They kissed quickly on the lips in greeting and hugged each other tightly. Stepping back Jane shrugged out of her coat, discarding it on a nearby armchair. She reached into her large handbag bringing forth a thick bottle and handing it across to Tom as he entered the room.
“Can you do the honours?” she asked with a grin.
“Of course” he replied, taking the bottle into the kitchen to uncork, he scanned the label: Chateauneuf de Pape, his mother’s favourite. Good old Jane, he thought, she always remembers.
He filled three glasses and returned to the room, passing the glasses to the smiling women.
“Wait a second, I will get mine.” He returned in moments with his glass and they clinked glasses awkwardly.
“Let me get this” Tom said as he reached for his phone.
“Not pictures already?” Sarah protested.
“Better early on than when we are all winey smiles.”
He quickly snapped a couple catching the two old pals together again. He thought of how many pictures he had seen through the years of the two companions deciding it was right to mark the moment.
“Let me see” Jane said slightly impatient “this may need to be censored.”
She checked the picture on the phone screen and gave an approving glance. “That is grand, we don’t look too bad.”
Tom examined it again. The two strong influences in his life never seemed to age. Sarah looked well in her shapely top, beautiful hair. Better than most of the Mothers of his pals. Jane who was always smartly presented, looked great in buttoned blouse and jeans. His imagination flew to her knickers in the bag and he wondered what shape pants she wore under the jeans.
“Darling, can you take out that lasagne and place it on the side?” Sarah asked him.
Tom went through the kitchen door, he could hear chat behind as he left. He knew that his last relationship would be on the list of things discussed once he had disappeared.
Deciding to spare himself the third degree he stayed in the kitchen and busied himself laying the table. Once the cutlery was set he put a large mat in the centre, with a towel he carried the steaming dish of lasagne over and set it down. The salad bowl followed, serving utensils were placed alongside condiments to the side of it.
He re-entered the sitting room, interrupting the chatter. “Ok ladies. Dinner is served.” He gave a deep bow and gestured flamboyantly with his arm. They all laughed, Sarah leading the way into the kitchen.
Jane slipped an arms around his waist as they walked, “I’m so glad you’re here this time. It has been such a long time since we’ve spent time together.” Her fingers gently stroked his side as she spoke.
“It’s good to see you too Aunt Jane” Tom said.
Stopping for a second she looked up into his face.
“I think you could drop the Aunt, just plain Jane is fine. We are all adults after all.” Stretching onto her tip toes she placed a brief kiss on his lips and strode away to take her seat at the table.
“Oh yum, that looks superb. I am utterly ravenous!” she announced as she sat.
“Tuck in then,” came Sarah’s reply.