Lying Together Read Free Page B

she made it sound hilarious.
    â€˜I know it’s not very feminist of me, Annie, but if every stupid man in the world wants to queue up and spend his stupid money on me, who am I to stop them? I mean, would you turn down a flight to New York on Concorde – or a fortnight in the Maldives?’ She picked idly at some grapes. ‘I take it because it’s on offer. Because I like to have a good time. And up till now that’s been okay. I’ve had a lot of fun. But honestly, it’s getting now that everyone I fancy seems to be married or “in a relationship” already. And if they’re not, they’re lying about it, like bloody sorry-but-I’ll-be-in-London Roger. It’s a bummer, isn’t it?’
    I nodded, as if I’d had the same trouble. But men had never queued up to spend money on me, let alone take me to New York or the Maldives. I’d had a few boyfriends at the Lycée in Strasbourg, the regulation squeezes and fumbles in the back of a battered old Citroën. But no secret liaisons, no illicit weekends, no jumbo-sized bouquets in gilt baskets, no gifts of designer clothes. Nothing serious at all. Until Radnor, that is. But he was the one thing I wasn’t going to mention – not that I was saying much, anyhow. But I nodded, enthusiastically: ‘Yes, it’s a bummer.’
    â€˜Still, after next week I’ll have one less thing to worry about.’
    I looked at her. ‘What d’you mean?’
    â€˜It’s up to me, but Mr Lambourne says I don’t really have a choice.’
    â€˜Mr Lambourne?’
    â€˜You know, our consultant ? The one who’s so gorgeous he just must be married? Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed his big brown eyes? Oh Annie, you’re in another world! Well, anyway, he came along yesterday in that beautiful tweed suit of his and sat on this very bed, and said he was so sorry but “the uterus was just not holding up”. Made it sound like knicker elastic. I wanted to laugh, except he would have thought me a hard-faced bitch. He was more upset than I was, I think. Apparently it’s a total disaster area in there. Fibroids and adhesions and God knows what. Trust me not to do things by halves. They’ve offered me counselling, but I can’t see the point.’ She fingered the bedspread, quiet for a moment. ‘Do you think it serves me right for sleeping around?’
    â€˜Of course not.’ I didn’t believe in that kind of retribution. But I felt a bit panicky for myself all the same.
    â€˜But you think, don’t you? Like it’s Fate. I mean, I’ve never really wanted kids, but now, well …’ She blew her nose, then smiled briskly. ‘Look, I have to go in a minute. Roger was supposed to collect me an hour ago but he says he’s got a meeting, and to get a taxi and he’ll pay for it. Honestly, as if transport ’s the only thing I’m worrying about! Three days I’ve been in here bleeding like a stuck pig, and he can’t get away for a frigging half-hour. The bastard!’
    â€˜Yes, the bastard.’ I hadn’t had any visitors either. Admittedly, I was only in for the day and no one knew where I was, but it gave me satisfaction to say the words.
    â€˜Yes. They’re all bastards!’ She passed an elaborate fruit basket done up in a ridiculous amount of artificial yellow ribbon. ‘Have a plum! Roger’s guilt offering.’ She pushed one into my mouth. ‘Go on! Sink your teeth into it! Hard.’ We laughed again.
    When she finally went off to her taxi, I felt bereft. I realized suddenly that my head was aching, and I had cramps in my belly. I hadn’t noticed the pain when Evie was there. I looked at her empty mattress with its plastic cover, and watched my tears trickle down over Roger’s best quality purple plums.
    A few hours later I was home. Back to the house I shared with two glum geography