Everybody loves a lover

"Here we are madam, sir," said the waiter placing two pots of tea on
the table. "Are you ready to order?"

"She'll have one of them lasagne things and I'll have a piece of cod,
nice big bit, chips and mushy peas."

"Sir, madam," said the waiter and departed for the kitchen with their
request. Alice then poured the tea while Lenny asked how she had been
keeping.

"Not too bad, considering."

"Considering? What you been considering?" asked Lenny

"I haven't been considering anything. It's just ... well, you
know."

"Don't be daft woman, course I don't know. If I knew I wouldn't be
asking now, would I?" He then sipped his tea - loudly.

"Leonard Watson! Must you always slurp your tea?"

"It's hot. Besides, I'm just drinking normal."

"Being a pig may be perfectly normal to you but ... well I was brought
up differently."

"Yeah well, you always was a bit posher than the rest of us," he said,
slurping another mouthful. "Talking of which, where are they?"

"Where are who?"

"You know, the others."

For several years now the class of 1928 had reunited once a year at
Norahs Pantry. Except it wasn't Norahs Pantry anymore. There they had
enjoyed a meal and a drink and shared a laugh and a joke from the good
ol' days. Alice stroked his hand affectionately and spoke softly,
"Don't you remember, they've moved on."

Again Lenny slurped his tea but this time Alice didn't say anything.
"I'd forgotten," he said. "Not forgotten forgot, just forgotten
temporary. Until I remembered again. And now I remember. I do that
sometimes. Forget, then remember."

Norah had taken over immediately after the second world war. "And a
damn fine job she made of it too," Lenny was often heard to remark. But
now it was The Cafe European. Everything was European. But whatever the
changes, the memories belonged to Lenny and Alice. "Go on, slurp your
tea!"

It wasn't too long before the waiter returned placing their meals
before them. "On honeymoon are we?" he cheerfully asked, "I can always
tell. There's a special atmosphere that only exists between lovers. A
kind of refreshing nervous innicence." And, without further ado he
pinned a red rose on Alice's blouse. "Enjoy your meal, it's on me," he
said and returned to the kitchen leaving Lenny and Alice to share the
moment.

"See," said Lenny, "even the waiter thinks we're on honeymoon. That's
because we look right. We could've been good together you know." Alice,
a little embarrassed, remained silent. "You could've even taught us how
to drink me tea without slurping. Not that I'm complaining about Amy
like. I mean, being honest, she was always good to me. Always cooked me
a good meal, brought the kids up proper, looked after us when we were
poorly. She's been gone four years now. The doc said she'd become
diabetic and had to watch her diet. Amy told him she were partial to a
drop of sherry. He told her to be careful so she cut it down to a
bottle a day. I don't suppose I could've done any better really. All in
all I've no complaints.

"We've both had a good life. Reggie always took good care of me. And he
left me and the children well provided for. He was only 42," she sadly
added. "I suppose we were rather fortunate, what with Reggie's father
owning the factory. Even that's gone now. Who would have ever believed
it possible? I ask you, modern technology! It was a shame you two never
got on."

"It weren't my doing. It was him who told the headmaster I'd been
smoking. Took me trousers down he did and ... wallop! Six times. My
arse was sore for a fortnight. Mind you, it never hurt!"

At that moment the waiter returned with an ice bucket containing a
bottle of champagne, placed it on the table, poured it into two
glasses, cheerily smiled and said, "With my compliments," and
left.

"What a pleasant young man," said Alice feeling slightly
overwhelmed.

"Folk do say he takes after his great grandfather."

"Oh, anybody I know?"

"You're looking at him," chuckled Lenny.

Alice shook her head knowingly, "I should've realised."

"D'you believe in God?" asked Lenny.

"Why do you ask?"

"I were thinking. If there weren't no God, then what's it all about?
You know, my Amy ... your Reg ... and all the others. What's happened
to them? I mean, you can't just leave them for the worms. That's not
right is it? D'you think they're up there? Waiting, keepin an eye on
us? Amy would understand wouldn't she? It's not as if we're doing
anything wrong. I mean, we're only chatting. Looking after each other
really. A bit of company that's all."

"I'm sure she understands," said Alice with that understanding nod of
approval that Lenny had constantly admired.

"Only all these years we've been meeting. And now it's just us two.
Supposing neither of us made it next year ... we wouldn't know would
we? Then what? It don't seem right somehow.

Alice kissed his cheek. "Leonard Watson, we're not going anywhere yet
awhile."

Lenny looked in thoughtful mood, "How old would we be?"

"How old would we be when?" asked Alice looking extremely
puzzled.

"When we get to heaven. Would we be like, reborn? Or teenagers or as we
are now? I don't want to be as we are now because I ain't got the
energy to do what I want to do. Unless we get our batteries charged up
again. That'll be all right because then we'll have the experience to
match our energy. Perhaps it won't be so bad after all."

"Would you like me to call for your angels now?"

"Not yet awhile. It's like you said, we've got lots of things still to
do. You might ... even change your mind. Give us a go, like."

Just then a pretty young blonde girl entered and Lenny stared at her,
almost hynotically. "If I didn't know any better I'd have sworn she was
you."

They both watched as she was greeted by the waiter. The two held each
other as their lips met as only lovers lips can. Alice turned to Lenny
and proudly said, "My great granddaughter."

Lenny's eyes lit up, "I think it may be sometime before we're ready to
move on."