‘You could have talked it through.’
‘I could have. I should have. They’re my oldest friends and probably would have teased me about it, told me to get over myself and that would have been the end of it.’
‘It’s good to agree on a figure for gifts sometimes, makes it easier all round or do Secret Santa. They both worked, didn’t they?’
‘Oh yes, they had careers too. Jo was always a great cook, had her own café, deli and farm shop for a while. She was struggling in the early days but she’s more comfortable now as her parents left her a tidy sum. Ally went into publishing then became a literary agent. Her and her husband were quite the golden couple. He’s a very successful writer—’
‘Name?’
‘Michael Conway.’
‘Writes thrillers. Course I know him.’
‘Ally was his agent. That’s how they met. She retired some years ago though.’
‘And what about the third one? You said you have no idea where she is.’
‘Mitch? Ah, we had a falling out … actually, no, more a parting of the ways.’
‘Why?’
‘She changed and Ally, Jo and I couldn’t relate to the lifestyle she chose. None of us know where she is any more. Actually, I’d love to know what happened to her now.’
‘When did you last see the other two?’
‘Jo last year and, oh god, I can’t even remember when I last saw Ally. Jo’s on Facebook so I can always see what she’s up to and I never feel too out of touch. Ally doesn’t do any social media. I owe her a call in fact, now I have more time, I could visit both of them.’
‘When was the last time you spoke on the phone?’
I groaned. ‘Months ago, maybe longer. I know, I’ve been a crap friend recently.’
Nicholas raised an eyebrow. ‘Sounds like it. It has to work both ways.’
‘I know, and I believe that too. I should get in touch, find out their news.’
‘How come you don’t know where Mitch is?’
‘Good question. I was closest to her at school. She was quite the beauty. As well as being my friend, I admired her. Everyone did. She had charisma, cheek and charm, and she ran at life with both arms open, embraced new experiences, always a glass-half-full type of person, endlessly curious about life and other cultures.’ As I described her I felt a stab of regret. Why had I let her go from my life? ‘She was a rare bird, the original wild child. She disappeared after Jo, Ally and I had gone off to university and … well, we all went our separate ways – careers, men, the freedom of being away from home., it was a time of exploration for all of us. I didn’t see much of Ally or Jo then either. Work and climbing the career ladder were my main priority, and they were busy finding their way in the world too.’
‘And you really have no idea where Mitch is?’
‘Not now. She got in with a strange bunch, went to live in a commune. I’m not sure after that … Don’t forget that back then there were no mobiles, no texting, no social media.’
‘So what’s the story? Has she ever tried to contact you? Or you her?’
‘She did at first, mainly to try and get me involved with the group that she’d joined. She was adamant that I should, in fact, but it wasn’t for me. I guess we forgot the rule that friends should be open to each other’s discoveries. I did try to do that in the early days. I made an effort to stay in touch, to understand what she’d got into, but I felt that she pushed me away once it was clear that I wasn’t going to join her group. Gradually she seemed less and less interested in my new life, and our friendship didn’t appear to mean as much to her as it had done – plus, if I’m honest, I was enjoying being single, exploring what was out there. She distanced herself from Jo and Ally too, and then life took over and we drifted apart, you know how it is.’
‘No, I don’t know how it is. I make an effort to stay in touch with most of my old friends, the ones that matter anyway. You have to. Doesn’t everyone make an effort with the people who are important in your life? Even if it’s just once or twice a year, you know where they are.’
‘God, you can be so stern sometimes.’
‘Tell me more about her. When’s the last time you actually saw her?’
‘Mid- or late twenties? I wouldn’t even know what she looks like now. As I said, she was a great-looking girl back in the day, but we all look different now. I was tall for my age with unruly hair—’
‘Photos?’
‘Hah! Hidden away somewhere you’ll never see them.’
‘Do Jo or Ally know where Mitch might be?’
‘I doubt it. I’m sure they’d have mentioned it if they did. Mitch had a boyfriend in London, a musician – quite famous I seem to remember, though none of us ever met him so perhaps it wasn’t that serious. Jo went to art college in Brighton, Ally – she was always the clever one – went to Oxford, and I went to Exeter. We saw each other in some of the breaks but I only remember Mitch being back up north once in our first year when we went back and met up briefly. After uni, I
