The Single Wife : 'Liane Moriarty meets Elin Hilderbrand in an addictive summer read'

by Ella Grey

  “He wasn’t always that bad, and he loved you so very much.”

  Olivia shook her head sadly. “He loved the idea of me, I think. He got a hell of a shock when we split up because he didn’t see it coming. He just liked the idea of his being in control, and when I pulled the plug he was blindsided.”

  “Maybe, but that never excused what I did.”

  “You just fell for the same things that I did, his smile, his charm, and that so-called little-boy-lost routine. Peter was always very skilled at making women fall for him.” Olivia was looking at things a lot more clearly now. “I think I might have known it at the time too. It was easier to think that you two just had a drunken fling, but I don’t think it was quite that simple.”

  Robin simply nodded. She didn’t really want to get into that with Olivia – it wasn’t fair.

  “Anyway,” her friend sighed, “he’s out of both of our lives now and, to be honest, I think we’re the better for it.” She grinned. “He can have his bloody divorce and good riddance! Although, in fairness, he was great with Jake.”

  There was silence for a long moment, as both women remained lost in their own thoughts and memories, neither knowing quite what to say next.

  Then Olivia reached into her bag, took something out and laid it on her lap. She looked speculatively at Robin.

  “I brought some photos – of Jake,” she said carefully, and Robin’s heart leapt with fear, anticipation, she wasn’t quite sure what. “I was planning on sending you one on each birthday, but you were so insistent that you didn’t want to look back …”

  Her stomach fluttered. “You were right – at the time, it would only have made things harder.” She paused, and stared at the small photo-album. Then she smiled. “But I’d love to see them now.” And she realised that she meant it.

  “I hoped you would.”

  She duly laid the photo album on the table, while both scooted their chairs closer. Then the two old friends sat side by side as Olivia slowly turned the first page.

  62

  Amanda lay deathlike on the bed, looking tired and worn-out, although Leah could tell that her make-up had been carefully applied and her hair was freshly washed.

  “Hello, Mummy Clarke,” she said, and Amanda’s eyes opened wide with delight when she saw her two visitors.

  “Hi!” she said sitting up easily and then as if remembering, her face contorted into a grimace worthy of a day-time-soap actress. “Ah, sorry,” she whispered frailly, “but I’m still sooo sore ….”

  “You poor thing,” Kate soothed, but Leah could hear the sadistic pleasure in her tone. “So it wasn’t as ‘beautiful’ an experience as you’d imagined?”

  “There is nothing beautiful about any of it, as you well know,” she said huffily. “I can’t understand how they honestly think there’s anything natural about all that huffing and puffing and pushing and oh, don’t get me started…”

  “You did it though, didn’t you?” Leah looked in awe at the tiny pink bundle in the crib beside the bed. “And she’s beautiful.”

  “Just like her mum, eh?” Andrew bellowed, entering the room. He leant over Amanda and gave her a delicate kiss on the forehead.

  “Uh, stay away from me, you – it’s all your fault I’m here in the first place,” she groaned, looking thoroughly peeved. “And that’s another thing,” she said, addressing Kate as if by magic the two of them were now best friends, solidarity sisters. “Why do they let men in the delivery room with cameras? Honestly! Throughout the entire hellish experience I didn’t see Andrew for dust and then when it was all over and I’m lying in the bed looking like the Wreck of Hesperus with my hair matted to my forehand and my face drenched with sweat, he swanns in with the camera.”

  Leah smiled weakly at the mention of a camera, but realised that it didn’t hurt her quite so much any more. She wasn’t over Josh, but she was on her way and she knew she’d get through it.

  “Just think, you’ll be able to look back on that in years to come and little … little … hey, did you pick a name for her yet?”

  Andrew and Amanda’s eyes met and a secret smile passed between them. “Yes, we’re going to call her Lulu,” she confirmed.

  “Aww,” Leah and Kate cried in unison.

  “Sorry, we missed that – what are you calling her?” Olivia said from the doorway.

  And to Leah’s total amazement and delight, standing behind her was Robin.

  “Come in, come in – hey!” Andrew grinned, surprised. “It’s great to see you, stranger.”

  “Thanks,” Robin smiled shyly around the room.

  “Well I must admit, I didn’t expect this much attention,” Amanda said, though Leah could tell she was delighted that so many of the old gang had seen fit to visit her. She looked around. “Me, Andrew, Leah, Kate, Olivia, Robin – it’s almost like a reunion.”

  “Like the reunion that never was?” Kate said sardonically. “I told you lot that it was a stupid idea, but of course, you were all so sure …”

  Leah stood back and looked around at the faces of her friends, the ones she’d known all this time, the people she knew would help her get through any difficult times ahead.

  She and Kate had a great chat over lunch, and she knew now that her friend had been afraid to ask for help with Dylan, because she worried Leah might feel obliged.

  And find it difficult, given her own sacrifice.

  Obviously Robin and Olivia had sorted out a few things too, and now they looked relaxed and easy with one another. It was wonderful to behold.

  Amanda had the new baby in her arms now, and she and Andrew were looking at their daughter and back to one another with such love and pride that Leah knew that motherhood – parenthood – was an experience she didn’t want to miss, shouldn’t have to sacrifice.

  She smiled inwardly. Goodness knows who the misfortunate future father would be but …

  “My don’t you have a lot of friends, Mammy Clarke.” A nurse came in on her rounds and smiled at them all.

  Amanda beamed. “Yes, I suppose I do,” she said proudly.

  “Well, give me that camera of yours,” the nurse said to Andrew, “and I’ll snap one of ye all.”

  “You don’t mind?”

  “Course not – these gatherings don’t happen every day, and I know what it can be like. By the next time you lot get together it could be years.”

  They all duly gathered round the bed, and Leah realised that this was a reunion of sorts really.

  And although they were missing the one that scattered them apart, they had gained a brand new one who had somehow brought them together again. Today was a new chapter, a new beginning – for all of them.

  Six happy faces looked into the camera and smiled.

  The other just yawned.

  Endnotes

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