also wearing shorts and a polo shirt, though they were Ralph Lauren. ‘Work?’ He stretched out his arms and I hugged him, feeling his solidity and strength. ‘You’ve gone and got yourself a Saturday job, Al? What does Mike think about that? Mike who appears to be wearing some kind of orange jersey? Gone colour blind, mate?’
I saw Mike was annoyed. ‘It’s red, you divvy. Speaking of colour blind.’
I steered the conversation back. ‘It’s not work as such. You know I’m on the board of that charity.’ Although I was working too, as a journalist, so I didn’t know why I was downplaying it. And what business was it of Mike’s?
Jodi nudged him. She was so enormous under her maternity smock (some kind of homespun broderie anglaise thing I thought was from The White Company, in shocking contrast to the tailored suits she normally wore) I could hardly reach her, so we air-kissed. She looked tired and pale, her limp fair hair scraped back. ‘You do know, Cal. We watched her on the news, remember?’
‘Of course. You ate that kid for breakfast.’
‘That “kid” is almost thirty, and a rape apologist,’ I retorted. Mike caught my eye. This was just Callum’s way. His ‘top bantz’ hadn’t changed since our university days, and working in corporate law seemed to make him worse. I reminded myself of his many kindnesses, the countless times he’d bought me drinks at college, waving away payment, knowing I was usually short. The thoughtful presents on every one of the kids’ birthdays, that I had at first mistakenly thought were Jodi’s work. ‘Come in, come in. We’re going to be a bit squashed up, I’m afraid.’
I felt a small pang at the way Jodi was standing, her hand on the curve of her back. So many years since that had been me. She said, ‘Oh, it’ll be fine. I’m so tired at the minute I drop right off. Finally I get what you and Karen were always on about! Where is she?’
‘Getting changed,’ Mike said, taking one of the bags. ‘What have you brought us, Jod?’
‘Just a few bits. You know how it is, nesting like crazy, getting ready for this bub.’ The ‘bub’ set my teeth on edge, as did the fact she’d turned up with her own food – did she not trust me to cook? – but I reminded myself it had taken them fifteen long years and three ruinous IVF cycles, just to get to this point.
‘You look great,’ I told her. ‘Glowing and all those clichés.’
‘By the size of her, she must be having triplets,’ said Callum, but he slid his arm around her, protective. ‘Nice place you’ve got here, Mikey-boy. What’s it worth – half a mill?’
We moved into the kitchen, cool and dark after the dazzling weight of the sun. ‘Place up the lane went for 800k last year,’ said Mike, and I saw the pleasure it gave him, to be able to speak those words so casually. He’d worked hard for this life too – all those late nights, coming in exhausted, not seeing the kids from one end of the week to the other.
‘Jesus,’ said Callum. ‘And here we are stuck in a semi in Pimlico. Ah, Cassie my dear, hello.’ Cassie had sloped in from the living room, and I wished fleetingly I’d thought to speak to her about what she was wearing. ‘Looking more like your mum every year. Thank God you didn’t inherit your old dad’s looks, eh?’
‘Hi Callum,’ she said nonchalantly. She’d dropped the ‘uncle’, I noticed. ‘Hi Jodi. Wow! When are you due?’
‘A month, or so they say. I don’t think I can get any bigger.’ Jodi gave a small laugh.
Mike already had the fridge open. ‘Beer, Cal? Jodi – I guess no wine for you?’
‘Just water, please,’ she said, in an exhausted way.
‘Can I have some wine?’ said Cassie, in a languid manner that suggested she drank all the time. For all I knew, she did.
Mike met my eyes for a moment. He shrugged; always more easy-going than me. I was too tired to have the discussion. ‘One glass.’
Mike poured one out for her. ‘Drink it slowly, Cass. If you like that, and you’re sensible, maybe one day I’ll let you taste the really special stuff I have hidden far away from your Uncle Callum’s greedy grasp.’ She smiled at him, her shoulders relaxing into his arm. If I’d said that about being sensible, she’d have flounced out of the room.