Free Ice and a Slice by Della Galton Page A

have to pretend to be happy?
    Tanya was standing there, looking as though she was going to a photo shoot in a navy pinstriped suit, her perfect skin glowing with health, and her titian hair held up in butterfly clips.
    Painfully aware of the contrast between them, SJ forced a smile and said, “Hi, I didn’t know you were coming over. You should have phoned.”
    “I did. But your mobile’s switched off. And you haven’t answered my last three texts.”
    “Haven’t I? Sorry, I’ve been a bit busy.” SJ avoided Tanya’s eyes. She had been busy, but the truth was a little more petty – that wonderful feeling of solidarity she’d felt when she’d poured out her heart to Tanya had diminished somewhat when she’d realised Tanya had been in no hurry at all to confide in her.
    On the other hand, perhaps Tanya had just been plucking up the courage to come round. “I’m sorry I’ve been out of contact,” she murmured, touching Tanya’s arm. “Come in, I’ll put the kettle on. Are you okay?”
    “Of course I’m okay. Why shouldn’t I be?”
    “You said you had a problem you wanted to talk about.”
    Tanya gave an embarrassed laugh. “Look, I’m sorry; I probably shouldn’t have said anything. You must have caught me at a weak moment. I’m fine, really I am.”
    “I see,” SJ said, feeling hurt all over again.
    “Actually, I haven’t come round for a chat.” Tanya narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. “I’ve come to give you a lift to your appointment. I thought you might need some moral support.”
    “I don’t need a lift. It’s in the middle of Soho – I can get the tube.”
    “I know you don’t need a lift,” Tanya said patiently. “But I thought you might like one. I’ve got to take the car in anyway. It’s no trouble.”
    “Well, it’s very sweet of you, but I’m not going today. I thought I told you. I don’t need to go to that place. It’s not just my opinion,” she qualified hastily, because Tanya looked as though she was going to argue. “Even Tom doesn’t think I need to go. He doesn’t think I drink too much.”
    “Have you cancelled your appointment?”
    “Er no, I meant to, but I haven’t got round to it. Like I said, I’ve been busy.”
    “Do you have to pay for these appointments?”
    SJ shook her head.
    “Then I think you should go, and at least tell them how you feel. They’ll be expecting you – and if you really don’t think you need their help, it’s only fair to let them know so they can book in some poor bugger who does. There might be a waiting list.”
    “I bet there isn’t,” SJ said, feeling uncomfortable, because Tanya was right, and she didn’t usually let people down. She’d managed to put her appointment at S.A.A.D in a box marked Think About Later, and she hadn’t thought about it at all.
    “I can’t go now, I’m not ready – look at me. Perhaps I’ll just give them a ring and say I’m ill.”
    “Well, I agree you should probably change that T-shirt,” Tanya said dryly, “but you’ve got time to do that. We’ll still make it. I can drop you outside the door.”
    Oh joy, that was all she needed. One beautifully-dressed woman dropping her scruffy, alky friend off at the drop in centre – okay, so the sign was discreet, but no doubt everyone in the world knew S.A.A.D stood for Soho Advice for Alcohol and Drugs.
    “I can’t, Tan, seriously I can’t. For a start I haven’t filled in my form and that’s what we’re supposed to be discussing...”
    “Are you scared to go back?” Tanya asked softly. “Is it like slimming, when you’ve put on weight instead of losing it and you know as soon as you get on the scales they’re going to suss you out?”
    SJ was about to make some quip about it not being anything like that – they didn’t have a handy little breathalyser on the door, not that it would have mattered if they had, because she hadn’t had a drink since last night anyway – when Tanya gently pushed her back