Leo Dalton took a deep breath as he dialled the number on his computer screen. Dr Cunningham, Course Tutor, Pathology. It had to be. He couldn't understand why he felt so nervous about speaking to his former colleague and friend. They lost contact five years ago when Leo took early retirement and moved to France after the lab where they worked had closed – Home Office cutbacks. He lost both his younger colleagues' contact details during his move back to the UK. Leo had been trawling the Internet all day trying to find any sign of them and here he was, finally a chance to get in touch with Harry. He secretly thought of himself as the younger man's mentor, but would never allow himself to entertain such self-satisfied thoughts for very long.

He heard a click as someone picked up the phone at the other end.

'Hello? Dr Cunningham speaking', a female voice answered.

Leo began to flush as he replied, feeling foolish. 'Oh… I was looking for Dr Harry Cunningham. Crossed wires I think.' He chuckled nervously.

The woman on the other end replied hastily. 'Oh no, you've just got the wrong extension, it's my husband you're looking for – Professor Cunningham.' Leo relaxed, the woman seemed patient enough, unlike many receivers of wrong number-phone calls.

'I can give you his direct number or transfer you straight across if you'd like. Can I ask who's calling?'

'My name's Leo Dalton. I'm a former colleague, well, friend of Harry's.' There was a pause at the other end of the line. 'Hello? Are you still there?'

After a few seconds the woman replied, 'Yes, he's mentioned you, Professor Dalton. Several times actually.' Leo was pleased to hear this, he hadn't been forgotten after all.

'Leo?'

Leo spun round to see the voice striding along the corridor towards him. He looked somehow more distinguished, perhaps older, and he was wearing glasses but still unmistakeably Harry – the same crooked grin, flop of dark hair.

'Harry! Hi.'

Harry looked pleased but confused. He grasped Leo's outstretched hand and shook enthusiastically. 'How have you been? What are you doing here?'

Leo explained his earlier conversation with the woman on the phone.

'You spoke to my wife?'

'Yeah, I was actually on my way to meet her in her office - sort of a surprise for you. Wanted to meet your former mentor apparently.' Leo wouldn't admit it, but he was delighted that Harry also thought of him in this way.

Harry stepped back and looked at Leo with one eyebrow raised but gestured for him to follow, talking as they walked, Harry trying to piece the puzzle together.

'So, tell me all about this wife of yours, Professor Cunningham!' Leo grinned.

Harry began to explain. 'She's great, luckiest girl in the world… obviously!' he laughed softly, gesturing towards himself. 'Met her through work, been married four months now, honeymoon in Johannesburg…'

The conversation continued as they made their way through the bland corridors amongst drifting students in hoodies and technicians in lab coats. Harry was now a professor, a senior lecturer in pathology; he had worked in America for six months following the closure of the lab. As they entered a long corridor lined with heavy wooden doors the conversation inevitably turned to their former colleague.

'I was hoping to get in touch with Nikki.' Leo enquired 'Do you still see her much at all?'

'Oh, we cross paths occasionally – she holds a post at the university as well, doing pretty well for herself actually!' Harry appeared to Leo to be suppressing a grin as they reached the door adorned with a neat brass plate: 'Dr N. Cunningham'. Harry signalled the plate. 'First thing she did was change the plate. Before we even left for the honeymoon.'

He rapped the door with his knuckles and waited for acknowledgement from inside before entering. Harry darted forward and greeted his wife with a quick kiss, turning just in time to see Leo's expression fall into one of shock as he saw the slim, giggling blonde with her arm around Harry. 'Leo, meet my wife, Dr Nikki Cunningham' he stated matter-of-factly.

'I was speaking to you on the phone?' Leo flustered.

Nikki laughed as she threw her arms around the older man. 'I said it would be a nice surprise didn't I?'