Open Writing

The telephone rings. 'Bill Selsey speaking,' I say.

'Hullo, Bill, it's Ced here.'

'Oh yes?'

'You must come to Maddy's birthday party tonight at seven,' he says.

I say nothing.

'She'll love to see you,' he goes on. 'She still talks about you. Things haven't been easy. I've had a bit of a fling and it's unsettled her -'

'Christ, Ced,' I groan, 'you have a nerve. You steal my wife and marry her and now you're asking me to save the marriage.'
*
'Look who's here, darling,' says Ced to Maddy when I arrive.

Maddy seems pleased and gives me a hug and a kiss. I hand a bracelet to her and a bottle of wine to Ced. Others crowd round to look at the bracelet.

'Happy birthday, Maddy,' I say several times.

As the evening goes on and the drink goes down I dance with her.

This feels familiar,' I say, clutching.

'I have to talk to you,' she whispers, moving against me.

*

Next morning, at my place, she says, 'I need your help'.

'What can I do?'

'You can use your charm on Ced's girlfriend.'

'What?'

'Make her fall in love with you - get her away from him, for my sake.' She pauses. 'Her name is Isabel, here's a photograph of her.'
*
Maddy rings. 'Ced has become impossible to live with,' she says, 'he's bad-tempered, he's drinking a lot, he's -'

'Perhaps he's missing his girlfriend,' I say, as Isabel strokes my neck.