The main difficulty encountered when two sets of friends pair off with one another is: what happens when one of the couples breaks up? Do you side with your girlfriend, whom you’ve known for years, or with your new boyfriend and his friend? Perhaps you might try to negotiate between the warring couple to see if there is a way to bring them together once again? However, in this instance, I didn’t feel particularly inclined to arbitrate between Jenny and Andy, and told her that she was probably better off without him. I had been a little envious at first when he took a shine to her rather than me, as he was better looking than his friend Frank. However, it didn’t take too long to discover that Andy is a conceited idiot, whereas Frank is both considerate and also quite good fun to go out with. I was saying as much to my sister as we discussed the row between them on the phone last night.

‘Why is it that so many good looking boys tend to become conceited idiots, and so many nice guys have jerks for their friends?’ I asked.

‘Don’t ask me! The workings of the male brain are way beyond my comprehension,’ Karen replied.

‘When Jenny told me what had been said between them both last Wednesday and also this afternoon, I realised there could be no going back for her; at least not if she wanted to remain on speaking terms with the rest of her friends and family,’ I continued.

‘I’m glad! He wasn’t a good influence on her and I wouldn’t have forgiven her if she were to upset Josie again.’

‘Has Josie said anything more to you about last Wednesday or that text message that Sue sent her?’

‘No. She hasn’t said a word about it to either of us. It’s as if she no longer has a sister.’

‘Calling her a freak will be as nothing compared to some of the jibes and insults she’ll doubtless receive in the future.’

‘I know, but it must be that much worse when it comes from your own sister.’

I sighed, feeling a little bit sorry for both of them.

’Whatever did we start when we persuaded Josie to join our little singing and dancing group?’ I thought to myself, feeling a little guilty, but didn’t spell it out.

‘So what else has been happening at Llangollen?’ I asked in order to change the subject.

‘Nothing much. We’ve been out a few times and we all went shopping in Chester yesterday. By the way, Denise and her mother have secretly bought Josie a long dress as a birthday present. You mustn’t say anything about it though as we’re planning to organise a surprise dinner party for her next Saturday evening.’

‘How are you going to keep it as a surprise for Josie?’

Karen chuckled.

‘It has all been carefully planned. First of all Denise’s mother announced that she will be entertaining some family friends in Llangollen for a dinner party this coming Saturday and that we were invited to come. Denise then protested loudly that her mother’s friends were really boring and it wouldn’t be fair to inflict their company on Josie on her birthday. She asked if the three of us could go out to have a pizza instead. Denise’s mother then said that we could only go out if we were willing to help her with the preparations for her meal before we left. Josie, in her innocence then piped up and said that of course she would be happy to help, and so I agreed to do so as well.’

‘So the three of you will be helping to get things ready, but Josie won’t realise that the arrangements are really for her benefit,’ I said.

‘Or that she will have a lovely new frock to change into for the evening.’

‘So what are you going to wear, Karen?’

‘Denise’s mother has offered to loan me one of her long dresses for the evening. She has some lovely clothes.’

‘I would love to see Josie’s face when she finds out,’ I said.

‘I know, but please be careful not to give the game away if you should talk to her.’

‘Don’t worry. Josie and I exchange text messages from time to time but we don’t really talk on the phone too much as it is quite expensive.’

‘OK but don’t say anything about in a text message.’

‘I promise not to mention it. By the way, will it be alright if I tell Jenny about your plans? I think that she is genuinely sorry for what she said to Josie.’

‘So she should be,’ was Karen’s decisive reply, but after moment she relented.

‘Alright you can tell her, if you like, but also warn her that we’ll never talk to her again if she tells Josie.’

‘That’s not very likely, at the moment since they’re not even speaking to one another.’

I called in to have lunch with Jenny before I was due to meet up with Frank later this afternoon. She’d been busy doing the housework, still trying to redeem herself in her mother’s eyes.

‘So how were things between you and your Mum over the weekend?’ I asked.

‘I think they’re gradually getting a little better. She was pleased to hear that I’d broken up with Andy. If things continue to thaw at the present rate she may even offer to take us both away for the coming weekend, if you are still interested, and not planning on doing anything with Frank.’

‘We’re not yet at the stage of living in one anothers’ pockets. Where do you have in mind to go?’

Jenny shrugged.

‘I don’t know really — we could go to London, or do you have any suggestions?’

‘I don’t suppose you mother would be willing to drive us to Llangollen for the weekend?’

‘But that is two hundred miles away! It would take at least four hours to get there.’

I explained to Jenny about the plans to hold a surprise birthday party for Josie.

‘It would be even more of a surprise for her if we turned up as well,’ I suggested. ‘We would have to find somewhere to stay on the Saturday night, but the whole trip would probably work out no more expensive than staying in a London hotel.’

Jenny thought for a while and didn’t seem to be against the idea.

‘You never know, but we might even be able to persuade my mum to come along as well,’ I added.

‘Of course we’d need to clear it with Denise and her mother first, we can’t just invite ourselves to their dinner party,’ said Jenny.

‘I’ll talk to Karen and see what she thinks. She seems to get on quite well with Denise’s mother. The main thing is to keep it a secret from Josie.’

I made the call and Karen promised to discuss our suggestion with Denise and her mother. She rang me on the landline just before I went to bed this evening.

‘Sorry that it has taken me some time to come back to you Sue, but this is the first opportunity I’ve had, without there being a danger that Josie might overhear.’

‘Where is she now?’

‘Don’t worry she’s upstairs taking her shower.’

‘So what is the verdict?’ I asked.

‘Denise and her mother said they would love you all to come. There will be plenty of room for you at the dinner party and they know a nearby bed and breakfast which has vacancies for next Saturday night if Aunt Carol is willing to drive all that way. In fact both of Denise’s parents would be more than delighted as her Dad had to change his plans and is going to be away in the North on business. He was intending to drive all the way back to Llangollen and then on to Crawley, so he could keep his promise to take us home on Monday. However, if Jenny and Josie’s Mum came in the six-seater we could all go home together on Sunday night and save him that extra journey.

‘Alright, I’ll now call Jenny so that she can talk to her mother. If Aunt Carol is agreeable I’ll also ask Mum if she would like to come as well, and then let you know what is happening tomorrow evening.’