Page 20 of Dancing Fools and All That Jazz
‘Jay and I were in the same classes at university and became good friends first. It was more a gradual realisation we were meant for each other.’
‘Was it love at first sight with you, Ingrida?’ Ruby asks.
‘ Ne . Neil, he was married when I first met him. And then, after Maya passed away, I became live-in nanny and got to know him better.’
‘When did he propose?’
‘It was only six weeks ago. I know, I get married very quickly. We will tell children next week.’
‘What? You mean they don’t know?’
‘It had to be secret until Neil tell Maya’s parents. He is kind man who does not want to upset them.’
‘That must be awkward for you?’ I ask.
‘How old are the kids?’ Ruby asks.
‘Between three and seven.’
‘They’ll know.’ Ruby shakes her head. ‘Kids always do. I mean you’re sleeping in the same frigging bed, aren’t you?’
‘ Ja , but I get up very early to get breakfast…’
‘Don’t they come in during the night?’
‘Sometimes, if they wake. But they are very tired… And they are still only small.’
Ruby pulls an ‘if-you-say-so’ face and closes her mouth as if she thinks better of saying anything else.
‘How about you, Ruby? You mentioned you were in a relationship.’
‘Yes. Max. We’ve been together over a year now. To be honest, I never intended settling down, but Max is the first bloke I’ve met who could possibly change that.’
‘What does he do?’
‘He’s an engineer. Learnt his trade in the army. Only problem is he travels a lot, so I don’t get to see that much of him. He’s in India at the moment, or is it Thailand? I lose track.’
‘How wonderful to travel the world and at someone else’s expense. Jay and I have planned a six-month honeymoon to go and see India and as much of the world as we can.’
‘Lucky you. Six months off work sounds idyllic.’
‘I would like honeymoon…’ Ingrida looks slightly sad. ‘But it is not easy with small children.’
‘It doesn’t get much better with teenagers.’ Ruby laughs.
‘Your son, does he like Max?’ Ingrida asks.
‘Yes, they get on great. Will was a bit wary about him at first, but once he realised Max was as passionate about cricket and rugby as he was, there was no stopping them talking. I hardly get a word in edgeways.’
‘Does Max see his father?’
Ruby shakes her head and sips her drink.
‘Maybe Max will be a father figure for your son?’ I widen my eyes for her response, but Ruby goes quiet and her expression is unreadable when she eventually says, ‘Maybe,’ before changing the subject.
‘What’re our chances of winning this competition, then? Hey, Ingrida, you’ll be dancing now Janine isn’t with us.’
Ingrida puts her hand up to her mouth. ‘ Ja , you are right. I had not thought about this. I will have to dance in Janine’s place. I hope I do not make mistake again.’
‘You will be brilliant, Ingrida,’ I say. ‘You are a fabulous dancer. You and Monica are Clarissa’s star performers.’
Ingrida smiles and I turn to Ruby and risk asking, ‘Whatever happened between Monica and you?’
Ruby shakes her head and instead asks Ingrida to show her the dance step she missed.
I watch them attempt the new step in the limited space next to our cases, smiling as other passengers crane their necks to watch Ruby copying Ingrida’s développé kick.
I still feel a bit rough – the motion of the train is worse when you are standing – so I perch on my case, sipping my water as I contemplate if I have ever had such a bad fall out as Monica and Ruby.
The only ones I can recall were with my sister, Rashmi.
Before I moved in with Jay, we had many heated arguments.
‘You never help around the house,’ she would shout at me.
‘I am at work all day.’
‘And you never lift a hand to cook or clear up…’
‘You are being ridiculous. I am in a responsible clinical job, attending to patients. All you do all day is feed and change your babies.’
She then screamed at the top of her voice, ‘You are nothing but a spoilt brat and you never do anything for anyone other than yourself.’
Ma came to break it up, but I was so furious, I could not help but say, ‘And you are nothing but ungrateful. You have clearly forgotten it was only down to my support for you that you were able to flee from your dreadful marriage and move back home, and now we all have to put up with the noise and the mess.’
It is a relief to be living with Jay away from it all. I will not make the same mistakes as Rashmi.
As we approach London, Ruby, who has had two further tins of gin and tonic, leans in to both Ingrida and me.
‘You know you’re both very lucky. You with Neil,’ – she lifts her can to Ingrida – ‘and you with Jay.’ She lifts it to me.
‘Maybe I should settle down? And well, I think Max’s probably the one… ’
Ingrida clasps her hands together and says, ‘This is wonderful, Ruby.’ And they chink tins as I raise my empty bottle of water.
We all say, ‘To Max, Neil and Jay.’
Ingrida adds, ‘And true love.’
We giggle as we disembark the train and go to meet up outside the M&S food store outside Euston Station.
The air is cool and fresh, and I feel better to be outside on solid ground. As we set off for St Pancras station, Fay in the lead, I get another shiver of excitement. Despite everything that has happened, we are on our way to Paris.