‘She seemed very well. Apparently they’ve got a big new contract, so they’re looking to expand – perhaps to that new business park in Filton.’
‘Good job you’re not still there, eh?’ George remarked. ‘You wouldn’t want to be bothered with travelling out there every day.’
‘It’s supposed to be really nice,’ Sue continued. ‘Plush new offices set in landscaped gardens, with a Starbucks on site. There’s even a gym for everyone who works there.’
‘Well there you are then – what would you be interested in a gym for?’
‘I might!’ Sue retorted indignantly. ‘Plenty of women my age go to the gym.’
‘What are you planning to do? Bulk up like one of those bodybuilders?’ George sniggered. ‘Or maybe you’re thinking of running a marathon? I’m afraid those days are long behind you,’ he added, still chuckling to himself.
Sue pursed her lips like she’d just sucked on a lemon. ‘I’m going to make a drink. Would you like one?’ she asked shortly.
‘Ooh, I’d love a cup of tea,’ George replied, oblivious to the fact that anything was wrong. ‘Thanks, love.’
As his wife disappeared into the kitchen, George heard her call out, ‘Apparently the HR department are managing very well without me.’
‘Well of course they are.’ George raised his voice to reply. ‘You didn’t expect the company to collapse after you left, did you? If there’s one thing I’ve learnt about business, it’s that no one is irreplaceable, no matter how important you think you are.’
He thought Sue might have muttered something in reply but it was hard to hear as the kettle rose noisily to boiling point.
‘What was that, love?’ George shouted. But Sue didn’t answer.
She came back through a few moments later, carrying two mugs of tea.
‘So, what shall we do today?’ she asked brightly, her bad mood seemingly forgotten.
George felt his heart sink. Every day it was the same, as Sue attempted to drag him out to garden centres and furniture shops, craft fairs and exhibitions. She’d even started talking about exotic holidays to far-flung destinations, weekend breaks to European cities. Didn’t she understand that he’d retired?
Until recently, George had worked as an engineer, and seemed to spend his whole life rushing around and striving to meet tight deadlines. Especially when the children were still at home, he’d often felt as though he never had a minute to himself.
Retirement, in comparison, was a veritable paradise! He had no commitments, no responsibilities, and that was just how he liked it. He could take all the time in the world to read the paper or do the crossword, enjoy a leisurely lunch and potter in the garden, or watch a film if the weather was bad. That took him nicely up to his evening meal, expertly cooked by his wife at the same time every day, and then there was always something good on TV these days – all those channels! Perhaps he’d pick a gentle detective drama, or a documentary. Sue never minded too much what he watched – she always had her nose in a book, or would be on the Internet researching things to do.
If it had been a particularly taxing day, George reflected, he might fall asleep in front of the television, but without fail he’d be in bed by midnight.
‘I hadn’t really planned anything, to be honest,’ he admitted, taking a sip of his tea. ‘I’ve got a few jobs to do round the house,’ he continued vaguely, although that wasn’t strictly true, ‘so I thought we could just stay in and I’d get on with those …’
He saw the tiniest flicker of irritation cross his wife’s face.
‘We could drive up to the Cotswolds,’ she suggested, as though he hadn’t spoken. ‘Like we used to when the kids were little. Then we could find somewhere nice to have our dinner – a country pub, or a little restaurant. We could even stay overnight,’ she continued, her voice rising with excitement. ‘After all, we’re not in any hurry to get back, are we?’
George glanced out of the window. It had started raining lightly, and the trees were swaying violently in the wind. It was a day for staying indoors with the central heating turned up, not a day for traipsing around the countryside.
‘Maybe another time, eh? Let’s organise something for next week. Besides, haven’t you got that book club thing tomorrow night?’
‘Yes, that’s true,’ Sue agreed, instantly perking up as she remembered Ten Sweet Lessons. If only her husband could be more like Alexander Black – passionate and impulsive, instead of dull and grumpy.
If truth be told, she was finding Ten Sweet Lessons absolutely fascinating. Of course, the writing was hardly comparable with Oscar Wilde or Virginia Woolf, but Sue was utterly hooked, and could understand why countless other women were too. It was pure fantasy, offering an erotically charged glimpse into a world which she’d never experienced.
For Sue, sex had always been largely functional, with little or no focus on her pleasure. George was the only man she’d ever slept with, and Sue had gone through life thinking of sex as something of a chore – an act which, for the most part, was to be endured, rather than celebrated. But the experiences Christina described in Ten Sweet Lessons had left Sue feeling unexpectedly envious. Even if she was in her early sixties, was it too much to demand a satisfactory sex life before it was too late? Her ageing limbs might not be able to contort themselves into a dozen different positions, but if George was willing to be a little open-minded, she might be able to reach the heady, climactic heights described in the novel.
Right now though, Sue couldn’t see any way of opening up to her husband. The gulf that had sprung up between them was just too wide, and the idea of telling him how she felt was unthinkable.
‘There you are then,’ George pronounced with satisfaction, bringing Sue rudely out of her reverie. ‘Let’s leave going out for another day. It’s nice that you’ve joined that little book group though,’ he added thoughtfully. ‘Something to keep you occupied.’
Sue opened her mouth, intending to snap back with an angry retort, but then closed it again, an expression of defeat crossing her face. She slumped down in her chair, taking a sip of tea.
‘Yes,’ she agreed tonelessly. ‘I suppose you’re right.’
‘Well, there you are then,’ George repeated, shaking out his newspaper and turning to the sports pages. As far as he was concerned, the conversation was over.
Neither of them spoke and the air lay heavy between them, just the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway to break the silence.
7
The second meeting of the Cafe Crumb book club began very differently to the first. Although Estelle still worried about whether or not anyone would turn up, her concerns proved unfounded, as Sue, Rebecca and Gracie all arrived before the seven p.m. start time.
They queued up at the counter for their drinks and cakes (for this time, refreshments and snacks weren’t free) and sat down quickly, three distinctive copies of Ten Sweet Lessons on the table in front of them.
The atmosphere was completely different to the last meeting. There was no air of boredom, tapping of feet or heavy sighs. Everyone sat bolt upright and eager to begin. There was a buzz in the air, and it was as though everyone couldn’t wait to start.
There was, however, no sign of Reggie.
‘Have you heard from him, Estelle?’ asked Sue.
‘No, I haven’t,’ she replied, coming over to sit with them and placing her own