Page 37 of Dancing Fools and All That Jazz
Ruby appears to chuckle quietly. I think she is overexcited.
Monica keeps her eyes on Ingrida’s screen as she enters the card details.
‘The train tickets. They are all booked for us.’
‘Now we are making headway. Ingrida, please share the reference to everyone on the chat group so we can all show we have paid. I think it most unlikely we will be able to sit together.’ I return the card to Monica. ‘This has been most helpful, Monica. Thank you. Be assured, I shall keep a note of everything we spend, and we can sort out who owes what on our return. You must thank your husband for us.’
Ruby makes some strange guttural noise, which I ignore as I turn to Ingrida.
‘Now, what time is the next train to London?’
‘We do not have long. It is in forty-five minutes.’
‘Right, we must hurry to the taxi rank. It will take at least fifteen minutes to get to Wilmslow station…’
I look around to do a head count and find there are two women missing.
‘Where on earth are Cath and Bonnie?’
We scan the area and I begin to feel peeved those two have disappeared just as we need to get going.
‘For goodness’ sake. Where are they?’
‘They have taken their cases.’ Asha points out.
‘Well, this is a travesty,’ I say to Monica. ‘I manage to sort out this terrible mess and two of our party go missing—’
‘Keep your frigging hair on, Fay,’ Ruby cuts in. ‘They’re over there, waving to us by the minibus bookings office. Looks like they’ve got us a ride. Whoop again.’
I glare at Ruby – she has such a common tongue – but I soon find myself at the back of our group as they race with their cases to join Cath and Bonnie as they set out for the taxi rank.
I rush to catch them up, irritated they appear to have instantly forgotten my part in getting us organised.
For some ridiculous reason, I am reminded of Edith and Bethan turning their backs on me. I know this will not do at all, so I hurriedly squash these thoughts, refusing to indulge them.
*
The traffic between the airport and the station is murderous.
‘I don’t believe it. Another frigging red light.’
‘Are our tickets valid for any other train?’ Asha asks.
‘Ne, only this one.’
‘Wait until I get my hands on Janine…’ Bonnie starts to say as we inch forwards in a long line of vehicles.
‘I still can’t believe she has done this to us.’ Cath starts to drum her fingers on her bag. ‘Alleluia. We’re moving at last.’
‘She must have known for weeks that we had no flights booked.’ Asha shakes her head, then suddenly starts.‘Wait, she probably has not reserved the hotel either…’
‘No.’ Bonnie puts her hand to her mouth.
‘Fuck. You’re right.’ Ruby makes a fist.
‘Ahem. I have already considered this, ladies, and we will sort this out en route, as they say in France. Paris is a vast tourist city. There is bound to be lots of accommodation, I am sure.’
Monica gives a loud moan.
