Free Here Come the Boys by Milly Johnson

you meet… what’s his name?’
    ‘Gil Silverton,’ said Angie. ‘He was on a filler job too – as a rep. We went out on a couple of dates and starting talking about school uniforms.’ Angie saw a mischievous sparkle in Selina’s eye. ‘Don’t be so dirty-minded.’
    ‘As if,’ grinned Selina. ‘Anyway, carry on.’
    ‘He wanted more out of his life, to be his own boss and generate his own income, and so did I. We set up business together, then we set up home together. It’s taken us a few years to get the company off the ground but we’re doing well now.’
    ‘And what does he look like, your Mr Silverton?’
    ‘He’s ginger—’
    ‘Ginger?’ shrieked Selina. ‘You always said that if the last man on earth happened to be ginger, you wouldn’t go there.’
    ‘Yes, well, we say and do a lot of daft things when we’re young,’ sniffed Angie. ‘He’s ginger, tall, long legs, kind, generous, funny, loving…’ She gulped. She felt as if she had been away from him for ages. He would have the biggest hug waiting for her.
    ‘He sounds lovely,’ said Selina, wiping her mouth on a serviette.
    ‘He is.’
    ‘Any kids?’
    ‘We’ve been working too hard to even think about them. You?’
    ‘Can’t have them.’
    She said it so casually that it took a few moments for Angie to register any emotion.
    ‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ she replied eventually. And she was. There was one thing not having them out of choice, another not having them because you couldn’t.
    ‘Well, hey-ho,’ smiled Selina, but there was no humour in the stretch of her lips. ‘Some might say it was a punishment.’
    ‘I hope you don’t mean me,’ bristled Angie. ‘I wouldn’t be that bloody awful.’
    ‘You’re still angry with me twenty years on, though. So please don’t tell me you’re not a grudge-bearer.’ Selina’s blue eyes were showing no amusement.
    ‘Yes, I am still angry actually,’ Angie admitted and she stood up. ‘I’m going to the loo because I don’t want a row. I just want to get on the plane and back to my husband. The same as you do, no doubt.’
    Angie strode off in the direction of the toilet. She and Selina had never argued when they were younger. They were glued at the hip, liked the same pop stars, shops, films, men… Even when Angie had found out through gossiping mutual friends that Zander and Selina had been spotted snogging, she had never confronted her friend about it – she’d just ignored her totally for the remaining week of the very last term waiting for Selina to offer her an explanation, beg for forgiveness, but she hadn’t. And Zander had never officially ended it with her and given her closure. He merely cut off all contact and didn’t ring her again. Angie had put a brave face on but she felt as if all her skin had been ripped off. She hurt and hurt and that pain had never quite gone away.
    They poked around the chemist shop. Angie bought a comb out of sheer boredom for something to do. They found a discarded English newspaper and split it between them to read whilst drinking yet another coffee. Eventually the hands of the clock crawled around to check-in time. They joined a long queue of people, presented their documents, dropped off their joint canvas bag of luggage, passed through to security and found a seat.
    ‘What happened to that psychotic sister of yours?’ asked Selina.
    ‘She became a nun,’ replied Angie.
    Selina burst out laughing. ‘No really. What happened to her?’
    ‘I’m not joking. Mandy became a nun. She teaches kids at the base of Everest.’
    ‘Get stuffed.’
    ‘I’m really not joking. If I had my phone, I’d have shown you some pics. She’s as happy as Larry.’
    ‘Lord above,’ gasped Selina. ‘I’d never have guessed that one.’
    ‘You and me both. Mum and Dad were a bit worried at first, but she’s really happy. They’ve been over to see her and she’s been back to visit us.’ No one had seen that coming. Angie was