A couple of hours later, the three
women were browsing
through the MASSIVE department store.
"I never realized just how huge this
place truly is," said
Julia. "Never ever did."
"You'd never been 'ere before?" asked
Connie.
"Nope," replied Julia, noting the new
inflection in her
American friend's voice. "Starting to sound more like us by the day."
"Yup!" smiled Connie. "I've gone
completely native."
"Native, eh?" joked Julia.
"Yeah, I'm so native I've got an ape
for a husband."
"'E's a good ape though."
"Yeah...Toned down his apeness just
for me. Now he's a proper
posh ape."
"Wonder if Johnny was here if he'd
take offense?"
"Nah..he'd just look all surprised and
be like 'Oh bloody
hell! They've found me out!'" laughed Connie.
"True, true," giggled Carol.
"How's things with you and Eric then?"
asked Connie.
"Fabulous," smiled Julia.
"Wonder what was with Mike then the
other night?" asked Carol.
"I
wonder that meself," said Julia. "He'd had this horrid look on his
face, looked like he was going to puke or something. I thought he was
ill."
"Aye, me too," said Carol. "You don't
think.."
"What?"
"He didn't look grotty till Eric said
that bit about you two."
Julia's eyes went wide. "Oh
dear," she said softly. "It
couldn't..surely not...no.."
"You know we were teasin' before
right?"
"Aye, yeah, I remember."
"Could have just been odd timing,
coincidental, Mike having
the pukey face."
"Aye," said Julia. "I hope he's
alright though, poor thing. "
Carol, meanwhile, was peering across
the store.
"What's going on Caro?"
"I saw someone who looked familiar,"
she answered. "Can't
think who."
"Which one?"
"That girl over that way," said Carol,
"In the blue."
Connie squinted. "Oh! Speak of
the devil. It's Helen. "
"Eh?" asked Julia, also looking that
direction.
"That's Mike's ex."
"EX?"
"Keep your voice down, Julie," shushed
Connie.
"Sorry," said Julia in a lower voice.
"That's Mike's
ex-girlfriend?"
"Aye," said Carol.
"I didn't know he'd ever .."
"He doesn't like to talk about it
much," said Connie. "Turns
out they'd almost gotten married."
"COR! Things you learn about when
you'd least expect it,"
said Julia.
Connie paused, before continuing the
story.
"Yeah,
he'd met her when he was..hmm..sixteen I believe. Met her on holiday.
They were totally mad nutty about each other for a good bit. He'd just
proposed to 'er when he found out she was cheating on 'im."
"Oh no."
"Yeah.
Dropped her like a hot potato. Poor lad was inconsolable," said Connie.
"John told me 'bout it shortly after. The lads closed the gates, took
it upon themselves to cheer Mike up."
"That was sweet," smiled Julia.
"They're
more than mates, they're really like brothers," said Carol. "The whole
Python thing is really more a family. Counting the three of us too,
we've been adopted in. Mags and Allie by proxy. But especially with the
lads. One gets hurt, they all do."
"The Oxbridge Mafia," said Connie. "
The whole bit gives that
Musketeers saying a whole new meaning."
"All for one.." said Julia softly.
"And one for all."
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