The Single Wife : 'Liane Moriarty meets Elin Hilderbrand in an addictive summer read'

by Ella Grey

  It wasn’t about to get any easier she thought wryly, as she reached Wall St Station and began to descend the steps. The subway was tough going at the best of times, so on a day like today she would be lucky to take in a breath of air, let alone a fresh one.

  She was just about to insert her travel pass into the barrier, when her phone rang. Two seconds later and she would have been out of range in the tunnels. She glanced at the caller display and was disappointed when she spotted who it was.

  “Hey,” she said, her tone flat. A call at this time of day usually meant that Ben was working late – something that lately was happening more often than not, and another reason why that planned trip to Washington would have been such a welcome break.

  It was a pity, because on an evening like this it would have been nice to throw open the loft’s cast iron windows and eat dinner while watching the world go by.

  Like Robin, Ben loved to take advantage of the good weather – a result, she thought, of their Irish childhoods when a fine summer’s day was a rare event and treated as such.

  “It’s little Kirsty – she’s had an attack and Sarah’s had to take her to the hospital.”

  “Aw, poor thing, is she very bad?” Ben’s four-year-old niece suffered from chronic asthma.

  “Bad enough, according to Sarah. She forgot to use her inhaler again. They’ve put her on the nebuliser.”

  “She’s in St Vincent’s?”

  “Yeah, same as last time.”

  “OK, I’ll meet you there. Does Sarah need anything?” She knew Ben’s poor sister would be up the walls.

  “Just some peace of mind,” he answered grimly. “But Brian’s away, so I left work early and promised her I’d go to their place to pick up a couple of things. I’m on my way from there now, so I’ll see you soon, OK?”

  Sarah and her husband Brian lived about an hour’s drive away in New Jersey.

  The hospital was close by, so rather than risk the stifling heat of the subway, Robin decided to walk. Still with the choking dead air of the city, by the time she reached the hospital she was so short of breath herself she could only imagine how poor Kirsty was feeling.

  “Thanks for coming – again,” Sarah greeted when Robin entered the ward, and she noticed that she had lost an awful lot of weight since she’d last seen her.

  She gave her a warm hug before turning to Kirsty, who looked frail and even tinier in the hospital bed. Although thankfully Robin noticed, she was off the nebuliser. She held one hand behind her back.

  “Hey there, look who followed me here to see you!”

  Kirsty grinned and her eyes lit up when Robin produced a small alligator beanie-toy. She had picked it up at a bodega on her way, and while she knew the fearsome-looking alligator probably wasn’t the best choice for a four-year-old, she was loath to get something stuffed or furry, in case it would exacerbate her asthma.

  The little girl hugged her none-too-cute new alligator toy and grinned at Robin who felt guilty that these days the only time they saw Kirsty seemed to be when she was ill. But because they both worked long hours, Robin as a financial controller for Wall Street, and Ben a graphic-design firm on Lexington, they tended to just chill out at weekends.

  Lately, Ben was taking on some additional freelance work in the hope that they could move out of Manhattan and get a place in the suburbs.

  “It’s either that, or go home,” he had said one evening over a pizza, and the wineglass Robin was holding had almost cracked in her hand.

  “Back home – to Dublin?” she said, her heart in her mouth as she waited for him to clarify. She had no intention of moving back – not now, not ever. She loved her life in New York. And up until then she’d thought Ben felt the same way.

  “It would be nice though, wouldn’t it?” he said, his dark eyes shining. “A complete change of lifestyle, something slow and easier than all this mad rushing around.”

  What was it about the Irish abroad that made them see ‘the old country’ through rose-tinted glasses? It was as though Dublin had never moved into the twenty-first century and everyone was still working at a snail’s pace and travelling along boreens on horses and carts.

  Robin spoke to Leah on a regular basis, and from what she could make out, Dublin was booming. Everything was notoriously expensive, and they had introduced some kind of mad tram service, which meant that neither man nor motor could get around the city without sitting in painfully slow traffic.

  “But what would you do?” she asked, wondering if Ben was being serious or if it was just wishful but harmless thinking. “I mean, would you seriously contemplate giving up your job – after working so hard to get where you are?”

  “Work isn’t everything,” he said meaningfully.

  Thankfully the waitress arrived with their pizza and the moment passed.

  Now, as Robin studied Sarah’s tired and anxious expression while she softly stroked her daughter’s hand, she wondered how anyone could do it.

  So much worry, so much anguish – what was it that made people want to put themselves through all that? She adored Kirsty – in fact Robin adored most children and, funnily enough, they seemed drawn to her in return – but she knew for sure that she herself would not make a good mother.

  She just didn’t have it in her.

  “How’s she doing?” The arrival of the paediatrician interrupted Robin’s thoughts and she moved away from Kirsty’s bed to give the doctor some room. He scanned the little girl’s medical chart. “This has been her third visit in five months you know,” he pointed out sternly. “Hasn’t she been using her inhaler?”

  The implied accusation was obvious to Robin and indeed poor Sarah, who looked ashamed. Though surely it was impossible to teach a child as young as Kirsty the importance of her inhaler. She was barely four years old, for goodness’ sake. And Robin could safely assume that her mother didn’t enjoy having to rush her to a hospital an hour away, or paying steep bills for the use of the ventilator. But the way the doctor was talking, it was as though Sarah or indeed Kirsty, were being purposefully neglectful.

  She made a mental note there and then to give Ben’s sister more help. The very least she and Ben could do was to baby-sit the odd weekend and give Sarah and Brian some time to themselves. It would do them, and indeed Kirsty, some good to let someone else share the load.

  Yes, Robin thought – seeing Kirsty’s expression light up as Ben entered the room – that is exactly what they would do.

  Though hopefully he wouldn’t get the wrong idea and start thinking it was some kind of sign that she was ready for motherhood. Well she would just have to nip that firmly in the bud.

  Robin wouldn’t be ready for anything like that for a long time to come. If ever.

  6

  When five thirty came and went and there was still no sign of Leah, Olivia wasn’t unduly concerned. Her friend was notorious for timekeeping. But then her mobile beeped.

  “Where are you?”

  “Where? I’ve been here for the last half-hour,” Olivia replied. “U r late”

  “No, I’m here – waiting on you.”

  She looked around. Admittedly the pub was busy, but it would’ve been impossible for the two of them to miss one another. She was sitting by the entrance and facing the door. Unless there was a side door she didn’t know about, she thought, craning her neck around – and Leah had come in that way. Still she could see no sign.

  “Can’t c u – where?”

  “Bar.”

  Olivia looked over and while there were plenty of people standing by the bar, none of them looked anything remotely like her friend.

  Confused, she sent another message. By now, her fingers hurt.

  “Definitely here? In Searson’s?”

  “Yes – can’t see u either, very busy here. Meet u outside?”

  “OK.”

  Although she was loathe to give up her table, she dutifully went outside to wait for Leah. She stood casually against the wall of the buzzy pub, trying
to assume a disinterested posture amongst a group of ostracised smokers gathered round the doorway.

  The door opened and a guy in a business suit glanced briefly at her, looked left and right as if waiting on someone too.

  Where the hell was Leah?

  She stole a quick glance at the man, now deftly tapping on his phone. Then her own phone beeped again.

  “Outside now – where r u?”

  Blast it. Olivia thought. She definitely had the wrong place, because wherever Leah was, it definitely wasn’t here.

  Better just call her, she thought, hitting the dial key. She didn’t know why she hadn’t thought about doing so in the first place. Besides her snail-like speed, this was the main reason she hated texting – there was so much bloody ambiguity.

  As soon as she’d dialled Leah’s number, she heard another phone ring somewhere else.

  “Hello?” Olivia heard the business guy utter, and her blood ran cold when she realised that she was listening to his voice not just nearby, but also through the tinny earpiece of her own phone.

  “I just don’t understand it,” she said, reddening, when realisation dawned on them both. “I was supposed to meet my friend here – to celebrate – she passed her driving test you see and –” She was aware that she was babbling but she couldn’t help it.

  How embarrassing …

  But the guy in the suit was smiling – in fact, not just smiling but laughing, a big hearty laugh that would normally make Olivia smile too, except she was so mortified.

  “I thought I was meeting my business partner,” he said. “I had just clinched a deal and we were supposed to be celebrating too but, in my excitement, I must have punched in the wrong number. My old phone was stolen so all my pre-programmed numbers are …” He trailed off, laughing again.

  “Oh,” Olivia exclaimed, understanding. “You sent a message to me by mistake and I automatically assumed it was my friend and …” She reddened again. Oh god … “I’m so sorry, I should have made sure but –”

  “No, I’m sorry,” said the man, his grey-blue eyes twinkling. “I would normally call but he had some kind of family do on today and I knew his wife wouldn’t appreciate the interruption, so I sent a text. I should have known there was something up when he – or should I say you – suggested going for a drink.”

  “Oh dear.”

  “I’m Matt by the way,” he said, extending a hand.

  “Olivia,” she replied, taking in his open friendly face, and deciding that he reminded her a little of Kate’s husband Michael, but better-looking.

  “Nice to meet you.” He chuckled. “And here we both were, thinking we were out for a great night.” He looked sidelong at her, and for reasons she couldn’t quite fathom, Olivia almost hoped he would suggest they go back in for a drink anyway. He was lovely.

  “Ah I suppose it’s a good thing after all,” he said, his mind elsewhere. “For once I’ll have a clear head when I take my son to football practice in the morning.”

  Olivia smiled. “Ellie, my daughter, plays football too – well, the four-year-old version of it. She loves it.”

  “Adam’s the same age.” Matt replied. “Good to get them into sport early, isn’t it?”

  She nodded, and then self-consciously repositioned her bag on her shoulder as if to move away.

  “Can I give you a lift anywhere?” he asked. “Or I should say, do you want to share a taxi? I left the car back at the office.”

  “No, it’s fine – I’ll just nip home on the train,” she said. It would only be a short walk from here to Lansdowne Road station and a forty minute train ride back to Lakeview from there. “Nice to meet you, Matt and sorry again for … well, for the confusion.”

  “You too,” he said with a friendly grin, before heading off down the road, and leaving Olivia feeling something akin to disappointment as she walked away in the opposite direction.

  7

  A few days later, having just about got over her embarrassing ‘blind date’ followed by a right telling-off from her mother, Olivia got a phone call from Leah.

  “Have you seen this?” her friend cried in disbelief. “Please tell me you got one too.”

  Olivia laughed, knowing exactly what she was referring to. “Yes, it came in the post this morning.”

  “I cannot believe she is doing this. I mean, she made enough fuss about being pregnant but honestly, have you ever heard of anyone having a ‘Mother-in-Waiting party? Where does she get these notions? Why not just call it a bloody baby shower like everyone else?”

  Olivia giggled. She had thought the very same thing upon opening the post and finding that she had been invited to their old college friend Amanda Clarke’s latest soiree.

  Andrew and his girlfriend had defied the critics (namely Kate) and had stayed together throughout university and beyond. They’d married the previous year, and in true Amanda-style she had gone all out with her wedding preparations for her Big Day.

  Now another, even bigger day was imminent.

  “Well, you know Amanda, any excuse for a party.”

  “Any excuse to show off, you mean,” Leah said wryly. “And it’s not all that long since she went overboard with that wedding. Poor Andrew must be doing his nut.”

  “Ah, don’t be nasty.”

  “You think I’m bad – what will Kate say once she hears about this? I spoke to her the other day and she’s still in shock after the pomp of the Clarke wedding, so goodness knows what she’ll make of this.” Leah said.

  Kate, now also married and pregnant with her first, had spent the entire day open-mouthed in astonishment at Amanda and Andrew’s wedding. Leah had spent the day proclaiming that silver service and personalised dinner plates were all very well and good, but what was the point if you ‘couldn’t feel the love’?

  She and Andrew had remained in close contact all the time Leah had been away on her apprenticeship. Amanda had always been a little jealous of their friendship, probably a little threatened by it, but she need never have worried.

  Living in Lakeview, Olivia didn’t see much of the newly-weds, but she felt much the same way about Amanda as she had throughout college and took her attention-seeking with a pinch of salt. But because she was Andrew’s girlfriend she had always made the effort for his sake. She’d particularly disliked the way Amanda had always been a bit superior and dismissive of Robin though.

  A faint sadness stirred inside as she thought of her old friend who had moved to the States not long after graduation. It had been ages since they’d heard from Robin – or at least it had been ages since she had heard from her.

  “I still can’t believe Amanda invited us though,” Leah said now. “I mean I could understand the wedding because, she was always great for showing off but –”

  “Yes, but you’re still quite close with them, aren’t you?”

  “With Andrew, maybe. But, Olivia, you remember what she was like in college, that last summer especially.”

  “Ah, we were all young and foolish back then.” She paused slightly, remembering. “Didn’t we make that stupid promise? That summer reunion pact?” Her stomach twisted when she thought about it now. Kate had been right about tempting fate.

  “I know.” Leah was quiet, probably thinking the same as she – that despite the fact that most had stayed in touch, fate had intervened in their grand plans for meet-up. “Kate was right – we were a bit naive.”

  “I suppose it felt like a nice idea at the time,” Olivia said, shaking her head at the memory.

  “So, are we going to this party or what?” Leah asked, changing the subject. ‘Actually, she’s given me a bit of a brainwave. Do you think I should think seriously about a new range of chocolates specifically for Mothers-in-Waiting?”

  “It’s an idea.” Olivia laughed, feeling a familiar pride in Leah’s achievements. Her gift-chocolate business was doing so well, and having tasted some of her friend’s more recent concoctions, Olivia could see why. She’d always been a terrific cook, but
no one was more surprised than Leah when she had gone abroad to perfect her pastry-chef skills and returned as a trained chocolatier. “Are things still as busy as ever?”

  “Yes, but it’s calmed down a little since Mother’s Day, thank feck.”

  “You’ll have to think about taking on more staff. You’ll work yourself into the ground otherwise.”

  “I wish I could afford to – but I’ll have to do a bit better before I can think about taking on some poor misfortunate I can boss around.”

  “Like you do Josh, you mean?”

  “Exactly.” She laughed. “Better let you go, I want to catch Robin before she heads off for work. It should be around sevenish in New York at the moment, shouldn’t it? I’m dying to find out how things are going with this boyfriend of hers.”

  “She’s with someone?” Olivia probed, stung that she knew so little about Robin’s life now. “An American guy?”

  “No. All those handsome, loaded New Yorkers, and Robin had to go and find herself a paddy from the Wesht,” she joked. “I’ll tell her you were asking for her, will I?”

  “Do – and tell her to give me a call sometime. Be lovely to catch up.”

  It was hurtful really, Olivia thought, going into her living-room and slumping down on her sofa. Especially since she and Robin had been so close throughout university and firm friends right from their rather … eventful first meeting.

  Olivia and Peter had been grabbing a quick coffee at the cafeteria in the UCD Arts Building when she’d noticed an alarming sight at the table right behind theirs.

  Her first thought was that the girl must be choking on food, judging by her dangerously red complexion and the fact that she was struggling for breath. Yet at the same time she was groping for something beneath the table, but in her panicked state was unable to get to it. The girl was on her own, and no one other than Olivia seemed to have noticed that something was wrong.