that had given him the edge over many men, back when they were all young.
Marianne jumped up suddenly and grabbed hold of Cameron.
‘For God’s sake man, it’s not even ten. Where do you think you’re going so earl y? Take that coat off and dance with me.’
Marianne wrestled with Cameron and undid his jacket again.
‘I don’t really feel up to partying at the moment.’
‘Of course not; we’re all too old to party aren’t we? We should just put on our slippers and go and get some Horlicks.’ Marianne said, as she tugged his jacket off.
Cameron grinned at her and then looked over at Julia and shrugged, as if to say, “see what I mean.”
Julia smiled in response and made herself comfortable on the sofa. She could see her bolt for freedom would be similarly thwarted by Marianne.
After a few minutes Cameron managed to escape from Marianne and he flopped down next to Julia.
‘I thought you were leaving,’ he said.
‘I thought you were too.’
‘I did try .’
‘ We’ll make a dash for it when her back’s turned. It’s Marianne remember; she’ll be after a drink any time now.’
As if she had heard Julia, Marianne stopped dancing and started hunting around the coffee tables and sideboard for her glass. Then she left the room and headed for the kitchen.
‘Told you!’ Julia said, although she didn’t make a move to get up and go.
‘Would you like another drink before you go?’ Cameron asked.
‘I don’t know; i f I have another, then I really can’t drive home.’
‘We can share a taxi.’
‘You live in the opposite direction.’
Cameron shrugged and stood up.
‘Oh all right then, I’ll have a whisky with ice.’ Julia sighed, knowing she had just committed herself to staying for the duration of the party, which could go on all night if Marianne had her way. Julia could always disappear upstairs to the spare room of course, which Marianne had reserved for her in case she stayed over, but there would be little chance of getting any sleep until the party was over.
Julia stood up and decided to go in search of Cameron and change her drink from whisky to lemonade. She wanted to keep her options open. She found him standing by the fridge using the ice-dispenser.
‘Oh good, you haven’t poured me a whisky yet. I think I might go for a soft drink instead.’
Cameron turned and picked up a glass that contained whisky and ice.
‘I already got yours. This is for Paula.’
He handed Julia her drink and then turned and passed the tumbler full of ice to Paula who sparkled at him flirtatiously. Paula caught sight of Julia and her smile vanished. She dropped her head to one side with elaborate sympathy.
‘How are you Julia? This must be so difficult for you?’
Julia resisted the urge to slap her.
‘It’s not difficult at all. I’m just going to rake in the insurance money and jet off somewhere hot and sunny.’
Before Paula cou ld reply Julia turned and rushed back to the lounge and sat down, her face flushed with anger. Cameron sat down next to her a moment later.
‘What was all that about?’
‘I heard her talking about me while I was outside. Two faced bitch!’
‘ Is that why you wanted to go home?’
Julia nodded and took a large sip of whisky.
‘Well I’m glad you’re still here. We can be miserable together; with alcohol. What’s not to like?’
They sat and talked; about Duncan, their kids, marriages, careers and life in general. Occasionally someone else would come over and join in. Marianne cracked open some more Champagne and kept the drinks flowing. Before too long Julia started to feel a little woozy. She stood up to go to the bathroom, and swayed. Cameron took her arm and she giggled like a school girl.
‘I think I ’d better stop drinking,’ she said.
‘I must be getting old ; all I can think of is having a nice cup of tea,’ he replied.
Julia roared with laughter.
‘Me too! Go and put the kettle on while I nip upstairs to the
Marianne jumped up suddenly and grabbed hold of Cameron.
‘For God’s sake man, it’s not even ten. Where do you think you’re going so earl y? Take that coat off and dance with me.’
Marianne wrestled with Cameron and undid his jacket again.
‘I don’t really feel up to partying at the moment.’
‘Of course not; we’re all too old to party aren’t we? We should just put on our slippers and go and get some Horlicks.’ Marianne said, as she tugged his jacket off.
Cameron grinned at her and then looked over at Julia and shrugged, as if to say, “see what I mean.”
Julia smiled in response and made herself comfortable on the sofa. She could see her bolt for freedom would be similarly thwarted by Marianne.
After a few minutes Cameron managed to escape from Marianne and he flopped down next to Julia.
‘I thought you were leaving,’ he said.
‘I thought you were too.’
‘I did try .’
‘ We’ll make a dash for it when her back’s turned. It’s Marianne remember; she’ll be after a drink any time now.’
As if she had heard Julia, Marianne stopped dancing and started hunting around the coffee tables and sideboard for her glass. Then she left the room and headed for the kitchen.
‘Told you!’ Julia said, although she didn’t make a move to get up and go.
‘Would you like another drink before you go?’ Cameron asked.
‘I don’t know; i f I have another, then I really can’t drive home.’
‘We can share a taxi.’
‘You live in the opposite direction.’
Cameron shrugged and stood up.
‘Oh all right then, I’ll have a whisky with ice.’ Julia sighed, knowing she had just committed herself to staying for the duration of the party, which could go on all night if Marianne had her way. Julia could always disappear upstairs to the spare room of course, which Marianne had reserved for her in case she stayed over, but there would be little chance of getting any sleep until the party was over.
Julia stood up and decided to go in search of Cameron and change her drink from whisky to lemonade. She wanted to keep her options open. She found him standing by the fridge using the ice-dispenser.
‘Oh good, you haven’t poured me a whisky yet. I think I might go for a soft drink instead.’
Cameron turned and picked up a glass that contained whisky and ice.
‘I already got yours. This is for Paula.’
He handed Julia her drink and then turned and passed the tumbler full of ice to Paula who sparkled at him flirtatiously. Paula caught sight of Julia and her smile vanished. She dropped her head to one side with elaborate sympathy.
‘How are you Julia? This must be so difficult for you?’
Julia resisted the urge to slap her.
‘It’s not difficult at all. I’m just going to rake in the insurance money and jet off somewhere hot and sunny.’
Before Paula cou ld reply Julia turned and rushed back to the lounge and sat down, her face flushed with anger. Cameron sat down next to her a moment later.
‘What was all that about?’
‘I heard her talking about me while I was outside. Two faced bitch!’
‘ Is that why you wanted to go home?’
Julia nodded and took a large sip of whisky.
‘Well I’m glad you’re still here. We can be miserable together; with alcohol. What’s not to like?’
They sat and talked; about Duncan, their kids, marriages, careers and life in general. Occasionally someone else would come over and join in. Marianne cracked open some more Champagne and kept the drinks flowing. Before too long Julia started to feel a little woozy. She stood up to go to the bathroom, and swayed. Cameron took her arm and she giggled like a school girl.
‘I think I ’d better stop drinking,’ she said.
‘I must be getting old ; all I can think of is having a nice cup of tea,’ he replied.
Julia roared with laughter.
‘Me too! Go and put the kettle on while I nip upstairs to the
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