Page 35 of Old Girls Go Greek
‘What?’ I said, trying not to laugh.
‘And?’ Beryl said.
‘He kissed you, didn’t he?’ Effie said with a sigh. ‘I can tell. I remember the first time I was kissed by someone who wasn’t my husband, and yes, before you ask, I was divorced by then. And it was like a bomb went off in my head. And it was a young man called Jeremy. And he wasn’t a particularly good kisser or anything. Okay, quite nice really, but I mean he was no Warren Beatty. It was just the thought that a nice man wanted to kiss me. And it was sort of friendly and affectionate, which was something I’d missed. I’ll never forget it.’
Yes, I thought, I could relate to that. And I wondered then how it was that a marriage like mine, which had started with such promise and had produced a loving and much-loved daughter, a comfortable home, and a good career, had slowly crumbled. The passion had died; the affection from Malcolm had been in an ever-dwindling supply and nearly always prompted by some other motivation. The need for his dry-cleaning to be collected in my lunch hour, or to make up for a birthday or anniversary missed, or occasional and forgettable sex.
Was the ability to be loved or even noticed something like the sand in an egg timer, which gradually ran through and disappeared with the passing years? Had this evening been the time when fate turned the timer over again and the clogged sand of my attractiveness began to run more freely?
I focused back on my companions who were now reminiscing happily about their own dating disasters. Anita had spilled wine down Rick on their first date and then done the same thing to his mother when they were introduced.
‘Not on purpose, obviously, I was just so nervous. And she was not the sort of woman to laugh it off. The family called me “The Splasher” for years afterwards, and Rick’s father Stan, who was a big bear of a man who liked slapstick and Carry On films, used to stand in front of me and ask when it was his turn.’
‘Another thing, I fell out of my first boyfriend’s car,’ Beryl said. ‘Luckily, we had parked up and we were getting a bit steamy at the time. It was a lovely green MG Miget. He did tell me the door catch could be a bit unreliable. I landed up on my back in a patch of nettles. Things were never the same after that.’
‘Okay, so perhaps this wasn’t as bad,’ I said, laughing, ‘but it’s different to be a bit of a klutz at my age. For one thing, it’s so undignified and it hurts more. I’m sure I must be covered in bruises. And what would the other people have thought of me?’
‘Are you ever going to meet any of those people again?’ Beryl asked.
‘Probably not,’ I said.
Beryl made a dismissive noise. ‘Well then, what’s the problem? Life is too short to worry about what strangers think of you. Have fun; if nothing else, give them something to think about.’
Yes, actually, she was right.
Effie nodded. ‘Everyone says you should listen to your body as you get older. Well, my body says has anyone got any of that chocolate we bought in duty free left?’
I began to feel a lot happier about things as we all laughed together, and when Anita brought out a huge Toblerone, life looked even better.
About an hour later we decided it was definitely bedtime, and we began to clear up the wine glasses and the shreds of silver foil.
Beryl looked at her watch. ‘Well, that’s enough excitement for one evening. I’ve found the film channel on my television. I’m going to bed now with a nice cup of tea and Matt Damon.’
‘Goodness, does Mrs Damon know?’ Anita said, her eyebrows in her fringe.
‘Not yet, but she would be furious if she did. There’s nothing like a good spy thriller and a couple of car chases to settle me,’ Beryl said cheerfully. ‘So now then, synchronise watches, breakfast at eight, and then nine o’clock tomorrow, outside the hotel. Flat shoes, painting things, water and sunhats. I’m looking forward to our trip to the ancient ruins. And who knows, we might even get some painting done.’
‘We were talking about it over dinner. Will knows a lot about the Minoans,’ I said.
‘Yes,’ Effie said with a loud, wicked laugh, ‘I bet he knows lots of interesting things.’
11
The following morning after a hurried breakfast, because we were a bit late getting up, the four of us refilled our water bottles from the water cooler in reception and went to wait obediently outside the hotel. The weather was perfect. Warm and sunny with a light breeze coming in from the sea. The forecast was for it to get much hotter later on.
A few minutes later, June and Susan arrived, both dressed in beige linen trousers, loose tops and broad-brimmed sunhats, carrying canvas backpacks and folding stools. This sent Effie off in a panic because she had forgotten hers. By the time she returned, the group was assembled, with Dennis at the back of the group in a white shirt and trousers, looking as though he was going to umpire a cricket match.
‘You’re looking very fine and summery this morning, Anita,’ Dennis called over, touching the brim of his hat in salute.
Anita rewarded him with a nod and Dennis beamed and started telling her about his new tube of Dioxazine Purple and how he was looking forward to using it.
Then I saw Will sitting on the wall, once more making a fuss of one of the kittens, and I went over to say hello, feeling rather silly and foolish. Was this the beginnings of a daft crush? He looked up at me and grinned.
‘Good morning. How are you today? I never could resist kittens,’ he said.
‘I’m more of a dog man, myself,’ Dennis said, overhearing. ‘Give me a chocolate labrador any time.’
‘I had a chocolate rabbit at Easter,’ Susan said. ‘My granddaughter gave me one. I could hardly bear to eat it. She bit off the ears for me in the end.’
