Page 32 of A Midlife Marriage

Helen nodded. She leaned her elbows on the table. ‘I think it’s marvellous, getting to talk to all sorts of people you’d never have had the chance to otherwise. I mean, what did we have before dating apps? We had to stay home and grow our hair long enough to swing it down, while we waited for the next knight to come along and rescue us.’

‘And we didn’t get to check if he was crushingly boring,’ Caro said.

‘Or self-obsessed.’

‘Or had bad breath.’

‘We had the pub!’ Kay interrupted. ‘It wasn’t all bad.’

‘It was pretty random though.’ Caro laughed. ‘I may as well have thrown a dart at a dartboard, blindfolded, for all the forethought that went into some of my relationships. At least there’s a little stab at compatibility on these things.’

‘You’ve been on it too?’

‘Not Tinder.’ Glass at her lips, Caro turned her mouth down in distaste.

‘Elite-singles?’ Helen said.

‘Of course.’

And across the table, Kay smiled.

‘Let’s do it!’ Caro stood up and pushed her chair back. ‘Phone.’ She stretched her hand to Kay.

‘It’s on the kitchen bench,’ Helen said.

Kay laughed. ‘You won’t guess the code.’

‘Alex’s birthday?’

Now she paled.

‘140999’ And looking at Kay, Helen winked. ‘Six months before Libby.’

Kay covered her eyes. ‘I can’t look.’

Caro was back in the room. ‘Right, what do want your username to be?’

‘Nothing! I don’t want a username.’

‘KB.’ Caro said. ‘That’s fairly anonymous.’

‘KB?’ She turned to Helen who was also on her feet. ‘Where are you going? Don’t leave me now.’

Helen leaned over and squeezed her shoulder. ‘I’m getting the last bottle, KB. Who’s even going to know it’s you?’

‘Every student I’ve ever taught?’

‘And then we’ll take some pictures.’

‘I’ll do wardrobe,’ Caro said.

‘Wardrobe? We’re nowhere near my wardrobe.’

‘Exactly!’ Caro picked her glass up and drained it. ‘That’s why we should get it done now. As far away as possible from your actual wardrobe. OK, Helen, what have you got?’ she said, already on her way to the bedroom.

‘I’ve no idea.’ At the fridge again, Helen waved the bottle in her hand. ‘It’s all still in boxes.’

‘I’ll find something!’ And within another minute, Caro had found something. She came back in, a V-neck blouse in one hand, a t-shirt in the other.

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