Page 72 of A Wedding in Tuscany

‘She is. Can I, like, totally brag and show you a photo?’

‘Yes! Yes, show me.’ She rummages in her handbag, which is slung on the back of her chair, and takes out her phone. She taps and scrolls, all with a lovesick smile on her face. ‘Here, this is us at the Cliffs of Moher?we went for a mini-break a couple of months ago.’

In the photo, their faces are pressed together, their hair is whipping behind them in the wind, and their arms wrapped around each other’s waists. Siobhan is quite a lot taller than the petite, redheaded Keely, so she’s leaning down for the shot, and both are laughing?it’s a gorgeous photo. ‘The wind was intense,’ says Siobhan. ‘I had to hold on to her so she wouldn’t blow away.’

I look up from the photo. ‘She’s beautiful. You’re beautiful together. I can’t wait to meet her,’ I add.

‘I so wish she could have come, but she’s on call this weekend?you know, in case any pensioners have an emergency and need surgery.’

‘I really love seeing you this happy,’ I say.

‘I can say the same about you.’

‘Hi, Siobhan?sorry to interrupt but I haven’t met you properly yet.’ My bestie is suddenly beside me and I realise I’ve barely spoken to her since we arrived. ‘I’m Lindsey, Sarah’s friend from Sydney.’ She holds out her hand to Siobhan.

‘Oh, lovely to meet you.’ Siobhan stands and wraps her arms around Lindsey, who returns the hug good-naturedly. ‘Do you want my spot? I’ve been hogging the birthday girl and, besides, I haven’t caught up with Josh properly yet.’

‘Oh, thanks, that’s kind of you.’ Lindsey sits and Siobhan heads down to the other end of the table. ‘Having a good time?’ Lindsey asks me.

‘It’s amazing. I love it.’ Moments later, there is raucous laughter from Josh and Nick, and Lindsey and I look down the length of the table.

‘God, that was fast.’

‘It’s the Siobhan factor. She’s just that funny.’

She looks back at me. ‘Even funnier than you?’

‘Yes, definitely?mostly because half the time I make you laugh, it’s unintentional.’ She sniggers. ‘See?’

‘So, I wanted to give you your present.’

‘Why does everyone insist on giving me presents after flying across the world to celebrate my birthday?’

‘Oh, god. If you give me that “your presence is your present” BS, I’ll vomit.’ I press my lips together. ‘So, can I give it to you now?’

‘Yes, please.’

Out comes another envelope, which she’s been hiding under the table on her lap. ‘Here.’

I open it?another card, but this one doesn’t say anything about my age and, if it’s possible, I love my bestie even more. ‘Read it later. It’ll just make you cry. And me. I’ll probably cry too.’

‘Okay.’ Lindsey isn’t usually the sentimental type, but I’ll respect her wishes. Inside the birthday card is a voucher to a day spa in the Blue Mountains.

‘Ooh! Fancy!’

She chuckles. ‘That’s only part of it. We’re going for the weekend, just you and me?it’s the whole kit and caboodle. Oh, and Nick’s watching Domino?that’s his part of the present.’

‘Cute! Boys’ weekend at home.’

‘Yeah, they can lounge around on the couch, watching sport and licking their balls.’

‘Domino does like to do that,’ I say, deadpan. ‘The licking part.’

‘Nick wishes he could do that?the licking part,’ she retorts and we both roar with laughter. When the laughter dies, she looks at me with a soft smile, then leans across and kisses my cheek. ‘Welcome to forty, Sez. You’re gonna love it.’

We’ve always joked around about her being a whopping seven months older than me. But there’s that word again?forty. And why is Lins so convinced that I’m going to love it? I mean, so far, it’s been great?I’ve been lavished with presents, my lovely, thoughtful boyfriend has executed the perfect birthday party, Siobhan’s here?an amazing surprise?but below the surface, it’s still there, that elusive little bastard, my missing something.

What the hell is that?

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