‘Jane hasn’t talked to me about any of these things,’ Darla says thoughtfully.
I stay silent. I’m not here to bad-mouth Jane, no matter how much I might want to call her an author-stealing hag. I’m here to get my author back.
‘Well,’ she says slowly, ‘if you think your boss can smooth it over with Jane without too much trouble then, yes, I’d like to work with you again. I’d like that very much.’
My face lights up with a big smile. ‘Leave it with me.’
I let Toni know that Darla’s on board with the switch back to me when I get back to the office and leave her to break the news to Jane. I’m tempted to send her an email to give her a ‘heads-up’ but decide not to sink to her level. Publishing is a small industry – everyone knows each other so it’s likely word will soon get around about her underhand tactics and her reputation will suffer as a result. I don’t need to stir things up too. Everyone knows she’s a bad egg now – she dug her own grave.
I head to Nando’s to meet Lizzie, feeling a tiny bit lighter than I did this morning. I’m looking forward to spending the evening with her, talking about Dad’s birthday and chewing the fat like the good old days. Maybe I’ll try to get her to talk to me about Justin, too.
I arrive at Nando’s first, so I grab a table and go up to order some wine to keep me company while I wait. I look around and can’t help but feel sad. Nando’s reminds me of Daniel. What am I going to do about him? I knew exactly how to fix my work problem, but this? It’s a whole other level of complicated.
I take a big sip of my wine and get the feeling that someone’s watching me. I look over at a nearby booth and spot a man peering at me over his menu. Then I see his camera. Oh, for fuck’s sake! Can’t a girl even have a Nando’s in peace? What do they think is going to happen? My Macho Peas will arrive cold and I’ll berate the waitress while throwing them all across the restaurant? I’m so busy getting annoyed that I don’t notice the person approach me until their shadow falls across my table. Thinking it’s Lizzie, I look up with a big smile on my face and then I freeze.
It’s Daniel.
He looks as handsome as ever, but also tired. There are dark circles under his eyes and there’s a weary look about him.
‘Hey, you,’ Daniel says quietly.
‘Daniel,’ is all I can manage.
‘I didn’t plan this. Lizzie asked me to meet her. She wanted help with some kind of application, or so she said.’
‘Little sneak,’ I reply, realising what Lizzie’s been up to.
‘Can I sit down?’
I nod. ‘She told me she wanted to talk about Dad’s fiftieth. We’re planning a surprise party.’
‘He’s having a party?’ Daniel says, brightening up slightly. ‘Lovely!’
‘Yeah,’ I say, feeling sad at the polite tone in his voice. This feels so awkward.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he says and my heart skips a beat.
‘I’ve missed you, too.’
‘The photos, Seffy – nothing happened, I swear.’
‘I know, I believe you,’ I assure him. ‘But it’s not just that. Why didn’t you tell me she was sending those pictures? Or about your plans to go back to uni? We’re supposed to be a team. Isn’t that the whole point of getting married to each other? If something happens to one of us then it happens to both of us. We deal with it together.’
Daniel’s face drops. ‘I should have told you. I should have told you everything. About the degree, about work, about bloody Seffy . . . I just – I don’t know. There’s been a lot to deal with since we got engaged. The press following us around, what happened at the engagement party, your mum coming back. I guess I just didn’t want to add something else to the pile.’ He fiddles with the corner of his napkin. ‘When you started hanging out with Nicole, I was happy at first that you were making the effort with my sister but then it seemed as though you were starting to enjoy the attention and that kind of lifestyle. I didn’t know how to tell you that was the last thing I wanted. And then I worried that we wouldn’t have enough money to keep our flat in Notting Hill if I left the company and that you’d end up resenting me for that. I just got in my own head too much. I fucked up, Bex, I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t you see how unfair it is for you to think that?’ I say, frustrated. ‘OK, maybe my head did get turned with everything – Vogue, your sister, everything – but you know me better than to think I’d leave you because you don’t have money. I love you but I need to know if you still think that because if you do then I’m not sure where we go from—’
‘I don’t,’ Daniel says urgently. ‘I swear it.’
‘You can’t keep these things to yourself,’ I say firmly. ‘We won’t work if we don’t talk to each other.’
Daniel reaches across again to take my hand and I let him. It feels so good just to touch him again.
‘I love you, Becky Ashworth, and I promise never to shut you out again.’
‘And I promise never to forget what matters most again. I love you,’ I say. ‘I’m still a bit angry at you and we have more to talk about but I love you and we always have to remember that. But Daniel?’
‘What?’
‘Don’t ever lie to me again.’ I swallow hard and stare into his eyes. ‘I won’t have it. I can’t.’
Daniel squeezes my hand. ‘I won’t. I’m an idiot.’
‘Hey,’ I say gently, ‘don’t talk about my fiancé like that.’
‘So you still want to marry me, then?’
‘Yes, a million per cent yes. But I was wondering . . . ’ I pause, gathering the courage to say what I’ve been thinking about lately. ‘Do you think we should push the wedding back? It’s all been such a rush, and we should be enjoying this time. We’ll never have it again. Shall we give ourselves a bit more time? Not much, just a few more months.’
Daniel doesn’t say anything for a while and then a smile spreads across his handsome face, brightening those tired eyes. ‘How does a winter wedding sound?’
‘It sounds perfect,’ I say, relieved he feels the same way, and I send up a silent prayer of thanks to whoever is in charge of these things for giving me a sister who likes to meddle in my life. Then one last thing pops into my head:
‘Oh, and Daniel?’
‘Yes, darling?’
‘If I ever find naked pictures of another woman on your phone I will set you on fire, understood?’
Daniel gulps. ‘Understood, princess.’
‘Good.’ And as I catch his eye and we laugh together I know once again that this is the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with.
Chapter Thirty-six
Lizzie
I miss Justin. He’s been round but I told Jay not to let him in. It would’ve been so easy to just open the door and fall into his arms professing my undying love for him and ask him how many kids we’re having but I don’t trust him. What’s Nicole put him up to now? is the only thought going through my mind and I can’t shake it. So I distract myself with filling out more course applications. I’m fully engrossed when the buzzer goes, making me jump.
Probably Justin again.
‘Jay!’ I call out towards the bathroom. He’s taking one of his legendary long soaks. ‘The door. Will you get that, in case it’s Justin?’
‘I’m in the bath!’ comes the reply.
‘Please? Will you just get out for a moment?’
‘No, Lizzie. You know how I feel about my baths. Just get the door. If it is him, you don’t have to let him in.’
Should I answer it?
I could just ignore it.
My heart beats faster at the thought of seeing Justin’s lovely face.
Nope. Do NOT think about his lovely face. No good can come of thinking of his sexy stubble and cheekbones that could cut glass.
The buzzer goes again.
Right, enough is enough, find your lady balls, answer it and tell him to do one, you fanny!
‘Hello?’ I say, my voice dripping with sass all fu
lly prepared to give Justin an earful.
‘Lizzie, sweetie? It’s your mum! Buzz me in, will you?’
I go very still. I hadn’t expected to see Tracy ever again. What does she want? Maybe she’s come to apologise. Unlikely, I think, but why is she here if she’s got what she wants? I know curiosity killed the cat but I can’t help myself. I buzz her in. I am one dead tabby.
When Tracy enters the flat, she rushes over to give me a hug like everything’s perfectly normal. I shrug her off and she looks at me, puzzled.
‘You OK, love?’
‘No, not really,’ I say. ‘Why are you here?’
Now she looks surprised. ‘I came to see you, of course. What’s the matter?’
‘Have you come to apologise?’
‘Apologise? Why? What’s happened?’ she asks, making herself comfortable on the sofa.
‘Are you really going to sit there and pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about?’ I demand, hands on hips. All I can see is teenage Bex on her knees begging Tracy to be our mum again. And bile rises in my throat.
‘I’m sorry, Lizzie, but I really don’t know what you’re talking about.’
I’ve had enough of this. ‘Well, let me jog your memory, Trace. You went to the papers! You told them everything I shared with you after my fight with Bex! You betrayed my trust, you used me, took advantage of me when I was lonely and vulnerable!’
‘What are you talking about? I didn’t sell anything to any paper!’
‘Don’t lie to me! They used the exact words I said to you. It was almost word-for-word. And you’ve had your phone turned off ever since.’
‘That must just be a coincidence,’ Tracy said soothingly. ‘And I lost my phone and I haven’t had time to buy a new one yet. There’s nothing else going on here, you daft girl. Now, can you stick the kettle on? I’m parched.’
I falter slightly. It can’t be a coincidence, can it? That all just seems too easy. I’m about to question her again when the buzzer goes. Geez, it’s like Grand Central Station in here tonight. Too distracted to worry it might be Justin, I quickly answer with a curt, ‘Hello?’
‘It’s me!’ Bex’s voice rings through the flat. ‘I’ve just seen Daniel. You’re such a little weasel for setting us up like that. But thank you all the same, you dream of a girl. Let me in so I can thank you in person and tell you everything!’
I buzz my sister up and turn around to look at Tracy, who’s fiddling with the hem of her shirtsleeve. She doesn’t look quite as relaxed as she did a moment ago.
‘Liz Wiz!’ Bex rushes into the flat and then stops short when she sees Tracy on the sofa. Her eyes narrow and there’s a look on her face that I have never seen before and the temperature in the room drops about ten degrees. She looks to me with a questioning glance.
‘Tracy just came round.’ I say. ‘A minute ago. We were just talking about—’
‘Rebecca! Look at you!’ Tracy interrupts me, leaping up to hug Bex who pushes her away immediately.
‘You need to leave. Now,’ Bex growls. Never in my life have I heard my sister growl.
‘What’s the matter, love? You sounded so happy a second ago.’ Tracy turns to me and rolls her eyes, as if Bex is overreacting.
Nah, Trace, I think. That’s not how this works. You’ve made a fool of the Ashworths for the last time. I go to stand next to my (very scary) big sister and I see Tracy’s face pale.
‘What’s the matter? Are you fucking kidding me? Who the hell do you think you are?’ Bex says. She isn’t shouting. Her voice is low and dangerous. I think I’d prefer it if she was shouting. Like when Dad would say he was ‘disappointed’ in me when I was a kid it was always worse than when he would shout – this kinda feels like that but a thousand times worse. I’ve never seen this Bex before. I’m not sure if I’m impressed or close to wetting myself with fear.
‘Don’t you talk to me like that!’ Tracy exclaims. ‘I’m your mum!’
‘No, you’re not,’ Bex says. ‘We don’t have a mum.’
Tracy opens her mouth to retort but Bex isn’t having any of it.
‘We know you sold that story to the papers. Don’t even try to deny it!’
Tracy thinks for a moment, contemplating her next move. ‘I would never intentionally sell a story,’ she says sweetly. ‘But I did get a call this morning and said they’d love to feature us in Hey There magazine. They would pay us a lot of money for an exclusive interview. Lizzie, don’t you think that will be nice? A chance to share how we’ve overcome the past mistakes and become a family again? Becky, I’ll do whatever it takes to earn your forgiveness, but won’t this be a great start? And with the money from the interview I could move to London, be closer to you girls. My girls.’
Shit, this woman is not reading the room well at all, is she?
I watch as tears well up in Tracy’s eyes and spill down her cheeks. I’m not falling for it again. Something occurs to me.
‘You said Hey There rang you . . . ’
‘Yes, love,’ Tracy says. ‘They’re offering us a lot of money and they say it will all be very tasteful. A beautiful piece.’
A wave of sadness washes over me. I can’t even be angry with her. ‘How can someone have called you if you lost your phone?’
Tracy blinks. Her face drains of colour.
‘Well, I – I . . . ’ she stutters.
Such a simple, stupid mistake. I feel a single tear roll down my cheek. She really is just after the money.
‘That’s enough!’ Bex is finally shouting. ‘Get out and never come back. We don’t need you, we never have. You think you can just walk back in, all sweetness and light, hoping that there’s a nice big fat cheque waiting for you. You have had nothing to do with our lives! You have nothing to do with the women we’ve become. The best thing you ever did was leave as it made me stronger and Lizzie got to grow up with me and Dad, rather than having you around as a role model. We are so much better off without you. NOW LEAVE!’
Tracy stands up, her bottom lip wobbling. ‘Now, Bex, that’s no way to talk to your—’
‘You’re not our mum!’ I yell, finally finding my voice. Tracy looks at me in shock and then her smile drops, her eyes glinting.
‘You were always too big for your boots,’ she snarls. ‘I don’t need you to do this interview with Hey There anyway. The Daily World paid me just fine. I don’t need you two.’
‘Finally! Some honesty!’ Bex says. I watch as she grabs Tracy by the arm and frogmarches her out of the flat. Tracy struggles, but she’s no match for Bex. All those Pilates and spin classes finally paid off, eh?
‘Sell whatever story you want,’ I hear Becky yell from downstairs. ‘You can’t hurt us any more. And don’t you ever come near my family again!’
Becky comes back up and her face softens instantly when she sees me. ‘You OK, Liz Wiz?’ she sits beside me.
I nod. I think I’m stunned into silence by Bex’s powerful display right there but I find my voice eventually. ‘I will be. At least we know the truth now.’
‘I know it hurts now, but it will get better, I promise.’
‘Thanks, Bex. Thanks for looking out for me. You were pretty scary back there. Sort of like a proud mamma lion protecting her cubs from a shady, story-selling predator.’
She laughs and nudges my shoulder with hers. ‘And quite right too – you are my cub. No one messes with my Liz Wiz.’
At that moment Jay emerges from the bathroom in a cloud of steam. ‘Anything interesting happened while I was in the bath?’ he says, wide-eyed and innocent, clearly having heard every single word. ‘Drink?’ he asks.
‘Drink,’ Bex and I say in unison.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Becky
‘I know you’ve been having a shitty time, girls,’ Jay announces, still wrapped in only a towel, lounging on his bed like he’s posing for GQ. ‘But I think we’re getting through it, right?’
I nod in agreement and pour myself another glass of wine. My hand i
s still shaking and I try to hide it from Lizzie but I think she sees. That’s the first time I’ve seen Tracy since I begged her to come back all those years ago. I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. I think I’m feeling everything. I’m glad I’m here with Lizzie. I phoned Daniel to tell him what had happened (no secrets, remember?) and he said he’d be waiting for me when I got home. I need to spend some time with my sister.
Lizzie. Big-hearted, fun-loving Lizzie, who’s sitting there looking like she’s had her heart broken. Because she has. Again. She needs a distraction.
‘We still need to sort out some things for Dad’s party,’ I say to her, ‘seeing as you never made it to Nando’s . . . ’
Lizzie goes red. ‘Er, yeah, sorry about that.’
I grin at her. ‘Thanks for sticking your oar in.’
‘You don’t mind? Did you and Daniel sort everything out?’
‘Not everything,’ I say truthfully, ‘but we will. The main thing is you brought us back together so we get the chance to sort it all out.’
‘Then we still have a wedding to plan!’ Lizzie says excitedly.
‘Well, actually, there’s been a change of plans,’ I begin.
‘Is the wedding off?’ Jay asks in shock.
‘No,’ I hurry to reassure them, ‘we’re just pushing it back by a few months. We were being unrealistic thinking we could have everything ready for a summer wedding. So we’re going to have a winter wedding instead. Give ourselves some more time so we can actually enjoy it, you know?’
‘That’s great!’ Lizzie says. ‘Oooh, you could make it all Christmassy with lights in the trees and hot chocolate. And mistletoe everywhere!’
I laugh, happy that Lizzie’s getting into it. ‘We’ve got plenty of time to sort that out. We should talk about Dad’s party first.’
My Sister's Wedding: For better or worse, two families are about to become one . . . Page 25