On Monday morning, I went back to school invigorated and cheerful. The weekend had been filled with Ronit and Daniel, and I felt so content in my heart that I sat through the morning meeting with a weightless pleasure in my entire body; even when Beth came in and sat next to me.
Afterwards, I'd been heading for my classroom when she caught up with me.
'Hi,' she said, with a small voice.
'Hi.'
'I wanted to say thank you, for Wednesday.' She'd followed me into my room, I rested my planner and folders on my desk and faced her.
'That's fine.' I spoke faintly; I was still getting flashbacks to earlier that morning when Ronit had woken me with her tongue.
'It was really kind of you. And... your home is gorgeous.'
'Thank you.'
'And Daniel is so handsome and so grown up.'
'Thank you.' I repeated. 'He is.'
'It was nice... spending time with you again.'
I had to blink for a longer time. 'Beth, I-'
'I don't mean anything by it.' She held her hands up defensively. 'It was just nice, and it made me feel a lot better.'
'I'm... glad you feel better. But... I don't think it's a good idea... for us to... for you to come over anymore.'
She paused, her eyes fixed on me. 'Did it upset Ronit?'
'That's besides the poin-'
'You know, if something upsets Ronit... it doesn't mean it's wrong. It just means that it upset Ronit.'
'Beth, I-'
'You were just being a good friend. Why would she have a problem with that?'
'You know full well why, Beth.'
'Jesus.' She rolled her eyes, her hands massaged either side of her neck. 'We didn't fuck each other Esti, you invited me over for tea after a funeral.'
'Lower your voice.' I said eyeing the door, I spoke in the tone I used when I scolded Daniel. 'Don't... talk like that. Why do you have to-'
'Sorry, sorry. I'll just... I'll remember to stay away from you... the next time someone dies.' She turned on her heel and went for the door.
'Beth-' I called, but she'd already gone.
I tried to not let the encounter dampen the day, or the rest of the week. I focussed on being at home that evening, when I'd see Ronit and Daniel again. I thought about the end of the week, when Audrey would be coming over for dinner. Ronit had confirmed it over the weekend.
'I was thinking I could try and cook something French?' I suggested, after Ronit's call with her. I was browsing through a French cuisine cookbook, but it all looked incredibly complicated.
'Ooh, is that a good idea? What about something English instead?'
I grimaced. 'We can't serve her toad-in-the-hole, Ronit.'
She threw her head back and laughed while cutting up a banana and apple. She slid the pieces from the knife into a plastic bowl. 'No? What about a shepherd's pie?'
'We don't have the best food, do we?'
'It's not very glamorous, no.' She put the fruit onto the bench for Daniel, who hungrily grabbed a piece of apple. 'To be honest darling, I doubt she eats very much anyway. We could probably get away with a lot of red wine and a cheeseboard.'
