Please God don’t let me laugh. It would be so hideously inappropriate. June tries to stand.
‘Get my frame would you, love,’ she says to Audrey.
‘Are you OK mother?’
She takes hold of her arm for support.
‘I’ll be fine. That stuffing didn’t agree with me. I’ve never been able to keep sausage meat down since they took away half of my colon. I’m going to have to get it all up again.’
She makes her slow, steady way to the door. Was this what Brian had coming to him, was Audrey gradually turning into her mother? They must have been in love once upon a time. Once again, I look at the photo of their smiles captured in time.
Brian shakes his head slowly.
‘Is it any wonder I work such long hours?’
The door closes and the three of us dissolve into helpless laughter.
I relax. Andy is on his third large gin and tonic and Brian has found me some orange juice. He pours himself a huge glass of red wine. The room feels warm for the first time since we arrived. Maybe now the real dinner party can begin.
Audrey’s return soon tones down what threatened to develop into a pleasant, almost giddy atmosphere and the room once more feels chilly and distinctly uncomfortable.
‘Time for desert,’ she says. ‘Brian, maybe you and Andy can go see to it. Leave us girls alone to talk.’
The men stand and I consider grabbing the corner of Andy’s shirt, begging him to stay or at least take me with him.
‘Let’s take our drinks over to the sofas, sit by the fire. Desert is fruit and cheese. We can eat it there.’
Audrey stops to light a cigarette and inhales deeply before she blows the smoke in my face. My eyes water and I force myself not to cough. It feels like facing up to playground bullies. She sits and pats the sofa next to her.
‘I think it’s time for a little chat, don’t you?’
I do as I’m told, determined not to look her in the eyes. ‘How long have you been working for us now?’
She takes a long drag on her cigarette, holding in the smoke, not breathing, waiting for my response. Perhaps if I don’t answer, perhaps if I wait long enough she’ll suffocate and die. Well not die, perhaps pass out. That’s kinder. She’s still staring and my resolve buckles.
‘I’ve been at the theatre for six years now.’
‘Six years eh? Seems like only yesterday when you came for an interview. I said at the time, she’s a smart one that Lisa Doyle, Brian. You make sure you give her the job.’
I stay silent.
‘Don’t think I don’t know what they all say about me. I know everyone calls me The Rottweiler. I’ve even heard rumours that nobody gets a job in that place without my say-so. Isn’t it a silly thing to say?’
She smiles.
‘I suppose so.’
‘Sorry?’
‘I said I suppose it is a bit silly.’
Audrey looks me up and down, momentarily distracted. I attempt what I hope passes for a winning smile.
‘It’s true, you know,’ she whispers.
‘Sorry? What?’
‘It is true.’
Her voice grows louder and she shifts closer with every breath. I half expect her to throw her head back in a pantomime cackle and see bugs crawl from her mouth.
‘I do have final say. Brian doesn’t do a thing without first checking with me.’
‘I see,’ is the best I can manage.
I want to go and find Andy. He’ll protect me.
‘But there is one little thing he hasn’t run past me, isn’t there, Lisa Doyle?’ It may be a cliché, but when someone uses my full name, I know it means trouble.
‘One little thing seems to have slipped his mind?’
‘If it’s about the party, I can explain. I’d had a little bit too much to drink ...’
Audrey looks bemused.
‘The party?’
‘New Years Eve.’
‘Oh that! Come on, did you honestly think that you’d throw anyone off your trail with such a silly little display? I was a bit disappointed by your bare-faced arrogance.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘You’re shagging my husband,’ Audrey says, her face now almost touching mine.
I
‘Get my frame would you, love,’ she says to Audrey.
‘Are you OK mother?’
She takes hold of her arm for support.
‘I’ll be fine. That stuffing didn’t agree with me. I’ve never been able to keep sausage meat down since they took away half of my colon. I’m going to have to get it all up again.’
She makes her slow, steady way to the door. Was this what Brian had coming to him, was Audrey gradually turning into her mother? They must have been in love once upon a time. Once again, I look at the photo of their smiles captured in time.
Brian shakes his head slowly.
‘Is it any wonder I work such long hours?’
The door closes and the three of us dissolve into helpless laughter.
I relax. Andy is on his third large gin and tonic and Brian has found me some orange juice. He pours himself a huge glass of red wine. The room feels warm for the first time since we arrived. Maybe now the real dinner party can begin.
Audrey’s return soon tones down what threatened to develop into a pleasant, almost giddy atmosphere and the room once more feels chilly and distinctly uncomfortable.
‘Time for desert,’ she says. ‘Brian, maybe you and Andy can go see to it. Leave us girls alone to talk.’
The men stand and I consider grabbing the corner of Andy’s shirt, begging him to stay or at least take me with him.
‘Let’s take our drinks over to the sofas, sit by the fire. Desert is fruit and cheese. We can eat it there.’
Audrey stops to light a cigarette and inhales deeply before she blows the smoke in my face. My eyes water and I force myself not to cough. It feels like facing up to playground bullies. She sits and pats the sofa next to her.
‘I think it’s time for a little chat, don’t you?’
I do as I’m told, determined not to look her in the eyes. ‘How long have you been working for us now?’
She takes a long drag on her cigarette, holding in the smoke, not breathing, waiting for my response. Perhaps if I don’t answer, perhaps if I wait long enough she’ll suffocate and die. Well not die, perhaps pass out. That’s kinder. She’s still staring and my resolve buckles.
‘I’ve been at the theatre for six years now.’
‘Six years eh? Seems like only yesterday when you came for an interview. I said at the time, she’s a smart one that Lisa Doyle, Brian. You make sure you give her the job.’
I stay silent.
‘Don’t think I don’t know what they all say about me. I know everyone calls me The Rottweiler. I’ve even heard rumours that nobody gets a job in that place without my say-so. Isn’t it a silly thing to say?’
She smiles.
‘I suppose so.’
‘Sorry?’
‘I said I suppose it is a bit silly.’
Audrey looks me up and down, momentarily distracted. I attempt what I hope passes for a winning smile.
‘It’s true, you know,’ she whispers.
‘Sorry? What?’
‘It is true.’
Her voice grows louder and she shifts closer with every breath. I half expect her to throw her head back in a pantomime cackle and see bugs crawl from her mouth.
‘I do have final say. Brian doesn’t do a thing without first checking with me.’
‘I see,’ is the best I can manage.
I want to go and find Andy. He’ll protect me.
‘But there is one little thing he hasn’t run past me, isn’t there, Lisa Doyle?’ It may be a cliché, but when someone uses my full name, I know it means trouble.
‘One little thing seems to have slipped his mind?’
‘If it’s about the party, I can explain. I’d had a little bit too much to drink ...’
Audrey looks bemused.
‘The party?’
‘New Years Eve.’
‘Oh that! Come on, did you honestly think that you’d throw anyone off your trail with such a silly little display? I was a bit disappointed by your bare-faced arrogance.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘You’re shagging my husband,’ Audrey says, her face now almost touching mine.
I
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