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‘Which is exactly what I was talking about. Every time we go anywhere we get stopped by people wanting to talk to me.’ Diana hunched her shoulders and pulled a face. ‘Isn’t it weird? I think I’ve talked more in the last few days than I have for five years.’
‘Well, I’m delighted,’ I said, and I gave a happy sigh. ‘Let’s have some wine too, after our so-called failed attempt at abstinence. Let’s go mad.’
I looked across the table at my sister and was thrilled to see the change in her, even after just our short time together. She was wearing a bright pink silk shirt she had bought in the on-board shop, and she had tied her wayward hair back with a jewelled barrette. The nervous, rather subdued person of the last few years was blossoming. Or rather returning to the sort of fun-loving person she had once been. The sister I remembered from our years growing up together, when she had been the first one on any dance floor, the first one into the latest fashions, and the last one to leave any party.
‘This sounds good,’ Diana said after a few minutes perusing the menu. ‘Listen to this, what do you think? Succulent braised, meticulously diced beef, dressed with a piquant sauce, hand-sliced pickle and fresh green leaves served in a handmade brioche roll with fine sliced and triple fried potato shards.’
‘So burger and chips then?’ I said.
‘Ideal, that will do me. We get to Naples next. I think I’m going to like that.’
I nodded. ‘I went there on a school trip one summer when I was fifteen, do you remember? We were supposed to be focussing on the art and culture, but all we did was attract the local boys. They used to follow our coach around in little Fiat 500s, even on the trip up Vesuvius. It was marvellous. I had my first ever cappuccino in Sorrento and my first kiss on a beach just outside Vico Equense.’
‘How romantic. I was so jealous, stuck at home with the parents, and it never seemed to stop raining.’
‘I was looking at the photos recently and marvelling at the shortness of our summer dresses. No wonder Dad was always dragging me back into the house to change when I went out.’
‘Me too. “Who are you hoping to attract,” he’d say, “some local yobs?”’
I laughed. ‘I would have been happy to attract anyone back then. I thought I was fat, and looking back at the pictures I obviously wasn’t. I wonder how many years I have been dieting since then? Fifty? That’s a bit sad.’
‘And do you remember the things we used to eat? The hard-boiled egg and grapefruit diet? Strange, puffed-up rolls that had the texture of communion wafers and disintegrated when you bit into them. Meal replacement biscuits that were basically four custard creams in posh packaging.’
I laughed. ‘I went to a slimming club with Mum for about six months. If someone lost weight they got a round of applause, if they gained they were made to stand up and got a public telling-off. Looking back on it, Mum wasn’t overweight either.’
Our meals arrived at that point. The fries in a little metal cone lined with gingham paper. We exchanged a knowing look over the table.
‘I told you, burger and chips. It does look good though,’ I said.
I pulled the flag-adorned skewer out of my burger and Diana topped up our wine glasses again.
‘When did everyone start drinking wine? I don’t remember our parents ever having any in the house. Mum would have one sherry before Sunday lunch and Dad drank beer.’
‘These chips are fantastic,’ I said, taking another one.
‘They’d taste better wrapped in newspaper, I bet,’ Diana said.
I looked around the restaurant which was gradually filling up with people. Everyone looked relaxed and happy. I wondered what Eddy was doing, and hoped it wasn’t anything too dangerous, though what trouble he could get into digging a hole and laying concrete slabs was anyone’s guess.
I allowed myself a little daydream of us sitting out on his new patio, in the late afternoon sunshine with a glass of wine and some elegant canapés. Where they came from, I wasn’t sure because I’d never made any, but perhaps now we were both retired I would have the time to think about things like that. Although Eddy always said he found canapés a bit disappointing. Perhaps we would have a cheeseboard instead, with big hunks of sour dough bread. And maybe we would be having a conversation about where to go on our next holiday. A New England road trip. That was what Evelyn had suggested.
I imagined us driving through autumnal woodland, in an open top, red Cadillac. No, it would be too cold, and Eddy wasn’t a great fan of sports cars and there wouldn’t be room for all our luggage. A big four-by-four vehicle with enormous tyres. It would be called something like an AMC Thug, or a Ford Juggernaut and it would let out a throaty roar at traffic lights as we burned rubber. I liked the sound of that. Eddy would love it.
‘I’m looking forward to getting to Italy,’ Diana said.
I dragged myself back from my thoughts about Eddy and me antiquing and going into cute country stores to buy maple syrup.
‘We’re booked onto the Pompeii tour; I hope this time we will be allowed to see everything. When I went there on the school trip there were areas where women and children weren’t allowed in because the frescos and mosaics were rude, and we might have been upset.’
Diana laughed. ‘Times have changed. I don’t think the threat of seeing some frolicking Pompeiians would upset anyone now.’
We ploughed through our meal, as around us the tables filled up with other diners.
‘I don’t think I frolic much any more,’ I said thoughtfully.
‘Well, I certainly don’t! Perhaps we should?’
‘You’ve changed your tune.’ I sipped my wine.
