Happy Birthday

Turning she led the way up the gravelled path and through the front door hung with pink and silver balloons. They paused in the hall while Lynne took off her coat, and handed over the bottle of champagne she had brought as her contribution to the festivities. The hall was decorated with pictures of Kim at various ages and stages, blown up on a photocopier. Among them Lynne recognised their primary school leaving photo, and another of her and Kim out to celebrate Kim’s 21^st.

The 2 women continued out to the garden where fairy lights twinkled in the trees, a banner proclaimed ‘Happy 40th Birthday’, and a tiered, pink birthday cake stood ready on a side table. One of Kim’s favourite Madness songs was playing on the stereo.

Lynne was overwhelmed by familiar faces. Kim’s family, friends and work colleagues she knew of course, but there were also people from school and University she hadn’t seen in years. Other people she didn’t recognise at all, they must be neighbours.There was a subdued murmur of chatter, but the party had yet to liven up. She started to walk towards Kim’s sister, Alison, when there was the sound of a fork tapped against a glass and the crowd fell silent.

Kim’s father, Reg, was standing on a kitchen chair, blushing. Lynne’s heart went out to him. A shy man, this was taking a lot of courage. He cleared his throat.

‘Eileen and I are delighted to see you all here today to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Kimberly’s birth. As you know, Kim spent many months planning this party, starting over a year ago. Her mother and I knew she would still want it to go ahead. Please raise your glasses- to Kim’.

The words ‘To Kim’ echoed around the garden. Lynne had a lump in her throat, Alison was openly sobbing.

Behind her, she overheard Ian from work ask ’ Have the police still not got anyone yet?’

‘No’, an unknown woman’s voice replied. ‘They had someone in for questioning, but they had to let him go, lack of evidence or something. God, I feel so sorry for Reg and Eileen. They say she was unrecognisable. What kind of monster does something like that?’

Lynne shuddered and tried to blink back her tears. It was too much, she wished she hadn’t come.

Thousands of miles away, on the other side of the world, Kimberley Hirst turned away from the sunrise, bored already, and ordered a Bucks Fizz.