Chapter 68

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

‘ I don't understand why you don't get it?' Tom was saying.

Ana looked down at her half-eaten burger. No matter how hard she tried, her throat struggled to swallow it as if it was made of stone. Jonny kindly covered for her when the wine was being poured.

‘Give Ana a soft drink, Ray. Alcohol affects her stomach.'

Michael Rust rolled his eyes. ‘Get that stomach sorted. You don't know what you're missing.'

‘I do. I'm missing a rotten hangover tomorrow,' she replied acidly.

‘You don't seem to get the importance of patient confidentiality,' said Ray, continuing his argument with Tom. ‘Michael, help me out here,' he called.

‘If it were your daughter, you'd feel differently,' snapped Tom. ‘You'd want everyone to tell us as much as they could and fuck any confidentiality.'

‘Well, we do,' said Michael. ‘Obviously, we wouldn't hide a crime.'

‘Tell that to Catholic priests.'

‘Okay, you two,' broke in Beth. ‘That's enough. Let's change the subject.'

The evening dragged on relentlessly, and Ana kept glancing at her phone to check the time. At least her heart had stopped racing, and she was able to eat some of the fruit salad, but she was still shivering even though it was humid, and she ached all over from tensing her muscles.

The discussion turned to books and films. Recommendations were made, and everyone seemed keen on Ana's book suggestion.

‘You must WhatsApp us the link, or we'll have all forgotten by the morning.'

Ana took all their phone numbers. She couldn't have planned it better if she'd tried.

‘We should make a move,' she said. ‘If I could just use your loo,' she added.

‘Use the upstairs loo. I think someone is in the downstairs cloakroom,' said Sandy.

The fruit salad was now threatening revenge. Inside, she tried to appreciate the prettiness of the decoration, but knowing what she was about to do made her appreciate only the toilet bowl as she threw up the fruit salad.

There was a cry of ‘Mummy', followed by the sound of running footsteps.

Ana scrolled through her phone. It didn't take long to find the photo she wanted. It brought back so many memories that she forgot where she was for a moment.

‘At least smile,' she could hear Arthur saying.

She'd hated having her photo taken when she was younger. Still did. Constantly having to force a smile when you didn't feel like it.

She clicked on WhatsApp, attached the photo with the words ‘Remember me, Laurie?' to one of the numbers, and attached the book link to the others.

Now, her heart was ready to burst. Her throat was dry, but there was no time for a drink. She pulled the chain, washed her shaking hands, opened the door, and hit the send button on all the messages. She turned off her phone and went out to the garden. It was getting dark now and chilly. No one was looking at their phones.

‘Sandy's doing mother stuff upstairs,' explained Beth. ‘Do you mind waiting until she comes down?'

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long before Sandy bounded down the stairs. ‘So sorry to disappear just as you're leaving,' Sandy apologised. ‘Zoe sometimes has bad dreams.'

Ana thanked her for the evening, and before anyone could hug her goodbye, she was out of the front door, with Jonny still saying his goodbyes.

‘Blimey, that was a quick exit,' remarked Jonny once they were in the car.

‘It's complicated,' said Ana. She knew that from this point on, it would only get more complicated.