When I told her I was meeting an old friend in Horgan’s Hotel her face lit up with hope for me. Mam loves to hear I’m getting out and meeting people. I know she thinks I should make a better effort to make new friends. She throws a subtle comment my way every now and then to that effect. But Mam doesn’t know they’re not worth it. Friends can betray you.

I told her it was someone I knew from my college days. According to Mam, Horgan’s Hotel is well known for its afternoon tea and she has some lovely memories of meeting her sister there over the years before her sister passed away. Mam has no idea the old friend I’m planning to meet is Andriu. I don’t want to tell her yet. I’ll wait until we’re back together because she might get upset after the way things finished between us.

I hope she’ll be happy that I’ve found love again, because my father won’t. He never liked Andriu. He thought he was punching above his weight, and he wasn’t shy about sharing his feelings with Andriu. He questioned him so much about his past and his plans for the future and wanted to know so much about his family that Andriu eventually stopped coming to the house with me. He said it was like going for an interview with God.

I lean back in the comfortable chair. From my vantage point in the lobby, I can see who is arriving and leaving the hotel. I can also see the elevators, two large steel doors opening and closing every few minutes. Rich people walking in. Rich people walking out. If Andriu walks out through one of those doors, I plan to rush out and bump into him. If he arrives from the front door, I’ll do the same. I’ll say I was having tea with friends and was on my way out.

The excitement is buzzing inside me, but to a passer-by I look like a lovely young woman relaxing, enjoying a scone and a pretty little cup of tea, waiting on a friend to arrive.

I’ve decided not to drink alcohol this weekend. Andriu won’t want me if I’m falling around drunk. I need to stay focused if I’m to lure him back into my life.