Page 94 of Dancing Fools and All That Jazz
‘Oh, Monica.’ Ruby’s mouth splits into a wide smile and she pounces on me to pull me into a huge bear hug.
I find myself filling up and hugging her tightly in return.
‘What’re we like?’ She smiles and I grab a tissue to blow my nose loudly.
‘You definitely need to develop a quieter blow. That’s atrocious.’ Ruby and I both snigger.
Batty Bonnie pokes her head around the door. ‘What’s going on here, then? Oh good, you two have buried the widget.’
‘The widget? Grief, Bonnie, where the hell do you get your sayings from?’ Ruby starts to giggle, and it’s infectious.
‘Did I get that wrong? Oh dear. I’m making a complete spectre of myself today. What? Well, I’m glad you find that funny. But really, I keep making a mess of everything. First, Asha seems to be cross with me, and I have no idea why and second, I’ve gone and upset Ingrida by mentioning her condition at the table.’
‘Her condition?’
‘Oh Lor, I’m not supposed to have told you. Cath is right. I really do need to learn how to put a sock in it, although why that is a saying I do not know. I mean who uses socks to shut anyone up… What? Look at you two laughing at me. Ha ha. Oh, I don’t know. Come on you pair, Hazel has ordered champagne and this wonderful menu. They want to serve the starters. Oh, and you’ll be glad to know there’s not a single snail in sight.’
We get up and Ruby and I follow Batty Bonnie into the dining area, arm in arm, injuries forgotten.
27
Ruby
The champagne – ordered in copious amounts by Hazel – is going straight to my head, and I feel wonderful. Monica and I sit together at a circular table accommodating all our group in a large glass-covered dining deck. We are slightly apart from the other tables in a near-private area.
‘Hazel must’ve paid a pretty penny to get this spot,’ Bonnie says to Cath.
‘And would you just look at Paris lit up now the sun has set? It’s a sparkling backdrop for our river cruise. Cheers,’ Cath responds, chinking her flute with Bonnie.
‘Ingrida, could you possibly translate some of the menu?’ Fay holds up the typed sheet as the first course arrives. ‘Ingrida? Hello…’
Ingrida, who has been staring out at the night sky through the amazing glass floor-to-ceiling windows, looks startled and asks Fay to repeat her request.
‘Oh,ja. It saydégustation, it mean taste, so a tasting menu. We are to have six courses.Confit de canard, that is duck. Salade niçoise is same in English.Boeuf bourguignonandcassoulet, they are like stew, and also thecoq au vin, which is chicken.’
‘And we all know what chocolate soufflé is. How wonderful.’ Fay licks her lips.
Ingrida goes back to looking out of the window and our first course arrives; a small but beautifully presented plate worthy of MasterChef.
As we tuck into the delicious fare, Monica and I catch-up on all the chatter we’ve missed in the last few weeks. I forget there’s anyone else at the table and I almost forget we’re on a ship, only glancing out to the sites when others call out or point to a famous attraction.
I congratulate Monica for tackling Arsy-Annabelle. She roars with laughter when I tell her about my work appraisal. We talk about our kids and how they were desperate for us to repair our relationship.
Monica asks me how she should go about telling the twins she and their father are splitting up. ‘Do I tell them he’s been unfaithful? I mean, they’ll still need to have some kind of relationship with him and despite what he’s done, I don’t want them thrown off course.’
‘Difficult one. It’s like my dilemma, not wanting to hurt Will with regard to his biological father.’
‘What if Vince doesn’t agree to an amicable separation?’
‘I guess you could threaten to tell Joanne and James about his adultery if he doesn’t go quietly? When are you going to have it out with him?’
‘Good question. Soon, but the thing is, I don’t want to speak to him at the house. The twins can’t be anywhere within earshot…’
‘Perhaps you should catch him out?’ I suggest. ‘Maybe set up a spontaneous encounter under a false name and turn up to confront him?’
Monica’s face splits into a wide smile as she playfully punches my arm. ‘I am ahead of you there. Although I didn’t consider turning up myself…’
‘Explain?’
