24 Saxby House, Dorset, August 1990
Caitlin and Josephine’s party was due to start at 7 p.m. When the adults were all well on their way to getting drunk, it would be almost dark and the perfect opportunity to snoop about. But first of all, I needed to get the skeleton key from Caitlin, which would be tricky as I knew she carried it on her most of the time.
Mum, Dad and Hunter were all dressed and ready to go by six and were standing in the kitchen in their smarts, eating Hula Hoops out of a bowl. I was wearing the outfit Mum had ordered out of her catalogue for me; turquoise three-quarter-length cotton trousers and a white crop top.
‘You know they’re doing food?’ I said. ‘Loads of it by all accounts, so you don’t need to fill up on snacks.’
‘I know, dear, but I like to line my stomach a bit before I have a drink, otherwise I’m a right mess, aren’t I, Phil?’
‘Yep, your mum’s a cheap date, all right.’ Dad smirked and Mum whacked him so hard on his arm, he yelped.
We mooched around the house for another hour, using the toilet, Mum applying some more lippy, clearing away a few bits until finally she declared it was time to go – I hadn’t wanted to turn up early.
As we left the cottage, I could hear the music coming from the marquee.
‘Cool! Are there gonna be lights?’ Hunter said.
‘Yes, I reckon so.’ I was glad to see my brother so excited about a night out. He didn’t get to hang out quite as much as I did at the main house, and sometimes I felt guilty about that. But tonight, Mum and Dad weren’t staff; we were all guests, and it felt nice.
We rounded the corner of the back garden to find the marquee already bustling with guests, many of whom were staying at the house or at local hotels. I spotted Caitlin amongst a group of adults. She was wearing a typically flamboyant choice of clothing. Tonight, a red beaded dress with tassels at the bottom. She was also wearing a small black bag diagonally across her chest – she had begun carrying around make-up – and I knew that was where the key would be.
Chuck came bounding over to us. He shook Dad’s hand and embarrassed Hunter when he held his hand out for a handshake too. Mum got all in a fluster when she turned her head at the wrong moment as Chuck went in for a kiss on the cheek and so their lips almost collided. By now I was used to the way Chuck greeted me, and so I received his kiss on the cheek graciously, to the shock and surprise of my parents.
‘Let me get you all a drink – what are you having?’
We gave Chuck our drinks orders, and I excused myself from Mum and Dad so I could get closer to Caitlin.
She threw her arms out wide to greet me. ‘Sorry, we couldn’t spend much time together yesterday – Mama had so many plans.’
‘Okay. No worries. Did you get my present?’ I had left the best friends ornament wrapped and with Judith earlier in the afternoon.
‘What? Oh yeah, that. Yes.’ Caitlin looked around the marquee. I felt a sinking feeling. I expected a better response than that.
‘We have one each now. Best friends forever.’ I touched her arm.
She looked at my hand on her arm. Then she looked at me. ‘Of course. Duh!’
I felt my sprits rise at that. We were always going to be best friends.
I shrugged and looked around at the dance floor. More people were milling in through the marquee entrance and the DJ had cranked the music up – ‘Express Yourself’ by Madonna. I had been listening to the album Like A Prayer loads and I desperately wanted to dance. I started moving from one foot to the other in my unconscious effort to suppress my desire, as I knew I would want to wait until Caitlin started dancing first. It was her party, after all.
It took three bottles of Coke – which I was sure Chuck had snuck some vodka into – and a hog-roast bun before Caitlin was ready to bust some moves. She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the middle of the dance floor where the DJ was playing ‘Get on Your Feet’ by Gloria Estefan – he couldn’t have chosen a better tune, in my opinion.
Once we were right in the centre, we started dancing. Our bodies eventually synced with one another as we each in turn showed off a move we had learnt or rehearsed recently, and before we knew it, a small crowd of kids, old and young, had formed a circle around us. Caitlin and I revelled in the attention, and when the song finished, we fell into one another’s arms, but Caitlin’s stature being slightly bulkier than mine, meant that she fell more towards me in what felt like a forced move, acting out her slight drunkenness. We toppled and then fell in a heap on the dance floor. There were a few brief looks of concern from the adults, but when we emerged howling with laughter, they all went back to their loud conversations over the music. Caitlin stood up first, still laughing, and then held her hand out for me. I put my hand out to take hers and she quickly pulled it away, put her finger to her nose and blew a raspberry. Then she turned and scooted off to the other side of the marquee.
I looked at the floor and I couldn’t believe my eyes. There at my feet was the skull keyring and key. I looked around in case it was a joke and Caitlin was about to pounce on me, but no one was looking at me any more. I quickly stood up, grabbing the skeleton key on the way
