Too Many Words to Say

Chapter 6

Allie checked her appearance in the mirror as she picked up her bag. The car was waiting outside having just sounded the horn.

As she got closer, the back door opened and Howard jumped out, making a bow, holding out his arm as if to sweep her inside. She looked into the car and saw Jason already sitting there, a big welcoming grin on his face.

"If you don't mind, I'll sit in the front," she told Howard, getting hold of the door handle and pulling it open. "Give you two lots of room in the back. We're not picking anyone else up are we?"

"No," Howard replied. "Just the three of us. We live a few streets away so it made sense just to use the one car."

"Good," said Allie as she settled herself in the front seat. "Ok, I think we're all ready now," she said to the driver.

She caught sight of Howard's puzzled expression as she checked her hair in the mirror on the back of the sunshade. He didn't like that she'd got into the front. Fine!

It was a matter of minutes until they reached the restaurant just off Kensington High Street.

"I'll help you out," offered Howard as they pulled up at the kerb. He jumped out of the car as Allie got out.

"I can manage perfectly well by myself," she muttered at him as she closed the car door behind her and walked into the restaurant ahead of him and Jason.

"What have I done?" Howard asked Jason who shrugged his shoulders in reply.

"Don't ask me mate? But it looks like she's not happy with you about something," he grinned at Howard. "But you know what some women are like, you don't need to have done anything!"

They followed Allie into Rossini's. Mark, Tim, Clare and Norris were already there, having a drink in the bar area. Norris waved them over to join them, getting up to go to the bar for drinks. Allie sat between Jason and Mark, leaving Howard to take a seat next to Clare. She looked around at the room as the others chatted to each other. Clare was delighted to have Howard at her side and wasted no time in telling him something about a change in one of the routines she'd thought up. Howard half listened to her, his eyes going to Allie, trying to work out what he'd done wrong. He couldn't think of anything and thought that Jason must have been right.

Norris rejoined them with their drinks and sat back down again, looking up and down the table, mentally ticking off who they were still waiting for.

"So we're only waiting for Gary now," he said to no one in particular. "Not like him to be last. Wonder what's happened to him?"

"He sent me a text earlier," Mark informed him. "Said something about the missus not being able to find one of her ear rings! He wasn't too happy about it!"

"No, he hates being late," grinned Jason. "That's Dougie's job!"

"I wasn't late tonight though, was I? Bang on time!" he grinned at Allie who rolled her eyes and carried on talking to Mark.

"I didn't realise that Gary was married," she said to him as she took a sip of her drink. "Just goes to show I still have a lot to learn about you guys! So who else is married amongst you?"

"Gaz isn't married. But he's been with his 'missus' for about three years now. He's as good as married to her though," Mark grinned. "She's good for him is Cassie. Like him in a lot of ways and from Manchester as well."

"Oh well then she must be ok," laughed Allie. "So what about the others? Any wives, girlfriends, partners I should know about."

"No, the rest of us are just 'looking' at the moment," Mark smiled at her. "No one else you need to know about."