Twilight Time

Viv came over and helped Joanna to her feet. "Sorry, Jody." She sounded genuinely contrite. "I was dead stupid there—just lost it for a moment. Bit jealous, I guess." Joanna nodded and they patted each others' shoulders.

A slightly embarrassed Viv turned to Susie. "No hard feelings, kid. I didn't mean it when I called you a slapper, I was just trying to take a rise out of Jody. You're a doll really. And you're a great little scrapper—I'd have you on my side any time." She held out a big paw to shake.

For a moment I thought Susie was going to refuse so I whispered fiercely: "Chocolate bar! Shake!" So she shook hands with Viv and The Great Marlborough Avenue Affray ended amicably. Witnesses wandered off, some shaking their heads in apparent disgust, some laughing, some looking disappointed that it had finished so quickly.

As Nancy and Viv left and turned a corner, Susie threw herself into Joanna's arms. "Are you all right, my darling?"

"Yes, I think so," said Joanna, "I've been hit harder than that by my small niece." She hugged Susie close. "My wonderful little champion—you were magnificent. But was I hearing things or did you call me your fiancée?"

"I did? Yes, I did. I love you so much, Joanna Lloyd. Will you marry me?" As proposals went it wasn't the most romantic but who cares about that?

Joanna grinned. "And I love you more, Susie Edwards. Damned right I'll marry you. A girl can always use an extra bodyguard." She lifted Susie clear of the ground and kissed her hard on the lips. I gulped, feeling all emotional. And then...

In all the excitement, I had almost forgotten Niamh. I turned round to apologise but she wasn't there. Nobody had seen her go.

* * * * *

I tried everything. I called Niamh's mobile which was never answered so I left messages. I sent numerous texts. No response. I called the land-line but as soon as I spoke, whoever was on the other end hung up. The one exception was when someone, Ruth I think, snarled: "Just leave us alone!" and slammed the phone down. After a couple of weeks I gave up. I even hand-wrote an old-fashioned letter on real paper telling her that I loved her and please call me, even if it was only to say she didn't care for me any more, but it only made me weep and in the end I didn't send it.

I couldn't think of anything I'd done wrong, so I reckoned the split must have been something to do with The Great Marlborough Avenue Affray. But unless Niamh spoke to me I wouldn't know for sure. And it now looked as if I'd be waiting a long, long time for that.

In the meantime, Susie and Joanna began planning for their wedding.

* * * * *

Obviously I still had to work and I made a point of not carrying my personal problems in with me, putting on a brave face and doing my job as well as I had ever done. I finished a Saturday morning shift at the library and was bound for Holcombe Park where I had arranged to meet Susie for lunch. I left at the same time as a male colleague and as we came out of the front door, he said something to make me laugh. We said our farewells, went off in different directions, and still chuckling a little I almost collided with Niamh's flat-mate Ruth.

"Oh, hello." Now was my chance to get a message to Niamh.

But before I could speak, and instead of returning my greeting, Ruth glared at me. "I suppose you're feeling very pleased with yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"Thanks to you, Niamh's breaking her heart. She'll only come out of her room to go to work or to eat. The rest of the time she sits in her room, supposedly studying, and sometimes she cries when she thinks we can't hear. All because she loves your worthless arse, and you're walking around laughing your stupid head off. I'll bet you felt great dumping the poor girl like that."

"Is that what Niamh told you?"

If Ruth's eyes had been ice, I would probably have frozen to death on the spot. "No, that's not what Niamh told me, she won't talk to me about it. She's too loyal to you, you bitch. I worked it out for myself."

I wasn't going to dignify Ruth's attack by responding. She'd made up her mind and the way she was acting, she wouldn't believe me if I told her water was wet. I passed her and walked away.

"That's right, you pathetic bitch!" she yelled after me, "Run away and wreck some other poor girl's life!"

I met Susie in the park and she asked where I fancied lunch.

"Sorry, Susie, I don't much feel like eating right now."

Susie stared at my face. "Something's happened. Come along." She took my hand and led me up to The Lookout, settling me on a bench, the very one that Niamh and I had used on our second date. Arm around my shoulder, she said: "Right, tell Aunt Susie all about it."

I explained about my encounter with Ruth and her accusations.

"Is that what Niamh told her?"

I shook my head. "She says not, Niamh won't tell her anything. Ruth's just added two-and-two and made three or five or six-and-a-half, something like that."

"How bloody stupid!" said Susie, "Now what?"

"I don't know, Susie. Niamh isn't taking my calls, if I tried to see her her flatmates would probably throw me through the window, I can't go and embarrass her at work." I felt tears welling up. "Oh, Susie, I love her so much and I think I've lost her." I threw myself into Susie's arms, sobbing, and she stroked my hair, trying to comfort me.

"Hello, what's happening here?" The voice sounded familiar. "Can we help?"

I looked up, my eyes blurred with tears. It was Nancy and Viv and the monster of a dog I'd seen at the Nook. "Buttercup, sit!" Viv commanded.

Buttercup! I snorted. I couldn't help it. Although still weepy, I let out a strangled snort trying not to laugh. I hoped any noise I did make would be taken for a sob. Buttercup! This creature probably tore dinosaurs apart to keep in shape and it was called Buttercup!

"What's the trouble?" asked Nancy.

"Her girlfriend walked out on her," explained Susie. She left it at that. I was glad she didn't mention Niamh's disappearance having coincided with The Great Marlborough Avenue Affray.

I would never have believed that those two big women could have been so tender. Nancy sat on my other side from Susie, motherly arm around my shoulders, while Viv knelt at my feet and held one of my hands gently. Even Buttercup put his great, drooling head on my knee and gazed at me with canine compassion.

"Would you like me to sort her out for you?" Viv asked. I'm not sure but I think she was serious.

"No thanks, Viv. I love her too much to put out a contract on her." (I wouldn't have minded putting a contract out on Ruth, though, but dismissed the thought.) My tears hadn't stopped but I managed to giggle a little. "Hey, listen to me, I sound like the Godfather."

"In your case that's Godmother, you silly arse!" Susie corrected and then we were all laughing together. The laughter helped.

"That's right, lovey," said Nancy, "As long as you can laugh, everything will turn out right in the end."

Viv turned to Susie. "I'm really sorry about that time in Marlborough Avenue. I was jealous. I'd always had a slight yen for Jody and I went a little bit apeshit when I saw you together. It was silly of me—I know Jody is way out of my league. Anyway, I'm over it now, met a cute lady recently and I think it might go somewhere. Are you and me okay now?"

"Yes, Viv. We're okay now."

Viv stuck out a hand and said: "Shake."

Susie grinned. "Come here, you." She pulled Viv towards her and gave the butch a big hug. Viv's face reddened slightly but she looked pleased.

"You know, Susie, I think I could eat something now," I said, feeling a little more cheerful. We all ended up having lunch together, including Buttercup who snarfed several bratwurst seemingly without bothering to chew.

It was only much later, when I was calmer, that I realised some good had come out of my meeting Ruth, that there was a glimmer of hope. From what she had said, it sounded as if Niamh still loved me.

* * * * *

A week or two later and the wedding arrangements were more or less complete. One evening Susie and Joanna came to see me, expressions serious. "I know how upset you are about Niamh, Vicki," Susie said, "But you will be at the wedding for me, won't you? As my maid-of-honour."

"Oh, Susie." I reached out and took hold of one each of their hands. "I wouldn't miss my best friend's wedding for the world. We've been there for each other since we were four years old—I'm certainly not going to let you down now."

Both put their arms around me for a hug. I turned to Joanna. "Have you got anyone to stand with you?"

She nodded. "Viv."

"Viv? Wow, that's really nice of you."

Joanna grinned and indicated her beloved. "Susie's idea."

Susie shrugged. "Well, I thought it would be a decent gesture. And Nancy's coming too."

Love shone out of Joanna's face as she looked at Susie. "You know, I never thought I'd be so lucky."

* * * *

I wanted to get Susie and Joanna a really super wedding present but didn't have any good or useful ideas, probably because I was so upset about Niamh that my poor brain wasn't working as well as it might. It was chance that took me in the right, I hope, direction. On a Saturday morning I was walking past a small art gallery where a couple of tasteful nudes were displayed in the window. Light bulb moment!

It took me about half-an-hour to walk to the posh mansion block where Imogen and Anthea lived. The doorman either recognised me or thought I looked harmless for he admitted me without question. I strode past the hall porter as if I had every right to be in the place and went straight to the lifts.

When Imogen opened her door and saw me, her expression was one of mingled surprise and suspicion. "Oh, it's... Vicki, isn't it?"

"Can I come in for a minute?" I asked, and when she hesitated: "Don't worry, I don't want anything from you, only a little help or advice." Still wary, she stood aside.

Once in, I said: "You remember my friend Susie, she's getting married to her girlfriend soon."

"Susie? Oh yes, she's the petite one with the..." she made a gesture in front of her boobs and when I nodded, added: "...so what help can I give you?"

"It's those lovely drawings you have," I told her, indicating the nudes, "I thought a couple like that would make a great wedding present for Susie and Joanna. You said you know the artist—I wondered if you'd put me in touch with her."

"I could, but... let's see, if I remember you're in some kind of local authority work."

I nodded. "That's right, public library services."

"Mmmm, I think you'd find her prices way above your salary level." Her eyes narrowed and there was an abrupt change of subject, slightly hostile in tone. "Did you or Susie ever say anything critical about us at The Twilight?"

"No, why should we? We both thoroughly enjoyed our night with you and Anthea and we didn't expect any more than that. In fact, when we realised what you were doing, we had a good laugh. There was no harm in it."

"I didn't really think it was you. Some humourless bitch moaned to the management about our small 'wager' game and we've been warned to stop it. So now we're racking our brains trying to create a new way to attract pussy."

"Can I suggest something, Imogen?" I said, "Why don't you just look out for girls who seem to be alone, chat to them, buy them a drink or two, have a couple of dances, then see if they'll come home with you? Simple is often best so it's worth a shot. You'll win some, lose some, but in the long run you'll probably win more than you lose."

"Yes... why didn't we think of that?"

Because you're too bloody devious, I thought but I still wanted Imogen's help so I said nothing.

"We could give it a try." Imogen seemed to make up her mind. "As for your little request, I might have the answer. Give me a few minutes." She picked up her phone and went into another room. I wandered out onto her balcony. The view was still great but didn't match up to the night-time view. At night you can't see the city's dirt.

Imogen came back, now all smiles. "I've spoken to Bertie. She has a number of preliminary and discarded drawings that she doesn't think good enough for exhibition. If you'd go to have a look, she'll give you a good price on any that you like." Imogen handed me a card. "Here's Bertie's address."

As she was showing me out, Imogen added: "Wish Susie well from us. When we see you all in The Twilight next we'll buy you a bottle of bubbly." She winked and lowered her voice as if there were eavesdroppers around. "And there won't be any wager involved."

Bertie was in her fifties or sixties, tall with cropped iron-grey hair, dressed in paint-spattered dungarees. "Oh yes, you're Imogen's friend. Come along."

She took me into her studio where she'd laid out a number of drawings on a table for me. These were supposed to be discards but to my untrained eye they looked as good as those hanging on Imogen's wall. Telling Bertie what they were for, I picked out two, definitely erotic but also tasteful—they had to be if they were on show with other wedding presents.

"Two hundred," said Bertie, "I'll sign them and the price includes framing. You can collect them Tuesday." When I nodded acceptance, she added: "Wedding present, you said? Go on, pick another and I'll throw it in free—I think it's great that gay people can get married now."

And that was one of my problems solved.

* * * * *

The wedding took place mid-afternoon and both brides looked stunning. Susie wore a full-length, slim-line white dress, simple in design and all the more lovely for it. A small chaplet of African daisies adorned her head and she carried a simple nosegay rather than a full-blown bouquet. Joanna was wearing a three-quarter length purple dress with modest plunging neckline, a purple velvet band around her neck and a corsage of matching flowers. My dress was similar to Susie's while Viv was very well turned out in a pin-striped trouser suit.

There was quite a crowd there what with the brides' families and my parents and all sorts of close and distant cousins and friends and colleagues. I know that when we were summoned into the Registrar's room it got pretty crowded. Half-an-hour later, having taken vows, signed the register and exchanged rings and kisses, they were Mrs Susie and Mrs Joanna Lloyd-Edwards.

Any stranger wandering in might have wondered at the cascade of tears—I've never seen so much happy weeping in one place before. Joanna was crying; hers and Susie's mothers were crying; I was crying; for God's sake, even Nancy and Viv were crying. The only one not crying was Susie and she looked radiant, beaming hugely as she hugged her new wife. Her whole demeanour shouted: "She's all mine!"

After the photographer had finished the early sets of pictures, it was time for Susie to toss the flowers for some lucky girl to catch. Tradition dictates that she should have turned away from the crowd and thrown the nosegay backwards. Instead she lobbed it to me.

"But, Susie, I..."

She put a finger to my lips and said: "It'll happen sometime."

* * * * *

The reception was held at a posh country club outside the city. Joanna's father—also a lawyer, a barrister no less—was wealthy and he had hired the club for the private party. Not only that, he had arranged limousines for the main guests and a fleet of minibuses for all the others. Add to that the cost of the wedding dinner, band and sundries and the final bill would probably have made Bill Gates shriek with anguish.

The wedding dinner was magnificent and the speeches, thankfully, short. Both Susie's and Joanna's fathers seemed to shed a manly tear when saying their piece, although in the case of the latter, it was probably thinking about that final invoice that did it. Then club staff cleared the floor, the bride and bride had the first dance and hours of fun started.

Warmed by a couple of glasses of champagne, I think I danced with almost everyone there. I had to fend off Joanna's younger brother who either thought I was straight or was confident he could convert me but he was good-natured enough to accept the truth when I hit him with it. For all their bulk, Nancy and Viv were surprisingly good dancers and the three of us, arms around shoulders with me in the middle, made up a kind of folk-dancing trio. So odd and lively was our dance, we got a round of applause from the other guests.

After some time I took a rest and I started thinking about Niamh, feeling a little down and I suppose it showed because Joanna came and took my hand. "Come on you, you can be as miserable as you like tomorrow although things may well look much brighter by then. Tonight's happy night—we're near as dammit sisters now so you're going to cheer up and dance with me."

"Yeah, thanks Joanna, you're right, happy night it is. Okay, my lovely new sister, let's rock!" I glanced around for Susie but she seemed to have disappeared for the moment.

We went on the floor and we had several dances together and then Susie returned and took over from Joanna. It was almost as if they were plotting to keep me from too much introspection. Before we hit the floor, Susie handed her mobile phone to Joanna and murmured something. I wondered what she was doing with her phone—it's not an essential accessory for a wedding dress. So Susie and I were dancing together and generally acting the fool, having fun, until Joanna beckoned to her. Susie went over and Joanna held up the mobile phone and they whispered to each other. Joanna smiled and nodded and they kissed. Susie came back to me, took me by an arm and led me to the country club's main door.

"Where are we going?"

"There's a lovely sunset out there. We're going to watch it together."

"Since when have you been big on sunsets?" I had always been the nature lover in our friendship, Susie could take it or leave it.

"A girl's entitled to go a bit funny on her wedding day," Susie told me, "So no arguments, come and enjoy it with me."

She was right. Glowing across the fields and woodlands, this evening's sunset was spectacular, the sky a dome of molten gold rippled across with long streamers of orange and green and lavender and purple as the sun settled down into the western horizon. A slight breeze swept the rich scent of wallflowers and other plants from the club's gardens towards us and some songbirds were serenading the end of day.

"Wow, Susie, you certainly know how to pick a great sunset."

"Ordered it specially for today," said Susie. She put an arm around my waist, stood on tiptoe and kissed my cheek. I put an arm around her and her head nestled against me. "Love you to bits, Vicki Clarke."

"Love you to bits too, Susie Lloyd-Edwards."

"Best friends for ever?"

"Best friends for ever," I agreed, "Until we're two withered crones in bath-chairs having to take nourishment through straws."

"Yukkk!" Susie made a barfing noise and we both laughed.

A few minutes later I was aware of Susie's arm leaving my waist although she held onto my arm for a moment. Then she squeezed it, let go and a warm hand slipped into mine. I turned to see Susie heading back towards the club where her darling Joanna was waiting at the entrance for her, grinning like someone who's done something brilliant. Standing in Susie's place was a fair-complexioned vision with a mass of fiery pre-Raphaelite hair, its colour enhanced by the setting sun. There was a anxious half-smile on Niamh's face.

"Hi there," she said.

"Hi yourself."

"Will you take me back, Vicki? Please?"

"You don't need to ask that," I said, "Guess it goes without saying."

"I've missed you."