SPARKS 7

The alarm clock goes off “London calling to the faraway townsNow war is declared - and battle come downLondon calling to the underworldCome out of the cupboard, you boys and girlsLondon calling, now don't look to us”
*Give good feelings, always*. I switch it off. I don’t even open my eyes but I reach out for my mobile on the bedside table and I call Julie “happy birthday lady, tell me I’m the first one to congratulate you”
“YOU ARE! But there’s nothing to celebrate. I feel so old, and garyless”
“Not that crap again”
“Truth is there is no justice in the world. Now you’re going down to the kitchen and you’ll see him in all his morning glory”
“What glory? I see nothing glorious, maybe I need glasses and you need help. Fast. Don’t you want to know where we’re having dinner tonight?”
“MacDonald’s?”
I laugh “did you talk to Howard?”
“What?”
“Never mind. Have you heard of the Colossus Greek restaurant?’
“The number one place to hang out in London? I’ve been trying to go there since day one but there’s a 30 days waiting list and they make such a fuss. If you’re not a celebrity they don’t even answer the phone”
“How do they know?”
“Know what?”
“If you’re a celebrity. If they don’t answer the phone, how do they know who is it?”
“Posh vibe I guess”
“Well my simple friend. I guess I am celebrity because we have a reservation, at 9. On Howard’s name”
She screams and I can just picture her jumping on her bed.
“I love you, need hairdresser, new dress, new shoes and a new butt especially. Come shopping with me”
“I can’t. I’m working remember?”
“That’s not even a real job! … What are going to wear?”
“The Gucci black dress”
“The one you bought for your wedding reception?”
“Thanks, I haven’t been thinking about my miserable love life for 5 good minutes today.”
“You cannot wear it, it makes you look gorgeous”
“I am gorgeous”
“Sure thing” coughs “delusional” and laughs “Unfair! I am supposed to be fairest of you all, I’m the birthday girl”
“Though shit. Gotta go, duty calls. See you tonight.”

Emily is looking at me “You look different”
“Cinderella the night of the ball different or ugly witch with a big mole on the nose different?”
“Cinderella” and she giggle.
“Well, I have a special birthday party tonight. I’m sleeping at my old apartment but I’ll be back here before you wake up tomorrow morning”
“And you’ll tell me all about it?”
“Of course”
“There will be a prince charming?”
“I don’t think so, but there will be a lot of Greek food and if I’m lucky some very good chocolate cake, and one day you’ll learn chocolate is almost better than a real prince charming. Chocolate never lets you down”

The taxi stops right in front of the restaurant. They are all waiting for me and Julie is jumping off her skin “Oh my God, do you think there will be celebrities inside? That would be so cool.”
“I’m sorry I’m late but I couldn’t find my handbag. Why didn’t you go in?”
“I tried to” Antonio answers “but she would not let us”
“Tell her” Gordon says
“Well …” Julie begins to tell me “I could not say the words ‘Howard Donald’ out loud. It just doesn’t feel right. I mean, I don’t really know him, wouldn’t it fall under the category of sacrilegious acts?”
“I’m thinking about calling off the wedding. Do you think I have good grounds to get my engagement ring back?” he asks me
“Rule number one of the Engagement Act, once you give the ring, the above mentioned ring is gone forever. I explained it very clear to the old aristocratic witch trying to get her family ring back after his cheating son cheated on me”
“It has been in my family for 200 years, it’s so precious, it has a strong sentimental value” Tricia adds mocking the old witch voice
“I’m thinking about selling it back to her. I showed it to a jeweler, it’s worth a lot”
“How much?” asks Gordon
“Sweet investment banker talk, let’s just say I could repay the debit of a small African country”
“Enough! It’s my birthday! Can we go in now?” Julie begs
I walk to the very serious big guy at the door, “Hello! Donald, party of 6”. He scans my body, *you should take a picture, it would last longer you stupid primate*, then looks at them and checks his blackberry. Looks back at me and smile “Beatrice, welcome to Colossus”.

A waiter escorts us to our table. Julie squeezes my hand.
“I know, it’s a kitsch nightmare. It’s fake ancient Greece galore. I hope the food is good”
“Lower your voice, they might hear you. That’s not what I meant. Hugh Grant is sitting right there, third table on your right”
“Julie behave. If you start screaming there’s a high chance they’ll kick us out”
“I can make it. Or maybe not” she squeezes my hand ever tighter.
“Who did you see now?”
“…Howard, Howard, Howard”
“Where?”
“600 hours”
“What?”
“Do you ever watch spy movies? You’re a bore. Table next to ours. On the left. He’s there with people I don’t know and … oh no… that’s Michael, his brother” and places a hand on her face hiding it.
I see them, Howard smiles at me and waves. I smile back. He’s wearing a pair of blue jeans and a grey/light blue t-shirt. He’s so sexy it should be illegal.

“How do you know his brother?”
“I slept with him, back in the days”
“You did not”
“I did yes, yes and if I recall correctly another yes”
I laugh and shake my head “you’re the worst groupie ever, weren’t you supposed to have sex with a band member? How does a family member get in the picture instead?”
“I thought I would start with relatives and sleep my way up, but two months later they announced TT were no more, I run out of time”
“Retarded and unlucky. Take a seat”
“Oh no my friend” she takes me by my arm and quickly decides the sitting arrangements so that I am sitting by Antonio and Gordon, with my back at Howard, while she’s sitting in front of me looking directly at him.
“I’m on duty tonight and if he thinks he can play tricks on me he’s wrong. You’re in safe hands” she whispers to me.
He's watching me. I can't see him, but I feel his eyes on me. *Oh God*