They were talking quite animatedly so didn't really notice her as she reclaimed her seat. Rebecca demolished her cheesecake in just a few bites, noticing that the two women in front of her were only drinking coffee, nothing to eat.
She envied their flat stomachs and clear skin for a moment, but consoled herself with the thought that there would be plenty of time for diet and deprivation afterwards and that she should enjoy the excuse of being able to eat whatever she wanted during her pregnancy.
She savoured the refreshing smell of the hot ginger tea. She wrapped her fingers around the hot mug and enjoyed the comfort of the heat through her fingers. She continued to curiously observe the two women sitting in front of her. They were certainly having a heated debate about something.
She had always been quite nosy, especially when it came to the conversations of strangers. She was fascinated by how other people lived their lives. Harmless fun is what she would say when Mark chided her for her eavesdropping.
Rebecca suddenly had a flash of recognition as she continued to observe the two women. Where had she seen that wild, curly blonde hair before? The young woman's hair was particularly distinctive and unusual when most women these days would do almost anything to have their hair fashionably poker straight.
She'd never been bothered with her hair herself, preferring to keep it short. All that faffing around with conditioning treatments and straightening irons didn't appeal to her one bit. They didn't seem to appeal to the other woman either. Her hair was standing in unkempt curls around her face. She pushed her hair out of her eyes suddenly, and Rebecca had a sinking flash of recognition. It was Shona, Mark's mistress!
Rebecca started to panic. She wanted to run out of the cafe as fast as she could, which wouldn't be very fast in her current state. She couldn't bear the thought of the other woman's pitying looks. Then Laura's words rang in her ears. “You owe it to yourself.” She took a few deep breaths and sipped her tea, trying to steady her nerves. Her mind was racing. Should she confront her? How would she approach her? She didn't want to create a scene in such a public place.
The other woman hadn't even noticed her, let alone recognised her. Shona continued with her animated conversation, totally unaware of Rebecca's building panic. Rebecca supposed she looked quite different to that day in the office all those months ago. She'd been a lot slimmer then and had actually bothered making an effort, probably in some subconscious attempt to look good for Mark's other woman.
Rebecca finished her tea and decided to make her move. She gathered her belongings and approached the table in front of her. “Excuse me,” she said, falteringly. “I don't know if you remember me?”
Shona and her companion looked up at her in confusion. Rebecca could see a quizzical expression on Shona's face. It took her a few moments to recognise Rebecca and then the colour suddenly drained from her face. “Rebecca?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, I’m Rebecca McNamara, Mark's wife.”
The two women stared at each other, while the other woman looked from one to the other, a startled expression on her face.
“This is awkward,” Shona's companion said eventually.
“May I sit down please?” Rebecca asked, surprised by her own politeness.
“Umm, yes, sure,” Shona pulled out a chair for her.
“I know you and Mark were having an affair.” Rebecca decided to get straight to the point. Shona didn't know where to look and squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. She actually looked like she might throw up. Her face had changed from pale to almost green.
“Look, I don't want any trouble.” Shona finally gathered her wits about her. “Our affair is well and truly over now.”
Rebecca stared at her blankly. She didn't really know what to say next and felt all the fight and the energy suddenly drain from her. This moment had played over and over again in her mind and this was not how she had expected the confrontation to play out. She'd expected their meeting to be angry and loud. She'd expected to be demanding answers from the other woman, but now that she was finally facing up to her, she was lost for words. “Why did you sleep with him?” Rebecca asked. “You knew he was married.”
Shona blushed. “It just happened,” she answered. “I tried to resist for a while, but he promised me that your marriage was over and he was going to leave you. He told me loved me and that he wanted to be with me. I was foolish enough to believe him. I'm sorry.”
Rebecca looked at her blankly. She didn't know what to say.
“Look,” Shona's companion said. “If it hadn't been Shona it would have been someone else.”
“Who are you exactly?” Rebecca didn't like the other woman's aggressive tone.
“I'm Penelope, and for the record, I was sleeping with Mark too,” she announced.
“What?” Rebecca was incredulous.
“Yes, and he was sleeping with Shona's sister.”
“I don't believe it,” Rebecca's mind couldn't process the information that she was hearing. “He promised me that he had only slept with one woman. He swore on our son's life.”
“Well, I wouldn't believe Mark's promises,” Penelope said. “I've wanted to tell you about his affairs for a while, but Shona persuaded me not to, especially now because of your condition.” She looked pointedly at Rebecca's swollen stomach.
“I'm glad I know,” Rebecca replied shortly.
“We truly are sorry,” Shona said, “we never meant to hurt you.” She saw the look of hurt and anguish on Rebecca's face. “Is there anything we can do to make it up to you?”
“Make it up to me?” Rebecca laughed. “My husband has been having multiple affairs and you, one of his mistresses want to know if you can make it up to me!”
“There's no point turning on each other,” Penelope interjected. “We are the victims in all of this. Mark promised each of us that he loved us, when he clearly didn't.
Obviously, you are the main victim in all of this, Rebecca, but instead of turning on each other, we should get together and punish him.”
“I have to get out of here,” Rebecca said abruptly. Her mind was in turmoil.
“Take my number,” Penelope reached into her handbag and pulled out her business card. “Call me.”
Rebecca snatched the card out of her hand and stuffed it into her pocket. She got up from her seat and wobbled out of the cafe, leaving Penelope and Shona staring after her in shock.
“Dear God,” Shona whispered. “We are going straight to hell when we die, that poor woman.” “I know,” Penelope agreed, “I must admit I feel sorry for her. She looks like a nice woman. I wonder what she's going to do.”
“I need to get very drunk, very quickly,” Shona said, “I have to escape from my own head. I cannot believe what just happened.”
“Yes, I could do with a vodka and coke myself,” Penelope jumped to her feet, “let's get this day over and done with.”
Chapter 28
“Hi Shona, can you give me a call when you get a chance, please?” Jackie tried to sound as light-hearted as possible as she left her umpteenth voicemail message on her sister's mobile phone.
Shona hadn't returned any of her calls or text messages since that fateful night when it was revealed that they were both sleeping with the same man. Jackie had visited her sister's house at times when she knew that her sister would be home, but Shona had refused to open her door. She'd even knocked on her landlord's door to check if he'd seen Shona and he'd looked at her in confusion as he informed her that she was home almost every evening.
Jackie knew how her sister was feeling. It made her shudder when she thought that they'd both been intimate with the same man. She felt like such a fool and she wondered if Mark had known all along that she was Shona's sister. Mark couldn’t possibly have known as she had used a false name during their liaisons. She wondered how long Shona would continue to ignore her and she worried that Shona might tell Colm about her affair.
Her sister had a very hot temper and clearly she was extreme
ly upset about Mark. She dreaded the thought of Colm discovering her affair with Mark. The thought of losing her husband, her home and her children was unbearable.
“Don't you think you should eat something, darling?” Colm asked, interrupting Jackie's miserable thoughts.
“Pardon?” Jackie mumbled absent-mindedly.
“Food, darling, what would you like for lunch?” Colm looked at Jackie, wondering what was going on her head. She'd been very distracted recently and seemed worried and anxious. Every time the house phone rang, she jumped and almost ran to answer it before he got to it.
She'd started having showers several times a day, spending ages under the streaming hot water, scrubbing her skin until it was almost red raw. Her showering routine had become like an obsession. She wasn't sleeping very well, spending most of the night tossing and turning in bed. When she finally drifted off to sleep it was usually quite disturbed. She'd woken up crying and seemed to be having nightmares, often mumbling something indecipherable.
He had tried to comprehend what her sleeping ramblings meant, but other than the words “Shona” and “sorry” he hadn't been able to understand. Her behaviour was becoming increasingly worrying to him. He'd tried asking her several times what was on her mind, but every time he asked her, she'd plaster on a fake smile and deny that there was anything wrong. She'd become quite snappy with him and the children and he was starting to find her moodiness quite tiresome. He wondered if her erratic behaviour had anything to do with her connection to The Four Seasons Hotel.
He'd pretended to leave for the boys’ weekend away with Kevin the previous Saturday afternoon but instead had spent the night closely watching the house for any movements. Jackie hadn't left the house all night, nor had there been any visitors. Colm was relieved. He hated to think that Jackie might be cheating on him and had almost convinced himself that The Four Seasons call on her mobile phone must have been a mistake, but her behaviour was starting to tell him a different story. There was no reason that he knew of for her erratic moods, but clearly there was something seriously bothering her.
Jackie had been a nervous wreck for days, wondering if Shona would call her husband and tell him everything. She even found herself worrying that Penelope might decide to get involved! She couldn't begin to comprehend that Mark's wife knew about his affair and to make matters even more complicated that the poor woman was pregnant!
Jackie cringed at the thought of how much her actions must have hurt the other woman. She was riddled with guilt. She wondered how long it would take Rebecca to figure out that Shona hadn't been his only liaison or if the other two women would take it upon themselves to confess everything to Rebecca.
She found herself monitoring her husband’s face and moods almost obsessively, trying to work out if anyone had told him that she had been cheating on him. Thankfully, Mark hadn't contacted her recently, so that was one, slightly less thing, for her to worry about. She knew she'd have to confront him eventually, but she was doing her utmost to avoid him at the moment.
“You really need to eat something,” Colm insisted. He put a plate of bacon and eggs and a round of hot buttered toast in front of her, together with a mug of strong, steaming hot tea. She looked at the mountain of food that he'd put in front of her.
“I can't eat all that,” she tried to protest.
“Well, you must,” he said authoritatively. “You're wasting away in front of me. You're not sleeping, you're barely eating. I wish you'd tell me what’s wrong.” He sighed loudly, unable to hide the exasperation he felt.
“Fine, I'll eat,” Jackie sat down and began to nibble at a piece of toast.
“Darling, why won't you tell me what's wrong?” Colm asked gently again, sitting opposite her at the kitchen table.
“I've just had a disagreement with Shona, that's all,” Jackie said dismissively. She suddenly started concentrating rather studiously on cutting her bacon and eggs into neat pieces. She was unable to meet his eyes.
“What was the fight about?” he asked.
“Oh, it was a silly misunderstanding,” Jackie said, in between bites.
“I've never known you two to fall out like this,” Colm continued. “You've had squabbles before but one or other of you invariably made the effort to make up within twenty four hours. Usually it's been you making the effort, because everyone knows how much you hate fighting with people.” He smiled at her then. She glanced at his handsome face and the kind eyes that always looked at her with such love. How could I betray you so badly? She thought. How she wished that she could tell him the whole ugly truth, but she knew that she couldn't. Tears filled her eyes unexpectedly and Colm reached across the table and took her hand in his.
“You can tell me,” he said.
“Oh, Colm, I'd rather not. It's just silly sister stuff. I'll tell you all about it when it's sorted. You know how stubborn Shona can be sometimes, I'm sure she'll calm down soon enough.”
“Ok, darling,” he managed to force a smile, but Jackie saw an unmistakably quizzical look pass across his face for a brief moment.
Luckily for Jackie, at that exact minute, baby Charlotte came toddling into the kitchen, providing a welcome distraction from their tense conversation. Charlotte had just advanced from walking to running very unsteadily. Sometimes, it seemed like her chubby little legs were operating independently and uncontrollably from the rest of her little body.
Charlotte in running mode was very funny to watch. She’d stick out her chest, pull her shoulders back and hurtle forward like she'd been catapulted. She would usually start running at one end of the room and come hurtling across to the other end, only stopping when she bumped into something. The little girl came to an abrupt standstill by bumping into her mother's leg, which she immediately grabbed to maintain her balance.
“Hello, munchkin,” Jackie smiled at her daughter and bent to pick her up.
The little girl wrapped her chubby arms tight around her mother's neck and hugged her. Jackie inhaled her particular baby smell and kissed her gently on her soft cheek. She held her close for a few moments until Charlotte started to wriggle out of her mother's embrace.
“Why don't you two go and visit Shona this afternoon?” Colm suggested as he watched mother and daughter. “I'll stay here with Emmet, maybe we'll play some football in the park, have a boy's day out or something.”
“Auntie!” Charlotte shrieked, “I want auntie now!”
Jackie laughed. “You want to go and see auntie Shona?”
“Yeah,” Charlotte beamed at her mom. She adored her auntie Shona, who spoilt her rotten at every visit.
“Ok, let's get dressed and we'll go.”
“Yey!” Charlotte clapped her hands in delight.
“Good idea, darling,” Jackie smiled at her husband. She decided to text Shona and let her know that she'd visit her in a few hours with baby Charlotte, knowing that Shona wouldn't be able to resist a visit from her favourite niece. She realised that it was a slightly underhand tactic but she desperately wanted to see her sister. She hated having a bad atmosphere between them and she really hoped that they could make up soon.
~~**~~
“Auntie!” Charlotte almost knocked Shona to the ground as she flung herself at her aunt's legs and hugged her fiercely.
“Hello, squidge,” Shona beamed at her niece and bent to sweep her into her arms. “Long time no see, squiggles,” she pinched her niece's cheek, completely ignoring her sister, who followed her meekly into the kitchen.
“You want sweets?” Shona asked, not bothering to ask Jackie if she wanted anything.
“Yey, sweeties, sweeties!” the little girl sang.
She hugged her aunt's neck tightly. She'd missed seeing her. Shona busied herself with Charlotte for some time, while Jackie sat awkwardly on the couch, trying to join in the fun. Shona studied her sister whilst pretending to be absorbed with Charlotte.
She was quite shocked by the sudden change in her sister's usually elegant, healthy appearance. Jackie
looked positively bedraggled. Her hair looked damp and unbrushed. She was wearing a pair of tatty jeans that hung loosely off her waist and a big, unfashionable jumper which almost engulfed her. Her face was bare of makeup, which was very unusual. She never left home without a full face of “war paint” as she joked. The dark circles under her eyes looked very pronounced and her face looked thin and drawn.
Shona felt a pang of pity for her sister. “You look almost as bad as I feel,” Shona said, eventually relenting in her ignoring of her sister.
Jackie met her eyes and smiled wryly, “gee, thanks.”
She was relieved that the tension between them was finally broken.
“Cuppa tea?” Shona asked, getting to her feet.
“Yes, please, that would be lovely,” Jackie said politely.
“Me too,” Charlotte announced, pausing briefly from ripping pages out of a pile of magazines that she'd discovered in the corner.
“Cuppa coffee,” Charlotte said, changing her mind from the tea.
Jackie and Shona burst out laughing at how grown up the little girl sounded. Charlotte looked at both of them and beamed her gap-toothed smile.
Shona returned a short while later, laden down with a tray of tea, biscuits, chocolate buttons and a plastic mug of very weak tea for Charlotte. The little girl was thrilled when her aunt handed her a mug of tea. She stared at the contents for some time, before finally taking a tentative taste and yelling “yuck” whereupon she promptly tipped the contents upside down, all over the floor.
“Oh dear,” Jackie gently admonished her daughter.
“It's ok, don't worry about it,” Shona said quickly, “it's an old carpet anyway.”
They sat in silence for a while, sipping their tea and munching on biscuits. Even Jackie ate more than her share of biscuits, anything to avoid talking.
“You'll never guess who I bumped into in the shopping centre the other day,” Shona said, brushing crumbs off her jumper.
Unfaithful (The Complete Trilogy) Page 17
