Still Thinking of You by Adele Parks

Author:Adele Parks
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Adult
Published: 2004-06-13T16:00:00+00:00

37. Ted’s Story

Lloyd knocked on Ted’s door, there was no response. Lloyd didn’t believe Ted was sleeping – he could hear the faint drone of the TV. It sounded like a cheesy game show, so he knocked again and called, ‘It’s me, Lloyd.’ More silence, and then a sigh, and some bustling as Ted made his way to the door. He opened it, but didn’t greet his friend. He simply turned and went back to bed, throwing the duvet over his head. Lloyd entered the suite and closed the door behind him.

‘Nice room, mate. This is really something.’

Lloyd let out a low whistle and although he knew he was there to have a ‘big talk’ with Ted, and he knew that it was seriously uncool to be so clearly impressed with anything, he couldn’t help himself. Besides he never had to be cool around Ted. Ted didn’t mind if Lloyd was just himself. Lloyd opened the cupboards and passed comment on the amount of space and the rare-but-sensible large number of coat hangers. He nosed around the bathroom, then opened the mini bar.

‘Do you want one, buddy?’ Lloyd could just make out that the movement under the duvet was Ted shaking his head. Lloyd helped himself to a beer anyway. He didn’t need to ask – Ted was always very generous and probably wouldn’t even notice another beer on his mini-bar bill. Lloyd sat on one of the comfortable armchairs and addressed the mound of duvet, ‘God, this is like old times, isn’t it?’ Although, in fact, it wasn’t much.

Lloyd and Ted had shared rooms as undergraduates, and neither of them could count the number of times they’d spent an evening together, sharing some beers, watching the TV, kicking back, chewing the fat.

They’d been great days.

The double-occupancy rooms at university were coveted. Providing you got on with your room mate (which most undergraduates did, as they didn’t often have the confidence to form dislikes), you had so much more space and hence the double rooms were usually the party rooms. Lloyd and Ted had more than rubbed along; they genuinely liked one another’s company. Lloyd had been immediately attracted to Ted’s double-barrel name and entry in Debrett’s and after that he had formed a genuine respect and affection for Ted because Ted was generous, gentle, brilliant and, most amazingly of all, humble. Ted had thought Lloyd was a ‘great chap’, full of principles and political theories which, although often naive, were honestly and sincerely felt. Ted liked Lloyd’s energy. His passion. He often referred to him as the ‘Red Radical’.

‘Yes, 1989 to 1992, they were good years,’ said Ted, who had finally emerged from under the duvet.

‘The best,’ added Lloyd.

‘Some of the best,’ qualified Ted. ‘I mean, you’ve had better since, haven’t you? Meeting Sophie and having Joanna. I know the marriage hasn’t worked out, but –’

‘Oh, yes. Yes, of course,’ said Lloyd quickly. He knew how sad those people were who thought their university years were the best years of their lives.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.