‘Who’s Suzanne?’ Freddie asked, sensing tension.
‘She’s Brian’s shill,’ Kate told him.
‘You have a shill?’ Freddie asked Brian, regarding him with new respect. Maybe the guy had hidden shallows, after all.
‘No, I donothave a shill.’
‘So who is she then?’
‘She goes to all Brian’s workshops and groups, and shealwayshas a breakthrough. No matter what the theme is – co-dependency, childhood trauma, buried memories, survivor guilt, you name it – Suzanne always has a breakthrough and bursts into tears, and Brian is guaranteed at least one big success.’
‘Sounds like a shill to me.’ Freddie nodded.
‘She’s not a shill,’ Brian said. ‘She’s a very courageous woman who’s embarked on a difficult journey.’
Kate blushed. She hated it when Brian talked like this.
‘Wow, where’s she going?’ Freddie asked disingenuously.
‘You know what I mean, Freddie.’
‘The journey within,’ Freddie intoned portentously. ‘The most difficult journey of all.’
‘You should try it yourself some time,’ Brian said, apparently needled by Freddie’s tone. ‘You should come to one of my men’s groups.’
‘Oh, I don’t think I’d really fit in, do you?’
‘Come on, you’re not the only gay guy in the world.’
‘Sometimes it just feels that way,’ Freddie said tragically.
‘Seriously, I think you could make a valuable contribution,’Brian said, looking at Freddie with interest now. ‘We explore all aspects of the male journey. You’re so open and in touch with your feminine side – the group could learn a lot from you.’
It was the source of Brian’s charisma that he could make anyone he was talking to feel like the most fascinating person on the planet. He had a way of focusing on whoever he was with that made them feel really special and interesting.
‘Do you have a shill in the men’s group?’ Freddie asked eagerly.
‘Oh, I’m sure Suzanne’s got it covered,’ Kate said. ‘No doubt she’d be there exploring her masculine side or getting in touch with her penis envy or something… Well, I guess we should be off,’ she said, standing up and putting on Will’s jacket.
‘Whose is that?’ Brian frowned.
‘Will’s,’ Kate told him absently, pulling her hair free of the collar and shaking it loose. ‘I forgot to give it back to him last night – luckily as it turned out. I really like it – I’m considering nicking it.’
‘I’m sure he won’t miss it,’ Brian said. ‘I expect he’s got dozens.’
This constituted severe criticism from Brian, who considered it immoral to own more than one jacket at a time – especially if none of them came from a charity shop. Kate made a mental note to keep the designer label hidden – if he saw it he’d think Will was beyond redemption.
‘It looks better on you anyway,’ Freddie chipped in. ‘So, where are you two off to?’
‘It’ll have to be somewhere cheap,’ Kate warned Brian. ‘I’m broke and I don’t have any job lined up.’
‘Oh, I forgot to tell you,’ Freddie said. ‘Will gave you a great plug in his speech, so you might get some work out of that. Hesaid you were available and gave your cooking an absolute rave review.’
‘Oh,’ Kate said, pleased, ‘that was nice of him. I don’t know how he could rave about my cooking, though. He hasn’t had anything I’ve made in yonks.’
‘I suppose he remembers what a brilliant cook you are from when he lived with you.’
‘I guess so,’ Kate said. ‘Okay, let’s go.’
