‘At the moment, all Jess wants to do is shop and talk to her friends,’ I admitted.
‘Well, she didn’t lick that off a stone!’ Louise laughed.
‘I wasn’t like that at nine,’ I said.
‘Come on, Sophie, you were exactly the same,’ Julie said. ‘We used to have to wrestle the telephone out of your hand, and when you weren’t talking to your friends, all you ever wanted to do was shop and have fashion shows in your bedroom.’
I smiled. They were right. I had always been obsessed with clothes and fashion. ‘I’d forgotten about that. Right! I need to do something about Jess before I lose her.’
‘You’ll never lose her. Look at me and Mum,’ Louise said. ‘We were never close. She didn’t understand my need for independence and I just wanted to get away from home and live my own life. But when I had Clara, I began to lean on Mum and ask her for advice, and we’ve become much closer. We’re still very different people, but I talk to her almost every day now. When I was in London, I only spoke to her once a month and even then reluctantly.’
‘And look at Gavin,’ Julie said. ‘He’s twenty-seven and he keeps moving back home between jobs. I don’t think they’ll ever get rid of him.’
‘He needs to make this job work,’ Louise noted. ‘He has to stop messing around and get serious. I actually think this company suits him, and he seems very enthusiastic about it.’
‘He’s always enthusiastic at the beginning,’ Julie reminded her.
‘I know, but I really feel Stars and Stripes is the right fit for him.’
‘If Mum hasn’t got him fired!’ I said.
Louise shook her head. ‘I composed an email for him to send to his boss last week, explaining the whole thing, and he got a reply, saying, “Don’t worry about it, we value you as an employee.” So he’s safe … for now anyway.’
‘How’s Jack’s job going?’ Julie asked me.
‘Good. He’s making bigger and bigger commissions. I must say, he’s very fair about money. He went to his lawyer last month and increased his payments to me. I’m going to be able to start saving soon, which is such a relief because I really want the security of a rainy day fund.’
Julie took my hand in hers. ‘Sophie, you know if you ever need any money, I’d be happy to give it to you.’
I smiled at her. Julie had insisted on giving me money when Harry’s inheritance had come through. I had accepted a fraction of what she offered. I’d taken five thousand euros and put them into an account for Jess. Julie was so generous that she would have happily given me half of the amount they had come into. ‘I know, Julie, thanks, but I’m actually doing well now. I’m out of debt and beginning to breathe again, which is lovely. I might even be able to afford Botox soon.’
‘Sophie!’ Louise snapped. ‘Don’t put that crap into your face.’
‘You look lovely as you are – better without that stuff,’ Julie agreed.
It was easy for them to say. Julie was happily married and Louise had a ‘sex buddy’. She had an arrangement with a UK client, Oliver, who came over once every six weeks or so and they had good, uncomplicated, no-strings-attached sex. It suited them both perfectly. The fact that he was married didn’t bother Louise. She said it was better for Oliver’s wife that he was having sex with Louise, who wanted nothing from him, than some needy secretary who’d try to force him to leave his wife or one day ring her up and tell her.
Julie didn’t approve and had told Louise exactly what she thought. I didn’t either, but Louise had never been conventional and always did things her own way, including motherhood. But she was a brilliant sister and friend so I stayed out of her private life.
I was reaching for the wine bottle when I heard an all-too-familiar voice from my past.
‘Hi, Sophie. Daniella told me you were at this table, right down the back. How are you? Long time no see.’
‘I’m great,’ I said, forcing my mouth into a huge smile. ‘Never better. Busy running my company and raising Jess.’
‘I’m running around all the time, too, trying to keep up with my committees and charities. I barely have time to eat.’
‘I hardly think sitting on the board of a charity is the same as running your own company.’ Louise snorted.
I hid a smile. Good old Louise. ‘This is my sister, Louise. I believe you know Julie.’
Victoria wrinkled her nose. ‘Oh, yes, hello there. How are your boys? Still causing trouble?’
‘No, they’re being really good, actually,’ Julie said quietly.
‘That’s not what I heard. They really are making their mark at Castle Academy – everyone knows about them, both parents and staff. They’re infamous.’
I looked at Julie, expecting her to pounce, but she just picked up her wine and took a large drink.
‘I had to come over to say how thrilled I was to hear about Jack and Pippa’s baby. Daniella said you’re really happy about it. How sweet of you,’ Victoria purred.
‘Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?’ I beamed at her. Pretty soon my face was going to crack.
‘Well, it must have been hard on you when Jack took up with someone so young and so stunning.’
‘I hardly expected him to end up with an old hag.’
‘Well, she certainly isn’t that. Gerry and I bumped into them the other day. They were all over each other. It was almost embarrassing.’
‘Is Gerry here with you?’ I asked.
‘Yes, he’s over there.’ She pointed to a table in the middle of the restaurant, where Gerry was talking into his phone.
‘I see he’s still attached to his mobile. It must be frustrating for you to be ignored when you’re out for dinner.’
Victoria bristled. ‘Gerry runs a very successful global business so he has to deal with all kinds of time-zones.’
‘Are you sure he isn’t playing Solitaire? Remember the time I caught him playing it at my dinner party.’
‘That was a once-off. He was bored with the company. Gerry is an excellent businessman who would never invest in anything foolish, like Jack did.’
‘Gerry Carter-Mills, right?’ Louise asked.
‘Yes, do you know my husband?’
‘Not personally, but I read about his disastrous investment in Gregorby Oil. He took a big hit on that one.’
Victoria’s face went red. She looked shocked. ‘What? Well … no one is always right.’
‘I guess everyone makes mistakes.’ I smiled sweetly.
‘Well, I’d better get back. He’ll be wondering where I’ve got to.’
We all looked at Gerry, who was still talking on his phone. Victoria tottered over to him. He ignored her. Knowing she was being watched, she tugged at his sleeve. He swatted her away and went on with his conversation.
I turned to Louise. ‘Looks like all is not so rosy in the Carter-Mills garden.’
‘What a brainless idiot. How were you ever friendly with her?’ Louise asked.
‘I guess I was a brainless idiot too.’
‘She’s such a bitch,’ Julie said.
‘Why didn’t you tell her to stuff it when she criticized the boys?’ Louise asked.
Julie shrugged. ‘She practically runs the school and she hates me already. I don’t want to antagonize her even more. I’m worried she’ll try to get the boys thrown out. Even though I’m not keen on Castle Academy, because I don’t fit in, they’re actually doing really well and they’re happy.’
‘Fine, but don’t let her walk all over you. She’s a complete fool who doesn’t even know what her husband is investing in. How ridiculous is that?’
I caught Julie’s eye and winked. I knew she had no idea about or interest in Harry’s investments, just like I hadn’t had a clue where Jack had put his money.
As we polished off our bottle of wine, laughing about Gavin’s attempts at getting a six-pack, I saw Victoria and Gerry leaving. Victoria was shaking her head furiously and I’m pretty sure I heard her hiss ‘oil shares’.
10
/>
Julie
I concentrated on what the instructor was doing and tried to copy her, but it was impossible. My body just wouldn’t stay up. I flopped onto my new yoga mat and looked at the rest of the class, all posing perfectly.
I had joined this class at the very posh studio because I’d overheard one of the mums at school saying it had tightened up all the bits she hadn’t been able to tone since having kids. I needed to tone up and I had lots of time on my hands, so I’d signed up for ten classes.
But when I’d arrived that morning for my first class, the other twelve women were fully made-up and wearing really cool yoga clothes. Until that moment I hadn’t realized there was such a thing as yoga clothes. I thought you did it in your tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt. I was wrong.
I always seemed to get it wrong. Even though I had nice clothes now that weren’t covered with kids’ vomit and food, I still never managed to match the right outfit to the occasion. I was either over- or underdressed. Now I’d have to go and find a yoga shop and spend money on the ‘right gear’. Or, I thought, as I watched the women, in perfect harmony, twist their bodies to the left, I could just leg it.
I opted for the latter. Waiting until they were all upside-down in downward-facing dog pose – what dog ever stands like that, with its arse sticking up in the air? – I stood up and, puce with embarrassment, left the class muttering about a sick child. It was only when I got to my car that I remembered I’d left my new yoga mat in the studio. There was no way I was going back in there. Between the mat and the ten classes I had signed up for but was not going to attend, I had just wasted 180 euros. I sat back in the car and sighed. I missed my old chaotic life. I had far too much time to myself and it was overrated.
Maybe I’d keep Tom home from school tomorrow to hang out with me. He could come grocery shopping and I’d take him for a hot chocolate after. I’d have to lie to Harry and say Tom was running a temperature. He’d go mad if he thought I was keeping him home from school just to keep me company.
I drove home, and when I opened the door to the kitchen, Gloria, my cleaning lady, was lying on the couch watching TV.
‘Hi, Gloria, is everything OK?’ I asked.
She waved at me. ‘I was reaching up to get the rubber gloves and felt my back go, so I thought it best to have a little rest.’
‘Are you OK? Do you need some Nurofen?’
‘No, love, you’re all right. I need ten minutes on the couch and I’ll be grand then. I won’t get much done today, mind. I’ll just iron Harry’s shirts and then I’ll have to go.’
‘Would you like a cup of tea?’
‘Oh, Julie, you’re an angel. I’d murder one, and a few of those nice chocolate fingers you have would go lovely with it.’
I busied myself making Gloria her tea and chuckled to myself. Sophie and Louise would have heart attacks if they saw my cleaning lady lying on my couch watching TV while I served her tea. They thought Gloria was the biggest chancer around. She’d been coming to us for years and claimed to suffer from arthritis so she rarely did much work. But when the triplets were younger, she was the only person who would babysit them. I could leave them with her and not expect fifteen phone calls to tell me what bedlam they had caused. Gloria was able to stop the boys messing with one of her killer stares.
In fact, Gloria was still the only person who ever babysat for us, except Christelle, who was also brilliant with her half-brothers. Christelle had that French way of being really scary without trying. Her piercings made her look tougher than she was. The boys adored her and were a little frightened of her.
Gloria wasn’t just a cleaner and a babysitter, she was also someone I could talk to. Sometimes I thought she knew our family better than anyone else. So, even though Gloria came just once a week and did little or nothing, I loved her and would never dream of firing her. I handed her a cup of tea and some biscuits.
‘Lovely. Well, how are you? Were you out exercising?’
I took a bite from a chocolate finger. ‘Trying to, but it didn’t go very well.’
‘I reckon all that exercise is overrated.’ Gloria patted my knee. ‘Sure you’ve a lovely figure and Harry is mad about you, so you don’t need to be out running around lifting big cow bells in the rain.’
‘It was yoga this week and it didn’t go much better than my boot-camp disaster.’ I shoved the rest of the biscuit into my mouth.
‘Are you missing the boys?’ Gloria asked.
I nodded. ‘Yes, a lot. And I never thought I’d say that. At least when they went to Montessori I still had Tom with me, but now it’s so quiet.’
‘It’s hard on the mums when the kids are off in school. People don’t say it, but it is. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. It takes a while to adjust. It’ll be worse when they leave home. You’ll be heartbroken. You’ll wake up one day and it’ll just be you and Harry.’
If it was just me and Harry, I’d be on my own all the time, I thought grumpily. Harry was never home. I sighed and picked up another biscuit.
‘My mother always said to me, “Gloria, mind your man, because one day soon it’ll just be the two of you again.” But sure my Billy was in prison when the kids left home, so it was actually just me on my own.’
OK, prison was a lot worse than the golf club. At least Harry wasn’t doing time behind bars. ‘That must have been so hard for you,’ I said.
Gloria’s husband was in prison for armed robbery. He hadn’t hurt anyone, but he was caught red-handed and sentenced to ten years. He was due out in two years’ time. But I don’t think Gloria wanted him to come out at all.
Gloria munched her fourth biscuit. ‘To be honest, it wasn’t hard when Billy was put away. It was much more peaceful without him there annoying me. And, anyway, by the time my youngest left home, my eldest, Sandra, had got herself knocked up, so I was only on my own for three weeks. Sandra moved back in with me and never moved out. But sure I’m mad about little Kylie. She’s a dote.’
Good God! I certainly hoped that three weeks after Tom moved out one of the triplets wouldn’t move back in with a pregnant one-night stand.
‘So what are your plans for the rest of the day?’ Gloria asked.
Clean the house you haven’t cleaned, I thought. ‘I’m meeting Marian for coffee. We’re going to that new place everyone’s talking about, the Green Kitchen. It’s supposed to be really nice. Everything is organic.’
‘Tell Marian I was asking for her. Is she still as mad as ever?’
I laughed. ‘Yes.’
‘She’s a heart of gold that one. Underneath all the cursing and carrying on, she’s a good person.’
‘I agree.’ Gloria was one of the few people who ‘got’ Marian, like I did. My family thought she was certifiable. Harry liked her in very small doses and he hated her cursing in front of the children. But Gloria saw the Marian I saw, the kind, caring and damaged friend that she was.
‘Well, I’ll go and get changed and leave you to it,’ I said, in what I hoped was a nice but encouraging way. I needed Gloria to get off the couch and do something. Harry was beginning to talk about us having to let her go because she did nothing.
‘I’ll just catch the end of this and then I’ll get those shirts done.’ Gloria un-paused her TV show and poured herself another cup of tea.
Forty minutes later I was sitting at a corner table in the Green Kitchen sipping a cup of soy milk latte, which tasted awful, waiting for Marian. I heard her before I saw her. She came thundering in, dragging a screeching Ben.
‘Sit there and shut your mouth. You’re making a show of yourself. I’m not buying you a vegan muffin because you won’t bloody eat it. It’s full of that natural shite. Now, if you stop howling for a minute I’ll give you some chocolate.’
Ben stopped crying. Marian pulled him onto a chair and handed him a Milky Way. He ripped the paper off greedily. ‘He’s off school with a bad ear so I had to bring him.’
‘It’s fine.’ I leant over to Ben. ‘How are you, pe
t? Is your ear very sore?’
‘Not really. I gotted the pink medicine and it’s not super-sore now.’ He polished off his Milky Way.
Marian handed him her phone. ‘Now, play with that and do not ask for anything, moan, groan or interrupt me for twenty minutes, OK?’
He nodded. ‘Mummy?’
‘What?’
‘Can I play Angry Birds?’
‘Yes, but you have to put the earphones on. You know the noise of that game does my head in.’
Ben nodded, put in the earphones and started to play.
Marian took a sip of the cappuccino I’d ordered her and wrinkled her nose. ‘What the hell is this? It tastes like river water.’
‘It’s an organic coffee from Africa with soy milk,’ I explained.
‘It’s muck is what it is. I’m not drinking that.’ She pulled a can of Diet Coke out of her bag and opened it.
‘So, how are you? You look good,’ I said, suddenly noticing her makeup and low-cut top. Marian was not one for making much of an effort with her clothes, especially during the school week, but she was quite dressed up today. ‘Is this all for me?’ I was doubtful.
She grinned. ‘Not exactly.’
Her eyes were shining and she had that flush of happiness. Oh, my God! ‘Have you just had cyber-sex with Greg?’ I whispered.
‘No, but I’ve had …’ Marian checked Ben’s earphones were on properly ‘… real-life sex with Lew.’
My coffee cup fell into the saucer. ‘What?’
‘It was mind-blowing.’ Her face flushed and her eyes sparkled at the memory.
‘Marian how … when … I mean, where? What are you doing?’
She leant back in her chair and crossed her arms. ‘Having the time of my life.’
‘But what about Greg?’ I mouthed, not wanting Ben to hear.
‘You don’t need to whisper. He can’t hear anything with those earphones in,’ she assured me. ‘As for Greg, I’m pretty sure he’s up to no good. He hasn’t called to speak to the kids in days. He’s suddenly very busy in the evenings.’
The Secrets Sisters Keep: A heartwarming, funny and emotional novel (The Devlin Sisters Book 2) Page 10
