Greta and Peggy nodded and went over to the table, turning to look at Donna and Donna nodded and walked over too. Duncan had brought out some plates from the staffroom and they filled them with salad. A few of them had brought out the wheelie chairs from their desks. Duncan told them to be careful with them, like he did whenever they had a barbecue, so everyone was making sure all the wheels were on the ground at the same time and they weren’t being scratched by the asphalt in the car park. No one wanted Duncan to get in trouble. Greta, Peggy and Donna sat on one of the kerbs in the car park under a short tree that was giving a bit of shade. Niall, Billy and Mary wandered over, balancing their food and drink.

People found places to sit or stood around in groups eating and talking. Who was playing what, who was watching what – usually illegally. ‘Where are you watching that?’ ‘Um, it fell off the back of a truck.’ Who was listening to what. There wasn’t much crossover, but every now and then people would say, ‘Oh yeah. I love that.’ People listened even if they didn’t love it. There was politeness and care everywhere. People drank and ate a bit more and talked and then someone turned their car stereo on, and people moved back and forth in time with the music as they talked. Some people brought out fireworks and as the sun went down people’s faces lit up orange and red and blue and people stopped talking to watch the lights spin and jump and sparkle. Around nine-thirty, everyone helped Duncan clean up.

Most people were catching the train back into town. They were going out to dance and drink more. Niall and Michelle volunteered to keep an eye on June, promised to get her home safe. The train into town was bright compared with the darkness they’d been in, but they stood around and kept talking. When they got to the train station in town Donna asked, ‘Are you two coming out?’

Greta and Peggy looked around like they were mulling it over. ‘Nah,’ Greta said and they both lifted the bags full of the bowls and everyone agreed the bowls would make it hard.

‘And you don’t drink,’ June said. Then, quietly, ‘Sorry.’

Greta and Peggy said, ‘All good. All good. Have fun. Goodnight.’ They left before anyone said, ‘I didn’t know you didn’t drink,’ or ‘Why don’t you drink?’ or ‘Surely you could have just one drink?’