Chapter 23

"So, Stan, how did things go last night?" asked Elizabeth on Tuesday morning.

"What's this, a progress report, Elizabeth?" asked Stan with a grin. "I have to say, it's pleasant to be giving one instead of being the subject of one!"

Elizabeth looked slightly embarrassed, but pressed on, "Well... How did things go?"

"Hmm. Things were a little tense in the car... Oh! You wouldn't know... Anne asked if I minded giving Denise a lift there. Well... No! Of course I didn't mind, and the two of them looked absolutely amazing. But things were definitely frosty to start with last night, I can tell you."

"Well, that's to be expected, Stan. But it was nice of Anne to make the gesture."

"Yes. Well, things did get better. The dance class was good. Denise is really quite good at dancing. She's also got a date for Friday night."

There was a flat quality to Stan's voice that Elizabeth noticed. She asked, with concern in her own tones, "What's wrong, Stan?"

"It's not what, it's who. The guy she's got the date with is a sleaze. I can imagine him in one of those old Noel Coward plays, in a smoking jacket, going from girl to girl. I don't trust him one bit. But, of course, Denise is delighted!" he finished with disgust.

"Have you warned her of this?"

"First thing I did. She just made a beeline for him, regardless. What can I do?"

Elizabeth muttered something that Stan didn't catch. Then aloud, she told him "I'll have a word and see how she feels about the guy. What's his name?"

"Tom."

"All right, Stan. I'll speak to her."

Sure enough, Elizabeth and Denise ate together at lunch, again.

"I hear you have a date on Friday, Denise?" asked Elizabeth.

"Yes, I have! Stan's been interrogated, I assume?" Denise answered, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I may have asked him about last night, now you mention it!" Elizabeth laughed. "Don't dodge the question!"

"All right, Elizabeth. Yes, I have a date on Friday. His name's Tom, he was at the class last night, he's a charmer. We're going out to dinner."

"What's he like?"

"Oh, he's about an inch taller than me, thick, dark, wavy hair, slight accent — Irish maybe? — and smartly dressed. Oh, his hands go everywhere I'm not supposed to let them, and I had to stop that a couple of times, but he's basically harmless."

"So, is this just a date for fun, or with something more in mind?"

"Oh, it's just fun, plus I get to see if I can make Stan squirm a little."

Elizabeth thought for a moment.

"Denise, you won't make Stan jealous, you know."

"No, probably not. But shaking my booty in front of him, and especially with Tom, seemed to get his attention. I just want to have a little fun, and if I can tweak Stan's nose a tiny bit, well, that's a bonus."

Anne, on the other hand, had lunch with Stan. Today was much better than Friday had been.

They chatted about the weekend in general and then the subject moved on to James.

"I wonder what little scheme he has up his sleeve?" pondered Anne. "I knew him fairly well, but not that well, so I don't think I can guess at all. He's a materials physicist by training, a teacher by inclination. He knows an awful lot of people. Ah well, it might just be a new Golf Club or something for all I know."

Anne changed the subject.

"Seen anything of Denise this morning?"

"No, not yet," answered Stan. "I've got to see her this afternoon for a minute or two, though."

"She certainly moves fast once her mind's made up, doesn't she?" remarked the blonde.

"She's a grown woman. Not for me to judge." Stan replied.

"Oh, come on. She threw herself at that Tom. I hope she enjoys what she gets from him. I know you warned her, Stan, so she can't say she didn't know."

Stan felt uncomfortable.

"Well, Anne, it's her choice. But I don't think it's a good one, no. It's not my place to interfere, though is it?"

"No, Stan, it's not."

The next day, Stan asked Anne if she fancied a drink down at the Mitre in the evening. "It became almost a habit, and I enjoyed it. I miss it, a bit," he told her.

"Sounds like a good idea, but I can't drink. I have to be on form first thing in the morning — there's that meeting with Sales about follow-up work on the chip first thing in the morning."

"That's okay, you can drive!" Stan answered with a sly grin. Anne glared at him, but then leaned over and gave him a kiss. "I love you, but you're a pig, you know? I have a better idea. We can cycle, then you can get some exercise to help work off the calories in those drinks."

Inwardly, Stan groaned, but all he said was, "I have a better way of working off the calories..."

"Well if you drank too much you'd miss out on that, too. So you see what a good idea I had?" Anne told him, smiling.

"I cannot deny the faultless logic of your argument."

"See? 'Berkeley is always right. I will listen to Berkeley!' " the taller blonde told him, with a smirk.

"That's the wrong SciFi show!" Stan told her in disgust, but he had to grin, as well.

Later that evening Stan and Anne chained up their cycles outside the Mitre. Stan was still grumbling, but was keeping it quiet — besides, in his heart of hearts he knew Anne was right.

They walked in and found the place was quieter than normal. Stan asked the barman about this, and was told "Oh, it happens sometimes. You just never know," as he bought the half pint of beer for him and an orange juice and lemonade for Anne.

They weren't alone long, though. Susan and Elaine came in, spotted Stan and Anne, and came over to sit.

"You're a little early aren't you?" asked Susan as she sat next to Anne, on the opposite side to Stan.

"No, not really, it just seems that way," replied Anne. "Stan asked the barman, apparently it's a slow week. It happens sometimes, he said."

Elaine had overheard. "Yes, sometimes it can be really, really quiet in here, then another time it'll be really heaving. There doesn't seem to be rhyme or reason to it, it just works out that way."

She sat next to her partner, handing over her drink.

The four of them sat and chatted together for a while. Stan noticed Elaine pouring the last of Susan's bottle of cider into her glass, and got up to buy a round of drinks for them all, intending to have a mineral water for himself this time.

"Is this seat taken?"

Stan looked up to see Denise. He was surprised, but pleased to see her there with a smile on her face and indicating a fifth chair at an adjacent unused table. "Hi Denise. Pull one up. Want a drink?"

"Gin and tonic, please — I'm not driving!"

When Stan came back to the table he found Denise sitting at the end of the table opposite Anne, and next to Elaine. "You need to be able to get back in," she told Stan when he looked at her, quizzically, so he slid back into his seat next to Anne.

Elaine was snuggled in close to Susan, who was telling off-colour jokes.

"Here's one we can all relate to. Little Johnny and his two friends are sitting on the front porch one day.

"The first one says, "My Daddy is so cool he can eat four burgers at one meal."

"The second one says, "That's nothing. My Daddy can eat six."

"Little Jonny starts laughing and says, "My Daddy can eat light bulbs."

"The other two boys tell Jonny that he is out of his mind. They ask him why he thinks His daddy can eat light bulbs.

"Little Jonny replies, "Last night I was passing my parents room and my Daddy said, 'Honey, turn out that light. I want to eat that thing.'""

Everyone laughed, and Elaine gave Susan a kiss. Susan visibly preened.

Anne complimented Denise on her look. "That beautiful green top looks great with your hair, Denise. You really look attractive tonight. If I wasn't straight, I could be tempted."

Susan gave Anne a loooong look. Elaine noticed, grinned, and told Anne, "If you weren't straight, I think I'd have a rival!"

Susan smirked and told Elaine, "Well, I'm allowed to look too, aren't I?"

"Yeah, provided you pay attention to me — that's the agreement, I have to pay more attention to you, then you don't get as jealous when I look — so it works the other way around. Did I mention that I love you, Susan?"

The two women smiled at each other, then Elaine looked at Denise. "I hear you've got yourself someone new?"

"Yeah, I'm seeing him on Friday. He's taking me to dinner."

"Ooh, a traditional date! Are you going to let him woo you, Denny?" Elaine teased.

"Oh, you be quiet, or I'll start telling stories of my own, Laney!" Denise answered with a grin. Elaine smiled back, and then looked at Susan. Susan nodded slightly, so Elaine reached over to Denise, grabbed her head and gave her a kiss.