Chapter Thirty-Eight Au Revoir
‘To Patty.’ I raise my glass and the rest of the table does the same. We’re gathered for a goodbye meal and now toast the wonderful woman who leaves us bright and early tomorrow morning. It feels like more than a fond farewell. The first quarter of this year has had so many ups and downs, it’s almost like a reboot for all of us. When Patty comes back, Jack will be with her, I’ll be moving on and we’ll have newlyweds among us. I hope that the rest of the year runs at a much slower pace.
‘Thank you,’ Patty is saying. ‘I know how much I’ll be missed, but it’s only for a short time. I’ll be back and checking up on you all before you know it.’
We cheer and beg her not to go.
‘I must,’ she says with the back of her hand to her forehead in mock dismay. ‘For my audience awaits.’
‘And more importantly,’ shouts Kath, ‘so does Marti Pellow.’
She gets a playful dig in the ribs from Sheila.
‘Oh, I don’t think I could ever look at that man again.’ Mum grimaces. ‘I’ll have to switch the telly off when they’re doing those eighties shows.’
‘It taught you a lesson though, didn’t it?’ says Patty. ‘You already had the man of your dreams.’
‘Oh, I always knew that,’ Mum says, snuggling into him.
‘Especially when I’m in the Stetson,’ adds Dad.
‘TOO MUCH INFORMATION!’ yells both Zoe and I in unison, getting a laugh from everyone.
‘Now, talking of lessons,’ continues Patty. ‘It’s been quite a year and I want to be sure that you all don’t fall to pieces while I’m away, so I’ve jotted down some advice for each of you.’
We all spontaneously put down our glasses and look up at her like obedient students.
‘Ed and Caroline,’ she begins. ‘Please don’t invite any more would-be stalkers to join the book club.’
The group laughs together.
‘That was strange,’ says Ed shaking his head. ‘Sarah seemed so nice initially.’
‘Do you know how she’s doing?’ asks Zoe.
‘Apparently very well — she’s taken up with the barman of the Rose and Crown,’ Caroline says. ‘He told me the other day when I was in there to reserve the book club table for the rest of the year. They’re smitten, so I hear.’
‘It didn’t take long to get over you, Michael,’ says Patty. ‘Unless she’s just biding her time.’
She gives me a look of mock horror as she speaks, but the very thought of Sarah stringing along someone else while she lies in wait actually terrifies me.
‘You’ll have to find a new venue if she moves in with him,’ says Mum.
Mum seems to have read my mind — I don’t think I’d ever trust that a drink she served me wouldn’t be laced with something nasty. I had really wanted to put all thoughts of Sarah behind me, so if she does become a fixture at the pub, I’ll ask Caroline if we can move the venue for the book club. I shake off the sense of dread that threatens to ruin the moment.
‘Now, Josie and Matt.’ Patty picks up her thread again. ‘To you I say this: if you’re ever going to take relationship advice from one of your bosses — make sure it’s Charlie.’
‘Oi!’ I exclaim. ‘I’m not that bad.’
The sympathetic looks around the table show no one is going to agree with me on that. Michael leans into me and tells them, ‘Some things are just worth waiting for.’
He gets a cheesy groan and a couple of bread rolls thrown at him.
‘Zoe and James,’ Patty continues. ‘Don’t work too hard, look after your gran and maybe find some time to make Bo-Peep a grandmother.’
Zoe blushes and puts her head in her hands.
‘I am in absolutely no hurry to be a grandmother,’ I reassure her.
‘And I’m not being a great-gran,’ adds my mum. ‘That sounds far too old.’
‘Okay,’ says Patty. ‘Then just have fun practising for when the time is right.’
Zoe shouts out, asking the ground to swallow her up, then tells Patty to kindly move on. As if conspiring to rescue my daughter, my phone rings and I know it’s a video call from the guys. I try to hold it up for the table and we all wave excitedly at them.
‘Wow,’ says Josie. ‘That place looks stunning.’
‘It is,’ gushes Charlie. ‘It’s my absolute dream location.’
They wish Patty the best of luck and ask her about the setlist.
‘We’ve added your song,’ she tells them. ‘“Time of My Life” — I think it’ll go down a storm.’
‘Not the best word to use in relation to a cruise.’ Peter laughs. ‘But I agree, I can just see you all doing that. It’s a shame Felipe isn’t there to show everyone the moves.’
‘There’s a dance instructor on board who’ll work with us on some simple group choreography,’ Patty says.
‘Sounds fabulous, but don’t have such a good time that you don’t want to come back,’ Charlie shouts.
‘Never,’ says Patty. ‘You’re my family.’
We all wave goodbye and Patty turns to me. I’d almost forgotten that I haven’t received any words of wisdom yet.
‘And as for you, my gorgeous girl,’ she says, reaching out and grabbing hold of both my hands. ‘Take care of the house, invite Michael around as much as you like but don’t disturb the nanny-cams as they’re beaming directly into my cabin so I can keep an eye on you.’
Everyone laughs except me.
‘Kidding!’ she continues. ‘You two have a great couple of months, just make sure that you don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.’
‘Is there anything?’ asks Michael, laughing.
‘Not really.’ She looks over at me with a faint smile. ‘Now, who’d like another glass of wine?’
* * *
At three o’clock the following morning, Sheila’s car pulls up and I help Patty haul her cases into the boot. It’s freezing and I’m standing there in gardening clogs and pyjamas. The girls mutter about how they’re going to fit all of this stuff into a small cabin and I recall that the below-deck accommodation isn’t huge.
‘We’ll just throw yours overboard, Kath,’ says Sheila. ‘If it works out with Marti you won’t need it.’
‘Very true,’ Kath says. ‘You’ll have to be a duo.’
They banter happily and when everything is in, Patty turns to me and we embrace in the tightest, warmest hug.
‘I’ll miss you,’ she says.
‘It’s not for long, and if it gets too bad just click your heels three times,’ I tell her.
And with a final cuddle, my best friend gets into the car and I wave until I can no longer see her. I breathe in the fresh air and head back inside.
Time to get my own life back on track.
THE END