Starbucks was packed, as usual. And, as usual, Clare had snagged the best table with the comfiest armchairs.
“It’s so good to see you,” Eve said, hugging her best friend warmly. She meant it. She hadn’t seen Clare since she’d given her back her living room—complete with new rug, delivered by Ian when he’d come to collect Eve. It was touch and go who had been more surprised, Eve or Ian or Clare herself, when Clare had greeted him warmly, invited him in for coffee and not made a single comment about the lack of space not being what he was used to. As for Eve, she had spent the whole hour trying not to cry. What had happened to her self-control since the miscarriage, she didn’t know, but she’d just been so glad to see him and so glad to have her friend back.
“It’s good to see you too,” Clare said. “I’ve missed you.” She grinned at the look of disbelief on Eve’s face. “In a sick, masochistic sort of way!”
“Shall I get coffees in?” Eve volunteered.
“Melanie’s already up there. Apparently, it’s her round. Mind you, it always seems to be her round. If you ask me, it’s her way of making amends for being here on false pretenses.”
Eve rolled her eyes. “Give Melanie a break,” she said. “Anyway, it takes one to know one.”
“Aha,” Clare said. “I have special dispensation.”
“Can I interest you in any cakes or pastries?” the Polish girl behind the counter asked.
Do I look like I eat cakes and pastries? Melanie wanted to say. She knew she didn’t. Too much time on the heartbreak diet. Not that her heart was really broken.
Vince, he was just her rebound man. Poor sod. What had she been thinking taking a rebound man to meet her parents? A spectacular misjudgment, even by Melanie’s standards. It had been four months now, but still she missed having him around. She missed the sex and the company, and his unflappable good humor. But more than that, she missed Ellie and what might have been. Occasionally, when she let her mind wander, she wondered if Ellie ever thought about her. But that was off-limits. She couldn’t have it both ways. No Vince meant no Ellie, that was the rule.
Melanie knew Grace still saw Vince occasionally, but they never discussed him. Her office manager still hadn’t forgiven Melanie for hurting him, so they’d reached an unspoken agreement to steer well clear of the topic. Not that it was difficult. Since Melanie had refinanced personalshopper.com to expand into children’s wear, they’d been too busy to talk about anything other than stock levels and order fulfillment.
A brave decision, her accountant had said. Melanie had been worried that translated as Stupid. Although the gamble seemed to be paying off, recession or not.
“That’ll be ten pounds, please.”
Ten pounds? Melanie winced. Handing over a note, she rummaged in the bottom of her bag for loose change and pulled out a handful of coins, some fluff, and a business card. She was about to shove the card back when she noticed it was actually a half-full loyalty card and handed it over to the cashier.
“We don’t take these now,” the girl said. “That was just a trial.”
Melanie was about to tell her to toss the card in the trash when she saw something scrawled on the back. “Hold on a sec,” she said. “Could I get that back?”
Flipping the card over, Melanie saw the word Loni, followed by a sequence of numbers, written on the back in handwriting she didn’t recognize.
Who the hell was Loni?
As Melanie headed to the end of the counter to pick up her order, she turned sideways to make room for a middle-aged man in a suit to pass. And the answer came to her. A previous OMC meeting, Melanie making room for someone altogether slimmer and younger to pass on precisely this spot. Someone who’d handed her his loyalty card as he’d left, saying he didn’t come here often enough to need it.
The guy who’d thought she was too beautiful to look sad.
Turning the card over, Melanie read the name and number again. Was that Loni? She was almost tempted to find out.
“So how’s it going with Hannah?” Mandy was saying when Melanie returned. “I mean, has anything really changed?”
Eve grinned. Mandy reminded her of Clare with her spade-calling.
“Yes, and no,” she said. “We’ve reached a truce. I treat Hannah like a grown-up—sort of—and butt out and leave the parental battles to her dad, which suits me fine, actually. And Hannah speaks to me when we pass on the stairs, occasionally deigns to eat something and talks to me when she thinks no one else is around.”
Mandy looked doubtful.
“Took me a while to get it,” Eve said. “But I either had to learn to live with Hannah or learn to live without Ian. I can’t have both, so I had to choose.” She paused, realizing the words weren’t her own. They were borrowed from someone who’d won that knowledge the hard way: Bella.
Glancing up, she caught Clare’s eye as she reached for her coffee. They both smiled warily, aware their friendship had been through a lot. What would Clare say if she knew Eve had kept another, bigger secret? Eve had no urge to find out. Not yet, anyway.
“Enough about Eve,” Clare said suddenly. “I have a news bulletin.”
“Oh, God!” Lily said. “What’s Will done this time?”
“Nothing, actually. He collects Lou every other Friday and brings her back on Sunday. All very civilized. But this isn’t about Lou or Will for a change, this is about me. Is everybody sitting down?” She glanced around. “Good, because I, Clare Adams, professional single mother and involuntary celibate, have a date!”
Their shrieks could probably be heard on Oxford Street. Who? Where? When? How? They needed to know.
Clare beamed as she told them all about Osman Dattu. “It’s not such a shock, is it?” she asked. “Surely I’m not so totally repulsive that no one would ask me out?” But she was too happy to be properly offended.
“Don’t be daft.” Eve hugged her friend. “The shock isn’t that he asked. It’s that you said yes. I imagine the staffroom has been full of men throwing glances your way for years.” She stopped. “You have said yes, haven’t you?”
Clare nodded. “Next Saturday night, I am officially going out. On my own, with a member of the opposite sex; who, as far as I can tell, is funny, intelligent, not married, in gainful employment and has all his own limbs.”
“Let me sort you out an outfit,” Melanie said. “On the house.”
Eve smiled. “Lou can come to ours if you want,” she offered. “Bizarrely, I think she and Hannah would probably get on better this time.”
“Don’t jump into anything.” That was Mandy, obviously.
“Jeezus,” Lily said crossly. “The woman’s going out for dinner, not meeting the queen.”
“True,” Melanie said. “This is far bigger!”
“I have something bigger than that,” Lily said.
“Bigger than me going on a date?” Clare said, her voice light. “Not possible sis, sorry.”
“What’s up?” Melanie asked. “Is everything OK?”
Lily shrugged. “Yes and no.” But her eyes were welling up. “Liam’s moving,” she said. “To Manchester. Siobhan’s married a guy who lives there, and she’s taken Rosie with her. Liam’s decided to go too. So he can see more of Rosie.”
“Well, that’s a turn-up for the books,” Mandy said. “Maybe he’ll make the championship after all. When did this happen?”
“Couple of weeks ago,” Lily said. “He told me he’d decided and moved pretty much straightaway. I’m staying at his flat for now.”
“Nice,” Mandy said sarcastically.
Clare shot her a warning glance. It wasn’t that she didn’t agree. She did, wholeheartedly. But she knew Lily didn’t and never would, so she had resolved that from now on she would keep her Liam-related views to herself.
“We’re going to try commuting,” Lily said. “Once a month I’m going to Manchester to see Liam, and the next fortnight he’s coming down to see me. And before you say anything,” she added, anticipating their protests,
“he didn’t presume anything. It was my idea. He thought I’d dump him, but I’m not going to. I want to see if we can make this work.”
“Manchester’s not far,” Melanie said supportively. “Hell, I know people who commute to New York from Chicago.”
“Put like that, I can’t think what you’re moaning about,” Eve said. “When does it start?”
“Next weekend,” Lily said. “Wish me luck.” She raised her latte at them. “I think I’m going to need it.”
“I have a bit of news too,” Mandy said. “But I’m not sure now’s the right time.”
“No time like the present,” Lily said. “But only if it’s good news. I have the monopoly on bad news this meeting. Aren’t those the rules, Clare? One downer per meeting?”
Her sister ignored her.
Mandy looked thoughtful. “Yes,” she said. “I think it’s good news.”
“You think?” Eve sounded puzzled.
“No, I know it is. John and I have split up.”
The other women stared at her.
“When did that happen?” Clare asked. “I didn’t even know it was on the cards. Are you OK?”
“I’m better than OK, actually. I’m good. This is my decision.” Mandy looked surprised. “I broke up with him. Forty-two years old, and ending a relationship for the first time.”
“Why?” Melanie asked.
“I’ve been thinking about it since Christmas, before that, really. But that was when I realized I didn’t know why I was with him. Or rather I did, I was with John because I was scared not to be. Because I’ve always been with someone apart from that brief spell after Dave left. Years ago, Dave told me I wouldn’t be able to survive on my own, and I guess I believed him….”
She sighed. “I looked at myself at Christmas and it occurred to me I didn’t know who I was anymore, other than Mrs. McMasters, Matt and Nathan and Jason’s mom. I’ve been so wrapped up in being their mom, and then John’s partner. Maybe, soon, his wife…”
Mandy held up her hand before Clare could interrupt. “No, he hadn’t asked, it was just obviously on the cards. He’s that kind of bloke. We were that kind of couple.
“Anyway, at Christmas I looked at myself and my house full of family—my family, his family, Dave’s family, all our children, none of them desperate to be there—and my sink full of washing-up, and asked myself why. Who was I doing this for? Who was making me?
“There was only one possible answer to both of those questions: me. So, if only I was making it happen, only I could make it stop.”
“How did he take it?” Clare asked.
“Badly. He thinks I must be menopausal!”
“Are you?” Lily asked.
“No!” Mandy yelped, and Clare swatted her sister. “But that’s what John’s like. Not as bad as Dave, by a long shot. But whenever we row he thinks I’ve got my period, rather than I’m just speaking my mind.”
Melanie grinned.
“And that’s not all,” Mandy said. “I’m selling up.”
“You’re leaving Clapham?” Lily asked. “What about the kids?” As soon as the words were out, she looked as if she wished she could take them back.
“’Fraid so. Firstly, Clapham’s too pricey for me on my own. I’m fed up with being beholden to Dave, so I’m giving him his half of the house and downsizing. I won’t be far away. Tooting, probably. The boys won’t have to change schools.” She paused. “Well, Matt and Jason won’t. Nathan’s always saying he wants to live with his dad. Now’s his chance.”
“You’re kidding?” It was Clare.
“Am I laughing?” Mandy wasn’t.
“I’m sorry, Mandy, but that’s hard-core,” Lily said.
“It’s not.” Mandy shook her head. “It’s for the best. We’ve talked it over—Nathan and me. It’s what he wants. So, Nathan’s off to live with Dave. And we’ll see how they both like that. See how Dave’s girlfriend likes it, too. Wouldn’t mind a ringside seat for that one. Matt and Jason are coming with me. The odd thing is, Jack wants to, too. Part-time, of course. He’s asked if he can stay some weekends.” She smiled, glowing with pride that in some strange way she had kept her blended family together. “He’s mates with Jason now, you see.”
“And Izzy?” Eve ventured.
Mandy shook her head. “Unlikely,” she said. “She only ever came to see her dad, and then only when she couldn’t avoid it. Win some, lose some,” she said brightly, then asked, “I can still come, can’t I? If I’m not a proper stepmom.”
“Why not?” Melanie said. “I do.”
“Of course you can,” Clare said firmly. “We’re friends now. And anyway, it wouldn’t be the same without you.”
It still felt strange, walking up a leafy street that screamed a certain kind of comfortable; looking at the lights in the double-fronted Victorian houses; pushing open a wrought-iron gate; sliding her key in the lock and hearing its familiar click. She’d lived there for several months the first time around, far longer than she’d been away. But those four weeks apart had changed everything. What surprised Eve most was the way the house felt to her now. She hesitated to use the word home, but that was how it felt. Like she belonged.
“Evie?” Alfie’s voice echoed down the stairs as soon as she opened the front door. “Is that you?”
“It’s me,” she shout-whispered. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”
“I am asleep,” he protested. “Come and say night-night.”
“And me.” That was Sophie.
“In a minute. I’m just going to see Daddy, then I’ll be up.”
Ian was sitting at the kitchen table in Eve’s favorite spot, editing pictures on his laptop. A familiar patterned cup sat at his right hand, garishly at odds with the white china on the dish rack. “Where did that come from?” Eve asked, bending to kiss him.
“Your boxes,” he said. “I got them from the utility room and Sophie helped unpack your things. That’s all right, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is.” She headed into the utility room to hang her coat. “But you don’t have to.”
“I want to.” His voice was so close it made her jump. When she turned, he was in the doorway, smiling at her.
She hooked her coat over a peg and turned back. He was still there. Still smiling. “What are you grinning at?”
“Nothing,” he said, but his eyes drifted to the back door.
Following his gaze, Eve’s eyes found the row of rain boots where they’d always been, a row that started with child’s red ones at one end for Alfie and ended with Ian’s enormous green Hunters at the other, with two pink pairs in rising sizes and two smaller pairs of Hunters between the girls’ and Ian’s own. One green pair, Caro’s, and between those and Ian’s, a new pair, midnight blue with a touch of sparkle.
“Ian,” she said, hugging him. “I…Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me,” he said. “Hannah and Sophie chose them.”
“Hannah?”
“Think yourself lucky. If she hadn’t intervened…well, let’s just say, thanks to her, Sophie’s sparkle quota is seriously toned down.” He hesitated. “I can get rid of Caro’s, if you’d prefer?”
Eve smiled, shook her head. “No need.”
Caro was not gone, she never would be. She was the children’s mother, after all. And that was something Eve would never be. But her ghost had moved over, all the same, to make room in the family for Eve.
Epilogue
Eighteen months later
There was nothing to beat late September in London. The sun, which always seemed to lose its way in August, had finally found a path through the clouds and was beating down on the unsuspecting streets. Leaves, already on the cusp of turning, blazed like burnished gold in the rays, and it felt as if the whole city basked in this first and last glimpse of summer.
“Tell me again why they picked here?” Ian said. “When they had all of London to choose from.” He handed the cab driver a twenty as Eve herded Alfie and Sophie onto the pavement.
Hannah had opted out, preferring to spend the day with her friends. She and Eve had long since reached a truce. But this was still Eve’s family, not hers.
“Because Marylebone Register Office is quintessentially London,” Eve said, punching him. “And don’t be a killjoy. This is Melanie, remember. You’re lucky she hasn’t hired an old double-decker bus to take us to the reception.”
Guests from an earlier wedding crowded the pavement, waiting to breach a dozen bylaws with their environmentally unsound confetti. They burst into riotous applause as two men appeared at the top of the steps, whistling and hollering as someone started singing, “Here come the brides….”
“Daddy…?” Sophie started.
“I’ll leave you to answer that one,” Eve said to Ian. “You’re the parent here.” And she ducked as he swiped at her head.
“Come on,” she told Alfie. “Let’s go and find Clare and Lou.”
At the top of a sweeping staircase inside, Lily was lounging against the banister, a picture of insouciance in a black shift dress, tanned bare legs and treacherous heels, with her signature man’s suit jacket slung over one arm. The piercings in her left ear had been reduced to three for the occasion.
“Wow, you look gorgeous!” Eve exclaimed, hugging her. “Did I see you wear a dress before?”
“First and last time,” Lily said, bending to mess Alfie’s hair. “Hello, mate,” she said. “What men did you bring me to play with?”
Eve took in the hallway as Alfie talked Lily through a complex array of plastic figures in his rucksack. Lily was definitely alone.
“Where is everyone?” Eve hissed.
“If by ‘everyone’ you mean Liam, he’s late. Of course.” Lily rolled her eyes. “I told him to take the train last night to avoid precisely this. But there was some school thing of Rosie’s he had to go to.”
Clocking Eve’s expression, Lily laughed. “I know, who knew Liam had an inner good dad in there after all?”
“And you? How are you doing?”
“Good. You know, I think I like this Liam better. Although it’s taken some getting used to. Occasionally I want to shake him awake in the middle of the night and ask what he’s done with the old one. I guess Siobhan taking Rosie away was the wake-up call he needed. Use it or lose it. I guess that applies to families too.”
The Other Mothers' Club Page 36