Then my eyes pop.
‘You have not.’
Ollie throws himself straight into the lyrics, one hand on the wheel as he dances, the other holding an imaginary microphone.
He nudges me. ‘C’mon, you love this one.’
I want to cry. But instead, I think of the happy memories we have of this song, this soundtrack, this film and play, and I join him, giving it my all.
When ‘Money, Money, Money’ comes on, I put the lyrics to his situation. Alec seems a wealthy man, a man Ollie has found, because he left behind the man who didn’t have a single penny left after bills.
It kind of sours the mood, but trying to remain happy, I turn down the music and say, ‘What a place to get married.’
‘I know.’
‘You always wanted to get married.’
‘Is there something you’re not telling me, Will?’ He’s smiling, but there are lines across his forehead.
‘No, no, just confabulating.’
‘Huh.’
‘What? Can’t a guy confabulate with his friend?’
‘Stop saying confabulate.’
‘But that’s what we’re doing,’ I say. I hold out my hands. ‘Confabulating.’
‘That wine went to your head, didn’t it?’
I nod with earnest. ‘We did have a lot. But when you started spitting it out, I took one for the team.’
‘You’re supposed to spit, Will.’
‘You dirty man.’
Ollie bursts into laughter. ‘The wine, Will.’
I baulk. ‘I just thought you were being pretentious.’
He barks a laugh, running a hand through his hair. ‘Wow, all right, then.’
‘I’m joking,’ I say, but before he can reply, I continue. ‘Tannins? Sniffing the wine? Sloshing it around your glass?’
‘What of it?’
‘It’s like you went to some high society class or something. I mean, in the car on the way here you said there had to be more to it.’
‘Again, it’s what you’re supposed to do.’
‘Well, if it was, you could have told me, instead of taking me there and humiliating me.’
Ollie’s grip tightens on the wheel. ‘You were humiliated? Why?’
‘I know nothing about wine. I looked a fool.’
‘Not to me you didn’t,’ he says, smiling at the road, but I know it’s meant for me. ‘No, I needed you there to be a realistic voice. Needed you to help me see sense. I would have easily bought it all if you hadn’t been there with your notes.’
