the bar as a cab pulls up, Pete flags it and we say goodnight. "I’ll get the next one, I need the bathroom anyway, night." Pete blows me a kiss and her cab drives away. As I pull myself back up the stairs to the street, men in grey suits straight from the office are still drinking champagne at the bar. It's the part of town where they drink red wine and Moet, not beer, carry iPads instead of a briefcase, and think the idea of dress-down Fridays is loosening their ties and having a glass at lunch, I secretly like it.
The men are joking and laughing really loudly, they are laughing at me I think, I look down at myself, my parka doesn’t fit me, is that why they’re laughing? Well I try very hard not to care. I look up Bond Street for a cab, there’s a few coming, as I step, or rather lurch to the curb to flag one down, a big black car slowly pulls up beside me. I feel