| Disclaimers etc in Part One |
Josh smiled. ‘Thanks Leo. I’m not drunk, you know…’ Leo sighed. ‘Sure, Josh, whatever.’ Toby got up, and was walking back with CJ by the time Leo noticed he was gone. ‘CJ.’ ‘Leo. I got lost. I’ve never been here before.’ Leo looked around. ‘Me either. You wanna drink?’ atever he’s having looks good.’ looked at her disapprovingly. ‘CJ…’ CJ smiled mischievously. ‘Lighten up, Leo. We’re out of the office, okay?’ ‘Yeah, okay. It’s just…’ CJ put a hand on his arm. ‘It’s a party. Let go for a night.’ Leo frowned. ‘I’m not sure I remember how.’ ‘Maybe I’ll have to remind you.’ Sam was back, and he saw Josh slumped on the bar. ‘How many of those have you had, J?’ Josh looked at the barman, who supplied the answer. ‘Two.’ Sam was concerned. ‘You had two drinks and you’re drunk?’ Josh lifted his head, focussing on the Sam in the middle of the three Sam’s he could see. ‘I’m not drunk. I’m forty. I’m really, really old. I’m gonna die soon, love, and you’ll be alone.’ Hoping no-one else had heard Josh’s self-pitying outburst, Sam put his hand on Josh’s shoulder. ‘Have some more peanuts.’ He pushed the almost empty bowl under Josh’s hand. ‘Okay.’ Standing next to Josh at the bar, CJ heard his slurred comment. And her frown only smoothed when she walked back to stand between Toby and Leo, who looked at her quizzically. ‘What?’ CJ shook her head. ‘Nothing, Leo. It’s okay.’ *************** ‘Happy Birthday, Joshua.’ Josh looked up as he heard the voice behind him. ‘Susanna, do I look old to you?’ ‘In comparison to what, darling?’ Josh looked round. ‘Sammy.’ ‘Oh dear, someone is feeling sorry for themselves, aren’t they?’ Sam nodded. ‘He’s been like this ever since we arrived.’ The woman Leo had seen on stage earlier put her arm around Josh’s shoulders. ‘Oh, sweetheart. You’ve got half your life ahead of you, darling. Don’t be like this.’ But Josh wouldn’t be moved. ‘Look after Sammy when I’m gone.’ The woman frowned. ‘Where are you going, darling?’ ‘When I die.’ ‘All right, that’s enough. Come on.’ She pulled Josh off the bar stool and turned back. ‘Sammy, come on.’ ‘Not tonight, Susanna…’ She looked at the two men. And at the three people who were apparently with them. ‘All right. Get yourselves a table. I’ll think of something to lift Joshua’s mood.’ Susanna tapped firmly on the microphone and the loud knocking noise silenced the room within a few seconds. ‘Thank you. Now, we’re going to help someone celebrate their birthday. Joshua is feeling ever so slightly old, and I though it might be nice to help him realise there are more important things in life than how old you are. Would anyone like to suggest something?’ Someone shouted: ’Love.’ Susanna smiled. ‘You can come again, darling.’ The ripple of laughter that flowed through the room made Leo smile. ‘Precisely so. Now, Joshua dear, stop moping and blow out your candle.’ As she was speaking, a member of staff was carrying a large cake with a single candle across to their table. ‘I tried to get the right number of candles on your cake, darling, but we’re bound by fire regulations, you know.’ Even Josh laughed at the terrible joke. Then he blew out the candle to the accompaniment of a loud cheer, followed by applause from the other people in the club. ‘I hope you made a wish, darling. Although, looking at the lovely Samuel, I’d say one of your wishes had already come true, yes?’ It was difficult to tell who blushed more deeply. Josh or Sam. It was equally impossible to tell who was more shocked. Leo, Toby, and CJ all wore expressions of stunned disbelief. Looking at the other people on the table with Josh and Sam, Susanna suddenly realised she had said the wrong thing. ‘Oops. Sorry boys.’ She nodded into the side of the stage and three people walked on, pulling a keyboard and drum set onto the stage with them.
|