Reunion

It had been 25 years since he'd been back to his old school. Tom Harding wasn't one for school reunions  but this had been planned for almost 6 months and his wife had pleaded for them to go.

Even as he approached, he was imagining happy times there,  the teachers who had pushed him to succeed,  the tiny bottles of milk they were given every morning,  with a red straw, so sharp it could draw blood.

He remembered those he'd sat alongside,  wondered what had happened to them, he remembered the first time he had saw Andrea,  the pretty brunette,  who had been his childhood sweetheart and who he'd married 10 years later and had 2 children with. They'd gone through the whole school in the same class,  and were inseparable.

As he entered the main door,  he saw the office and the kitchen serving hatch,  where he had once had five helpings of custard at lunchtime,  when one of the dinner ladies had gone round with a large copper jug of the thick,  sweet yellow delight.

He walked into the big hall,  where assemblies and lunch was taken,  not at the same time you understand, but the room was multi use in those days.

He looked about,  seeing faces he'd kept in touch with,  and some he half recognised,  but couldn't be certain about.

In the far corner smiling at him was his beautiful wife Andrea, her long wavy locks looking stunning in the lighting, wearing a long figure hugging black dress.
As he went to go over to her,  he was stopped by a short,  rotund woman,  who was clearly from the I'm in charge brigade, "and where might you be going Tom Harding? " she asked.

"Hi,  I'm sorry I don't recognise you, it's been quite some time and I'm getting on a bit now" he tried to laugh it off casually,  but inside felt embarrassed.

" I was hoping you'd remember me ", she replied "I'm Belinda Young, we were in the same class,  in our last year here, although I've grown a bit since then ", she awkwardly laughed at her own insecurities.

Tom still didn't recognise her,  but to be polite answered "Oh of course,  Belinda,  how have you been? " He glanced anxiously over to Andrea,  who was rolling her at eyes , as if to say "you got yourself into it., you get yourself out "

"I've been good thanks,  married three times , five kids, the usual. Here let me give you a name badge " with that Belinda wrote his name on a pre made paper badge and stuck it on his shirt.

"What do........", she was halfway through her sentence when she was interrupted by a tall guy,  wearing horn rimmed glasses.

 "Tom Harding as I live and breathe, how the hell are you,  it must have been 15 years, quick come and look at these photos "

" Dave, how are you mate,  it's good to recognise a face in here " He excused himself and wandered off with Dave

They were now in front of a wall,  festooned with photos of pupils. In one of them Tom, Dave and Andrea were in the hallway putting up Christmas decorations.

"That takes us back Tom hey?", Tom looked over despairingly at Andrea,  who was still stood alone among the crowd.

 "yeah it does Dave,  happy times "

"We'll have to get together soon,  without all these strangers ", Dave laughed out loud "I'm bloody clueless about most of them,. How Is Andrea anyway, is she coming tonight? "

Tom took one final glance at Andrea...

"No Dave, she's not......." he paused briefly ".........Andrea died last week."