A Year Like No Other

by Pauline Lawless

  On the 5th of December, the Eve of St Nicholas, when Santa Claus comes to the children of France, they all gathered for a girls’ night at Ashling’s. Jazz and Felicity arrived laden down with presents to leave by the chimney for Orna, Ciara and Pierre. As a special treat, Pierre was allowed to stay the night.

  The little fellow had taken a huge shine to Jazz and sat on her knee playing with her hair. He was so like his father that it was heartbreaking but thank goodness he had Sophie’s sweet nature. Jazz hoped he wouldn’t turn out to be a love-rat like his father.

  The four women had been meeting once a week for a girls’ night and had become firm friends. Jazz had to try and bury her guilt over her affair with Yves but it was getting easier as she and Sophie became close. She prayed that Sophie would never learn of her indiscretion although the better she got to know her, the more she began to think that Sophie might understand.

  When the children were in bed the four women gathered around chatting over a bottle of wine.

  “Any word on Taylor?” They all looked at Jazz, knowing that she and Brandon were close.

  She told them what had happened. Now that their divorce was going through and Taylor would not be back in Paris again, Brandon saw no reason to keep it a secret any longer and had given Jazz permission to the tell the others about it.

  “My God, so much has happened to all of us since September. I can’t believe it!” Ashling remarked.

  “I wonder if the next nine months will be as exciting,” Jazz smiled at her and gave her a little secret wink. Felicity and Sophie knew nothing about Ashling’s book as she didn’t want to tempt fate by saying anything about it until it was a done deal.

  “It’s wonderful having such good friends,” Felicity said, thinking that these friends were much more genuine than any she had back in London. But then of course, she had changed so much that she was a different person now.

  She had the others in stitches telling them of her conversations with Georgina.

  “God, I can’t imagine calling my mother ‘Nora’,” Ashling laughed.

  “My mother would kill me if I called her anything other than Mami,” Jazz told them.

  They had a lovely evening and arranged to meet in Jazz’s apartment the following week for their last girls’ night before the Christmas break.

  Felicity’s mother had come to realise that her daughter had finally developed some backbone and wouldn’t be bullied any more. She had phoned Felicity to say that she expected her for Christmas, as usual.

  “Sorry, Mother, but we are staying in Paris for Christmas. The girls are coming over and you and father are more than welcome to come here too.”

  She steadfastly refused to call her mother Georgina any longer and her mother had finally accepted it. After much wheedling and bullying, Georgina realised that Felicity was standing her ground. Reluctantly she agreed to come to Paris.

  Her father rang that night when Georgina had gone to her Women’s Institute meeting. “Good girl! How did you manage it? I’ve been dying to come and visit it you. Jolly great stuff!” he said admiringly.

  Next she received a call from Penny. “Congrats, sis! At last you’ve cut the umbilical chord. Georgina is mighty miffed.”

  “Tough shit!” Felicity replied, shocking her sister into silence. She’d never, ever used language like that before. “Father is delighted and I know we’ll all have a jolly good time.”

  “Well, I’m just thrilled. I’ve always hated having to spend Christmas in that draughty, cold house. Jeremy is delighted too that we can stay home here for once.”

  “Great! Everyone’s happy then!”

  “Except perhaps Georgina!”

  “She’ll get over it.”

  Penny laughed with glee. “Whoa, Mother’s finally met her match!”

  Brandon asked Mimi to get Taylor’s things together for shipment back to New York. He would send them to their apartment there until he heard what she wanted to do with them. He was amazed at the amount of clothes that she had amassed since coming to Paris. Mimi filled box after box and, when it was done, he shipped the lot off. Bob would organise collection at the New York end. He held on to her jewellery, putting it in the safe. He reckoned that she would hardly have any call for it in this new life she was living.

  He had decided he would let the apartment go and move to a bijou place such as the one Jazz had. Sophie was already busy looking for one for him. He sadly would have to let Mimi go. She wasn’t too bothered as she was bored rattling around the big apartment all day with nothing to do. Sophie found another position for her, starting in January, and Brandon paid her up until then but told her that she could have the intervening weeks off. She was more than happy with that.

  He and Jazz were having dinner together three or four times a week now. He loved eating at her place as she was a great cook and in return he took her out to restaurants. He hated eating in restaurants alone and so did she so the arrangement suited both of them. Both Ashling and Felicity invited them around at weekends so, in fact, Brandon hardly missed Taylor at all. He certainly didn’t miss the rows – that was for sure. His life was now peaceful.

  He was looking forward to the Christmas break and spending time with the kids. He’d booked them into the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados for the week and it would be a badly needed break for him too.

  Jazz was going back to Munich for Christmas and hoped to get in some skiing while there. She realised that she was actually weary and was looking forward to the break. All the emotional ups-and-downs with Yves had taken their toll and the work-load had been relentless these past few weeks. It was time to recharge the batteries.

  She’d gone all-out for her girls’ night and they’d all got pretty drunk on the exotic cocktails she’d served. It had been a hilarious night and they’d exchanged gifts with each other. They’d been in high spirits and all were looking forward to the Christmas break.

  Sophie told them that she was spending Christmas with her sister in the French Alps. They hoped to get in some skiing too.

  Ashling was getting organised to go back to Ireland for Christmas the following weekend. She had never been so busy and there were parties and lunches coming out her ears. Firstly, there was a party in the Irish Embassy that they’d been invited to, then her wine course party and lastly Kieran’s office party. Corey had also invited her out for a special Christmas lunch.

  Everything was happening so fast that she barely had time to catch her breath.

  Orna and Ciara were also madly excited about the Christmas party that they were having at school on the last day of term. Ashling took them to Tartine et Chocolat, the beautiful children’s boutique, and bought them the most adorable matching outfits she’d ever seen. They would also wear them on Christmas Day back in Ireland.

  Ashling and Jazz went shopping on Saturday and met up at Galeries Lafayette. To her surprise Jazz took her to the Herve Leger boutique and insisted that she try on some of his dresses.

  “I told you you’d be wearing one of these dresses by Christmas and I was right,” Jazz said, pushing her into the changing room with at least six dresses over her arm.

  “Oh God, I’ll never fit into these,” Ashling cried.

  “Of course you will. Just shut up and try them on!” Jazz was being very forceful indeed.

  Ashling did as she was told. To her amazement they not only fitted her but they looked fantastic too. As she came out of the dressing room with her favourite – a midnight-blue one – Jazz let out a wolf-whistle. “Wow, amazing! You look sensational. You’re going to wow them all at the office party.”

  Ashling could hardly believe it was herself looking back at her from the mirror. She looked slim and glamorous and . . . actually sexy! It was unbelievable.

  “Oh, my God, it’s gorgeous,” she said, turning this way and that.

  “You’re gorgeous,” Jazz said, hugging her. “This is my Christmas present to you.”

  “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly . . .”

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bsp; “Bullshit! I insist.” Jazz would hear no argument and went up to the cash desk to pay for the dress as Ashling got changed.

  “Thank you so much, Jazz. I’d never have had the confidence to buy this myself.” She felt like crying.

  “Nonsense! You’ve lost so much weight, you deserve it. And you’ve been a wonderful friend to me through all my drama.” Jazz’s voice was filled with emotion. “Now let’s get you a pair of shoes to match,” she said, ushering Ashling to the shoe department.

  “God, you’re real bossy when you want to be,” Ashling laughed.

  “You should see me in the office! I’m being a pussycat now.”

  They both roared laughing.

  “God help the men. You’re a right ball-breaker,” Ashling cried as the saleswoman came towards them.

  The office party was held in a restaurant close to Jazz’s apartment on the Île Saint-Louis. It wasn’t the kind of Christmas party that Ashling was used to back in Dublin where everyone got mouldy drunk and all kinds of shenanigans took place, leaving red faces all around the following morning. This party was a more civilised affair and although everyone enjoyed the fantastic food and wonderful wine it was all rather genteel.

  She wore her new Herve Leger dress and she felt like a million dollars in it. The compliments she received echoed Kieran’s comments that she looked more beautiful than he’d ever seen her. He said he couldn’t wait to show all their old friends in Ireland this chic new woman his wife had become.

  Jazz had been dreading being in such close social contact with Yves but Brandon and Ashling made sure that they were kept apart, seating her at one end of the table with them, and Yves at the other end with Felicity and Max in between. She noticed that Yves was very quiet and almost morose and there seemed to be some tension between him and Sophie. Jazz took care not to drink too much so that she wouldn’t get emotional and, when the meal was over, invited Brandon, Ashling and Kieran back to her place where the party turned out to be rather more fun.

  The following day was the final day of work before they broke up for holidays. Mid-morning, they decided to finish up as no one was in much of a mood for working. They went to l’Excelsior to share a last Christmas drink and left at midday amid shouts of ‘Happy Christmas!’ and ‘Have a good holiday!’

  Kieran rang Ashling and she told him that she was writing in Les Deux Magots. He decided to surprise her and take her out for lunch. His taxi pulled up outside the café just in time to see Ashling leave it with a very handsome silver-haired man. She was laughing up at him and, as they crossed the street, the older man took her hand to guide her. Passers-by smiled at the happy, good-looking couple. Kieran sat transfixed. This couldn’t be happening! Who was this man? Where were they going? Kieran felt as though his whole world was falling apart. He asked the taxi driver to drive him home where he sat slumped in the chair waiting for Ashling to arrive.

  The phone rang and he listened as the answering machine picked up. It was Ashling’s mother.

  “Hello, love. Just checking that you’re all set for tomorrow. Fee will pick you up at the airport. By the way, I just finished Corey’s latest book. Tell him I loved it. What a charming man he is too! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Bye, love.”

  Corey! The writer fellow Ashling had mentioned. Was he the man he’d seen holding Ashling’s hand earlier? How come her mother knew him? Kieran was sick to his stomach. Was it possible that his wife was having an affair behind his back?He never asked her what she did with her days.He knew she’d been writing a book but that surely didn’t take up the whole day, every day? He didn’t believe that Ashling would do this to him. They’d always been honest and truthful with each other. Still, he couldn’t forget the way she’d looked up at the other man, her face alive and laughing, or the way he had so casually taken her hand. Oh God, what will I do if she loves him? He felt anguished.

  “Kieran! What are you doing home so early?” Ashling cried, when she came in later with the girls in tow. Her eyes were sparkling and it was obvious that she’d had a few drinks.

  “We finished early,” he replied, not looking at her as he helped Orna off with her coat.

  “We had a great time at school today, Daddy,” Orna told him.

  Ashling busied herself with Ciara, who was also relaying all that had happened at their Christmas party.

  “That’s great, love,” she said, getting out some juice for them. “Have you eaten, Kieran?”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “No, me neither,” she replied.

  He waited for her to say something more but she didn’t, busying herself with the girls. She then went upstairs to pack for their trip to Ireland the following day.

  As the evening went on he waited for her to say something about this Corey guy but she never mentioned him. She listened to her mother’s voicemail and still she never said a word.

  “When did your mother meet this Corey guy?” he asked her nonchalantly.

  “We met him in the park on the Sunday Mum was here,” she replied, equally casual.

  “Corey, Corey!” Ciara chanted.

  “Daddy, he knows where to buy the bestest ice cream in Paris,” Orna informed him.

  “Yeah, Corey gave us yummy ice cream and his beard is tickly,” Ciara giggled.

  “When did my daughters meet this Corey guy?” Kieran asked Ashling, glaring at her.

  “As I said – when we went to the park,” she replied without meeting his eyes.

  “Two times,” Orna stated matter of factly.

  “Corey is a nice man. Mammy likes him too. Don’t you, Mammy?”

  Ashling blushed. “Yes, he is a nice man. Now come on, girls, and let’s get your toys ready to take with us,” she said, ushering them upstairs.

  Kieran sat with his head in his hands. Now he was sure there was something going on. Why had she never introduced him to this Corey? He felt scared and didn’t know how to handle it. What did one do in this situation?

  His thoughts were interrupted by a phone call from his sister in Dublin. His mother was failing fast. Her doctors reckoned that it was only a matter of days. He hoped that she’d last till he got there the following day.

  He was quiet and subdued all evening and Ashling supposed it was because of his mother. She just hoped it was nothing to do with Corey.

  44

  Kieran’s mother did live just long enough for him to say goodbye. She died peacefully, two hours after he arrived at the hospital in Dublin, with all her family around her. She’d had a good life and they all agreed that it was a merciful release as she would have hated being an invalid for the rest of her days. Still, Kieran missed her and felt unutterably sad.

  He was very grateful to his colleagues in Paris who all rang him to sympathise with him. Ashling was a great support throughout the next few days and he pushed his fears to the back of his mind as they celebrated a quieter Christmas than usual.

  Brandon spent a lovely relaxing week at the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados with his twins. For the first time he saw them as adults and he liked the people they’d become. They had matured a lot in the past year and he had no fears for them in the future.

  They’d gone to visit Taylor the previous weekend and had been shocked by what they’d found. They’d hoped to convince her to come with them to Barbados but after two minutes in her company realised that what Brandon had told them was true. She was too far gone to be saved. She wasn’t too happy to see them and after half an hour told them to leave. They reckoned that they were interfering with her drug-taking. Mia cried all the way to the airport and Mike tried to comfort her in vain. They now understood Brandon’s devastation at how low she’d fallen. They knew how unhappy he’d been with their mother and that he’d stayed in the marriage for their sake. They both hoped that he would meet some nice woman who would make him happy. Judging by the attention he was receiving from the wealthy women in the resort, they knew that he would have no problem attracting a new partner. They grinned at each other as t
hey saw Brandon smiling at a text he received on Christmas Day. It was from Jazz and he rang her back to wish her a Happy Christmas.

  The three of them had a fabulous holiday together swimming, sailing and snorkelling and getting to know each other better. Although none of them would have voiced it, they all secretly thought that the presence of Taylor, with all her demands, would have made for a much more stressful holiday for all around.

  Jazz was glad to be back with her family in Munich where they had a white Christmas. She enjoyed catching up with all her old friends and felt her heart was finally healing after all the heartbreak inflicted by Yves. The fact that she wasn’t seeing him every day probably helped. On Stephen’s Day she was going skiing with a group of her old university friends and she was looking forward to catching up with all they’d been doing while she was away.

  That Christmas was the year Felicity came into her own. She organised the festivities with such flair that even her mother was unable to find any fault whatsoever. The apartment was beautifully decorated and the food she produced worthy of any Michelin-starred restaurant. Max beamed with pride and the girls were thrilled with this new relaxed mother who didn’t keep after them all the time about untidy rooms or unsuitable clothes.

  Felicity’s father, Nigel, was delighted with this change in his beloved daughter. He looked on in amazement as she deftly put Georgina in her place, time and time again. To his surprise his wife accepted it and became quite mellow. Maybe this is how he should have treated her all these years. If Felicity could manage it, surely he could too. It gave him hope.

  Felicity was in her element, doing what she did best which was taking care of her family. It gave her great satisfaction to see the look on her mother’s face when she told her that she planned on going into the catering business. “Well, well,” was Georgina’s only response.