by Susan Lewis
It wasn’t that Patty wished to know the details of other people’s lives, far from it, she’d never been the nosy or gossipy type. It was simply that she took some small comfort from the fact that what she herself had allowed to happen here was perhaps not so terrible when compared to the indiscretions or misdemeanours of others.
Sinking down on the sofa, she put her head in her hands, and might have allowed herself the luxury of tears had her mobile not started to ring. Expecting it to be the cleaners letting her know that they’d been held up or were lost, she went to fish the phone out of the box where she’d dropped it, and was about to click on when she saw it was Coral. Feeling unable to cope with her friend right now, she let the call go through to messages, and started to unpack the things she’d brought in with her. Disinfectant. Loo rolls. Washing-up liquid. Kitchen towels. Brillo pads.
Ordinarily she didn’t get involved in shopping for the household products, but her assistant, Greg, was off this week, so she’d added his list to her own when she’d gone to the supermarket to purchase the welcome pack of white wine, milk, tea, coffee, sugar, eggs, a loaf of bread, a small pack of half-fat butter and assorted marmalades and jams.
Realising her mistake, she let out a groan of dismay. The next guests weren’t due to arrive until Saturday, and today was only Tuesday. How could she have been so stupid? Where was her head? This was a complete waste of time, never mind milk, bread and butter, and exactly when had the owners started providing such an expensive bottle of wine for their guests? Since it was one of her brother-in-law’s favourites, maybe she should give it to him, except she couldn’t because she’d have to give a reason for the gift, and as that would mean admitting she’d made a mistake she’d better just take it home and hide it.
Or maybe she’d sit here and drink it.
Not an option with the cleaners on their way and her mobile ringing again.
Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself firmly that she could do this. She could speak to anyone and everything would be all right. Everyone knew Patty could cope, and the reason they knew that was because it was true. The instant she saw who was calling, her resolve fell apart. The very last thing she needed right now was Reece preaching at her like some evangelical lunatic, so he could go through to messages too.
No sooner had the ringing stopped than it started again.
‘Hey, Mum, you’re not going to believe this …’ Jake began when she answered. A few minutes later, realising she’d registered almost nothing at all of what he’d told her, she said, ‘That’s fantastic. Great news, but I’m afraid I can’t stay now, my darling. Ring any time, though. Love to everyone,’ and ringing off, she put the phone down on the table to start … To start what? She couldn’t remember what she was supposed to be doing.
Experiencing a moment of panic, she looked around the kitchen, and realising where she was she felt herself starting to steady … Wayfarers Cottage at Seatown. Cleaners on their way. Changeover happening this week. A fortnight’s rental and then the decorators were coming in to freshen the place up. If she focused on the small things then maybe the rest wouldn’t seem to matter so much.
Her phone rang again. It was like that all the time. It almost never stopped.
Seeing who it was, she was tempted to let it go to messages again, but since Don was just about the only person she felt able to speak to, she allowed herself to click on.
‘Hi,’ he said, ‘are you OK? I got your message.’
Message? She couldn’t recall leaving one. What had she said? ‘I’m fine,’ she answered, summoning a smile to try and calm herself. ‘Well, actually, a bit wound up,’ she confessed, ‘but nothing new there.’ She laughed, and found herself wondering when she’d last really laughed.
There was an unsettling concern in his voice as he said, ‘Where are you? Do you want me to come?’
‘No! No,’ she answered quickly. ‘I mean, thanks, but I’m fine, honestly. Have you … Have you spoken to Eva since this morning?’
‘About ten minutes ago. She was on her way to Bobbie’s.’
On her way to Bobbie’s. That meant she was still in London. ‘Did she say when she’s coming home?’
‘Some time tomorrow, she’ll let me know what time to pick her up.’
Patty’s head fell back in an effort to sink the rising tears.
‘Where are you?’ he said more firmly this time. ‘I’m coming to get you.’
‘No,’ she protested. ‘There’s no need, honestly.’
Unbearable seconds ticked by before he asked, ‘Has she told you about offering Jasmine a job?’
Patty swallowed. ‘Yes, she mentioned it, but we haven’t really discussed it yet.’
‘So what do you think?’
What did she think? Did he really want to hear what she thought? She was sick to death of hiding things from her sister – that was what she was thinking. All the secrets and lies, the efforts to protect her from any more pain, were starting to wear her down, and sometimes there were days when she didn’t know how much more she could take. She didn’t say any of that, though – instead, before she answered, she forced herself back from the brink so he wouldn’t think she was losing her mind. Finally she said, ‘She means well. Her motives are good.’
‘I don’t doubt that,’ he replied. ‘I’m just wondering about what’ll happen if …’
‘… things go wrong? Yes, I’m worried about that too, but if she’s determined to give it a go I don’t see how we can stop her.’
There was another long silence during which she realised that he had no more idea what to say than she did, so what else was there for her to do but hang up?
‘Olivia!’
Livvy looked up from her sketchbook, and seeing her mother’s best friend, all bubbly auburn hair and lively blue eyes, coming in through the open door, she broke into a smile of welcome. ‘Coral, hi,’ she said, putting her pad aside to go and greet her. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’
With one of her typically flamboyant hand gestures Coral said, ‘You know me, I like to keep up to speed with all the new stuff you’ve got in. Plus, I’m interested to see the latest designs. Will’s firm is having a big do in Exeter again this Christmas, and much as I love what Eva created for me last year, I can’t be seen wearing it for a second time, now can I?’
Unable to disagree, Livvy steered her towards the portfolios stacked on the coffee table and took off to the kitchenette to pour a glass of wine. Knowing Coral as well as she did, she didn’t have to ask what she’d like to drink after the clock struck five. Livvy was also au fait with the kind of style Coral preferred when it came to couture, which some might say was a tad young for a woman in her mid forties, but since she had the figure for tight fits, low cuts and slashed seams, and actually wore ruffles and bling pretty well, Livvy saw no reason to try and coax her towards less extravagant designs.
‘No Eva today?’ Coral called out.
‘She’s in London,’ Livvy replied, coming through with a generous glass of Pinot Grigio. ‘Back tomorrow, I think.’
Giving a sigh of pleasure as she took the drink, and following it with another straight after the first sip, Coral smiled playfully. ‘Perfect,’ she declared. ‘Won’t you join me?’
‘I’m still working,’ Livvy reminded her. ‘Actually, now you’re here you can take your invite to the autumn show. We’ve already got you down for it, obviously, but you can save us the cost of a stamp if you take it with you.’
Laughing as though Livvy had made a very funny joke, Coral slipped the envelope into her bag, saying, ‘I take it Mum’s going?’
Livvy looked incredulous. ‘Like ye-es,’ she answered. ‘In fact, Eva’s hoping to persuade her to model some of the stuff for “the older woman”, same as last time.’
Coral raised an eyebrow. ‘Mm, I’m sure she’ll be delighted, provided you don’t mention the older bit.’
Livvy chuckled. ‘She’s got a grip on it, and like I keep telling her, she’s really great
for her age.’
‘More advice,’ Coral cautioned, ‘cut the last three words. Anyway, I was hoping I might find her here. I’ve been trying her all day, but I can’t seem to get through. Do you know where she is?’
Livvy went to fetch herself a coffee. Returning with it, she said, ‘The last time we spoke she was over in Seatown sorting out one of the cottages. I think she’s got a pretty full schedule this week.’
Coral rolled her eyes. ‘When hasn’t she? In fact, I’m starting to become a little concerned about her.’
Instantly worried that she might have missed something, Livvy said, ‘That’s weird, because she’d been giving me the impression she was worried about you.’
Coral’s eyes narrowed curiously. ‘Why, what did she say?’
Livvy shrugged. ‘Nothing specific, just that you were having a bit of a stressful time with one thing and another, which was why she was seeing so much of you, to offer some moral support.’
Coral nodded slowly, and her eyes went down as she took another sip of her drink. ‘Well, we all know how marvellous she is at that,’ she murmured, ‘and I must admit, I’m very grateful for it. Now, let’s have a look through these books, shall we? I’m in the mood for something pink this time, and I’m keen to see what you’ve been coming up with, young lady, because I think it’s high time I commissioned something from you.’
Eva was on the roof terrace of Bobbie’s penthouse apartment topping up the birdfeeders and pulling parched plants from dry pots, while Bobbie lay stretched out in the midday sun barking instructions down the phone at her long-suffering assistant. She was a large, vibrant soul on the home stretch to sixty, with a cloud of fiery red hair and a lusciously creamy complexion that was the envy of many women half her age. Her laugh was famously raucous and her eyes as shrewd as they were merry, while her copious kaftans were as much a part of her colourful image as her vast collection of Indian jewellery.
‘OK, all yours again – at least for five minutes,’ she said, yawning as she clicked off the line. ‘And will you please stop fussing with all that? Come and sit down. Is it time for a cocktail? Hell, what time is it? This jet lag has really got me pooped. Whenever have you known me to peg out over dinner the way I did last night? Never been heard of. Was it last night, or the night before?’ Her eyes softened as Eva came to sit on the lounger next to hers. ‘Look at you,’ she said, reaching for Eva’s hand, ‘you can still make this old heart melt, do you know that?’
Eva smiled as she watched a chaffinch hop along the railings towards the feeder.
‘Do you mind that I’ve got your photo back in pride of place downstairs?’ Bobbie asked gently.
‘No, of course not,’ Eva assured her, though it had taken her aback when she’d arrived the previous evening to see it hanging in its old place. It was the one that had launched her, blown up to at least ten feet by eight, so that it virtually dominated the sitting-room wall. There were dozens of others filling up the rest of the space, many of models she used to know well, but plenty more of those who’d come along since. She’d wondered why Bobbie had chosen to rehang hers now, when there had been no sign of it for years. Could it be because Nick had come to visit, she’d wondered. The thought of it had caused a ripple of unease to coast across her heart. She hadn’t asked, and nor would she.
‘Did we talk about that last night?’ Bobbie said, screwing up her nose.
Eva nodded and smiled. ‘A couple of times, but don’t worry, we’re not going to have you committed yet.’
Losing another yawn to a chuckle, Bobbie said, ‘Just shoot me, it’s quicker and more humane. Anyway, I’m glad you could stay on today, because I’ve missed you, sweetie, and I definitely wasn’t much company last night. Did we go to Launceston Place? Of course we did, it’s where I always go. What did we talk about? Just so’s I don’t go repeating myself again.’
Since Eva hadn’t mentioned anything about her visit to Shelley’s office the day before, she only had to remind Bobbie of the trip they’d made down memory lane, to the time they’d visited Hawaii together on a shoot for a suntan-lotion commercial that had ended up running all over the world. From there they’d moved on to other trips – Barbados, Tahiti, Moscow, Cape Town, Canberra – so many locations as well as people and products to promote that they’d lost track of them all now. It was while they were trying to remember the name of a Swedish stylist who’d been arrested for indecency during a photo shoot in Berlin that Bobbie’s head had started to droop. After that, Eva had brought her home and helped Manuela, Bobbie’s eccentric and devoted housekeeper of thirty years, to put her to bed.
‘So did we remember the scoundrel’s name in the end?’ Bobbie asked, massaging an arthritic ache in her hand.
‘Jannik,’ Eva supplied, ‘but please don’t ask me his surname because that would be too much.’
‘Oh hell,’ Bobbie groaned as the phone started to ring again. She stared at it balefully. ‘Shall I answer it? Nah! They can always call back. Now tell me about you, and spare me the platitudes and pretend stuff, I want to know everything you’ve been up to. How’s my dear friend Don? Still taking good care of you, I hope?’
Eva’s eyes sparkled. ‘Of course,’ she answered. ‘He’s as wonderful as ever and he sends his love.’
‘Good. Don’t forget to send him mine. Oh, heavens, what am I thinking, my head’s all over the place here. I heard about the “Where are they now?” piece. Naomi emailed it to me last Saturday. I’d have rung as soon as I read it if it hadn’t been the middle of the night with you. Are you OK with it? They called me, you know, to ask for an interview, but I turned them down flat. I told them not to bother getting in touch with you either, because you wouldn’t be interested. Naive of me to think that would make them go away. Did it upset you?’ she asked.
Eva thought about it. ‘Yes, I guess it did in a way,’ she confessed, ‘not because of anything they said, because they didn’t make anything up or try to put a new slant on what they knew, but because it’s brought everything back and I’ve found it hard to stop thinking about it since.’
Bobbie’s expression was sympathetic. ‘Well, that’s only to be expected,’ she said. ‘What does Don say about it?’
‘Actually, not much, but there again, what is there to say?’
Bobbie shook her head as though accepting that there probably wasn’t much. Then, picking up a little crystal bell, she said, ‘Time for cocktails. I’m in the mood for a margarita, how about you?’
Though she seldom drank in the middle of the day Eva could see no reason not to on this occasion, so swallowing her disappointment at the change of subject, even though she hadn’t really wanted it to go any further, she gave an eager nod of her head.
Clearly delighted, Bobbie eased herself round as the diminutive Manuela came out through the conservatory, all neatly starched uniform and haughty disapproval. ‘I’m guessing Mai Tais,’ she said in her typically exhausted way.
‘Wrong,’ Bobbie told her gleefully. ‘Margaritas with salt – and bring us some of those ghastly pretzel things you keep making.’
‘You ate them all last night,’ Manuela declared. ‘Lucky for you I baked some more this morning. I’ve also ordered you a new treadmill. She broke the last one,’ she informed Eva.
Eva burst out laughing as Bobbie treated Manuela’s retreating back to a menacing stare.
‘Dreadful creature,’ Bobbie muttered. ‘Time she retired.’
Since she’d been saying that the entire time Eva had known her, and since everyone knew that Bobbie and Manuela were as impossible to separate as glamour and fashion, Eva was taking no notice of the threat. They’d first met, according to Bobbie, when she’d rescued fourteen-year-old Manuela from a life of debauchery on the streets of Manila. Manuela’s version had Bobbie kidnapping her from the family home and trying to sell her into slavery before deciding to keep her for herself. ‘That was because I couldn’t get enough for her,’ Bobbie was often heard to remark.
By the tim
e Manuela returned with the drinks Bobbie was on the phone again, but the instant she laid eyes on the mouth-watering treats Manuela set down she said, ‘Smilley, sorry, something’s just come up. I’ll get back to you,’ and clicking off the line she picked up a crab vol au vent and stuffed it in her mouth, while scowling horribly at Manuela.
‘I’ll add a rowing machine to that order,’ Manuela told her, and after handing Eva a lace-edged napkin she started back inside.
‘I’m taking her skiing this winter,’ Bobbie commented, blowing flakes of pastry in her haste to get the threat out before Manuela disappeared.
Eva gave a choke of laughter as Manuela stiffened, allowed the nonsense to slide off her back, then continued on her way. Their last venture up the Alps, some twenty years ago, had resulted in a broken leg, wrist and collarbone for Manuela and some very hefty medical bills for Bobbie, not to mention almost a year of role reversal as she’d bullied the patient along the road to recovery.
‘I’m going to guess,’ Bobbie said after she and Eva had raised their glasses to each other, ‘that you didn’t get to see Shelley yesterday, or you’d have told me.’
Eva’s eyes went down as her heart turned over. ‘Actually, I did see her,’ she said quietly, ‘and the ruling’s gone against me.’
‘Oh no,’ Bobbie groaned. ‘Dear, dear, Evie, that’s so unfair. You weren’t asking for much, and this has been so hard for you.’
Eva’s breath shuddered as she tried to catch it. ‘Yes, but it’s time … I have to let it go now …’
‘Oh, I don’t know, sweetie. He’s your son, so it’s only …’
‘No, he’s not mine,’ Eva came in brokenly. ‘He’s theirs. It says so in the ruling and it’s high time I made myself accept that.’
‘That may be true, but you’ll always be his real mother, and no judge with his rulings can ever change that.’
Eva swallowed hard, too close to the edge to be able to say any more.
‘It’s his birthday next month,’ Bobbie murmured, almost to herself.
‘He’ll be sixteen,’ Eva said. ‘I gave Shelley a card to pass on. I probably ought to make that the last.’