Katie Fforde - Going Dutch

The woman returned, her arm loaded with bras. 'Which colour would you like?’

Jo tried on a black one. Her pants, under her slip, were black, and she thought it would be good to be matching. It was terribly tight.

‘What size is it?' she asked. When told the answer she opened and shut her mouth a few times. 'I haven't worn that size since I was married, and as for the cup – well, I never want to be that far down the celebrity list.’

The young woman, whose English was not really colloquial, ignored this sally. Fitting a bra was not a matter for flippancy. She tugged at the straps and hoiked Jo's breasts a little nearer to the sky.

‘Now look.’

Jo looked. 'Wow,' she said, and then, 'Where's my cleavage?' Where she was accustomed to seeing a deepshadow was now a gaping hole, big enough, it seemed, for a small boulder.

‘You heff netural cleavage,' said the woman. 'Put your dress back on to see how it looks.’

It looked, Jo was forced to admit, fabulous. 'Oh my goodness, I'll have to have it.'

‘Would you like it in another colour? White or cream, perhaps?'

‘Oh yes please,' she said getting into the spirit of things. 'Try on another.’

Jo got into it. She tried on bras she could wear under low-cut dresses, bras she could go to the gym in and not bounce and the sexiest black number with velvet straps and little bows. It made her feel like a cross between a courtesan and a painting by Monet. She loved it. She chose three. It was only when she was waiting to pay that she realised that she hadn't asked how much they were. The final amount caused her to reel in shock.

‘I'd better go back to being a kept woman,' she muttered as she handed over her credit card, grateful that her expenses had been minimal lately.

Karen was waiting impatiently outside the door.

It was two days after Dora and Tom had been out for tea and Dora was washing up the breakfast things when Karen rang her mobile.

‘Hi! Dora! It's me! OK to talk?’

Karen had always assumed the person on the other end of the phone would know who she was, and in Dora's experience they always did. 'Yeah! I'm washing up.'

‘Thrilling! I'm dying to see you on Sunday. Are you a couple yet?’

This was a question Dora asked herself quite often recently but she still hadn't worked out the answer. She smiled at her friend's forthrightness. She'd really missed her. 'I don't know, really,' she said honestly.

‘You need to find out where you stand, Dora, especially after John.'

‘It's not the sort of thing you can ask, is it?'

‘Well…' Karen paused, possibly thinking better of telling her more timid friend that of course she could ask. 'Anyway, Mum thinks he's the cat's pyjamas and I'm dying to meet him.'

‘He's very fond of Jo.'

‘Mum's inviting her other barge friends, Bill and Miranda?'

‘Oh yes, they're lovely.'

‘And some other people, not sure who. It's great – she and Dad are getting on so well. I wonder if they'll come to their senses and get back together?’

Part of Dora went cold. Of course, from Karen's point of view, this was great news, but Dora had heard Jo talk about her ex-husband in terms not of anger, but of boredom. Anger could be worked through, boredom would just stay as boredom. Could Jo go back to a husband who bored her? It was a depressing thought. And now she thought about it again she was sure Jo rather liked Marcus – but then that could just have been the onset of the menopause like she'd said. Life was so confusing at times. 'I thought your dad's girlfriend was pregnant.'

‘Oh yes, I suppose she is.' Karen paused. 'But these things can be sorted out.’

Dora didn't speak immediately. She could totally sympathise with Karen's desire for her parents to mend their marriage but she wasn't sure it would be right. 'Maybe,' she said eventually.

‘Anyway, Mum and I have had such a good time! She's been in the garden a lot – claiming it back, she said. We've done loads of shopping. I sorted her out with a decent haircut. She's bought all these new bras – an investment, I told her. She's looking amazing – sort of lit up inside. It must be something to do with getting on with Dad, don't you think?'

‘Has he moved back in with her?' The thought depressed Dora horribly.

‘Oh no, but he's taken time off work because I'm here, and has come round for a few meals, taken us out as a family. Quite like old times.'

‘Lovely,' said Dora faintly.

‘Anyway, you'll see for yourself on Sunday. I can't wait. And sort it out with Tom.'

‘I'll do my best.' Dora laughed.

As if their conversation had conjured him up, Tom appeared in the doorway. 'Dora, you shouldn't have done the washing-up!'

‘I'm just doing the frying pan and things. The rest of it's gone in the dishwasher.'

‘You're a very good guest.’

She made a face. 'I know. But that was Karen on the phone.'

‘Oh yes?'

‘She was telling me who's coming to the barbecue. Jo and Philip, her husband – ex-husband – have invited various people. Miranda and Bill are coming, so at least we'll know some of them. Karen says her parents are getting on really well, she thinks-'

‘What about Marcus?' Tom interrupted her.

Dora bit her lip. 'What about him?'

‘Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm sure he had a thing for Jo. I know you said it's supposed to be women who sense these things, but the way he kept looking at her..

Dora shook her head, biting her lip. 'Karen obviously thinks there's a chance her parents will get back together.’

‘Oh.' He sighed. 'Not much we can do about it, anyway – especially not knowing how Jo feels.'

‘No,' Dora agreed, wondering how he felt about her. 'Do you want a cup of coffee or something?'

‘Mm. Might as well. Do you want me to make it? I quite fancy real coffee.'

‘Then you can definitely make it. I don't know how to work your machine.'

‘I'll show you.'

‘No need! I'm going into work tomorrow. It'll give me a day to get straight before the weekend. Then it won't be so awful when I go back on Monday. What about you?’

Tom opened the fridge and took out a jar of coffee beans. 'Not sure.’

Dora felt a little deflated. She'd been looking forward to going to work with Tom – it was such a couply thing to do. But then, they weren't a couple, she reminded herself.

‘Don't look sad. I'll tell you how to get there.’

Dora thought she pretty much knew how to get there, but she smiled and nodded.

In fact, he did go with her to the boatyard but he disappeared almost immediately. From time to time other people came in to ask her if she knew where he was but she could only shrug and shake her head. He did phone her at lunchtime, though.

‘I've had a call from Marcus!'

‘Oh?'

‘Yes. He was just checking my availability for bringing The Three Sisters back.'

‘When is it coming back? Will he need me too?' she asked. 'He won't need you, particularly, but you could certainly come. But that's not why I'm ringing.'

'No?'

‘I happened to mention the barbecue.'

‘Oh?'

‘Yes. I think I put my foot in it. I don't think he's invited. He didn't know anything about it and when I said Jo's husband was going to be there – well, he certainly didn't sound pleased.'

‘It's just a barbecue.’

She heard Tom sigh. 'I did sort of indicate what you said about Karen, thinking her parents were getting back together.'

‘How on earth did you fit that into a conversation about availability?'

‘He was on the alert the moment I said "Jo and her husband".'

‘Oh.'

‘I think he might try and come. It'll be nice to see him if he does. He wants Jo's address, anyway. Can you give it to me?’