Wish You Were Here Read Online Free PDF Page A

then was the fact that Andy didn’t want to grow up and did everything he could to delay the inevitable arrival of full adulthood. Once he left college he didn’t want a career (hence his chosen diversion into painting and decorating). He didn’t want the responsibilities of a mortgage (preferring instead to pay long-suffering Lisa rent).
    The fact that he had finally relented to Lisa’s suggestion that they get engaged said less about any supposed change of heart on the subject of matrimony and far more about the fact that even he was coming to realise that he couldn’t stay twenty-one for ever. This was why I was sure that this holiday was more about him than – as he’d pitched it – about me. With his own wedding less than a year away, I could see that the holiday represented an opportunity for him to be young and stupid again. And I got a huge feeling of discomfort in the pit of my stomach that he was going to go all out to enjoy it.
    â€˜All right you two?’ I said breezily greeting Andy and Lisa in a bid to cover my initial surprise.
    â€˜Yeah fine,’ replied Andy. ‘Are you going to let us in then or what?’
    I suddenly realised that I was standing on the doorstep as though I had no intention of letting either of them past the door and quickly ushered them upstairs. At the front door to the flat I stopped and issued a sort of catch-all world-weary disclaimer: ‘Sarah’s taken her stuff. Yes, it is difficult to watch TV when a dining room chair is your only comfort. Yes, I will be buying some more furniture when I get round to it. No, I’m not interested in any furniture that you’re trying to get rid of but I do appreciate the thought.’
    Andy laughed and patted me on the back while Lisa rolled her eyes, kissed me on the cheek and followed Andy into the flat.
    â€˜Oi, Bullock!’ yelled Andy in Tom’s direction. ‘Are you still in the God squad?’
    â€˜Just ignore him, Tom,’ countered Lisa, digging Andy sharply in the ribs with her fingers. ‘My boyfriend is a pig and he knows it.’
    Tom seemed more amused than upset by Andy and as he hugged Lisa she commented on how long it had been since she’d last seen him. (Two years to be precise when Tom, Anne and the kids had come to stay with Sarah and me.) As Lisa released him from her embrace he turned to face Andy and the two men stood staring at each other for an uncomfortably long time and then they both burst out laughing.
    â€˜It’s good to see you again,’ grinned Tom.
    â€˜You too,’ replied Andy. ‘You too.’
    As the two men fell into conversation I asked Lisa if she fancied a drink; this was the most subtle way I could think of to find out how long she was staying for.
    â€˜What time are you guys going out?’ she asked, gazing around my empty living room.
    â€˜There’s no rush,’ I lied. I doubted whether my honest answer: ‘The second you leave,’ would’ve been appreciated.
    â€˜I’ll stay for a cup of tea then,’ she replied, ‘but you can stop with the cold sweats, Charlie, I only came round because Andy needed a lift. I think in his ideal world he would’ve hurled himself from the car and had me drive by without stopping.’ She leaned forward and ruffled Andy’s hair affectionately. ‘Isn’t that right, sweetie? I’m cramping your style aren’t I?’
    â€˜Massively,’ said Andy with his eyes still fixed on the TV. ‘I’ll have a coffee while you’re up there, babe.’
    â€˜Hang on,’ she replied, ‘it was Charlie that—’ she stopped and sighed, something which I guessed she did an awful lot living with Andy. She looked at Tom. ‘Since I’ve been nominated designated maker-of-hot-drinks for the evening would you like one too?’
    â€˜I’m fine thanks,’ said Tom warily.
    â€˜No really,’ said