Lavender Girl

  It was Tammy’s actual birthday on Wednesday. Monica presented her with a smartphone which she was highly delighted with, promising to guard it with her life and not use more minutes or texts than her allowance in any given month, on pain of death.

  She had proudly texted and emailed all her friends and relatives to make sure they had her new number. Liz had already given her money for her party clothes plus she had other money from various aunts and uncles. Monica had bought her a birthday cake and the three of them ordered a takeaway as a treat.

  They had just finished their fish and chips when Finn called round with some really pretty wind chimes for Tammy’s bedroom. He also had an announcement. He and Devlin would be getting married next year. Tammy was bereft when she first heard the terrible news but consoled herself with the fact that Finn wanted her to be a bridesmaid.

  Thursday was spent looking for the perfect outfit. Luckily Monica’s stamina had improved and she could easily out-shop Tammy who was busy texting Sasha after every shop and sending photographs of proposed outfits. Sasha, in turn, was giving advice on Tammy’s wardrobe choices. Neither of them wanted their outfits to clash, or worse, to turn up in the same outfit. Sasha was still hoping against hope that her mother would relent.

  Friday was spent shopping for food and party paraphernalia. Monica had a very long list which included burgers, salad, tablecloths, paper plates, cutlery, balloons, banners, candles and party favours.

  Apparently, each child had to have a party bag to take home. Tammy was overseeing the party bags.

  They had to be just right. Not too babyish, after all she was eleven. The party favour had to be something cool. She decided on lip gloss for the girls and something funny for the boys. Liz suggested jokes in the form of fake bluebottles or chewing gum that dyed your tongue black. Tammy loved that idea so it was settled.

  On Saturday Liz checked the weather forecast. It was going to be sunny all day, perfect for a garden party. While Nick, Monica and Tammy were outside setting up the furniture and getting the barbecue ready Liz sneaked inside unnoticed to ring Adam.

  Georgina answered the phone. ‘Hi Georgina,’ said Liz, trying to sound cheerful through gritted teeth. ‘I’m just checking numbers for the party tomorrow. I wasn’t sure if you were all coming?’

  ‘Sorry,’ said Georgina. She almost sounded sincere. ‘No, no, I have much too much packing to do I’m afraid.’

  ‘Oh, that’s a shame,’ said Liz, not that she was sorry not to be seeing Georgina but knowing that it meant Sasha would not be allowed to come either. Liz asked anyway. ‘Will Adam be bringing the children?’ She knew the answer, but forced Georgina to say it.

  ‘No Liz,’ Georgina sounded sharp, the question had obviously irritated her. ‘We are all too busy,’ with the emphasis on the word all.

  ‘Oh dear, Tammy and Sasha will be so disappointed. They were really looking forward to seeing each other.’

  ‘I think it’s for the best,’ said Georgina. ‘There is no point in encouraging the friendship. Better to put a stop to it now.’

  Liz had never, ever disliked anyone before but she felt a real loathing for Georgina and desperately sorry for Sasha and Adam, although she realised that Adam only had himself to blame for letting it happen and creating a monster. She hadn’t really expected her to change her mind but she had hoped.

  Tammy was so excited on Sunday morning. She woke up at five thirty, jumped up and knocked on Monica’s door. A bleary eyed Monica made a noise which Tammy translated as come in.

  ‘Time to get up,’ she said excitedly.

  ‘What time is it?’ said Monica with her eyes closed tight.

  ‘It’s seven,’ Tammy lied.

  ‘It’s Sunday,’ replied Monica, ‘I’ll get up in half an hour.’

  ‘OK,’ said Tammy. ‘I’ll bring you a cup of tea,’ and out she went.

  At six o’clock she came back with tea and biscuits on a tray.

  ‘Mmmm,’ Monica opened one eye. Tammy had angled the bedside clock to face away from the bed and put the tray on the bedside table. Monica opened the other eye. ‘Awww, this is so nice of you.’ She put her hands on either side of her bottom and pulled herself up into a sitting position so she could drink her tea. ‘What’s this for, what have you done?’

  ‘Nothing,’ said Tammy, feigning indignation. ‘It’s just to say thank you.’

  ‘Well, you’re very welcome,’ said Monica. ‘I’ll drink this and we’ll get started.’

  Tammy went off to get dressed, not in her party clothes yet but leggings and tee shirt as she intended being very hands on in the party preparations.

  Monica sat in bed sipping tea and thinking about how much things had changed since they moved in. She had given up her takeaway addiction and had lost weight as a result. On the other hand she was still single and may well be for the rest of her life, but things could be worse. She felt happy, until she turned the clock around that is. ‘Tammmeeeeee!!’

  Tammy was chuckling away in the kitchen.

  Monica couldn’t be mad for long, it was a great cup of tea after all. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat there for a few seconds before heading to the shower.

  * * *

  Unusually for Liz she was still in bed. The realisation that she did in fact love Nick was a revelation to her too. She knew how she felt when he touched her, that butterfly churn in the pit of her stomach and the tingling at the back of her neck. It was definitely love. She felt lucky to have another chance at happiness and snuggled down under the covers.

  The phone rang at seven o’clock. It was Tammy asking when she could come over.

  ‘Give me fifteen minutes,’ said Liz.

  Tammy was on Liz’s doorstep at seven fifteen on the dot. She was carrying a large box containing party bags, banners and balloons. Monica was struggling down the path with three bulging carrier bags of shopping.

  ‘I’ll take those,’ said Liz, as she walked up the path to meet her.

  ‘There’s more.’ Monica put the three bags down on the step. Liz carried them inside as Monica made two more trips to bring the rest of the food and decorations.

  ‘Right, where shall we start?’

  ‘How about if we start with the food and then we’ll sort out the balloons and banners for the garden?’

  The three of them got to work and employed every single Tupperware container they owned between them to fill with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and cheese slices. The baps were already prepared and placed in polythene bags.

  ‘Oh no.’ Monica had her hand up to her mouth. ‘I haven’t got anything vegetarian.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Liz assured her, ‘I have a couple of mushroom and cheese pizzas in the freezer and I made a huge vegetable lasagne, just in case. I knew Devlin wouldn’t touch a burger with a barge pole and there are bound to be a few more who feel the same.’

  ‘Not Rory,’ said Tammy, ‘he eats anything.’

  ‘Better allocate him three burgers. I don’t know where he puts it,’ added Liz. ‘Considering how much he eats he ought to be the size of a house. I wish I could eat like that.’

  ‘What time is Nick coming?’ Monica was grinning.

  ‘Not until around one. He’s bringing Milly and Bradley.’

  ‘She’s coming!’ said Tammy, jumping up and down on the spot.

  ‘Yes, she is, and Bradley is bringing some of his CDs to play after the DJ has finished. Apparently he is an aspiring DJ so you are a lucky girl.’

  ‘You two seem fairly cosy now,’ said Monica.

  ‘We are.’ Liz was icing the cupcakes as she spoke. ‘I realise that I can’t worry about everything. I have no control over Adam’s life. He is likely to move to America anyway so I have to get on with my own life and really, when I think about it, I’d hate for him to worry about me. It’s a shame Georgina is such a cow.’

  ‘Liz! I’ve never heard you say a bad word about anyone.’

  ‘No, I don’t say it out loud but I think it somet
imes. But she is Adam’s wife and Sasha and Leo’s mother so I try very hard to bite my tongue.’

  By eleven thirty they had all the food prepared and the napkins, plates and cutlery ready on the sideboard to be transferred to the garden tables. It was a gloriously sunny day.

  ‘We had better put the umbrellas up on the patio. It will still be fairly hot at two and some of the older people might like to sit in the shade.’

  They finished up in the kitchen and went outside to decorate the garden. ‘I think fifty balloons may have been a bit ambitious,’ said Monica, after struggling to blow up ten. ‘It’s making me dizzy.’ Tammy couldn’t even manage one so instead she was responsible for tying the string to the ends and hanging them up on the pergola and the summer house.

  ‘Where will the DJ go?’ asked Monica.

  ‘That’s a point,’ said Liz. ‘I doubt he would be happy for too long in the hot sun. He’ll probably need an umbrella too.’

  ‘Unless he sets up on the veranda of the summer house,’ said Tammy.

  ‘Actually, that’s a good idea,’ said Liz. ‘It doesn’t get the sun until late afternoon and there are electric sockets already there. We won’t need to trail cables anywhere.’

  ‘Time for a break I think,’ said Liz as she put the last of the tumblers on the table. They looked around the garden. It was a perfect setting for a party. ‘What do you think Tammy?’

  ‘Spectacular!’ was the smiling response.

  Liz flicked the switch to the fountain and felt a rosy glow as she looked around. Her new memories of the garden were definitely pushing back the old ones. Monica and Tammy left to get changed into their party frocks and she had just put the kettle on when the doorbell rang.

  She looked out of the window to see Nick walking down the path. Milly and Bradley had run on ahead.

  She opened the door. ‘Hiya.’ Milly lurched forward and kissed her on the cheek. Nick caught up and kissed her on the other cheek.

  ‘You might want to put a sign on the door asking people to use the side gate,’ said Nick. ‘You won’t hear the doorbell if you’re all out in the garden.’

  ‘You’re right, I’ll make one.’

  Nick went through to the garden. It was the first time Milly and Bradley had been to Liz’s house and they were both keen to have a good look round.

  ‘Tammy will be back soon,’ Liz informed them. ‘She will be the perfect guide. She’s the expert on the garden transformation.’

  Liz had just started preparing a sign when she heard a car horn blast. It sounded like it was right outside the door.

  It was. The DJ had pulled his car almost up to the front door on the drive, his head poking out of the window. ‘All right to park here?’

  ‘You can unload there,’ Liz responded, ‘and then you can pull your car forward a bit.

  ‘Thanks Mrs’. He made a thumbs up sign before getting out of the car and heading towards the back to start unloading.

  Liz went out to the garden to tell Nick that the DJ had arrived and where he was to set up before going back to the office to write the sign. It was fast approaching two o’clock and there still seemed to be so much to do. She was starting to panic a bit.

  Nick came into the office. ‘How are you doing?’

  ‘Oh, it’s just a bit overwhelming. I haven’t had so many people in the house for years.’

  ‘Don’t worry, we will all help.’ Nick took her hand and kissed it gently. ‘It’s going to be great.’

  She stood up from the desk and hugged him before holding his face and kissing him passionately on the lips. She moved her arms around his chest and held him for a minute or two.

  ‘What was that for?’ He was taken by surprise.

  ‘You make me really happy.’ She was smiling.

  ‘The feeling’s mutual,’ he said, holding her briefly before relaxing his arms. ‘Now, shall I put this notice on the door while you go and get changed before everyone arrives?’

  ‘Thanks Nick, I haven’t had a minute.’

  As she was getting dressed she heard Monica and Tammy arrive and then other children chattering as the side gate opened and shut several times. She looked in the mirror. Her blonde highlights were a little lighter due to the sunshine and her lightly tanned skin glowed healthily. ‘Definitely not a witch now,’ she said to herself, as she put on her new dress and sandals. She tried to see herself through Nick’s eyes and when she did that, she liked what she saw. Nick made her feel alive and it was such a great feeling.

  She came downstairs to find Tammy absolutely beaming. Her smile could not get any wider. She looked gorgeous in her peach leggings and patterned tee shirt and she was loving being the centre of attention.

  She looked so grown up. Monica looked equally confident. Her smooth skin didn’t need much make-up and with her dark eyes and red lips she looked exotic in her brightly coloured summer dress.

  The DJ was ready and the tunes started pumping out. Monica was busy chatting to aunts and uncles that had come from far and wide. There was a little bit of reflection and sadness about Joanna but Monica did not let anyone dwell on it for too long. This was Tammy’s day and it was going to be a happy one.

  Rory arrived looking completely different. Liz had only ever seen him in his baggy work trousers and tatty tee shirts. Today, with his dark hair cut short and his pale blue tee shirt clinging tightly to his toned biceps he looked handsome. Tammy noticed Monica giving him a second look and later in the afternoon caught Rory watching Monica as she chatted to Liz.

  Devlin and Finn arrived around two thirty. It was the first time Liz had seen Devlin looking relaxed. He was usually so tightly wound. He was sitting under the umbrella eating lasagne and chatting to one of Monica’s aunts.

  Finn, as flamboyant as ever, had dyed his thick hair red and was wearing a pair of white dungarees. He was a tall, pale, skinny man who didn’t suit white. Rory told him he looked like a Swan Vesta matchstick and Finn laughed so hard he choked on this burger. Devlin looked on in horror as Rory performed the Heimlich manoeuvre on a spluttering Finn, whose face was now the same colour as his hair.

  Monica hadn’t actually chatted to Rory other than hello and goodbye. She had seen him at a distance coming and going and Tammy talked about him all the time but she hadn’t realised what a hunk he was until today.

  Nick was looking incredibly hot and bothered as he cooked the burgers and sausages, taking care to watch out for the screaming children who were now running around like lunatics. Liz grabbed a cold beer and headed over to the barbeque.

  ‘Here, you look like you could do with this.’

  ‘Thanks, that’s just what the doctor ordered. You look great by the way.’ He kissed her on the cheek and put his arm around her waist and although she didn’t mind she was grateful that Adam wasn’t there to witness such a public display of affection. She was only just getting comfortable with being in a relationship herself. She doubted Adam would have approved, especially in his father’s house.

  ‘Have you heard from Adam?’

  ‘No, nothing. I did talk to Georgina yesterday and she said they had packing to do. They won’t be coming, which is a shame. I was hoping that you could meet them. I am really disappointed for Sasha, she tried her hardest to persuade them and Tammy would have loved her to be here.’ As she finished speaking Tammy ran up to her.

  ‘I don’t think Sasha is coming, do you?’

  ‘No hun. They are really busy,’ she lied. Tammy looked sad. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll stay in touch.’

  The conversation was interrupted by Lauren who needed Tammy to bolster her courage. Lauren was the oldest in the class and was therefore almost twelve. She wanted to be introduced to Bradley.

  Bradley had the kudos of firstly being fourteen and therefore in Lauren’s eyes much older, secondly not being that interested in girls and therefore more of a challenge, and lastly fairly shy which to Lauren made him a bit mysterious. Tammy was glad to help and the pair of them went off giggling.

&
nbsp; As soon as Tammy left Monica replaced her at Liz’s side. ‘It’s going really well don’t you think?’

  ‘I do,’ said Liz. ‘It’s a great party. How are you holding up?’

  Monica was pleased to be away from her aunts. ‘I haven’t seen them in ages and yet the first words out of both their mouths were haven’t you got a man yet?’ She imitated their accent. ‘What’s wrong wit you, a good looking girl like you going to waste.’ Liz and Nick laughed.

  All of a sudden Liz heard Tammy let out an almighty shriek and she turned to see her running across the garden as Sasha, wearing an almost identical outfit, ran down the path from the back gate. They met by the fountain and Tammy lifted up her friend and squealed with delight.

  ‘You came!’ Tammy’s school friends were now heading towards them, including the boys who were intrigued by this blonde slip of a thing with a very posh accent. Liz looked at the two of them for a while, really pleased for both of them.

  She looked towards the gate and waited with baited breath until Adam emerged holding Leo’s hand. Leo pulled himself loose as soon as he saw the garden full of children and ran towards Sasha and Tammy. Adam stood for a second on the patio as Georgina caught up with him. He looked a little tense at first until he spotted Liz and relaxed into the biggest smile she had seen on his face in a very long time.

  Georgina looked as if she was off to Ascot, minus the hat.

  ‘Adam!’ Liz exclaimed, rushing towards them and kissing him on the cheek. She said a polite hello to Georgina as Nick and Monica caught up. ‘Nick, this is my son Adam and his wife Georgina.’

  ‘Nice to meet you,’ said Adam, as they shook hands.

  Georgina didn’t waste any time. She said a cursory hello to Liz and Monica before turning her attention to Nick. ‘I’ve been dying to meet you.’ She beamed a dazzling smile that most sharks would be proud of.