Jess’s eyes widened and she turned to Doug. ‘Can you add some water to that, please?’
Suzie laughed but nodded when Doug held the jug up. ‘Yes, please.’
‘I hope you won’t be bored, Jess,’ Doug said, ‘but at least you can have a laugh looking at our old photos.’
‘Are they that bad?’ Jess grinned at him.
‘No idea, but Gina tells me she has tons. You can have a good laugh at your mother’s fashion disasters.’
Suzie pulled a face. ‘Don’t remind me. Is Noreen coming?’
‘No. I asked Gina if she could track her down but, for some reason, she didn’t seem too interested in finding her.’
Suzie laughed and explained to her daughter. ‘She was CML’s receptionist and a right pain.’
‘She was good at her job,’ Doug protested, ‘just a little old-school.’ The doorbell rang and he put down his glass. ‘This might be Amanda.’ He shot Suzie a worried look.
She clenched her glass but forced herself to smile. ‘Well, you had better let her in, then.’
‘Are you and Mandy fighting?’ Jess murmured, when he’d left them.
‘No. I haven’t talked to her in a while but I remembered some things that made me realise why I didn’t see her that often.’
‘What?’
‘Oh, nothing specific. It just made a mockery of her friendliness since I woke up.’
‘I won’t argue with you there.’ Jess squeezed her hand in a gesture of solidarity and Suzie gave her a grateful smile.
‘Look who’s here!’ Doug walked back into the room followed by Jack and Gina.
‘Suzie? Oh, my God, it’s so great to see you. You look fabulous, love the hair!’
Suzie found herself caught up in a warm hug. ‘Hello, Gina.’ She smiled at the bright-eyed, bubbly woman. ‘You haven’t changed a bit.’
‘Rubbish!’ Gina patted her tummy. ‘But I do have three children to show for it.’
She was slightly heavier, Suzie noticed, but it suited her. She turned to Jack, who bent to kiss her cheek. ‘And look at you.’ She grinned at his goatee. ‘Very George Clooney.’
‘You see?’ Jack said to his wife. ‘It is sexy.’
‘It’s bumfluff,’ Gina said, dismissively.
Suzie laughed. ‘Ha! This is just like old times.’ She looked around for her daughter, who had stepped back and was watching them with an amused smile. Suzie beckoned her over and slid an arm around her waist. ‘Remember my baby?’
Gina’s eyes widened. ‘Jess?’
‘Yes. Hi.’
Gina kissed Jess’s cheek. ‘I can’t believe it. You’re all grown up and so beautiful. Jack, isn’t she lovely?’
‘She certainly is.’ He smiled and shook Jess’s hand. ‘I think our eldest would love to meet you.’
‘He’s only twenty,’ Gina laughed, ‘but he’s already gone through I don’t know how many girlfriends.’
‘She’s taken,’ Suzie confided, grinning broadly.
‘Mum,’ Jess hissed, blushing.
‘Am I wrong?’ Suzie looked her in the eye and her smile broadened when Jess shook her head, looking like an embarrassed, lovesick teenager.
‘We have so much catching up to do,’ Gina said, accepting a glass from Doug and smiling affectionately at her ex-boss. ‘I want to hear all about you both and what you’ve been up to. It’s so good to see you again, Doug. How’s the health?’
‘Fine. Creaking along.’
‘You were flitting from country to country and then, bam, you disappeared off the radar. What happened?’ Jack asked, his expression suddenly serious.
Doug was telling them about his new name and his writing when the doorbell rang again. ‘I’ll get it,’ Suzie said and went into the hall. She grinned maliciously, imagining Mandy’s face when she was greeted by her sister. She flung it open and blinked at the man on the doorstep. ‘Hello?’
‘Suzie!’
She frowned. Did she know this handsome man? Then he gave her a lop-sided grin and she gasped, putting a hand to her mouth. ‘Malcolm?’ He nodded and she threw her arms around him. ‘Oh, Malcolm. I’m sorry, I didn’t recognise you. You look so different.’
‘I’ve lost about three stone since we last met,’ he told her.
‘Well, it suits you. How’s the family?’ she asked, drawing him inside. Thank goodness he hadn’t brought Caroline. Malcolm’s wife had always managed to pour cold water on any party.
‘All grown up now and Caroline and I are divorced.’
Suzie grimaced. ‘Should I commiserate?’
Mal smiled. ‘No, not at all. We’re both happier.’
‘In that case I’m glad. Where are you working these days?’
‘I have my own accountancy firm in the city centre and I live over the shop.’
‘Good for you,’ she said, delighted that his life had obviously worked out so well.
‘It’s so good to see you again, Suzie. How’s Limerick?’
‘Oh, I left there eleven years ago when my husband was killed in an accident.’
‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’
She nodded but didn’t go into further details. This was a day for celebrating. ‘I live in Kilbarrack now and I’m always in and out of the city. I’m surprised we haven’t bumped into each other over the years.’
‘We’re here now so let’s make the most of it.’
‘You’re right.’ She hugged him again. ‘Come on. Everyone’s in the kitchen and there’s someone I want you to meet.’
Suzie introduced Malcolm to Jess and left them chatting with Jack while Doug and Gina sat at the breakfast bar catching up. She was content to let the conversation flow around her, glad she hadn’t been looking back on her time in CML through rose-tinted glasses. They were good people and she hoped that this time they would stay in touch. Her eyes strayed to Malcolm. She’d seen Gina’s expression when he walked in. She was just as gobsmacked with the transformation. He must be in his mid-fifties, Suzie guessed, but he looked younger than she did. She wondered how much of that was down to losing weight and how much was due to being free of Caroline.
‘Where are Amanda and the damn caterers?’ Doug looked at his watch.
‘Caterers?’ Gina winked at Suzie. ‘Sure we can send out for pizza.’
‘It’s all organised, or it’s supposed to be,’ he grumbled.
Suzie knew his irritation was less about the food and more about his annoyance with her sister’s meddling in their relationship but that was her battle and one for another day. Suzie’s eyes were drawn to Malcolm again and she smiled when she caught his eye. He didn’t look away, but returned the smile.
‘What was that song you were always singing when you were pregnant?’ Jack called over to her. ‘You nearly drove us all mad.’
‘ “Bad Medicine”,’ Gina interjected with a groan.
‘Bon Jovi.’ Suzie grinned. ‘I adored him.’
‘I hope you haven’t inherited your mother’s taste in music,’ Jack said to Jess.
She laughed. ‘Some, but not Bon Jovi.’
‘You can’t talk, Jack,’ Suzie retorted. ‘You were big into Madonna.’
‘I think that was more about her sexy costumes than her songs.’ Gina laughed.
Jack smirked at his wife. ‘Someone who had a Jason Donovan poster over her bed is in no position to sneer.’
Suzie raised an eyebrow. ‘How did you know what was over her bed?’
‘I looked up at it a lot.’ Jack winked at her and his wife swatted his backside.
Doug laughed. ‘You two haven’t changed a bit. How have you managed to raise three normal children?’
‘Who said anything about normal?’ Gina quipped, making everyone laugh.
‘The party’s in full swing I see.’
Suzie spun round to see Mandy standing in the doorway. Fuck. She’d been hoping her sister had decided not to come.
‘It would be going a lot better if the caterers had shown up,’ Doug retorted.
‘They’re here now. You were supposed to call them thirty minutes before you wanted the food served.’
Doug opened his mouth to reply but Suzie put a hand on his arm. ‘We’ve been so busy catching up we never noticed. Let’s move into the other room and leave them to sort out dinner.’
Doug glared at Mandy but allowed himself to be led away.
‘Aren’t you going to introduce me?’ Mandy called after him and Suzie could see the rage in her eyes.
Suzie answered as Doug fumed beside her. ‘Everyone, this is Mandy, my sister, and Doug’s secretary.’
‘Assistant,’ Mandy corrected her.
‘Assistant,’ Suzie repeated, rolling her eyes dramatically.
Everyone laughed and said hello as they passed her to go into the lounge. Mandy frowned when she saw Jess. ‘What are you doing here?’
Looking like a rabbit caught in headlights, Jess turned to Suzie but Doug answered.
‘Jess is an honorary member of CML and the daughter of one of my best employees.’ Doug put a protective arm round Suzie.
‘What?’ Mandy looked totally confused.
Realising that Doug was in a dangerous mood, Suzie answered for him. She noticed that, while they were all drinking champagne and beer, he was holding a glass of Jameson. ‘Sorry, Mandy, we’ve been having a bit of fun at your expense. I had no idea until the day in the restaurant that Douglas Thornton was also Doug Hamilton, proprietor of CML, the company I worked for before I got married.’
‘You’ve been stringing me along?’ Mandy looked directly at Doug. ‘You pretended not to know each other.’
‘We all pretend from time to time, don’t we, Amanda? I pretended I didn’t know Suzie. You pretended to be a good sister . . .’
‘Doug.’ Suzie gave him a warning glance.
‘No,’ Mandy said. ‘I want to know what he meant by that.’
Doug looked at Suzie and nodded. ‘I have guests to entertain. Come on, Jess, Suzie.’
‘You go on. I’ll be there in a minute.’ When he was gone Suzie turned back to her stony-faced sister. ‘He’s on the whiskey – don’t mind him.’
‘But I want to know—’
‘Later, Mandy. Tonight isn’t about you. It’s a reunion of very old friends.’
Mandy eyeballed her. ‘And Jess.’
‘And Jess. Now, can you please get a move on with dinner?’ she said, and swept from the room, taking enormous pleasure from the furious look on her sister’s face.
Suzie tried to get back into party mood, but Mandy’s silent, brooding presence and steady consumption of wine was hard to ignore. She looked around and caught Malcolm’s eye.
‘Okay?’ he mouthed, looking concerned.
She nodded and gave him a grateful smile, covering her glass with her hand as Jack went to refill it. Someone needed to keep a level head and, although Doug had returned to his earlier good form, he was still knocking back the whiskey.
The conversation turned to the evening that Suzie went into labour and Jess laughed until she cried as Gina told the story in her own dramatic fashion. Malcolm was the hero of the hour, she finished off, and he took a humble bow.
‘My hero,’ Suzie laughed.
‘And where was John?’ Mandy’s voice rang out, silencing them.
Chapter Forty-Three
Suzie felt the tension in the room and was determined to dispel it. Mandy had caused her enough trouble already and, if she didn’t put a sock in it, Doug would strangle her.
‘I hadn’t met John.’ She gave her daughter a reassuring smile. ‘He’s not Jess’s dad.’
‘What? Why am I only hearing this now? Do Sharon and Noel know?’
‘They do now. It was a secret because that was the way John wanted it, and I respected his wishes. It would still be a secret if Jess hadn’t stumbled on some baby pictures.’
‘And thought I was her father.’ Doug chuckled.
‘You were like a dad to her,’ Suzie insisted, taking the opportunity to turn the focus away from her sister. ‘You adored him, Jess. He would read to you and you would sit in the window, watching for his car every evening. Pamela, Doug’s wife, was the one who rescued you from that dog.’
Jess’s face lit up as she looked at Doug. ‘Was there a swing in your garden?’
His eyes widened in surprise. ‘There was! My back was broke from pushing you.’
‘So who’s the father?’ Mandy’s harsh question cut across Jess’s laughter.
Gina glared at her harsh tone and moved closer to Suzie, who shot an affectionate and grateful smile at her old friend.
‘A lovely handsome young man, Jess is the image of him,’ Suzie said while Jess scowled at her aunt.
‘But she has your lovely eyes.’ Gina smiled.
‘He didn’t want to be a dad, then?’ Mandy continued her interrogation.
Jess moved forward and stood eyeball to eyeball with her aunt. ‘He never knew Mum was pregnant, not that it’s any of your business. Mum has answered all of my questions, Sharon and Noel’s too, and we’re happy. That’s all you need to know . . . Aunty.’
There was an uncomfortable silence that Gina jumped in to fill. ‘Time to show you Doug’s appalling taste in ties, Jess.’
‘What was wrong with my ties?’ Doug protested, turning his back on Mandy, effectively shutting her out.
‘They were enormous,’ Jack said, grinning as they crowded around Gina.
‘That was the fashion of the time.’
Jess looked over Gina’s shoulder, trying to get a better look and then gasped. ‘I do remember you,’ she said excitedly, and then pointed to another woman in the photo. ‘And that’s Pamela, isn’t it?’
Suzie watched Doug swallow hard and nod.
‘I remember her . . .’ – Jess looked to her mum for confirmation – ‘gardening?’
Suzie nodded. ‘Yes, Pamela loved her garden. To give me a break, she’d sit you on a rug with your toys next to her while she was weeding. But all you wanted to do was mess in the dirt.’
‘And she’d sit me up on the draining board and wash my hands. I remember when she was lifting me down, she’d kiss my head and say, “All done.” ’
Suzie swallowed back tears and nodded.
‘Excuse me.’ Doug got up and strode from the room.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset him,’ Jess said, crestfallen.
‘You didn’t,’ Gina assured her. ‘You’re bringing back wonderful memories. But he loved her so much it’s bound to be emotional for him.’
Jess gave her a grateful nod and looked at Suzie. ‘I should really get going, Mum.’
‘You should indeed.’
‘It was wonderful to see you again.’ Gina stood and hugged her.
‘You too. And thank you for looking after Mum so well when she was having me.’
‘How touching. I think I’m going to be sick,’ Mandy drawled and, picking up her glass, left the room.
Suzie scowled. ‘Ignore her, Jess. Go and enjoy your evening.’
‘Will you say goodbye to Doug for me?’
‘Of course.’
When she was alone with her friends, Suzie sighed. ‘Sorry about the dramatics.’
Malcolm caught her hand. ‘You have nothing to apologise for.’
‘She’s jealous of you,’ Gina observed.
Suzie rolled her eyes. ‘That’s ridiculous. She’s beautiful, single and years younger.’
‘Let’s not talk about age.’ Jack pulled a face and put a hand to his receding hairline. ‘Now that your daughter is gone, you’re the youngest person in the room.’
‘And you look it too,’ Mal said, gallantly. ‘Jess is a lovely young woman, Suzie. You did a good job there.’
‘Thank you,’ she said, and smiled at them all. ‘Now, I think there’s been quite enough talk about me and my family. Tell me all about yours.’
They were chatting happily when Suzie became conscious of raised voices in the hallway. ‘Excuse me.’ She grimaced and
went out into the hall and was stunned to see her sister in tears, Doug standing over her, ranting.
‘Doug!’
He whirled round and she could see that all the emotion of the evening coupled with the alcohol had sent him over the top. She put a hand on his arm. ‘Please, Doug. Go back inside.’
‘But Suzie—’
‘You’re the host and I want a word with my sister.’
‘I’ve got a word for your sister. Leave.’ Doug glared at Mandy and went back into the lounge.
‘Don’t start,’ Mandy warned Suzie, wiping her eyes.
‘I’ve no intention of starting anything. I came out to see what all the racket was about.’
‘Of course you did. Saint Suzie, surrounded by her adoring disciples. But you weren’t always a saint, were you? I should have realised that Jess wasn’t John’s child. He never talked about her the way he did about Sharon and Noel.’
Suzie froze. Was she really going ‘there’?
‘He talked to me a lot,’ Mandy continued, unaware of the flames she was fanning. Or perhaps she was. It seemed her entire purpose these days was to provoke. ‘But then you know that, don’t you, Suzie?’ she continued. ‘You’ve remembered everything. That’s why you haven’t been returning my calls.’
Suzie didn’t correct her. She realised she didn’t know everything, but she had a feeling that very soon she might, if she let Mandy keep talking. ‘I know that you came on to him in Limerick, in my home.’
Mandy’s eyes widened and then she burst out laughing. ‘Is that what you think? I didn’t have to come on to your husband, Suzie, I assure you. He was a more than willing participant. He couldn’t get enough of me.’
Suzie recoiled at her words, recognising the truth in them, another missing piece. This was the information her mind had refused to remember and acknowledge. She stared, mesmerised by Mandy’s unashamed and triumphant expression. Struggling to hide her feelings, Suzie shook her head, pretending to be amused. ‘Believe me, you were one of many.’
‘No, I was the last!’ Mandy’s eyes flashed. ‘And you know why, Saint Suzie? Because, I was the one. He loved me.’
Second Time Around Page 34