A Spot Of Bother

131

Jamie tarted himself up and came downstairs, crossing his fingers and hoping that his father would remember his instructions.

He had to speak to Ed.

What should Ed say? That Katie’s father was feeling a little under the weather? Perhaps he needn’t say anything. Katie’s father would now like to propose a toast. Least said soonest mended. Stick as close to the truth as you can.

He made his way through the house looking for Ed, thinking how he really, really wanted Tony to be here so he could sound off without having to think about what he was saying or who he was saying it to. And the picture of Tony inside his head was so vivid that when he stepped outside and saw Tony coming through the gate on the far side of the lawn it seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

He stopped in his tracks. Tony stopped in his tracks.

Tony was wearing his Levi’s and that really nice blue floral shirt and a suede jacket Jamie had never seen before. He was half a stone lighter and several shades browner. He looked absolutely fucking gorgeous.

And then it sank in. Tony was here. At the wedding. And the crowd seemed to part like the Red Sea and Jamie and Tony were looking at each other down a long corridor of guests. Or maybe it just felt that way.

Jamie wanted to run. But Tony was no longer his boyfriend. They hadn’t spoken since that horrible nighttime meeting on the steps of Tony’s flat.

Except that he was here. Which must mean…

Jamie was running. Or walking really fast at any rate. And even as he was doing it Jamie could see that it was a tacky soap-opera moment, but he didn’t care and he could feel his heart welling up in his chest.

Then they were in each other’s arms and Tony’s mouth tasted of minty gum and tobacco and Jamie saw the camera spinning round them and felt the muscles of Tony’s back under his hand and smelt the new body wash he’d started using and wanted him naked and it was like coming home after a thousand years and in the silence around them he heard a woman’s voice saying quietly, “Now that I was not expecting.”