Page 32 of Daydreams & Doughnut Cake

‘Good.’

‘I... didn’t realise you and Jackie would be here.’

His face relaxed and he smiled. ‘We both know Brian. Well, you do, too, of course,’ he acknowledged, and I nodded. ‘So he invited a few of Clare’s friends to the evening do, including me and Jackie. She’d love to see you, I’m sure. Jackie, I mean. She’s been living and working in Devon ever since she and her boyfriend returned from their backpacking trip. Haven’t seen her at all since you left Brighton last year.’ He gave a sad little smile. ‘The days of the Famous Five seem a long time ago now.’

I nodded silently, feeling a stab of emotion as I recalled the amazing vibe from that period in our lives.

I’d always thought that in my absence, Danny, Jackie and Clare would continue to get together for a night out fairly regularly, the way we always used to, and I’d pictured them discussing why I could have just taken off without a word the way I did. I hadn’t realised the whole group had gone their separate ways after Mark’s funeral.

I’d had a long time to reflect since I’d left Brighton, and my view of events had mellowed a little as time had passed. Life had been shrouded in almost unbearable emotion as I’d moved through the days after Mark’s death, organising his funeral. But now, a year later, I was starting to see what had happened in a more clear-sighted way.

‘Won’t you come back inside?’ Danny asked softly.

As I hesitated, he looked up and smiled. ‘There’s Jackie.’

‘Where?’

I looked over and there she was – my once best friend – getting out of a car parked outside the hotel.

She saw us and paused, and I wondered what she was thinking. We’d barely been in touch and I knew it was all my fault.

But then Danny waved and she smiled and gave us a cheery wave back.

‘Coming?’ There was a pleading look in Danny’s green eyes and I knew it would mean a lot to him if I was to join them.

Swallowing, I nodded. ‘Let’s go.’

I felt his hand at my back as we waited for the traffic to clear so we could cross the road. It felt comforting. Perhaps my old friends weren’t angry at me, after all. Or if they had been at the time, maybe their resentment had cooled and melted away.

We’d never be as close as we used to be, back in our uni days.

But maybe we could at least be friends again?

*****

I plastered on a smile and crossed the road with Danny, wondering what kind of a reception I’d get from Jackie.

But thankfully, she seemed really pleased to see me.

‘Rosie. Wow, how long has it been?’ She beamed at me.

‘Much too long,’ I replied with a rueful smile.

We hugged right there in the middle of the street, blocking the way for passers-by, and I felt a flood of emotion as I held her tightly. We’d been such good friends for so long. I really hoped that this was the start of a new stage in our relationship...

Laughing, we drew apart and looked over at Danny, who was watching us with mild amusement, leaning against the wall by the hotel entrance. Grinning, he pushed back his hair in the familiar gesture I remembered so well, then he looked pointedly at his watch, pretending he’d been waiting there for ages.

We joined him, laughing, and when we went in, Clare stood up and rushed over, embracing us all one by one as we stood at the bar ordering drinks.

‘I didn’t know what was going on when you suddenly rushed out, Rosie.’ She gave me an appraising look. ‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes, yes. I’m fine.’ I glance quickly at Danny but he was busy chatting to Jackie. ‘I... just felt a bit weird all of a sudden.’I wasn’t lying there!‘But I’m okay now. A bit of fresh air and running into Jackie did the trick.’

‘Good.’ She beamed. ‘Golly, it’s just like it used to be with everyone here. Next thing you know, Danny will be telling me off for not taking the bin out when it was my turn!’

Danny heard his name and turned. ‘What was that?’

Clare’s eyes sparkled up at him. ‘I’m saying it’s just like old times and you joking that I never took the bin out the night before because I fancied one of the binmen and only took it out when they arrived so I could chat him up.’

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