THIRTY-FIVE
Samuels took the side seat, Mandy the head of the table. None of this was conscious on her part, Samuels directed it. Jo sat on the other end, Mike opposite Samuels. ‘Jack will sit next to me and Jackie will sit opposite him, I want the window light on his face so Jackie can better observe,’ Samuels said. The stage was set, but what for, Mandy thought. She was worried Jack had lost it, his mind was wandering. She trusted in Jackie though.
The door opened, no knock. Samuels stood and greeted Jack, the hand shake, hand on the wrist, they exchanged a look. He shuffled past Samuels, recognised where he would be sitting, went first to Mandy, hugged and kissed her, whispered, ‘I love you, always have, since the lift,’ she looked stunned. He sat and nodded to Mike who nodded back. J
