Behind Every Cloud

by Lawless, Pauline

  “Look who’s here,” she cried, smiling happily around the group.

  “Hi, guys,” saidSam.

  Rachel then introduced him to those he hadn’t met yet and he shook hands with them.

  “This is Orla,” he said, bringing the girl forwardto meet them.

  Ellie was surprised. Sam had told her that he’d just recently broken up with his long-term girlfriend. He certainly hadn’t wasted any time replacing her. Unless, of course, this was her and they had made up again.

  A ringing cry came from behind him. “Sam, I don’t believe it!”

  They all looked to see who the owner of this husky American drawl might be.

  Ellie gasped. My God, it was Jade Keating, the famous Irish actor who had made it big in Hollywood. She was even rumoured to be dating Colin Farrell.

  “Dahhlling, how lovely to see you again!” cried Jade, draping her long arms around Sam’s neck as she kissed him full on the mouth.

  “Jade, great to see you,” Sam replied, untangling himself from her grasp.

  Ellie felt completely insignificant beside her. It didn’t help that David, Ronan and Marcus were all gaping at Jade, their mouths open. She was even more beautiful than her photos. Six-foot-two, with a tiny waist and boobs that were most certainly not the ones nature had bestowed on her. They were barely concealed in a low-cut wisp of a dress which clung to her contours like clingfilm. It barely covered her knickers and her long legs seemed to go on forever. She towered over them all. It was no wonder the men were staring with open mouths.

  “It’s been too long,” she replied, snuggling into Sam. He looked embarrassed.

  To Ellie’s surprise, Orla didn’t seem a bit putout and smiled as she shook Jade’s hand.

  Sam introduced her to the rest of the group.

  “Sam is a very old friend of mine,” Jade drawled, intimating that they were much more than just friends.

  Friends with benefits, more like, ran through Ellie’s mind – the new hip expression for good friends who had occasional sex with each other. Ellie could never understand that kind of relationship.

  Louise was acting star-struck and Ronan was afraid she might ask for Jade’s autograph. He was a bit overawed to have this famous actress here in the flesh – very much in the flesh – chatting nonchalantly with them.

  “Okay, time for supper!” Rachel cried, clapping her hands.

  She led them to the marquee where they saw from the table plan outside it that they were all to be seated together on Table 9. Jade stayed latched on to Sam and it was obvious she intended sitting with them.

  The groupwas surprised and pleased to see that Rachel also was joining them.

  “Don’t you need to sit with Carl and all the VIPs?” Ellie asked her.

  “No, I’m very happy to be sitting with you guys,” she replied, giving a little grimace. “He’s sitting with – I won’t call them friends – but business acquaintances of his.”

  Ellie felt sorry for her. Despite her outward gaiety and confidence, Ellie could see that Rachel was very lonely. From what she had confided to her in the taxi, it would seem that Rachel had becomedisillusioned with her ‘perfect’ life.

  They had to pull another chair up for Jade. She plonked herself between Sam and Orla and Ellie felt sorry for the young girl. If Jade had done that to her, she’d have been furious. Rachel was quite pleased to have such a famous actress at her party and took great satisfaction from Carl’s surprise when he saw Jade sitting at their table. He’d hot-footed it over and sat chatting to them all before dragging himself back to his political pals.

  Take that, Carl! Rachel thought smugly. He’d be happy now that she’d invited her friends to the party!

  There was a marvellous buffet set out along the back of the marquee and they all went to help themselves, loading their plates with all the lovely salads and different types of potatoes and vegetables. Then they passed by the spitwhere a chef sliced the pork and piled it on their plates. There was also fish and other meats on offer but everyone went for the delicious roast pig. Jade naturally didn’t indulge, stating that she wasn’t hungry.

  “There’s no secret to being that skinny,” Rachel said in a low voice to Ellie as they made their way back to the table. “If I didn’t eat, I’d be that skinny too.” Ellie giggled. The champagne was having its effect on her.

  “She’s chain-smoking too,” she whispered, noticing that Jade was lighting one cigarette off another. “That can’t be good for her.”

  “No, but she probably does it to stay slim.”

  “Yeuch! I don’t know how she stands it. I hate cigarettes.”

  Ellie made a face and Rachel laughed. She really was getting very fond of the young woman. Pity her fiancé was such a bore.

  Listening to an older TD colleague of his rattling on about the latest bill proposed by the opposition, Carl longed to escape to the wine-club table, not least because the mysterious Zita and the gorgeous Jade were there. From what little he’d seen of them, he could see that they were a fun bunch. Ronan and Sam were good guys and Ellie was a cute little thing. Marcus seemed to have a quick wit and was keeping them all entertained. As they laughed uproariously at a story he was telling them, Carl looked over at them enviously and caught Zita’s eye. Gosh, but she was damned exciting!

  Over at their table, Rachel was hopping up and down like a hen on a hot griddle, checking on the food and making sure her guests were all being catered for. She ate little but Ronan noticed that she was never without a glass in her hand.

  The group was enjoying the wonderful spit-roast pig, especially relishing the crisp crackling.

  “I think I’m going for more,” Ellie announced. “Anyone else coming?”

  As one, they all rose, laughing aloud. Jade wrinkled her pretty little nose at this display of gluttony. While they were gone, she poured herself another glass of white wine and lit yet another cigarette. If she had to have calories, she preferred them in liquid form – alcoholic, of course.

  Rachel was delighted that they were all having such a good time and delighted that she’d thought to invite them. With reluctance she left the tableyet againto circulate among the other guests, most of whom Carl had invited with an ulterior motive. There were bankers and developers, not to mention hordes of politicians of course, all networking like mad. If Rachel wereto be honest, she had very little in common with any of these people.She hopped from table to table saying a few words to everyone and making sure they were all enjoying themselves. Due to the endless supply of alcohol there was no problem there. Waiters kept replenishing bottles of wine on tables and many people complimented her on her choice of wines, asking her where she’d found them.

  “Thank you,” she replied graciously to each one. “I’ve started a wine course and the wines are imported by my lecturer, Sam. He’s here tonight. I’ll get his card for you if you like?”

  She was pleased to be bringing business his way. She returned to Sam and took all the cards he had on him to distribute to those who’d asked for them. Sam was grateful to her.

  “Hey, you’ve hardly eaten anything,” Sam remarked when she finally returned to the table.

  “Oh, I’m fine. I’m too worried about everything to think of eating. I’ll eat later when everyone else is finished.”

  “Sit down here, girl, and have your supper!” Sam ordered her. “Everyone’s having a great time. Just listen to the decibels of people talking.”

  She cocked her head and had to agree that the noise was pretty encouraging. She did as he’d ordered and with a grateful smile accepted the glass of wine he poured for her as she tucked into her food.

  “Mmmm . . . this is good,” she mumbled between mouthfuls. “Thank you, Sam.”

  “My pleasure,” he grinned back, raising his glass to her.

  Ellie noticed that he hadn’t been remotely concerned that Jade had not eaten a bite.

  “It really is a fabulous evening, Rachel,” she told her hostess. “You’ve done a brilliant j
ob planning all of this.” She waved her hand around.

  “Thank you,” Rachel smiled with pleasure at the compliments.

  “I guess this is all your doing,” Zita interjected. “I don’t suppose Carl did much to help?”

  “Well, you know, he’s frightfully busy with his Dáil work. He leaves all this kind of thing to me,” Rachel replied loyally. “Besides, I really enjoy doing it.”

  “Well, you’ve done a super job. I hope Carl appreciates it.”

  “Oh, he does,” Rachel gushed but Zita wasn’t convinced.

  Just then the man in question arrived at their table. “I reckon this is the most fun table in the room – I feel like I’m missing where the party’s at,” he told them, laughing and swigging back his whiskey. “My card, Zita,” he said, handing it to her. “We met when we both went to the sun-terrace bar for a whiskey,” he explained, mainly for his wife’s benefit. “Zita’s going to interview me for a TV programme she’s involved with.”

  “Wonderful!” Rachel cried, clapping her hands.

  “Can I get you another whiskey, Zita?” he asked.

  “Thank you, that would be lovely,” she purred.

  “Hey, what’s wrong with my wine?” Sam asked.

  “I love wine with my meal but otherwise I’m a whiskey drinker,” she informed him, unabashed.

  “Anyone else for a drink?” Carl asked.

  “I’d like a gin and tonic, please,” Louise piped up.

  Ronan was apprehensive. She’d been knocking back the wine like nobody’s business and now she was starting on gin and tonic. God! The last thing he needed was for her to get drunk. He knew he must avoid that at all cost.

  After the supper had finished with a fabulous array of desserts, the tables were pushed back to the side of the marquee leaving the centre free for dancing.

  “I need to go to the ladies’. Can you tell me where it is, Rachel?” Ellie asked, standing up.

  “Come, I’ll show you,” Rachel answered. “I need to go and circulate again anyway and see how everyone is doing.”

  “I’ll come too,” Louise said, jumping up and grabbing her bag.

  Orla wandered off to talk to some people.

  After they’d gone, Carl arrived over to the table and beckoned to Ronan.

  “Want to see the house now, Ronan?” he asked.

  “Can I come too?” Marcus asked jumping up quickly, full of anticipation.

  “Sure, no problem.”

  “Do you mind if I join you?” Zita asked.

  “Our tour will be all the more interesting if you do,” Carl replied, holding her in his gaze.

  She smiled at him, her eyes languid. The handsome devil was flirting with her again.

  Ronan was relieved that Louise had gone to the ladies’ with Ellie, otherwise she would surely have wanted to come and it would have been like a tourist tour of the White House. He hadn’t missed how taken she was with Carl. He was everything she’d ever wanted.Ronan knew that he was a big disappointment to his wife. She’d thought when she’d married him that it would all be a bed of roses. It hadn’t worked out like that, of course. He had opted to join a small dedicated firm which was committed to improving the structure of hospitals and schools. Not a big money-spinner unfortunately, but Ronan loved the work he did. Louise would have relished being married to someone like Carl with all the glitz and glamour it entailed, not to mention the millions that would have been at her disposal. He knew his wife was thinking this same thing. Maybe it had been a big mistake bringing her here.

  Blinded by love, it had taken Ronan a while to realise just how shallow his wife was. He knew she didn’t love him anymore and sometimes he wondered if she ever had.

  Jade had disappeared to talk to some friends and Sam was sitting alone with David at the table as they waited for the band to start up. He was trying hard to make conversation with Ellie’s fiancé but was finding it increasingly difficult. It was obvious that the other man was not enjoying himself.

  “Are you not having a good time?” Sam couldn’t resist asking.

  “I’m afraid I hate these kinds of parties.” He grimaced. “It’s all so . . . shallow, I guess is the word I’m looking for.”

  “Oh, it’s not so bad,” Sam replied. “Rachel and Carl are very welcoming and you have to admit they’ve put on a jolly good show.”

  “I suppose. It’s just not my kind of thing. No decent conversation.”

  Sam gave up on him. It was a party for God’s sake and David wasn’t exactly the world’s most interesting conversationalist. He wondered what Ellie saw in him. Sam sure as hell couldn’t figure it out.

  Rachel gave Ellie and Louisedirections to the ladies’ room where they marvelled at the opulent furnishings. There were fresh flowers and Jo Malone toiletries on the marble tops and even a chaise longue and two armchairs. It would not have been out of place in the poshest hotel in Dublin.

  “Oh my God, I’d kill for a house like this,” Louise moaned. “Look at these gold fittings and just look at all the beautiful towels in here!” She opened cupboards one after the other. “Rachel is a lucky bitch!”

  “Yeah, well, she can’t have an easy life. Being married to a politician is not exactly a piece of cake. I think she hardly ever sees him.”

  “That would suit me just fine,” Louise said, with a grimace.

  “How can you say that?” Ellie asked haltingly.

  “Well, you know, marriage isn’t always a bed of roses, especially when there are money problems.”

  Ellie heard the despair in her voice. “Well, I suppose times are tough now for everyone,” she said gently, not wanting to disparage Ronan.

  “Not for Rachel, obviously! I hope your David has pots of money.”

  Ellie was horrified by this announcement. “What’s money got to do with it? What about love?”

  Louise stopped applying her eyeliner and looked at Ellie as if she was mad. “Love has nothing to do with it. Trust me, it’s true what they say – love flies out the window when poverty comes in the door.”

  Stunned into silence, Ellie applied her lip gloss, troubled by what Louise had said. Did Ronan really have such money problemsand was he as unhappy as his wife appeared to be? God, it must be awful to be stuck in an unhappy marriage. Ellie shuddered.

  “Let’s have a nose around,” Louise suggested when they’d finished and left the ladies’ room.

  Ellie felt very uncomfortable as the other girl opened doors and peered into rooms. She felt like an intruder and was hoping nobody would come along and catch them.

  “I’m going back,” she insisted when Louise wanted to go into the other wing of the house.

  Annoyed, Louise had no choice but to follow her, but insisted on detouring by the sun-deck to have a look at it. Seeing the hot-tub made her even more discontented. “Honestly, some people don’t know what to do with their money,” she grumbled. At the same time it was obvious that she was green with envy as she tried out the luxurious leather sun-loungers.

  They passed by the bar and Ellie asked for a sparkling water while Louise opted for a gin and tonic. Ellie figured she’d had enough alcohol for the moment. She didn’t want to disgrace herself by getting drunk. David would never forgive her. Anyway, the night was young yet.

  The band was just starting up when they got back to the table. Sam and David were sitting in obviously uncomfortable silence and Ellie wondered why they weren’t chatting. The others were still on their tour of the house and Orla and Jade were nowhere to be seen.

  Rachel came back to join them.

  “Phew! Well, thank God supper is over and everything went well,” she said, smiling around at them. “Now we can all enjoy the dancing. This band is great.”

  “What about your neighbours, Rachel?” David asked. “Won’t they be bothered about the noise?”

  “Most of them are away in Marbella for the summer and those who aren’t are here tonight,” she informed them with a laugh.

  “Good move!” Sam raise
d his thumb in an okay sign.

  “Do you not go to Marbella for the summer?” Louise wanted to know.

  “Well, we have done for years. My parents have a place there but this yearwe’re going to the south of France instead. We’re spending the month of August there in a friend’s villa. Unfortunately, the Dáil doesn’t recess until the end of July, so we can’t go till then.”

  “You’re so lucky,” Louise sighed. “I wish I’d married a man who would have given me this fabulous house and exotic holidays.”

  A change came over Rachel’s face. “Actually, the house is mine,” she said, her voice icy cold. “It was a wedding present to me from my father.”

  “Oh, sorry,” Louise said, realising that she was being put in her place. “Well, you’re still very lucky,” she continued, ignoring the disgusted glances of the others.

  “David, come on, let’s dance,” Ellie said, grabbing his hand.

  “No, Ellie, I’m tired. I don’t feel like dancing tonight.”

  “Ah, come on! The band is great.”

  “No, please. I have a headache. I think I have a migraine coming on.”

  Sam saw the disappointment in her eyes and felt sorry for her.

  “I’ll dance with Ellie – if that’s okay with you, David,” he offered, looking at the other man.

  David shrugged his shoulders. “Fine, if Ellie wants to.”

  “Yes, please,” she said, her smile dimpling as she grabbed Sam’s hand.

  They ran on to the dance-floor where the band was playing a medley of Abba songs.

  “You’re a bit young to appreciate this music,” Sam joked as she gyrated around him, as if there were decades between them.

  “No, I lovvve Abba!” Ellie shouted so that he could hear her over the music.

  “You are full of surprises, Miss Ellie Moran,” he teased her.

  “I saw Mama Mia five times,” she said earnestly.

  “Oh, of course, that’s how you know them. I was wondering, because they were way before your time.”

  “But not yours!” she countered.