Snippet 268: Dinner Party

"What are you doing?" Gabby inquired. He had been watching Cat pace the dining room, measuring tape in hand and scribbling notes in a little note-book.

"Trying to work out how many people we could fit in here."

"Bout a hundred - I've done it before."

"I'm talking about people that aren't drunk and half-naked."

"Why would you want anything else at a party?" Gabby asked, genuinely confused.

"I want to throw a dinner party."

"You what?"

"Dinner party. Look, our only friends are from Malton. Your band members and groupies don't count. We need a more active social life."

"Ah, what? Really?"

"Yes! I'm bored. All we do is study, work, and look after the kids!"

"You forget sex," Gabby mumbled, "This isn't about a social life. You just want to be all middle-class and wimmenzy!"

"So what if I do?" Cat said defensively. Gabby held up his hands.

"Fine by me. Who you going to invite?"

Cat faltered. She had been expecting more resistance. Gabby was getting old.

---

"So that went OK, didn't it?" Cat said proudly, curling up next to him on the sofa.

"We're not inviting the Cronins again. I wanted to kill them, fucking bourgeois snobs."

"So there's an again?"

"Why not?"

"We're inviting more men though. Don't you have any male acquaintances?"

"Erm... well, not that much. Beyond the Malton lot and the crew... nah. They're either threats, competition or just... well, I dunno, I don't find them very attractive, really."

"We're definitely inviting more blokes, that's really not normal."

"You did good, by the way," Gabby murmured.

"Was I middle-class and wimmenzy?"

"Very. Service was excellent, conversation was flowing, and the food... well, I'm hungry. But the others probably weren't. Are there any leftovers?"