The closely packed crowd in the church hall had gradually thinned out, as one by one, people had slipped away with expansive farewells to those who were
left. The drinks table still had plenty of glasses and bottles of wine set out. The post performance celebrations had been fuelled entirely on adrenalin
release rather than alcohol, and now the mood had wound down to that of cosy intimacy.
"Did anyone see which way the Judge went?" Helen asked out of mild curiosity.
"Last I saw of him, he was going to act as minder for George, to see off that wanker of an ex of hers," Nikki sarcastically replied. Karen and Jo exchanged
glances and carried on talking.
"We're going to have to pick up the children some time," Roisin volunteered partly against her will.
"Good, that makes a good excuse to carry on the party at Yvonne's, if she doesn't mind," Cassie smugly replied. "Is everyone coming?" Nikki and Helen's
faces brightened at the prospect.
"Do you want to come as well, Jo?" Karen asked with a smile, to which the other woman nodded her ascent. She might as well go with the flow.
"Hold it, what about the church hall?" Nikki asked. Years of running a club made that instinct kick in, helped by her present security oriented job.
"Right, this hall has more than just the one big room. Can you, Nikki and Helen, check out all the windows? I'll find the front door keys and you, Cassie
and Roisin, check out the lights," Karen immediately decided.
"Yes, boss," Helen retorted half saluting and grinning.
"Is she always like this at work?" Cassie asked a big grin all over her face.
"Sometimes she's worse," Helen said with a straight face.
"Just looking after Henry's church hall. Someone has to," Came Karen's rye answer, in response to a chorus of laughter. "We'd really better be going, if
that's alright with everyone." As Jo led the way to her car, she noted in passing that John's car was no longer there. Soon the cars set out in convoy,
Cassie leading the way, and they wended their way along the country lanes. By coincidence, their route took them passed George's house, both Jo and Karen
noticed John's car parked outside the front door. Both of them felt a little left out and excluded by the way that John and George had shot off together.
The cars all crunched to a halt on Yvonne's drive, and Cassie led the way.
"It's nice to go out somewhere with company, instead of going back to an empty house," Jo smiled turning to face Karen.
"Yeah, let's make the most of it," Came Karen's definitely answer. Before Yvonne could open her mouth as she opened the door, a fast moving shape shot ahead
of her and ran into Crystal's arms. Holding Zandra in the crook of her arm, Crystal followed Yvonne who led everyone into her large, luxurious living room.
"Where's Josh?" Asked Crystal.
"Letting Michael and Niamh run rings round him by the pool," Answered Yvonne with a big grin. "Nice to see you all. I'll get you a drink if I've got a spare
pair of hands," She added hastily.
"Let me hold Daniel," Helen urged with a pleading look in her eyes.
"That's all right with me, Helen." Jo flopped down in a comfortable armchair. Now that she was seated, she was pleasantly tired out, and just wanted to
relax. She smiled benevolently at everyone in general. The sight of Daniel who was little and adorable, and Crystal's naturally motherly posture connected
immediately with Helen.
"You're all staying for something to eat. Do you fancy spaghetti bolognese?" the satisfied sounds in response to the idea of Yvonne's home cooking was a
ready reply. Yvonne was happy with a house full of close friends and children. It was her idea of heaven. At that point, a four-legged friend who was more
inquisitive than anyone, even John, made made his presence known. This was his idea of heaven as well.
"So no Judge tonight?" Yvonne asked with a smirk on her face, thinking that Trigger would definitely have given the game away if the Judge had appeared.
"He appears to be otherwise engaged," Said Jo with a straight face, which made Karen laugh.
"Do you want any help, Yvonne?" Nikki asked tactfully.
"I'll give you a shout when I'm ready." Yvonne made her way to the kitchen and rustled up carrots and onions to peel and dice.
"Roisin and I will go out to the pool and see how the children are getting on. I hope they're not wearing Josh out"
"That takes me back a few years," Jo laughed looking at Karen.
"I suppose I can remember happier days." Karen's reply was accompanied by a wan smile. Too much water had gone under the bridge in the last few years. "I'm
tired." Helen looked away, feeling very uncomfortable. It was at moments like this that she came up against one of the disadvantages of her profession,
when it intruded into her private life. She continued to make a fuss of Daniel as something to focus on. Nikki had looked curiously at Helen as she cradled
the little boy. He looked so small and innocent and was made to be held. She had seen Helen before with Daniel, but it was as if she had been looking through
the wrong end of a telescope. It wasn't in her nature just to be an observer of human life all around her. There had always had to be something more than
this.
"Let me hold Daniel for a bit, Helen," she said softly. "It'll give you a break." Helen looked quizzically at the curious expression in Nikki's eyes, that
she had never seen before and realised that she meant it. Crystal nodded her encouragement at a moment when Nikki, wing Governor of Larkhall, appreciated
it most.
Josh was splashing about in the pool with two excited children. Michael then climbed out of the pool and jumped in splashing Josh with a fountain of water.
"Kids, give Josh a rest," Asked Roisin.
"Oh, Mum, don't be such a spoilsport," Michael called back to her. "Look, he's enjoying it"
"Spare the poor man, Michael, he looks worn out," Roisin persisted, noticing a very exhausted looking Josh who was gamely trying to keep up with two lively
children.
"Come on, Michael," Niamh asked him kindly, as she could see that her near adolescent brother Michael sometimes didn't know where to stop.
It had been a lovely summers day, but the shadows were starting to lengthen across the lawn from the trees nearby. It started to take the heat out of the
day but the sunbeams were pleasantly dazzling and made for a delightfully lotus eating sensation, at least for anyone not in the swimming pool.
"Want to go outside, the fresh air would do us good," Karen asked Jo quietly. The terrace overlooked the pool where they could see Josh still cavorting
around in the pool with the children. Both looked back distantly and backwards into their past to when life was simpler, however much hard work it had
been.
"I've heard some bad news today, that I have to share with someone. Barbara told me that Henry has lung cancer. You saw for yourself how ill he looked"
"Oh, no, poor Barbara. How bad is it"
"I don't know the details." A shadow seemed to pass over the enjoyment of the day and their view of Yvonne's back garden. For those who hadn't heard the
news, time passed slowly while they sat and talked at their ease, while Yvonne prepared the meal.
"Come on, kids, you have to get out of the pool. You'll both catch your death of cold," Roisin's shrill voice carried through the still air of Yvonne's
back garden, but was unheard by the children.
"Dinner's ready," Yvonne's stentorian voice carried out of the kitchen window. Immediately, the two children splashed their way to the steps out of the
pool. Their skins were goose pimpled and ice cold to the touch, and they padded their way up the flight of steps, Josh trailing behind them.
"Typical," Roisin exclaimed to Cassie, while Karen and Jo smiled.