《首发偶发空缺 (临时空缺)》第129章

Gaia　was　watching　Gavin　through　a　chink　in　the　kitchen　door。　She　was　clutching　a　paper　cup　containing　several　fingers　of　the　vodka　that　Andrew　had　stolen　for　her。
‘He’s　such　a　bastard；’　she　said。　‘We’d　still　be　in　Hackney　if　he　hadn’t　led　Mum　on。　She’s　so　bloody　stupid。　I　could　have　told　her　he　wasn’t　that　interested。　He　never　took　her　out。　He　couldn’t　wait　to　leave　after　they’d　shagged。’
Andrew；　who　was　piling　additional　sandwiches　on　an　almost　empty　platter　behind　her；　could　hardly　believe　that　she　was　using　words　like　shagged。　The　chimeric　Gaia　who　filled　his　fantasies　was　a　sexually　inventive　and　adventurous　virgin。　He　did　not　know　what　the　real　Gaia　had　done；　or　not　done；　with　Marco　de　Luca。　Her　judgement　on　her　mother　made　it　sound　as　if　she　knew　how　men　behaved　after　sex；　if　they　were　interested　…
‘Drink　something；’　she　told　Andrew　as　he　approached　the　door　with　the　platter；　and　she　held　up　her　own　polystyrene　cup　to　his　lips；　and　he　drank　some　of　her　vodka。　Giggling　a　little；　she　backed　away　to　let　him　out　and　called　after　him：　‘Make　Sooks　e　in　here　and　get　some！’
The　hall　was　crowded　and　noisy。　Andrew　put　the　pile　of　fresh　sandwiches　on　the　table；　but　interest　in　the　food　seemed　to　have　waned；　Sukhvinder　was　struggling　to　keep　up　with　demand　at　the　drinks　table；　and　many　people　had　started　pouring　their　own。
‘Gaia　wants　you　in　the　kitchen；’　Andrew　told　Sukhvinder；　and　he　took　over　from　her。　There　was　no　point　acting　like　a　bartender；　instead；　he　filled　as　many　glasses　as　he　could　find；　and　left　them　on　the　table　for　people　to　help　themselves。
‘Hi；　Peanut！’　said　Lexie　Mollison。　‘Can　I　have　some　champagne？’
They　had　been　at　St　Thomas’s　together；　but　he　had　not　seen　her　for　a　long　time。　Her　accent　had　changed　since　she　had　been　at　St　Anne’s。　He　hated　being　called　Peanut。
‘It’s　there　in　front　of　you；’　he　said；　pointing。
‘Lexie；　you’re　not　drinking；’　snapped　Samantha；　appearing　out　of　the　crowd。　‘Absolutely　not。’
‘Grandad　said—’
‘I　don’t　care。’
‘Everyone　else—’
‘I　said　no！’
Lexie　stomped　away。　Andrew；　glad　to　see　her　go；　smiled　at　Samantha；　and　was　surprised　when　she　beamed　at　him。
‘Do　you　talk　back　to　your　parents？’
‘Yeah；’　he　said；　and　she　laughed。　Her　breasts　really　were　enormous。
‘Ladies　and　gentlemen！’　boomed　a　voice　through　the　microphone；　and　everyone　stopped　talking　to　listen　to　Howard。　‘Wanted　to　say　a　few　words　…　most　of　you　probably　know　by　now　that　my　son　Miles　has　just　been　elected　to　the　Parish　Council！’
There　was　a　smattering　of　applause　and　Miles　raised　his　drink　high　above　his　head　to　acknowledge　it。　Andrew　was　startled　to　hear　Samantha　say　quite　clearly　under　her　breath；　‘Hoo…fucking…ray。’
Nobody　was　ing　for　drinks　now。　Andrew　slipped　back　into　the　kitchen。　Gaia　and　Sukhvinder　were　alone　in　there；　drinking　and　laughing；　and　when　they　saw　Andrew　they　both　shouted；　‘Andy！’
He　laughed　too。
‘Are　you　both　pissed？’
‘Yes；’　said　Gaia；　and　‘no；’　said　Sukhvinder。　‘She　is；　though。’
‘I　don’t　care；’　said　Gaia。　‘Mollison　can　sack　me　if　he　wants。　No　point　saving　up　for　a　ticket　to　Hackney　any　more。’
‘He　won’t　sack　you；’　said　Andrew；　helping　himself　to　some　of　the　vodka。　‘You’re　his　favourite。’
‘Yeah；’　said　Gaia。　‘Creepy　old　bastard。’
And　the　three　of　them　laughed　again。
Through　the　glass　doors；　amplified　by　the　microphone；　came　Maureen’s　croaky　voice。
‘e　on；　then；　Howard！　e　on　–　a　duet　for　your　birthday！　Go　on　–　ladies　and　gentlemen　–　Howard’s　favourite　song！’
The　teenagers　gazed　at　each　other　in　tantalized　horror。　Gaia　tripped　forward；　giggling；　and　pushed　the　door　open。
The　first　few　bars　of　‘The　Green；　Green　Grass　of　Home’　blared　out；　and　then；　in　Howard’s　bass　and　Maureen’s　gravelly　alto：
The　old　home　town　looks　the　same；
As　I　step　down　from　the　train　…
Gavin　was　the　only　one　who　heard　the　giggles　and　snorts；　but　when　he　turned　around　all　he　saw　were　the　double　doors　to　the　kitchen；　swinging　a　little　on　their　hinges。
Miles　had　left　to　chat　with　Aubrey　and　Julia　Fawley；　who　had　arrived　late；　wreathed　in　polite　smiles。　Gavin　was　in　the　grip　of　a　familiar　mixture　of　dread　and　anxiety。　His　brief　sunlit　haze　of　freedom　and　happiness　had　been　overcast　by　the　twin　threats　of　Gaia　blabbing　what　he　had　said　to　her　mother；　and　of　Mary　leaving　Pagford　for　ever。　What　was　he　going　to　do？
Down　the　lane　I　walk；　with　my　sweet　Mary；
Hair　of　gold　and　lips　like　cherries　…
‘Kay　not　here？’
Samantha　had　arrived；　leaning　against　the　table　beside　him；　smirking。
‘You　already　asked　me　that；’　said　Gavin。　‘No。’
‘Everything　OK　with　you　two？’
‘Is　that　really　any　of　your　business？’
It　slipped　out　of　him　before　he　could　stop　it；　he　was　sick　of　her　constant　probing　and　jeering。　For　once；　it　was　just　the　two　of　them；　Miles　was　still　busy　with　the　Fawleys。
She　over…acted　being　taken　aback。　Her　eyes　were　bloodshot　and　her　speech　was　deliberate；　for　the　first　time；　Gavin　felt　more　dislike　than　intimidation。
‘I’m　sorry。　I　was　only—’
‘Asking。　Yeah；’　he　said；　as　Howard　and　Maureen　swayed；　arm　in　arm。
‘I’d　like　to　see　you　settled　down。　You　and　Kay　seemed　good　together。’
‘Yeah；　well；　I　like　my　freedom；’　said　Gavin。　‘I　don’t　know　many　happily　married　couples。’
Samantha　had　drunk　too　much　to　feel　the　full　force　of　the　dig；　but　she　had　the　impression　that　one　had　been　made。
‘Marriages　are　always　a　mystery　to　outsiders；’　she　said　carefully。　‘Nobody　can　ever　really　know　except　the　two　people　involved。　So　you　shouldn’t　judge；　Gavin。’
‘Thanks　for　the　insight；’　he　said；　and　irritated　past　endurance　he　set　down　his　empty　beer　can　and　headed　towards　the　cloakroom。
Samantha　watched　him　leave；　sure　that　she　had　had　the　best　of　the　encounter；　and　turned　her　attention　to　her　mother…in…law；　whom　she　could　see　through　a　gap　in　the　crowd；　watching　Howard　and　Maureen　sing。　Samantha　relished　Shirley’s　anger；　which　was　expressed　in　the　tightest；　coldest　smile　she　had　worn　all　evening。　Howard　and　Maureen　had　performed　together　many　a　time　over　the　years；　Howard　loved　to　sing；　and　Maureen　had　once　perform