Snap by Karen Kendrick

It would be the kind of party I would never throw and was seldom invited to.  I looked at the personalised invitation, tasteful and expensive looking; posh, Mum would have said. I dropped it into the paper bin and went to make a cup of tea.

While it was brewing I opened my laptop, intending to work.  The page gleamed at me like a Hollywood smile; come on, write on me then.  The words started to form but when I put them on the pearly whiteness they seemed wrong, jumbled.  I hit delete.

The phone rang out shrilly and I almost dropped the computer.  I placed it down and went over to the phone.

‘Hello?’

‘God, Mum, you always sound so worried. It’s only me.’

‘Helen.  What’s wrong?’

There’s nothing wrong.  It’s Boxing Day.  I was wondering if we could visit.’

‘Oh.  Erm...well, actually I’m on my way out.’

‘Really?’  Her voice was full of scepticism.  

‘Yes, actually.  I’ve been invited to George and Sheila’s party, and I’ve decided to go.’

‘You’re going to a party?’

‘Yes, I thought I would.’

‘It’s a fancy dress party.  Did you know that?’

I paused, wondering how far I could really stretch this lie.  Oh, what the hell.  ‘Yes, I know.  I have a costume already.’

I could hear Helen’s voice saying to somebody ‘She’s going to a fancy dress party!’  I heard Mark’s soft laughter.

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