Behind Every Cloud

by Lawless, Pauline

  He, meantime, was having to arse-lick everyone to try and make up for the ground he’d lost over the Zita affair. Not surprisingly, married women in particular were cool to him and they accounted for a large part of the voting public. Yes, he had a lot of humble pie to eat if he was to regain his position in the party. He still attracted the wild young ones who hoped they’d gain some media attention by going out with him. He wasn’t interested in them. He could not afford another scandal and besides he knew now that Rachel was the woman he loved.

  He logged on daily to the Advertiser and the Australian and was up to date on what was happening in Adelaide. Zita had been charged and the judge had refused bail. She was now in prison awaiting trial. Carl hoped she’d rot in there. What an evil person she was and he had been unlucky enough to fall foul of her – though not as unlucky as the poor guy she’d murdered! He wondered how she was coping.

  Zita was coping admirably well. She’d been allotted free legal aid but she didn’t think much of the lawyer who was handling her case. He was an idiot. She knew she didn’t stand a chance with him defending her. There was too much evidence stacked against her.

  She had become very good friends with another murderer, Martina, on her cell block. She was a woman who had also been abused by men all her life and she and Zita started a relationship. She convinced Zita to keep a diary.

  “Who knows, one day you could write a book,” Martina had said, so Zita did as she suggested. She wondered what they’d done with the documentary they’d made on Rachel. Probably binned it by now, she guessed.

  TV2 had done nothing of the sort. They realised the pulling power the programme would have due to the notoriety of Zita. They were waiting for her trial to start to spring it on an unsuspecting public and an even more unsuspecting Carl. The Director of Programmes had contacted Rachel to see if she was okay with the programme going out. Why not? Rachel thought. It showed her in a good light. It was the truth of what her life had been. Too bad that Carl had seen fit to blow it all apart! This might be her last small revenge against him. Then it would be over.

  At last all was set for the opening of the shop in Naas. Sam and Ronan had been working day and night to get it ready and Ellie had been a great help, setting up the computer and getting the stock file up and running.Fiona had rowed in too and they all agreed they couldn’t have done it without her help. Ronan had found tenants for his house in Dublin and they wanted to rent it furnished. In a way he was pleased as it removed all the last vestiges of Louise from his life.

  Sam had also found tenants for Fiona’s old apartment in Dublin and asked her if she could take her furniture away. She offered it to Ronanfor his apartment in Naas.

  “Oh, I couldn’t possibly accept. I’ll just buy some new stuff,” he assured her.

  “Please take it, you’ll be doing me a favour,” Fiona said firmly. “I have nowhere to store it.”

  “Well, if you insist,” Ronan accepted graciously and arranged to have it brought down that very week. He was finishing work in Raheny on Saturday in order to set up the Naas shop with Sam.

  He moved into the Naas apartment the following Monday andRachel came down to help him. He introduced her to Fiona who had also offered to help. The two women hit it off instantly.

  “I’ve heard a lot about you and Oisín,” Rachel told her. “I hear he’s real cute.”

  “I think so, but then I’m prejudiced,” Fiona laughed. “Ronan’s told me a lot about you too. He’s very fond of you.”

  “I love him. He’s a great friend.”

  Fiona nodded in agreement as they both looked fondly at the object of their conversation who was unaware that he was being discussed.

  “Hey, Ronan!” Rachel called. “I think you should throw a house-warming party.”

  “I don’t have time to organise a party,” Ronan said, laughing.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll do it all, won’t we, Fiona?” Rachel looked to the younger girl for confirmation.

  “Oh, yes! That’s a brilliant idea!” Fiona exclaimed, nodding her head.

  “Okay, okay,” Ronan laughed, feeling outnumbered. “I’ll pay for it but don’t expect anything more from me.”

  “Fine, just give us a guest list and we’ll take care of the rest.”

  The two women high-fived each other, excited at the prospect. They planned it for the following Sunday afternoon.

  Things were not going as Sandrine had planned. She couldn’t believe her ears when she heard that Ellie was seemingly having a ball. She’d expected to find her moping because she’d lost David.

  “She’sreally enjoying herself,” Marie-Noelle had reported with satisfaction. “Sam has taken her under his wing and is introducing her to all his friends, who love her, naturally. She’s having a great time.”

  “She didn’t exactly waste any time, did she?” was Sandrine’s bitter retort to this news.

  She recounted this later to David and had expected him to be as furious as she was that Ellie had so blithely gone from being his fiancée to being flavour of the month on the Dublin social scene.Instead, he was visibly upset and hardly said a word all night.

  When she mentioned moving in with him again, he snapped at her.

  Seeing that she was hurt, he apologised. “I’m sorry, Sandrine, but I’m just upset about Ellie. I obviously didn’t mean very much to her at all. Let’s not talk of moving in together for the moment. I just need a little space right now.”

  She said nothing but she was annoyed with him. She had hoped to be out of her poky flat by now and happily cohabitating with him. It looked like it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. David could be very stubborn when he wanted to be.

  75

  Rachel was first to arrive in Naas the Sunday of the party, laden down with boxes. Carl had taken Jacob and Becky for the day. She got down to business decorating the apartment, placing candles on every available surface. Next she set the table with the red tablecloth and napkins that she’d brought and placed the beautiful flower arrangements she’d made on it. With the silver and crystal that she’d taken from home, it all looked very festive. She had brought plates of perfect little amuse-bouches and tiny canapés that looked almost too good to eat. She also produced some marvellous salads and a whole baked salmon from a cooler box she’d brought with her.

  Fiona arrived to help out shortly after with Oisín in tow. He gurgled with delight when he saw Ronan and held out his chubby little arms to him. Ronan picked him up and threw him up in the air, making the baby peal with laughter. The two women looked on, smiling.

  Fiona then unloaded numerous Tupperware boxesstuffed with sausage rolls, Cornish pasties and quichesthat Doris had baked for the party.They could be reheated in the oven later, and there was also a coffee cake and chocolate brownies. Conor’s wife, Betty, had said they would bring something as well. There would be more than enough to go round.

  Ronan couldn’t believe his eyes when he finally came up from the shop toget ready for the party. He thanked them both profusely as they stood grinning, happy that they could do this for him.

  “It’s all Rachel’s doing,” Fiona insisted. “She did most of it.”

  “You really have a gift for this sort of thing,” Ronan observed, smiling at Rachel while admiring how lovely the apartment looked.

  “I love doing it,” she told him, happy that he was pleased.

  “Have you ever thought of doing it professionally?” he asked her. “I’m sure there are people who would appreciate having someone like you to take the hassle out of their parties.”

  “I have, actually. It’s something I think I’d really enjoy.”

  She was looking radiant, Ronan thought. It was good to see her back to her bubbly self.

  “Well, I think you should look into it seriously. With all your contacts and your flair, I’m sure you’d be a huge success.”

  She blushed, embarrassed by his words, and Fiona, looking on, wondered if perhaps Rachel wasn’t a little in love with Ronan.Maybe
Ronan was in love with her, without realising it. She hoped not!

  While Fiona fed Oisín, Rachel went to change and when she came from the bathroom, looking beautiful in a slinky red silk dress and very high black-patent Louboutin shoes, Fiona was more than a little envious. She saw the admiration in Ronan’s eyes and felt a pang of jealousy. She couldn’t blame Ronan one bit if he was in love with Rachel. How on earth did she keep that figure when she’d had two children? Fiona patted her own tummy bulge, determined to start a diet the following day.

  The champagne was chilling and all was ready when the first guests, his brother Conor and Betty, arrived.She was carrying a big saucepan of chicken curry and Conor one of rice. Doris arrived next, then Ronan’s friend Jim and his wife, Sheila, and lastly came Sam with Ellie. She immediately made a beeline for the baby, asking Fiona if she could take him in her arms. He was so cute that she was reluctant to give him back to Fiona when she said it was time for his nap.

  It was a wonderful party and everyone was delighted to see Ronan in such high spirits. The party lasted well into the evening when everyone enjoyed a bowl of Betty’s delicious curry.

  “That was wonderful!” Fiona, who was the last to leave, laughed as she helped Ronan clear away. “I really likeyour friends.”

  “Yeah, they’re a great bunch,” he agreed.

  When they’d finished, he helped her on with her jacket, kissing her on the cheek before she left. She knew she was falling for him but she couldn’t stop herself. What a mess!

  The shop in Naas opened the following week and was an instant success. Sam was delighted and Ronan was in his element. There seemed to be no shortage of money in this wealthy town and he quickly established a loyal clientele. He got to know his customers and their preferences and they came to appreciate and trust his advice. He was happier than he’d ever been.Keith, who wascontinuing onto the Higher Cert course, moved from the Malahide shop and worked full-time along with Ronan. He took on two students to help out part-timeevenings and weekends. It was all going very smoothly.

  76

  The second Monday in October, Fiona took over in the shop while Ronan and Keith left for Clontarf and the first night of the Higher Cert course.

  Sam hadn’t been joking! It was way more difficult than the Lower Cert course but all of them were committed to learning more about wine and were eager students. It was also a chance to meet up together again.

  Rachel had invited Ronan to stay over on Monday nights but, as they were both in delicate marital negotiations prior to their divorces, he didn’t think it was appropriate. Instead he stayed with Sam. They were becoming great friends, as were Ellie and Rachel.

  Occasionally the four of them met up for a meal in a restaurant or in Rachel’s house. That was better than any restaurant, they all agreed! She had started her party-planning business and was slowly but surely getting it off the ground. She’d let Paloma go and was taking care of the children herself with the help of Tiffany, thenew baby-sitter, who was turning into a treasure. She was a Trinity student who lived two doors away and she had a great way with the children. They adored her and so everyone was happy.

  David had found out very quickly that Sandrine was not the girl he’d thought her to be. To his dismay, she kept pushing for him to make a commitment. After the mess with Ellie, he was very loath to rush things. Sandrine wanted to move in with him almost immediately and it had taken all of his talents to avoid this. When she started insisting that he take back Ellie’s engagement ring – well, that was a step too far. He felt quite guilty about Ellie. All the planning she’d done for the wedding – she’d even bought her wedding dress! He felt quite ashamed of how he’d treated her and was more than happy for her to keep his ring. She could sell it or do whatever she wanted with it.

  What Sandrine didn’t know was that Ellie had offered to give the engagement ring back to David but that he had refused to take it. When she did find out, she was furious. She berated David loudly about it but he wouldn’t budge.

  “No, I gave it to Ellie and I’m not going to take it back,” he insisted angrily, to her disappointment.

  She would have loved that ring.

  Shortly after that, Davidhad told her he couldn’t live with himself and that she was a daily reminder of what he’d done. What a cop-out!

  Sandrine was disgusted. All in all, David had turned out to be a big disappointment. She’d been so jealous of Ellie when she’d arrived home with him and had been green with envy when they’d got engaged. Well, that had been misplaced because she knew now that David was not at all what he had seemed to be.

  So now she was alone once more while Ellie got everything she wanted, as usual.

  To Sandrine’s amazement Ellie had forgiven her and had even tried to pour oil on the troubled waters between her and her parents. They at least spoke to her now, thanks to Ellie’s insistence, but it was an uneasy relationship. She knew that Marie-Noelle would never forgive her betrayal.

  Fiona loved working with Ronan and,more than that, she was now deeply in love with him. She knew it was hopeless. He was seeing Rachel regularly and she often heard him on the phone with her, laughing, his voice warm. She guessed that they were waiting for their respective divorces to come through before they went public with their relationship. She knew she shouldn’t complain. She was lucky – she had Oisín, who was the light of her life. He was such a happy baby and becoming more of a little personality every week. He brought her great joy. No one had said life would be perfect, she sighed. She guessed she was happier than most.

  Ellie was happy and enjoying her new single status. Every day she thanked her lucky stars for her ‘lucky escape’. She realised now that she had been so focused on the wedding that she hadn’t honestly thought much further than that. That was stupid and she’d never think like that again. She had thought she was mature enough to decide with whom she should spend the rest of her life but it was patently obvious to her now that she wasn’t. She knew now that there was much more to marriage than a fabulous wedding. However, that was all a long way off in her future and she was happy living in the moment, enjoying the now.

  She loved her job and the new circle of friends she’d met through Sam.Despite their age difference, she and Rachel had become very close. Yes, life was good!

  77

  Rachel was planning to head off to her parents’ house in Marbella with the kids, despite Carl’s objections. He’d hoped that they might all spend Christmas together. She couldn’t risk that. Christmas was such an emotional time and she was afraid that she would succumb and be sucked back into Carl’s web. Her parents were on an extended tour of Australia so she had invited Ellie, Sam and Ronan to join her at their villa.

  Ellie delightedly agreed to go as her mother and father were travelling to Bordeaux to stay with Josette, and she did not fancy Christmas alone with Sandrine.

  Ronan would have liked to go but the shop would be much too busy over the Christmas and New Year period for him to take time off. Likewise Sam, who said he couldn’t possibly leave the business at this, the busiest time of the year.

  Rachel was dreading this Christmas, her first one without Carl. How would she survive it?

  The Monday before Christmas was the final night of the course and the night of the Higher Cert exam. They all agreed that the course was much more difficult than the first one and the exam had been more difficult too but they were all reasonably sure that they’d passed.

  Sam held a party in his house afterwards to celebrate. Ellie acted as hostess and when Rachel suggested to Sam that they were maybe more than just friends, he’d laughed.

  “Don’t be daft! Ellie’s the marrying kind and I most definitely am not, but she’s a bloody great PA. I don’t know how I ever survived without her.”

  “What will you do for Christmas Day?” she asked Ronan.

  “Probably sleep,” he replied, to much laughter. He wasn’t joking. Signs were that he would be run off his feet by Christmas Day.

&nb
sp; Doris had invited him for Christmas dinner but, as she already had all her family there, he felt she had enough on her plate. He decided that he’d probably visit there on Christmas morning with the presents and then go on for dinner with his brother Conor and his family. That was if he didn’t decide to stay in bed all day!

  The party was a blast and Ronan was sad to say goodbye to them all.

  “We’ll see you in the New Year,” Ellie said as she kissed him.

  “Let’s hope it’s a better one than this year has been,” he replied.

  “It can’t be any worse!” Rachel and Ellie criedin unison.

  “You’ve all survived, haven’t you?And the future is looking very bright!”

  They had to agree with him.

  “As I always say . . . behind –”

  “– every cloud there’s a silver lining!” the others chorused together, laughing.

  It was the best Christmas Ellie had ever had. Lying by the pool on Christmas Day sipping Pina Coladas was as close to heaven as she thought she’d ever get.

  Rachel was amazed to see how good Ellie was with the children. They adored her and were constantly calling to her to come and play with them, which she did without complaint.

  Having Ellie around helped ease some of the pain of being without Carl. Rachel tried not to think about him but it wasn’t easy. He rang twice a day, on the pretext of talking to the kids but she knew that he was hurting too, remembering past Christmases.

  They spent their days in the sun, lying by the pool chatting and playing with the children. Sometimes they took Becky and Jacob to the beach which they loved. They ate simply and got a baby-sitter for the kids on the evenings they went out to eat.