'Are we?'
'Dana—'
'It's okay, Walter, I'm just kidding. I'll phone her this evening.'
'Good girl. Right, then, I'll leave you to it. Bye, darling.'
'Bye.'
'So are you going to visit her?' Ed asked, when they were in the car and on their way to the hospital.
Dana frowned. 'Who?'
'The new baby.'
'I don't think so. It would only be awkward. And I wouldn't know what to say.'
'Ask her how she is, how the baby is; does she sleep through the night and is she feeding okay. That should take you through the entire visit,' Ed told her.
Dana eyed him suspiciously. 'How do you know so much about babies? God, you're not a father, are you?' She didn't know why the thought was so incongruous. Ed was almost forty after all.
He let out a belly laugh. 'No. No, I'm not.'
'Why is it so funny?' she asked.
'Oh, I don't know. I just can't imagine having kids.'
'Me neither,' Dana murmured. 'What does that say about our upbringing?'
Ed shook his head. 'You can't blame everything on Father. Some people just aren't cut out to be parents.'
'He certainly wasn't.'
Ed laughed.
'What about a relationship, Ed? You know all about me and you haven't told me anything about you. Has there ever been anyone special? Is there someone special at the moment?'
'First, I would contest the statement that I know everything about you. Has there been anyone special? Yes, but I screwed it up. Is there anyone now? No. I think I'm destined to be a bachelor.'
'Doesn't that bother you?'
He shrugged. 'What's to be will be.'
'I don't want to end up alone,' Dana said miserably.
'I'm sure you won't. Anyway, maybe you and Gus will sort things out.'
'I don't think so.'
'Don't be too quick to write him off,' Ed told her. 'And then there's always lover boy.'
She smiled. 'Ryan is nice.'
'Nice? Poor guy. I'd hate anyone to call me nice.'
'Okay, he's better than nice. But, it's not love.'
'I'm glad he's around to cheer you up, Dana. But if you still have hopes of reconciliation with Gus, it might be wiser to give Ryan his marching orders.'
'Gus is dating a beautiful young girl,' she reminded him. 'He's hardly in a position to complain.'
Ed smiled. 'Oh, Dana! You are so naive.'
Dana remembered her brother's words when Gus phoned later. They talked politely for several minutes and he seemed genuinely concerned about her accident. He quizzed her in depth about her injuries and asked what the doctors had said. And then, when he seemed satisfied that she was going to be all right, he told her all about Holly. She was amazed at how awed he was.
'She's so beautiful, Dana. And did I tell you — they've asked me to be godfather.'
'Wow. That's ... lovely.'
'Does that mean I have to hold her when the priest is pouring the water over her head?'
'No. I think you just stand there looking proud,' Dana said, smiling.
'Oh, okay. What do you think I should buy her? I've no idea what the protocol is.'
'Me neither. Why don't you ask your sister?'
'Good idea. I'll phone Annie later. So, how are you and Ed getting along?'
'Fine.'
'He sounds nice.'
'Yeah.'
'You must have a lot to talk about.'
'Yeah. Look, Gus, I have to go.'
'Oh, okay, then.'
'Thanks for the call.'
Dana thought a lot about their conversation, and then over lunch a few days later, she announced to Ed that she'd decided to go and visit Ashling.
'Great idea,' he pronounced. 'I'll drive you, if you like. Or are you too embarrassed to be seen out with your big brother?'
She looked at him. 'Why would you say that?'
He shrugged. 'I'm part of your big secret, aren't I, Dana? You certainly haven't been going out of your way to introduce me to any of your friends.'
'I don't have any,' she pointed out, 'except Judy and you already know her.'
'Judy! There's a name from the past. You still keep in touch?'
'Yes. I don't know what I'd have done without her these last couple of months. I don't know why she bothers with me, though. I hardly know her husband and don't even ask me how old her girls are.'
Ed raised an eyebrow. 'Well, that's brutally honest.'
She shrugged. 'I'm not proud of myself. I just have so little in common with her now. But as soon as the news hit the papers that Gus had left, she was on the phone. She's a very good and kind person. She's my best friend. And I've no idea why she bothers with me.' Tears welled in Dana's eyes and she swallowed them hastily. God, what was it about Ed? He always managed to turn the conversation to something that brought out emotions she hadn't even realized were there.
'Maybe you're not as big a bitch as you seem to think you are.' He smiled and stood up to clear their dishes. 'Now, why don't you go and put your face on and I'll drive you over to see Ashling and her beautiful baby?'
'How do you know she's beautiful?' Dana asked with a grin.
He rolled his eyes. 'All babies are beautiful, Dana. Even when they're not.'
'Shall I wait or call back for you?' Ed asked, as he pulled into Ashling and Tom's driveway.
She eyed his paisley shirt, beige chinos and shiny leather shoes. 'Seeing as you've dressed up you may as well come in.' Dana secretly hated the idea of going into Tom's house alone and was glad to have her brother by her side. She also felt more than a little proud of him. He looked handsome today and she knew that with his impeccable manners and kind nature they would take to him immediately.
She rang the doorbell and waited nervously, half hoping that there was no one home.
'It will be fine,' Ed said, with a reassuring smile.
How did he do that? And why couldn't she read him as easily as he apparently read her?
'Dana, what a surprise!' Ashling had opened the door and was smiling uncertainly. 'Oh, look at your poor arm! Gus told me what happened. Is it very sore?'
'It's fine, really. I feel a bit silly to be honest. I just fell over the kerb in my driveway. If it wasn't for Ed—' She stopped as she realized that Ed was standing behind her, waiting patiently to be introduced. 'Oh, sorry, Ashling. This is my brother, Ed.'
'Pleased to meet you, Ed.' Ashling smiled.
'If it's a bad time, we'll go,' Dana said. 'I just wanted to drop this off.' She indicated the gift in Ed's arms.
'How beautiful.' Ashling looked at the basket lined with pink satin and stuffed full of newborn essentials and the cutest little pink teddy bear. 'No, come in. It's lovely to see you.' She led them through to the kitchen and moved some ironing and bags of nappies off two chairs so that they could sit down. 'Sorry, the place is a mess. Holly is a darling but I can't believe how much she's turned our lives upside down. How about some tea?'
Dana pushed her gently into a chair and smiled. 'I'll make the tea, you sit down.'
Ed shot a pointed look at Dana's cast. 'No, I don't want to end up in the burns unit, thank you very much. Why don't I make the tea while you two have a natter?'
Dana and Ashling laughed and then sat down facing each other.
'So, how are you?' Dana asked.
'Happy, tired and tearful, all at the same time,' Ashling said honestly. 'We're muddling along. And Holly seems amazingly contented, given her parents don't have a clue what they're doing.'
'You'll get the hang of it,' Dana told her. 'And don't your sisters live nearby?'
Ashling looked upwards and clasped her hands together. 'Yes, thank God! I don't know what I'd do without them. Rosie is doing all of our shopping, and Vanessa babysits a couple of hours a day so I can have a lie-down.'
'It sounds like you have a great family/ Ed remarked, as he filled the teapot and looked around for mugs.
'In the cupboard above your head,' Ashling told h
im. 'Speaking of families, it's lovely to finally meet you, Ed. Have you been living abroad?'
'All over the place,' he said cheerfully. 'And if you're wondering why Dana doesn't talk about me, it's because I'm the black sheep of the family.'
Dana rolled her eyes at Ashling as she felt the colour rise in her cheeks. 'Just ignore him.'
Ed winked at Ashling. 'See? I told you.'
'So where is the little darling?' Dana asked.
'Asleep. And I'm sorry, you aren't getting anywhere near her until she wakes. She didn't get much sleep last night, so I didn't either!'
'Sit back and enjoy that,' Ed said, handing Ashling a mug of tea.
'Thanks. There are biscuits somewhere,' she said vaguely.
'That's okay, we've just had lunch. So did everything go okay? Are you and Holly both well?' Dana avoided her brother's amused gaze.
'Holly was a little jaundiced at first, but she's fine now. The labour went well — relatively speaking. Although I was sure Tom was going to pass out.'
'Where is Tom?' Dana asked.
'He went into the office for a couple of hours. He wanted to run through some of the projects he was working on with Gus. The baby was two weeks early so she took us a bit by surprise. Everyone had warned us that first babies were usually late.' She checked her watch. 'He should be home soon.' With that there was a thin wail from the next room. Ashling smiled. 'It looks like she wants to meet you.'
She disappeared into the darkened room leading off the kitchen, and returned seconds later with a lemon bundle. Dana and Ed stood up to admire the baby, as Ashling loosened the blanket to afford them a better look.
'What a beauty,' Ed said with a tender smile.
Dana stood staring down at the little girl, lost for words. Then, aware that Ashling must be waiting for her to say something, she smiled at the other woman. 'She's gorgeous, Ashling. And look at all that hair!' Dana reached a tentative hand out to touch the dark curls that framed the small face. Holly stared back at her from enormous blue eyes.
'Gus says she certainly doesn't take after her father,' Ashling laughed.
Dana's smile faltered at the mention of her husband's name. She could imagine Gus slagging off Tom's receding hairline. She could see him here, in this kitchen with them. The thought made her feel incredibly lonely and isolated. 'She's really beautiful,' she said softly.
'Would you like to hold her?'
'Oh, no! I mean, not with this.' She indicated her cast. 'I'd be afraid I'd drop her.'
Holly had turned her face into her mother's breast and was nuzzling.
Ashling laughed again. 'Well, it looks like she's decided it's lunchtime anyway.'
'Would you excuse me, ladies? I have a call to make.' Ed was closing the door behind him before either woman had a chance to reply.
'He's lovely.' Ashling sat down in a rocking chair in the corner, opened her shirt and put the baby to her breast. 'And discreet.'
'Yes,' Dana agreed.
'He wasn't at your wedding, was he?' Ashling asked, her eyes curious.
'No, he wasn't around.'
'Still, he's here now, which is great. You must be thrilled.'
Dana just smiled.
'So. You and Gus are talking again.'
'Sort of.'
'It's a start.'
Dana shook her head. 'I don't think there's any hope for us, not now he's found someone else. Have you met her?' she added softly.
Ashling looked down at her baby. 'No.'
'But you know about her?'
Ashling looked up at Dana and nodded. 'But I don't think it's serious.'
'Hey, you don't have to say that.'
'No, I mean it,' Ashling said urgently. 'I know he's being a prat, Dana. But please don't give up on him.'
Dana stood up. 'I'd better go.'
'Don't go. Tom will be here soon.'
'I doubt he'll want to see me.'
'Why would you say that, Dana? Tom is just as upset as I am that you and Gus have split up.'
Dana looked into the other woman's face and saw nothing but sincerity and sympathy there. She reached out to stroke the baby's tiny hand, and smiled when her finger was grasped. "Thanks, Ashling, but I really have to go.'
Gently, Ashling unlatched Holly from her breast so she could walk out with Dana. Ed was waiting in the hall.
'She is going to break hearts,' he told Ashling with a smile.
'Tom says he's building a moat,' Ashling said laughing. 'I think she's going to be Daddy's little princess. Aren't you, darling?' She closed her eyes as she nuzzled her baby's neck, and missed the look that passed between Ed and Dana.
'It was lovely to meet you, Ashling,' Ed said. 'Please forgive us for calling in unannounced, but Dana was dying to meet Holly.'
Ashling kissed his cheek. 'I'm delighted you did. Take care of Dana for us, won't you?'
He saluted with a grin. 'I am her obedient slave.'
'More like a sergeant major,' Dana retorted. She hugged Ashling, careful not to squeeze the baby, then dropped a kiss on the child's downy head. 'Lovely to meet you, Holly. Welcome to the world.'
Ashling beamed at her. 'Thank you so much for the present. Come back and see us soon.'
'We will,' Ed said before Dana had a chance to answer. 'She needs to get out more. Maybe when she gets the cast off she could even babysit.'
Dana's eyes widened in alarm, but she smiled when she saw that the other woman was laughing.
'Bye, Ashling, give Tom my best and tell him congratulations,' Dana said as Ed helped her into the car. 'Go back inside now, it's cold.'
'I will. Goodbye, Dana.'
'She's nice,' Ed said as they drove away.
'Yes.'
'Beautiful baby,' he added.
'Yes.'
He grinned. 'I mean it.'
She smiled. 'Yeah, me too.'
Chapter Thirty-One
Dana saved The Mile High Club and sat back. 'Thank God,' she murmured. Going into her email, she wrote a message to Sylvie and attached the file. Then she phoned her PA.
'Hi, Sylvie.'
'Oh, hi, Dana. How are you?'
'Relieved. I've just finished the book.'
'That's great news, congratulations.'
Dana smiled. 'I think we both know that congratulations aren't really in order.'
'Well, at least it's over and now you can move on.'
Everyone talked about her moving on, Dana mused. To what?
'So shall I send it on to Gretta once I've checked it?' Sylvie asked.
'No, I think we'd better let Walter have a look at it first. It's only fair to prepare him. I'll call him now and tell him to expect it.'
'I'll get it to him before close of business,' Sylvie promised.
Dana called Walter's office but it turned out he was at meetings and wasn't expected back until the following day. Rather than leave a message, Dana sent her agent a short email.
Dear Wally,
By the time you read this, you should have the final manuscript — I thought you should read it before we sent it to Gretta. I'm sorry.
X
Dana
She swallowed back her tears as she pressed send. Poor Wally. Despite all his encouragement and help, The Mile High Club was still the worst book she'd ever written. There was no way that Gretta would publish it. Strangely Dana felt worse for her agent than she did for herself. She had known for weeks that it wasn't going to be good enough, but she had tried. And she felt awful that she'd let Wally down. Some day, she promised herself, she'd make it up to him. She had no idea when or how, but she would.
'Here we are.' Ian came into his office, two beakers in his hand. 'Have you read the final chapters yet?'
Sylvie shook her head and took a grateful sip of coffee. 'I've printed it out but I'm putting off reading it. I know it's going to be bad.'
Ian sighed. 'And she really seemed to have got her act together. I don't understand.'
'She just doesn't seem to enjoy it any more.'
'By which time, I'll be out of a job,' Sylvie said glumly.
'You'll get another job, Sylvie, don't worry. Have a word with Walter, he knows everyone in the publishing industry and I'm sure he'd be happy to write you a reference.'
'I'm not sure I even want to stay in the publishing industry. I'm not sure I know what I want, to be honest.'
'You do.'
'I don't,' she protested.
'You do,' Ian insisted. 'Just make a list of all the things you like doing and all of your talents and see what job fits.'
'That's going to be a very short list,' Sylvie said, pulling a face.
He laughed. 'Don't talk rubbish. I could make a list right now off the top of my head.'
She sat up. 'You could? Would you?'
'I'd love to, but I have to go out.'
'Okay, then.' Her face fell and she reached for the printed copy of Dana's final chapters.
'But,' he said and smiled at her, 'if you have dinner with me tonight, I'll be happy to discuss it.'
Sylvie looked at him. 'Are you asking me out on a date?'
Ian held her gaze. 'Yes, Sylvie, I am.'
'Okay, then.' She smiled slowly. 'Why not?'
He grinned. 'Great. Now, get to work.'
Sylvie sighed. 'If I must.'
It didn't take long to finish The Mile High Club and there were few errors. Sylvie quickly made the changes, saved the file and sent it to Walter. She was sitting staring into space, close to tears, when Ian arrived back from his meeting.
'Moving?' Ian asked hopefully, handing her a tissue.
'Crap,' she sniffed.
'I'm sure Wally will be able to talk Dana into making a few changes.'
'It would take a lot more than that,' Sylvie assured him. 'At the moment it reads as if the second half of the book was written by a different author.'
His eyes widened. 'You don't think—'
'No.' She shook her head emphatically. 'You can read in it all the heartache and trauma she's being going through. The heroine is as miserable as she is.'
'Maybe we should get her to write her autobiography instead. Misery memoirs are big at the moment.' Ian put an arm around her and gave her a quick hug. 'Come on, cheer up. We'll go out tonight and celebrate.'
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