‘Lynne can play the clarinet and flute, too, did you know?’ Angie boasted proudly. ‘Talk about musical! Oh, it’s not fair, here’s me always wanted to be musical and I can’t even sing in tune.’

‘But you can sing okay, Angie,’ Seymour said, and she smiled at him over the table, eyes crinkling into happy crescents.

‘You reckon? Go on, you’re only sucking up!’

‘Well, that song you sang the other day was pretty good.’

Angie beamed, then struck a pose and began to sing:

‘Like a star in the morning sky,

Your love was there to guide me.

I was weak, too weak to fly,

But you were there, right there beside me…

Urging me on, and making me strong…

Could hear you saying…’

‘Angie!’ Lynne said crossly, ‘People are staring.’

But Angie went on singing, chin propped up on her hands.

‘Came back to show you I could fly,

But you had gone without a warning…’

‘If you don’t shut up, that’s exactly what I’ll do!’ Lynne hissed. She picked up her bag and shoved the little china shoes inside, almost roughly, although they were so fragile.

‘Oops, sorry,’ said Angie contritely. ‘I forgot you care about what other people think. I know, you can’t take me anywhere, always doing embarrassing things in public. Seymour has the same problem, only he’s usually too much of a gent to yell at me. Okay, I won’t do it again, promise. So, how are the kids at school, Katie, and what’s your other mate’s name, Teresa?’

‘They’re all right.’

‘And Gillian?’

‘Fine.’

‘Well…I know, anyone want some dessert? How about cheesecake, they have beautiful cheesecake here, not like that horrible yucky stuff you get at supermarkets…’

‘Nothing more for me, I’ve definitely got to be going,’ Lynne said. ‘There’s a whole bunch of things to do. I have to wash my hair for tonight for a start.’

‘Why, where are you off to tonight?’

‘Oh, just family stuff. We’re all going out to dinner and then a show,’ said Lynne, preoccupied with a mirror and comb, even though not one hair was out of place.

‘Oh…?’ said Angie and there was a short, questioning silence in which Lynne suddenly looked confused and ill-at-ease. She became very busy with the zipper on her bag, which wasn’t really stuck and didn’t merit all the attention she was giving it.

‘It’s nothing special, Angie,’ she said reluctantly. ‘Just something about Dad’s work, he got a promotion or something, didn’t he tell you? Tonight’s do is just a spur of the moment sort of thing. I expect Mum couldn’t reach you, seeing you don’t have the phone on at your new place.’