Page 55 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
‘Thatisgood news.’
Geoff was sitting a few feet away at the other end of the counter. He looked up from his iPad. ‘You would say that.’
‘You get on with that ordering and stop interfering,’ Magnus replied mildly.
Ottilie looked from one to the other with a vague frown.
‘Fancies him,’ Geoff said.
‘I don’t.’
‘Yes, you do. After all these years together you don’t think I can tell when you fancy someone?’
‘I can appreciate he has lovely symmetrical features,’ Magnus said, winking at Ottilie. ‘That’s all.’
‘I suppose he does,’ Ottilie said.
Geoff went back to his ordering. Ottilie couldn’t tell if he was hurt or if he was joking, but she wondered what else had been said in private between the two of them. They hadn’t been getting along all that well – Stacey had said so, and Ottilie had seen it first-hand – but surely it was nothing serious? She couldn’t imagine Thimblebury without Magnus and Geoff and their film club.
‘Which reminds me,’ she added. ‘I told him all about film club and he wondered if he’d be allowed to come along one time.’
‘Of course,’ Magnus said. ‘The more is merry.’
‘The more the merrier,’ Geoff corrected him.
‘That’s what I said.’ Magnus started to pack Ottilie’s groceries into a cloth bag she’d given to him. ‘Anyone who’s interested in movies is welcome to come.’
‘That’s what I thought, but I wanted to check.’
‘It’s not often full anyway because not everyone comes every time.’
Ottilie took the bag from him. ‘I thought that too. So I’ll bring him to the next one?’
‘Sure, why not? I’m sure we can squeeze him in somewhere.’
‘Great! What film are we doing by the way?’
‘Midnight Run.’
‘Is that the one with Robert De Niro and that comedian?’ Ottilie couldn’t help a grimace, and Magnus laughed.
‘Lavender’s choice – what can you do? It was her turn after all.’
‘I’m sure a couple of wines will help it go easier,’ Ottilie said. ‘What a way to introduce Simon to the club.’
‘What makes you think he won’t like it?’ Geoff looked up from his iPad again.
‘OK.’ Ottilie smiled. ‘You’ve got me there. I’m sure it’s just me who’s not so keen, and I suppose that is the point of film club, isn’t it? Makes us watch things we wouldn’t normally choose.’
‘That and an excuse to drink lots of wine and eat nibbles,’ Magnus said. ‘We’d love to see Simon there. What about your Heath? Will he be coming this time?’
‘I don’t know; I haven’t managed to ask him yet.’
‘I’m not sure Flo will when she hears what the film is,’ Geoff said. ‘She can be awkward as anything when she’s not keen.’
‘What makes you think she won’t like it?’ Magnus asked, throwing his own words back at him.
Geoff rolled his eyes. ‘Because this is Flo we’re talking about and she complains about every film we show.’
