Taking Chances

by Susan Lewis

  ‘As a matter of fact I do. Get rid of that anger and stop turning yourself into the victim here. No-one’s trying to shut you out of this, you’re doing it to yourself. So lighten up. Smile. Remember, he chose you, not her, and you can afford to be generous in your victory.’

  Despite herself Ellen laughed. ‘He’s going to be pretty mad that I wasn’t here when they got back,’ she said. ‘And seeing you is going to tell him exactly where I’ve been and why …’

  ‘Ellen shut up and get out of the car,’ Matty commanded.

  Ellen did as she was told, and walked in silence up to the closed front door. Slipping her key in the lock she glanced at Matty, then pushed the door open and walked into the sitting-room.

  ‘Ah, there you are,’ Michael said, getting up from the sofa. ‘I was starting to worry. You didn’t take your phone. Oh, hi, Matty. How are you?’

  Ellen searched his expression for any signs of annoyance, but there appeared only a genuine pleasure to see Matty, and why not, they’d always got along perfectly well.

  ‘Matty! Matty!’ Robbie cried, suddenly bursting in through another door and racing across the room.

  ‘Hey big guy!’ Matty laughed, swinging him up in her arms. ‘How ya doing?’

  ‘My mummy’s here,’ he told her excitedly. ‘She came all the way from … from … an aeroplane, and she’s got the room next to mine and we’re going to the movies tomorrow after school and then we’re going to Magic Mountain the next day …’

  ‘Hang on, calm down,’ Michael chided, slipping an arm around Ellen. ‘Sorry about the McDonald’s,’ he murmured in her ear. ‘There wasn’t a way out of it.’

  ‘It’s OK,’ she answered, and felt her heart starting to melt as his lips came gently down on hers in the first kiss they had shared in over a week.

  ‘Mummy!’ Robbie suddenly cried, and leaping from Matty’s arms he raced across the room to grab Michelle’s hand. ‘This is my mummy,’ he told Matty proudly. ‘She’s staying here with us for ten whole days.’

  Ellen couldn’t not be aware of the way Robbie was shutting her out, and saw the slight confusion on Michelle’s beautiful face as she looked from the woman Robbie was taking her to, to the woman Michael’s arm was around.

  ‘Hi, I’m Matty,’ Matty said, holding out her hand. ‘I’m Ellen’s cousin.’

  ‘I’m pleased to meet you, Matty,’ Michelle smiled, and Ellen felt her throat tighten at the genuine warmth in her sparkling green eyes. This was a woman it was going to be shaming to dislike.

  ‘And this is Ellen,’ Michael said, keeping his arm around her as Michelle turned to them.

  ‘Ellen. I’ve been so looking forward to meeting you,’ Michelle said, taking her into a gentle embrace. She laughed self-consciously. ‘I’ve heard so much about you I feel I already know you. Thank you for letting me stay in your home.’

  ‘You’re welcome,’ Ellen smiled, trying not to bristle at the way Michelle’s greeting had seemed almost to reverse their roles of guest and hostess. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived. I had to go back to the office for something, then I went over to pick up Matty so she could join us for dinner.’

  ‘We don’t need dinner we had McDonald’s,’ Robbie protested.

  ‘Hey!’ Michael said sharply. ‘Less of that attitude, thank you. And just because you had McDonald’s doesn’t mean the rest of us wouldn’t prefer something else.’

  Ellen smiled past the ache in her heart. ‘Did you have a good journey?’ she asked Michelle.

  Michelle laughed. ‘It was hell,’ she answered, ‘but worth it to see this one.’

  Ellen’s smile remained in place as she looked down at Robbie, then over to Tom who was standing in front of one of the sofas watching them all. As their eyes met Ellen got the uncomfortable impression that he knew exactly how difficult she was finding this.

  ‘Hello Tom,’ she said, going to greet him. ‘We’re all ignoring you. Do you have a drink?’

  ‘I do. How about you? Would it be presumptuous of me to go fix you one?’

  ‘Not at all,’ she assured him. ‘But say hi to Matty first, then all the introductions’ll be over.’

  Unable to stop herself Ellen searched his face as he shook hands with Matty, wanting to see if there was any flicker of recognition, or perhaps any other kind of interest that went beyond mere politeness. There was nothing she could detect, but from the few occasions she had met Chambers she had already learned how very skilled he was at giving nothing away unless he wanted to.

  As she turned back she briefly caught Michael’s eye and knew instantly that he had recognized her purpose in introducing Matty and Tom. From the way his eyebrow went up she realized that far from being angry, he was much closer to being sad that she was still fighting the inevitable.

  ‘What are you having, Matty?’ Tom said, as they all moved towards the sofas.

  ‘A Chardonnay for me,’ she answered.

  ‘And I guess yours is the same?’ he said to Ellen.

  She smiled and sat down next to Michael as Michelle and Robbie sank down beside Matty on the opposite sofa.

  ‘You must tell us all about Pakistan and your work there,’ Ellen said to Michelle.

  Michelle gave a mock frown and waved a dismissive hand. ‘Believe me, it’s too depressing a subject for tonight,’ she said. ‘Tell me about my little tearaway here instead. How’s he doing at school? Top of the class I hope,’ she added, digging him playfully in the ribs.

  ‘I got a commendation last week!’ he boasted. ‘That’s my second.’

  ‘And what about all your black marks for talking too much?’ Michael enquired.

  ‘I only got one, and that was because Andrew kept talking to me.’

  As Tom returned with the drinks and went to sit in the large two-seater armchair between the two sofas, Ellen watched and listened to the banter and tried not to be hurt by the way both Michael and Michelle seemed to have forgotten any part she might have played in helping to settle their son into his new school and country, never mind all the running around she had done for him since. It wasn’t so much thanks that she wanted, but some kind of recognition would have been nice, or perhaps just a glance from Robbie that held some of the affection she had always been treated to before. But since she’d walked in the door he hadn’t looked at her once and no-one, not even Michael, seemed to have noticed.

  As the laughter and teasing grew louder and more animated she watched Michelle and found herself wondering how Michael had ever been able to leave her. With her gorgeously sleek blonde hair and flawless complexion, she was one of the most beautiful women Ellen had ever met, and her laughter was so natural and warming that even Ellen found herself smiling in response.

  Yet all the time she was hating her more and more for the way she was so supremely British and shared so much background with Michael. It was as though they were all part of another world and though Tom and Matty seemed to be having no problem joining in, for Ellen it was impossible even to step up to the threshold. She had no idea what Michael’s feelings were for Michelle now, but it was plain to see that there was still some kind of bond between them.

  In the end Ellen got to her feet. ‘I guess I should go fix some dinner,’ she said. ‘Is anyone else interested, or is it just me and Matty?’

  ‘What are you offering?’ Michael asked, rolling on to his back and grunting as Robbie jumped on his chest.

  She shrugged. ‘There’s plenty in the freezer, whatever you like,’ she answered. ‘Chicken, pasta, fish. The question really is, are you full after the McDonald’s, or would you like something else?’

  ‘I’ll have whatever you’re making,’ he said, trying to fend off Robbie’s monster.

  ‘Me too,’ Tom added.

  Ellen looked at Michelle.

  ‘Nothing for me,’ Michelle laughed. ‘But I’ll come and give you a hand if you like.’

  ‘No, really,’ Ellen replied. ‘Stay with Robbie.’ She looked at her watch. It was past his b
edtime and he had school in the morning, but did she dare say so and risk being overruled by one of his parents?

  As though picking up on her thoughts Robbie suddenly said, ‘I want Mummy to take me to school in the morning.’

  Michelle grinned and leaned over to pinch his cheeks. ‘I don’t have a car, silly,’ she reminded him.

  ‘You can use Daddy’s, can’t she, Daddy?’ he responded.

  Michael shrugged. ‘I guess so,’ he answered. ‘I’ll go to the office with Ellen and get cabs if I need to after that. Yeah, sure, you can use mine,’ he told Michelle.

  The words were out before Ellen could stop them. ‘Well, if you’ve got a car, Michelle, perhaps you wouldn’t mind taking Robbie to the dentist tomorrow as well. He’s got an appointment at eleven.’

  ‘I don’t want to go to the dentist!’ Robbie protested. ‘I hate the dentist.’

  ‘Don’t be difficult,’ Michelle reprimanded. She looked up at Ellen. ‘I’m afraid I promised to check in with the Christian Children people in the morning,’ she said. ‘I can probably drop him off at school though.’

  Ellen could feel the colour rising in her cheeks as she nodded. ‘OK,’ she said. ‘I’ll be the unpopular one and do the dentist.’

  Almost as soon as the kitchen door closed behind her Michael came in after her. ‘Was that really necessary?’ he demanded. ‘She didn’t know Robbie had to go to the dentist or I’m sure she’d have arranged things so she could take him.’

  ‘Yeah, I’m sure you’re right,’ Ellen responded, slamming the refrigerator door as she carried the overflowing salad tray to a nearby counter. ‘So what do you want me to do? Apologize?’

  ‘It would do for a start,’ he bit back. ‘And then perhaps you could take a decision to make our lives tolerable for the next ten days, instead of going the route you seem to be set on right now.’

  Ellen swung round with the chopping knife. ‘She’s here, isn’t she?’ she seethed. ‘You got what you wanted, so get off my case. Or maybe you’d like to take Robbie to the dentist tomorrow.’

  ‘What is all this about the dentist?’ he snapped. ‘What’s the big deal? You’ve always taken him before. Or do you have more important things to do now you’re working on this script?’

  ‘Nothing’s more important than that child, but I’m the only one who seems to think so,’ she spat. ‘Because I’m the only one who ever makes any time to take him where he’s got to be, or go see his teachers, or check out his friends. When was the last time you put yourself out to do something for your son, except take him to the airport to meet his mother?’

  ‘If it’s too much for you, Ellen, we can make other arrangements,’ he said darkly.

  She stared at him, her face turning ashen with shock as the meaning of his words reached her. ‘Then maybe you’d like to do just that,’ she said tightly, and dropping the knife she turned to walk out.

  ‘Stop!’ he said, spinning her round. ‘I’m sorry, that wasn’t called for. It wasn’t what I meant.’

  ‘Then what did you mean?’ she challenged, her face still taut with hurt and anger.

  ‘I don’t know,’ he answered. ‘I guess it just came out in the heat of the moment. It’s not the way I feel. It’s not what I want to happen. But we’ve got to stop this fighting. It’s been like this for weeks now, and I love you too much to want it to go on.’

  She looked away, not ready to forgive him yet, but not wanting to continue the fight either. ‘Robbie should be in bed,’ she said.

  ‘Do you want to take him and I’ll do what needs doing here?’

  She shook her head. ‘He doesn’t want me, he wants his mother,’ she said, with an edge to her voice that she wished wasn’t there.

  ‘Oh God,’ Michael groaned, pulling her into his arms. ‘I see what this is all about now. He loves you too, honey. Just give him some space, OK? The excitement’ll soon wear off and then things will return to normal.’

  She nodded and pulled back to wipe the tears from her eyes. ‘She’s much more beautiful than I realized,’ she said.

  He smiled. ‘Have you looked in the mirror lately?’ he asked. Then, tilting her face up to his, he said, ‘You know, this would all be so much easier on you if you could see your way to making friends with her. And believe me, you’ve got nothing to be afraid of, not when I love you as much as I do.’

  ‘I just hope to God that doesn’t change,’ she whispered.

  Chapter 8

  ALL SIX OF the McCann Paull agents were gathered around the conference table with World Wide UK’s accountants and business managers. Sandy Paull, dressed entirely in black, was in the chair. Though most of the south wall, which ran alongside the table, was taken up by windows that offered great views of the river Thames and Battersea beyond, the rest of the walls were covered in posters, photographs, captions, schedules, and a hundred other useful or commemorative items that World Wide’s transient staff had collected since the company’s inception.

  The meeting presently under way was one of the regular Monday sessions that brought the two companies together either to discuss projects in progress, or to put forward new ideas and scripts that showed potential for being packaged by McCanns and produced by World Wide.

  ‘OK,’ she said, as Ginger Coulton, one of the World Wide accountants, finished her report, ‘to summarize: the budget reports and early returns are looking good and we’re still being judged a good risk by potential investors.’ She smiled. ‘Seems that right now everyone wants to throw money our way, so it shouldn’t be too long before we can launch our own airline.’

  Everyone laughed and Sandy cocked an eyebrow, an indication the jest might not be so idle. She glanced over at Stacy, her assistant, who was taking down the minutes. ‘I’m going to spell this out,’ she said, ‘because I don’t think we’ve got any one document that encapsulates everything that World Wide and McCann Paull are into right now. So for those of you who know all this I’m sorry, but I think we should have something down in writing, if only for easy reference.’ She put aside the finance reports and turned to a couple of pages of handwritten notes.

  It took a while to go through the many projects that were in various stages of development, and to make all the changes that had occurred during the past week, but the discussion was as lively as it was worthwhile for all the discrepancies it uncovered.

  ‘OK, just a couple of words on Rachel’s Story,’ she said, glancing at her watch and starting to wrap the meeting up. ‘Things are starting to move ahead pretty fast in LA, so I’ll be making the movie a priority from now on. Between ourselves, Michael informed me when we last spoke that he’s going to have difficulty meeting the payroll next month, so the need to get some really big interest going is becoming vital. That’s not to say he doesn’t have the backers over there, because he does, it’s just that the money is taking some time to drop, and naturally it’s affecting the cash flow. From what we’ve managed to pull together so far we can transfer three million sterling by the end of next week, which is really going to help him out, but, like I said, it’s important now that we get as much investment in as we can. So, if anyone’s got any other possible backers they can put me on to, please let me know.’ Once again she looked at her watch. ‘OK, I don’t have anything else here that needs immediate attention,’ she said, ‘and as I have a funeral to go to at one I’d like to bring us to a close. Anyone else got anything to say?’

  Her eyes moved to World Wide’s business managers, who were discussing something quietly between themselves.

  ‘Marilyn, Clive?’ she prompted.

  They looked up. ‘We just need to check that the three million from Deightons is going to be in on time to transfer next week,’ Marilyn told her.

  Sandy felt her mouth turning dry. ‘I didn’t realize it wasn’t already here,’ she said, trying to keep the irritation from her voice. ‘When I last spoke to Rodney Parker-King he assured me there would be no problem.’

  ‘I don’t think there is,’ Marilyn ass
ured her. ‘We just need to make sure the transfer is effected right away.’

  ‘Well, I need an answer by the end of the day,’ Sandy said. ‘Michael’s flying in tomorrow, and I want to be able to tell him that the immediate panic is over. For those of you who didn’t know, his mother’s had a fall … It’s OK, apparently nothing to get worked up about,’ she added swiftly, as all the agents appeared about to ask – everyone was extremely fond of Clodagh, with her eccentric Irish charm, and the added virtue of being something of a surrogate mother to them all.

  ‘I went to see her last night,’ Zelda informed them. ‘She’s just a bit shaken up. Nothing broken.’

  ‘Is she in hospital?’ Janey asked.

  ‘She’s going home this afternoon,’ Zelda answered. ‘You know Clodagh, hates all the fuss but would be furious if it didn’t happen.’

  ‘Will you get a chance to see Michael before you go up to Scotland?’ Sandy asked her.

  ‘We’ll cross paths at Heathrow for about an hour,’ Zelda chuckled. ‘Did he speak to you about Vic Warren?’

  Sandy nodded. ‘I’m waiting for Vic to call me back,’ she said. ‘He’s still shooting in Paris, but he’s hoping to get over while Michael’s here.’

  ‘How long’s he staying?’ Craig asked.

  ‘Only a few days,’ Sandy answered. ‘He’ll be at his sister’s so he can see plenty of Clodagh and her grandchildren. If Vic can’t get over to London, then he’s thinking of going to Paris for the day before flying back to LA.’ She looked at her watch. ‘Oh God, look at the time. I haven’t even booked a cab yet. Stacy, can you …’

  ‘Where’s the funeral?’ Craig interrupted.

  ‘Mortlake,’ Sandy answered.

  ‘Then I’ll drive you there. I’m having lunch with Guy Foster at Teddington Studios.’

  Ten minutes later they were pulling out of the underground car park and heading towards the Kings Road. Sandy was talking to Stacy on her mobile phone, while Craig tuned into the radio news.