Caught in the Act

But before she could say anything else, Adie said, ‘Yeah, Di, lighten up. We’re all more than happy to muck in, aren’t we, folks?’

Everyone looked at him and pulled faces and groaned jokingly. Adie scowled, but unperturbed, unrolled a great string of flags that spelled out welcome in a dozen different languages.

Carol took hold of the cord of the flags and pulled it across the room, wondering how likely it was that she could convince them that any enquiry about who else had arrived since they had been down the pub was purely casual. Just as she was about to speak Jan threw down the balloon she had been torturing and snapped, ‘You’re always so fucking flippant, aren’t you, Adie? Mr Quickwit. So sure of yourself.’

Everyone looked at her; he hadn’t said anything for the best part of two minutes.

Adie was stunned. ‘What on earth is the matter with you?’ he said gently.

Jan flipped a stray hand across her face as if swatting away a fly, her eyes bright with tears. ‘Nothing,’ she growled crossly. ‘Nothing at bloody all. I’m just pissed off with you always assuming you’re master of ceremonies, Mr I’m so bloody funny.’

Carol stared at her.

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ Adie began, looking bemused.

Jan sighed. ‘Why am I not surprised?’

‘Hello, anyone home?’ called a loud male voice from out in the hallway, diverting everyone’s attention away from Jan. Seconds later a vaguely familiar face appeared round the door and then there was another; two more of the backstage crew appeared in the doorway as Diana headed off to greet the first two, and then there was another and another.

Callista Haze and George Bearman were amongst the flurry of newcomers, and all at once it seemed as if there was a roomful of people, the round of hellos and whoops taking the attention away from Jan, who picked up another balloon.

‘You sure you’re all right?’ Carol said in an undertone. ‘I mean, we all know how frustrating balloon-blowing can be.’

‘Yes, I’m fine.’ Jan sniffed back the tears. ‘Don’t mind me.’