‘It’s a key,’ saidRebecca.
‘I know,’ said Katy. ‘To his apartment. Of course, we’re not moving in together. That would be taking things a bit too far. But isn’t itexciting?’
Annabel watched on as Katy lovingly looked down at the shiny piece of metal in her hand, sighing at the heart shaped ring it wasattachedto.
‘So, Ladies,’ she said, back to giving them her full attention. ‘What do youthink?’
Annabel knew she should say something. This might not be much of a step as far as she, herself, was concerned, but for Katy it was clearly something else. ‘I think it’s wonderful,’ she said. ‘Don’t you,Rebecca?’
‘Wonderful,’ her sister replied. She continued to stare at the key. ‘That’s one wordforit.’
Katy narrowed her eyes, suspicious. ‘I’m getting the sense you’re both a little underwhelmed here,’shesaid.
‘No, not at all,’ replied Annabel, images of this bridesmaid dress and that bridesmaid dress fast disappearing. ‘I wouldn’t say that, would you, Rebecca? It’s just come as a bit of a surprise.’ She could see her friend didn’t believe her. ‘I mean it’s such a big step,’ she carried on regardless. ‘You and Oliver haven’t been together very long,haveyou?’
‘You expected a ring,didn’tyou?’
‘No,’ said Annabel. ‘Of course not. We didn’t expect anything of the sort, did we?’ She turned to her sister, willing her to playalong.
‘Yes,’ said Rebecca, her tone as blunt as ever. ‘Wedid.’
Having just been dropped in it, Annabel fell silent. With the game up, she just hoped her friend wasn’t toooffended.
Much to her relief, Katy suddenly burst outlaughing.
‘Guys, it’s me we’re talking about,’ she said. ‘Sorry to be a drag, but this is as big as it gets, I’m afraid. You’ll be down the aisle long before me, Annabel, that’sforsure.’
Pleased to see her friend see the funny side, Annabel stepped forward to give her a hug. ‘No, we’re the ones who are sorry, Katy. We didn’t mean to spoil itforyou.’
Annabel realised what her friend had just said and she suddenly pulled away again. ‘What are you talking about? I’ll be down the aisle longbeforeyou?’
She looked from Katy to Rebecca. It was clear the two of them had been gossip mongering and she waited for an explanation. They obviously knew something shedidn’t.
‘Oh come on,’saidKaty.
‘I told you she’d deny it,’ saidRebecca.
‘Deny what?’ askedAnnabel.
‘That there’s more to you and Dan than you’re admitting,’ said herfriend.
Annabel almostspluttered.
‘Even a blind man can see he’s besotted with you,’ said hersister.
‘And don’t think we haven’t noticed the twinkle in your eyes too,’ Katycarriedon.
‘Rubbish,’ said Annabel. ‘The two of you don’t know what you’re talkingabout.’
‘Is it me?’ asked Katy. ‘Or does the lady protestethtoomuch?’
‘You know what,’ replied Rebecca. ‘I thinkshedoes.’
‘You don’t even like the man,’ said Annabel, to her sister. ‘And how did we go from your anniversary?’ She turned to Katy. ‘And your non-engagement, to meanyway?’
‘That was before last night,’ Rebecca replied, completely ignoring Annabel’s objections. ‘Having spent a little time with him, I now happen to think he’s perfectforyou.’
‘Perfect for me?’ Annabel couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She felt hijacked into a conversation she didn’t want. ‘Now listen to me, you two,’ she said. ‘I’ve already had the love of my life and I think you’re both being very disrespectful.’ She thought about what she and Tom had shared in their short time together. How she’d vowed to never replace him, before, and after, his death. ‘And ifyou’rebeing disrespectful, to even try and go there again with someone else, well what would thatmakeme?’
