The Beat by Simon Payne Page B

greeted as they walked through the door by the words: “What happened? I thought you were going out with the boys?”
    “We decided to come here for coffee instead,” Gerry retorted.
    “Who’s the we?” Robert asked eagerly, looking at the other arrival.
    “Steve. He’s the prospective bridegroom, only he isn’t because the wedding’s off.” It was abrupt enough even for Robert. Steve was wincing.
    “What happened?”
    “Nothing. He has had a change of mind, that’s all.”
    “Sounds like a change for the better.” Robert paused.
    “Hi Steve, I’m Robert,” he added. Gerry was contorting his face into meaningful little signs. At first Robert refused to understand. Gerry persisted. Steve looked awkward. Robert knew perfectly well the uneasiness his presence was creating but hovered. Finally as if by inspiration he announced: “I’ll make the coffee then.” His smile swept the room and he sailed out. Steve was furious.
    “What are you doing. I didn’t want you telling everyone. It was in confidence. “
    “It’s only Robert.”
    “It’s alright for you.”
    “Meaning what?” The boy shrugged his shoulders helplessly.
    “Look, we’re only trying to help,” Gerry continued. Steve looked confused. Gerry said coaxingly, “You’ll like Robert. Give it a chance. He has never met anyone from work before and he’s a bit nervous. In fact he’s scared stiff of you.” Robert drifted back tactfully to make amends for his last entrance. He certainly didn’t seem scared stiff to Steve.
    “Oh Gerry, did you see in the paper about that boy in the park? Awful. Make you stop before flouncing off on your own.” He explained to Steve, “Gerry always gets into such a tantrum about something or other and off he goes, out into the night.” It sat awkwardly. Robert was satisfied with the effect it had created. Gerry in turn was perfectly sure it was only by accident that Robert had hit on him flouncing off and that it was not connected in Robert’s mind with the events in the park. He changed the subject.
    “Steve just wanted some coffee, Robert, nothing more.”
    “Only if it’s no trouble. I’ve got to be going soon.”
    “It’s no trouble at all. Hold on.” And Robert dis-appeared again.
    “You don’t have to go yet, you know.”
    “I’d better. I feel funny with him here. It’s alright with you, but, I don’t know …’’he petered out.
    “I wanted you to meet Robert just like Sue wanted me to meet you.” He realized the mistake after he had said it, so rushed on, “Robert’s fine. He was married himself before we were lovers.”
    “Yeah.” Steve was all at sea. He hadn’t heard men talk of each other as lovers before. It took him by surprise.
    “Yeah, he went through with it and that was a real mistake. He’ll tell you if you ask him.”
    “What was she like?” Steve asked.
    “I don’t know. I only met her once,” Gerry replied. “It was at the hospital. She was allowed to see him as next of kin, I wasn’t. Their divorce had already gone through.”
    “Any kids?” asked Steve. Gerry shook his head. He wondered what had led him into this fairy godmother role with Steve. He fluctuated between enjoying and despising it. He felt he was expected to say to Steve, “Look, we’re happy.” It was like something in a Barbara Cartland novel. Steve sat uncomfortably on the sofa. He gazed at the wall opposite. A drawing of a boy making love to a girl, with a skeleton arising, faced him. He looked away embarrassed. It was like something you shouldn’t look at. Sue liked posters of still lifes, vegetables, that kind of thiitg. He hadn’t known anyone with real art sort of pictures before. Robert came in with the coffee. Steve saw the funny look he gave Gerry and the nod he received in reply. It was like some kind of code. He knew he was being classified and it made him uneasy. But the two poofs were right, he was one of them. That’s what it meant, breaking off with Sue. Robert