The Famous Five Reunited with Friends

Chapter 3: A reluctant meeting

  "Do you allow dogs in here?"

  It was the second time that morning that George had uttered the words. Their original location, a discreet little cafe near their flat, had disapproved of Timothy and made it very clear. So Julian had texted Jo and told her that they were going to another cafe across the road.

  "Yes, er... Madam." the waiter said. "I think."

  They sat down at a table outside (on a freezing winter's day) to wait for Jo. They saw her before she saw them, for she initially went into their original location. Anne had had to go and get her.

  "Hello! Julian! George! D-"

  "Hello, Jo!" Richard said eagerly "It's Richard, actually."

  "Oh, right. So why are we out here? It's freezing out here! Are you some of those people who freezes their face off instead of actually going in the warm? I'm not!"

  Tight-lipped, George indicated the lead in her hand. Jo peered under the table and squealed with delight.

  "Timmy! Timmy! Oh, you must be such an old dog by now! Do you remember me, Timmy?"

  George, for all her hatred of the now-skirt-wearing ex-tomboy idoliser, didn't have the heart to tell her that she had had two Timmy-s since the original one. She had called them both Timothy because, as Anne liked to put it heartrendingly, her grief at losing Timmy Number 1 was still too bad.

  Likewise, Richard didn't want to tell her about the true reason he had abandoned his childhood nickname. But after discovering the 21st-century rather crude connotations of the nickname, he had reverted to his Christian name before his pals at work could ever find out!

  "It's Timothy now. I changed his name a while back." George informed her.

  "In that case, if you are all changing your names, you must be Georgina?"

  "No." growled George. Jo sat down nervously but instantly regained her confidence.

  "So, how's things?" Jo said, leaning forward excitedly. "Last time I saw you, you were all young and sprightly! Like me!"

  "Are you saying that we're not young and sprightly now?" George said.

  Jo looked uncomfortable.

  "Ignore George. She's just moody because this cafe doesn't have the kind of ginger beer she likes. Well, any ginger beer, really. It's become so hard to find in this day and age!" Richard laughed, changing the subject. "Now, shall we order our elevenses? I do believe they do smashing jammy buns here!"

  George rolled her eyes. Typical Richard to think of food. In an effort to be civil, she started to suggest toasted teacakes but was interrupted by the normally very quiet Anne, who was obviously desperate to catch up with their old friend.

  "So, Jo. Have you got a husband?"

  "Oh, not me. I couldn't stand the stress."

  "Quite right. I can barely cope with these three to look after! When I played 'House' with our caravans, or caves, or castle ruins, I never imagined it to be this complicated!"

  "So, Jo." Richard said, trying not to be outdone by his sister. Julian was still studying his menu. Before they could say anything else, though, the waiter came to take their order.