Least Said (25 page)

By
the
time
she
had
finished
with
me,
I
felt
as
if
I
had
been
pulled
inside
out
and
back
to
front.
I’d
been
in
and
out
of
dresses
-
long
and
short
-
suits
-
skirt
and
trouser
-
and
every
other
combination
of
women’s
wearing
apparel.
Hats
were
added
and
fascinators,
shoes,
and
sandals
–
from
flat
to
killer
heels
-
and
handbags
of
various
sizes
were
thrust
at
me
or
hung
from
me.

I
collapsed
in
Costa
Coffee
with
a
massive
sigh
of
sheer
relief
and
cast
a
worried
glance
at
the
huge
pile
of
bags
that
had
been
thrust
under
the
table
out
of
the
way.

‘What
on
earth
have
we
bought?’
I
asked
as
soon
as
Tina
arrived
back
at
the
table
carrying
a
tray
holding
two
medium
lattes
and
offering
the
advice
that
the
Paninis
would
be
brought
over
when
they
were
ready.

‘Erm,’
Tina
looked
confused,
‘just
the
lattes
and
the
Paninis.
Ham
and
cheese.
That
was
what
you
wanted
wasn’t
it?’

‘No,
yes,
that
was
what
I
wanted,
but
I
meant
in
the
bags,’
I
indicated
the
stiff
cardboard
carriers
emblazoned
with
the
names
of
some
very
exclusive
shops.
I
knew
they
were
exclusive
because
you
didn’t
see
their
like
in
Poole
or
Bournemouth
–
and
definitely
not
in
Brankstone.
‘There
seems
to
be
rather
a
lot
of
them,’
I
murmured
and
I
knew
I
sounded
as
troubled
as
I
felt.

‘Not
having
second
thoughts
are
you?’
Tina
asked,
taking
a
sip
of
her
latte
while
she
waited
for
my
reply.
She
continued
when
I
remained
silent,
‘You
looked
amazing
in
everything
we
bought.
Didn’t
you
think
so?’

If
I
was
being
truthful,
I
couldn’t
remember
much
about
anything
we
might
have
bought.
It
had
all
happened
too
fast
for
me
to
recall
any
of
the
outfits
very
clearly,
let
alone
what
I
looked
like
wearing
them.

‘Did
I?’

Tina
shook
her
head
at
me
and
insisted,
‘Of
course
you
did.
You’re
going
to
look
fabulous
at
the
wedding.
Oh,’
she
peered
at
me
over
her
glass
coffee
mug,
‘you
think
we
were
a
little
too
extravagant,
is
that
it?’

I
nodded,
and
wrapped
my
hands
more
tightly
around
my
drink,
trying
to
warm
hands
that
were
suddenly
as
cold
as
the
rest
of
me
as
I
took
a
reality
check.
Just
exactly
how
much
had
we
spent?
A
horrible
vision
abruptly
came
to
me
of
the
credit
card
being
passed
back
and
forth,
willy-nilly
and
with
a
frequency
that
was
suddenly
frightening
to
recall.

‘Jon
said,’
Tina’s
was
the
voice
of
authority
as
she
parroted
his
words
back
to
me,
‘“Wendy
is
to
have
whatever
she
wants,
Tina,
no
expense
spared.”
That’s
what
he
said
and
I
was
simply
making
sure
his
orders
were
carried
out.
He’ll
be
fine
,’
she
said
airily.

I
was
sure
he
would
be,
but
we
had
been
discussing
taking
a
proper
holiday,
and
also
recently
had
been
busy
trying
to
create
a
second
child.
How
would
we
afford
either
if
I’d
spent
all
of
our
nest
egg
filling
my
wardrobe
with
designer
clothes?

Just
then
the
Paninis
arrived
and,
at
the
same
time,
I
recalled
the
receipts
carefully
stored
away
in
my
purse
and
reminded
myself
that
I
could
simply
take
everything
back.
A
quick
day
return
trip
on
the
train
would
see
the
money
back
in
the
bank
and
Tina
none
the
wiser.

It
was
as
if
she’d
read
my
mind
again
and
I
almost
choked
on
a
mouthful
of
piping
hot
Panini
when
she
said
sternly,
‘Don’t
even
think
about
taking
anything
back.
Not
a
single
thing
–
do
you
hear
me?
Jon
isn’t
the
only
one
who
works
hard,
Wendy,
you
do
too,
and
you
hardly
ever
treat
yourself.’

Tina
glared
at
me
and
I
couldn’t
even
look
her
in
the
eye.

‘When
we
get
home,’
she
ordered,
‘I
want
to
see
you
try
everything
on
–
and
I
do
mean
everything
–
and
let
Jon
see
what
you’ve
bought.
Let’s
see
what
he
has
to
say.
OK?’