The Gift of Friends

by Emma Hannigan

  Danielle felt her mam had used the word ‘down’ purposely, and it made her feel awkward. But then she thought of what Nancy had said – if you’re honest, you can’t go far wrong. She took the plunge.

  ‘I wanted to see you, Mam. I’m missing you so badly. I haven’t seen you since the party. I thought you might visit more often.’

  Rachel sighed. ‘You’re moving on, Danielle,’ she said. ‘I just can’t cope with what you’re moving into. That party was . . . I mean, Jesus Christ, Danielle, that woman tried to pay you to get out her son’s life. I’ve seen a lot of things in my time, but I’ve never seen the like of that. I don’t think I can follow where you’re going. Those people are horrible. I’d prefer the mad ones around here, at least you know exactly where you stand with them. But that shower, no. It’s just not for me, love.’

  ‘But . . .’ Danielle felt like her head was going to explode. For a bizarre moment, she felt like her mam was breaking up with her. ‘But I need you, Mam,’ she said. ‘I’m all alone over there. I’m in a big house I don’t know what to do with, driving a big yoke that terrifies me, and Justin’s gone all day. I’m starting to get on really well with the neighbours, but my life feels so tiny and so . . . suffocating. I honestly don’t know what I want anymore, Mam.’ Danielle put her head on the table and sobbed. She felt her mother’s rough hands on her shoulders.

  ‘There, there, my little one,’ Rachel said. ‘I didn’t know you felt like this. Do you mean, like, are you thinking of leaving Justin?’

  Danielle nodded her head, tears flowing. She gulped. ‘Maybe. I mean, what if Celia-Ann is right and I’m just holding him back? And what if I can’t be happy in the life he’s offering? If he never takes my side against his mother, I’m not sure we can be happy. My head is hurting thinking about it all, Mam. I just don’t know what to do.’

  ‘I’ll tell you what you can do,’ Rachel said. ‘You can stop here until you figure things out. Your old room is just as you left it. You can move back in and just take a breather while you make your own decisions, alright?’

  Danielle nodded miserably. ‘Yeah, I think maybe I should do that,’ she said sadly. ‘I can’t seem to see the wood for the trees at the moment.’

  ‘And you know,’ said Rachel slowly, ‘you could give the baby up for adoption. Think of it, Danielle, by this time next year it would all be over and you’d be back in Trinity, studying law, making a life for yourself. Think of it.’

  ‘I know,’ Danielle said. ‘I have thought of it. I hate the idea, but I know it’s one option.’

  Rachel smiled. ‘That’s the girl, don’t close down any options. Just put everything out on the table and think about what’s best for you. Now, you look exhausted, so I’m going to put you to bed for a few hours. Don’t even bother arguing. You look like you need a good rest.’

  Danielle didn’t have the energy to argue, and it felt good to be mothered. She went along meekly as her mother brought her up to her room and closed the curtains.

  ‘There’s pyjamas in the top drawer there,’ she said. ‘I’ll wake you for dinner.’

  Danielle opened the drawer and took out her favourite tartan PJs. Her mother watched her from the door.

  ‘It’s good to have you home, love,’ she said, then she went out, shutting the door quietly.

  Danielle undressed, put on the PJs and crawled into bed. Her bed. The bed where she’d dreamed about being a lawyer and making something of herself and making her mam proud. She was looking at a fork in the road now, and she didn’t know if she could even trust herself to make a decision. Old life or new life? She wished to God she could get some clarity. She drifted off to sleep, giving in to the delicious darkness that closed in around her.

  ‘Danielle, love, wakey-wakey. You’ve been asleep for hours. I want you to get up and eat something.’

  Danielle slowly opened her eyes and looked around, and remembered. The heaviness hit her shoulders instantly. Her immediate thought was: I don’t want to be here. She violently pushed that thought aside.

  When Danielle got downstairs, Rachel had cooked up a lasagne that smelled amazing.

  ‘Thanks, Mam,’ Danielle said, suddenly realising just how hungry she was.

  ‘No problem,’ Rachel said, filling two plates. ‘Have you checked your phone?’

  ‘No,’ Danielle said, looking around. ‘Where did I leave it?’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Rachel said. ‘But I’ve had a text from Justin asking where you are, so you should probably drop him a line to say you’re alright.’

  ‘God, I hadn’t even thought of that,’ Danielle said, feeling guilty. She felt in her jacket pocket and found the phone and quickly fired off a text. Need a few days to think. Going to stay with Mam. Sorry, Justin, but I’ll come back soon. X

  They carried on with their meal, but all the while Danielle was thinking about her phone, and the fact that he didn’t bother to reply. Rachel talked away about her neighbours and who was having an affair with whom and all the gossip, but Danielle was thinking about Justin, wondering if she could have misjudged him so badly. She was thinking about all the hours spent twined around him in bed, laughing together, kissing and making love – could that have been a lie? It didn’t seem possible. Remembering those times made her ache with longing and loss. She couldn’t believe she was sitting here, actually thinking over the possibility of chucking it all in, giving her baby up for adoption and carrying on as if it all hadn’t happened. Was she being clever, or utterly mental?

  ‘I’ll clear this away and make us a pot of tea,’ Rachel said, standing up and taking the plates to the sink. ‘It’s so nice to have you here, love.’

  ‘Thanks, Mam,’ Danielle said. ‘That’s a cold night. Do you want me to light the fire inside?’

  ‘Sure. That’s a good idea.’

  Danielle went into the sitting room and set about making a fire in the grate. It had always been her job, and she loved doing it. When she had a fire going, she pulled the curtains against the dark evening.

  She checked her phone again. Nothing. Her heart broke a little. Maybe that was her answer right there.

  Chapter 23

  FREDDIE CAME HOME TO A KITCHEN FULL OF women. Maia, Zara, Lottie and Delia were waiting their turn for makeup, giggling and joking together. Maia laughed as she heard Freddie cursing under his breath.

  ‘I’d say they can hear you all gossiping from the other side of Vayhill!’ he said.

  ‘No men allowed in here,’ Zara shouted as she playfully threw a tea-towel across the kitchen at him. He caught it and threw it back at her with a grin.

  ‘Hey honey,’ said Maia as she breezed over in her long black satin dressing gown to give him a kiss. He looked down at her pert chest and smiled. ‘You’re early! That’s good . . . Oh . . . your eye . . . What happ—’

  ‘Nothing,’ he said quickly, glossing over the fact his right eye looked as if it had met with a baseball bat.

  Taking him by the elbow, Maia led Freddie to the small study adjacent to the kitchen.

  ‘What the hell?’ she asked, staring at him in disbelief.

  ‘You’re looking well,’ he said as he plunged his hand into her dressing gown. ‘God, I love your boobies. They were one of your better ideas. Let’s go upstairs for a quickie while they’re distracted.’

  Maia knew from experience that it was always better to oblige him. It would put him in good form for the party that night. The guests would be here in two hours, and she needed her man in loved-up anniversary form, so she grabbed his hand and they snuck off upstairs. They ended up locking the bedroom door (her idea) and having a quick tumble in the sheets.

  ‘Oh God, that felt good,’ Freddie said as he lay back against the pillows, his gold neck chain stuck to his sweaty chest.

  ‘So are you gonna tell me how you got that shiner?’ Maia asked. She had tried to get into the sex but seeing his eye up-close was even worse. She was completely distracted, wondering what had happened to him. She felt a lump of worry
in the pit of her stomach and his vague answers weren’t helping to dissolve it.

  ‘Just a misunderstanding that’s been sorted now,’ he said. ‘Nothing worth worrying about, my princess. So, tell me what’s happening.’

  ‘You’ll have to cover that eye with some makeup tonight. I’ll get Sorcha to do it. Otherwise everyone is going to wonder why you look like that.’

  ‘Fuck them. It’s none of their business. I’m paying for the best party this year for them. Isn’t that enough?’ he flared.

  ‘Hey!’ she hissed. ‘Don’t start yelling at me. We need to have a story. It’s not usual to go around with your face smashed in. Whether you like it or not, you need to come up with something and we both need to stick to it.’

  Just then the door was nearly taken off the hinges.

  ‘Open up?’ said Zach, knocking impatiently.

  ‘Sorry, love, we were having a private chat so I locked the door,’ said Maia, quickly pulling on her dressing gown and wrapping it tightly around her. Freddie gave her a lascivious wink and pulled the sheets up higher.

  Zach walked into the room and stopped dead when he saw his father. ‘Oh God, what happened to you, Dad?’ he said. ‘That looks wicked.’

  ‘Your father was jumped last night in London,’ Maia said, thinking quickly.

  ‘Yeah,’ said Freddie. ‘A gouger tried to rob my laptop. I gave him a good dig in the face, but the little fecker got me with one of those cheapo signet rings.’

  ‘Ah, bad one,’ said Zach. ‘It looks savage, though! My mates will be well impressed tonight. Can we tell them you got it doing MMA?’

  ‘No, we can’t,’ Freddie scoffed. ‘I’m not bloody Conor McGregor and I’m not pretending I am.’

  Zach went to the en-suite bathroom and ‘borrowed’ a load of hair products and left again.

  ‘See,’ Maia said. ‘You’re not going to get away with looking like that without people commenting.’

  ‘Alright, alright,’ he said. ‘When you lot are finished, I’ll let Sorcha do her worst.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Maia said. ‘But I’m still worried, Freddie. You can’t fob me off with silly lines. We have to drop it now because the night’s about to kick off, but I am really freaked by it.’

  She went back down to the kitchen. where she was next in line to have her makeup done. She laughed along with the girls, but her heart wasn’t really in it. A black eye was serious. Had someone targeted him? Another idea suddenly occurred to her and made her feel sick – what if a jealous husband had caught him and given him a smack? Maia forced herself to breathe deeply and calm down. She had the party of the year on her hands tonight, so she was going to have to park Freddie’s damn black eye for now.

  A short while later, made-up and dressed, she scrutinised her look in the full-length mirror in her dressing-room. It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do. Sorcha had done a good job, as always. Her botox and fillers had been done a couple of weeks previously, so her skin looked nice and taut. She’d booked herself in for a little eye lift and the surgeon had mentioned the possibility of doing a little work on the underside of her chin. She patted it now with the back of her hand. She should’ve gotten it done at the same time last summer. That was a missed opportunity.

  She stepped outside onto the landing just as Freddie stepped out from his dressing-room. He looked very handsome in a dark grey suit and black shirt.

  ‘You look amazing, love,’ he said as he caught her in his arms. ‘Look, sorry about earlier. I was in foul humour after last night. I’m fine now. And there really is nothing to worry about. I promise you.’

  ‘Good,’ she said, feeling some small sense of relief. ‘I actually feel scared when I look at that eye.’

  ‘My little worrier,’ he said, smacking her on the backside. Her dress was made from blush-and-gold silk and she knew she’d have to be careful she wasn’t wobbling in it. It was very unforgiving, especially at her bum, but it was also incredibly sexy and cool. Paired with sky-high heels and her diamond necklace and bracelet, she wanted to look young and confident. ‘I know they’ll all arrive in a few minutes,’ he said, ‘but I just wanted to grab a minute alone with you.’

  ‘Freddie,’ she warned, ‘I can’t be rolling around the bed now I’m done up.’

  ‘Not that,’ he said, laughing. ‘Here.’ He handed her a long, rectangular box. ‘You’ve probably nearly forgotten with all that’s been going on, but happy twentieth anniversary, my love. I’m still mad about you.’

  ‘Oh!’ Maia blushed. She actually had forgotten the point of the night in the midst of the unending arrangements.

  Maia opened the box slowly. Nestled inside was the most beautiful watch she had ever seen. She gasped and touched it gently.

  ‘Jesus, Freddie, it’s exquisite,’ she said. ‘It’s a Cartier. My God, did you rob a bank?’

  Freddie laughed. ‘Only the best for my Maia. It’ll look perfect with the rest of your diamonds. Will you wear it tonight?’

  ‘I feel like I’d need a bodyguard,’ she said. ‘Will you put it on for me? I’d be terrified of breaking the clasp or something.’

  Freddie took it gently from the box, wrapped it around her wrist and closed it shut. ‘There, absolute perfection now,’ he said, kissing her.

  ‘Thank you, Freddie,’ she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. ‘It’s too much, but I love it.’

  ‘Right then,’ he said, taking her hand. ‘Time to be the incredible married couple we are. Here we go.’

  They headed downstairs hand in hand, and Maia just knew they made an incredible entrance. She felt a rush of happiness as the early guests turned to stare at them and clap their arrival. She felt like a movie star on the red carpet, and she loved it.

  That feeling lasted about five minutes, until the ten friends each Zara and Zach had invited turned up. Each girl was more beautiful than the next, oozing style, confidence and youthful splendour. Oh well, Maia thought, I can’t turn back the years, but I can be the most stunning old person at the ball!

  Nancy was there, smiling at them in delight. ‘Happy anniversary, you two,’ she said, kissing them both. Freddie spotted an old pal and left them to go greet him. ‘Maia!’ said Nancy, holding her arms out to her. ‘Oh you look utterly stunning, my darling.’

  ‘Aw thanks, Nancy,’ Maia said. ‘And you look gorgeous. I love that yellow colour on you. Let’s see if we can find a glass of bubbly. And don’t worry, I ordered all sorts of non-alcoholic stuff as well for anyone who can’t take high-class champers!’

  A waiter immediately arrived over with a tray, and Maia took a flute of champagne while Nancy took a non-alcoholic cocktail, complete with umbrella. They made their way through the garden, waving to the stilt walker who was blowing balls of fire into the sky. A red carpet led to the marquee, lined by pretend paparazzi whose camera lights flashed and popped as they walked by. The drinks reception area encompassed the large fountain water feature in the garden, which was dressed with strings of twinkling lights she’d ordered and Japanese floating flowers. Maia was so pleased with how it had all turned out, from an image in her head to a head-turning reality.

  ‘How many are coming?’ Nancy asked in awe as they walked into the main marquee.

  ‘I’m expecting about a hundred and forty,’ Maia said, feeling a sudden shot of nervousness. ‘That’s if they actually turn up. Right now, I’m wondering why on earth I insisted on doing this. It’s so nerve wracking. I hope everyone has fun.’

  ‘They will,’ Nancy assured her. ‘And if they don’t, that’s not your problem. You’ve everything laid on, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be a massive success.’

  Over the next fifteen minutes, the place exploded with guests arriving – it felt like an instant crowd. Maia watched Freddie working the room like a pro, telling jokes, banging people on the back and laughing loudly. He looked like a natural, and she was so happy that he was enjoying it. It would help when the final bill landed on his desk.

  Mai
a spotted Pearl, Seth and Drew entering the marquee, and hurried over to greet them.

  ‘Evening all,’ she called out. ‘Give me a high-five, Drew,’ she said, holding up her hand. He giggled and slapped her hand with his. ‘I’m so glad you could come along,’ she said to him. ‘And who’s this?’ she asked, pointing to the blue toy penguin tucked under his arm.

  ‘It’s Bluebob,’ Drew said, holding him up. ‘He didn’t want to miss all the fun.’

  ‘Hello Bluebob,’ Maia said, ‘nice to meet you and welcome to the party. I hope he likes dancing,’ she said to Drew.

  Drew nodded emphatically. ‘Just like me!’ he said.

  ‘For God’s sake,’ Seth said, looking livid. ‘Why in God’s name did you let him bring that stupid toy, Pearl? He’s making a complete fool of us.’

  Drew’s shoulders drooped, and Maia felt like punching Seth in the face.

  ‘He is not,’ she said. ‘You are all my guests, Drew as much as anyone. I love Drew and I’m really glad he’s here.’

  Drew smiled at her gratefully.

  ‘Zara and Zach are dying to see you as well,’ she said. ‘Shall I take you over to them?’

  ‘Oh yes,’ Drew said, bouncing on his feet excitedly. ‘I haven’t seen Zach in ages.’

  ‘Please make yourselves at home,’ Maia said, keeping her eyes on Pearl. If she looked at Seth, she wouldn’t be able to hide her anger. ‘Nancy’s right over there. I’ll just walk Drew over to the kids. They have a table set up for themselves already.’

  ‘You don’t have to,’ Seth said. ‘I very much doubt they want a retard hanging out with them for the night.’

  ‘Seth!’ Pearl said, looking aghast. ‘You can’t call Drew that.’

  Seth shrugged. ‘Maia has two fine, intelligent children, Pearl. Someone like Drew will just embarrass them in front of their friends.’

  Pearl looked like she was going to cry. Maia put her hand on her friend’s arm and looked at Seth.

  ‘We all love Drew just as he is. He’s grown up with Zara and Zach and they are so fond of him. I really don’t want to hear you running him down, Seth. This is meant to be a joyful get-together. I can’t bear to hear that kind of talk.’