To the Moon and Back

by Jill Mansell

  ‘No, really, I’m fine.’ It was the guilt and the shame that had done it; Roo hastily used her free hand to wipe away the tears that had sprung up out of nowhere. ‘It just sounds so lovely. Is that what happened to you?’

  ‘What, with my husband?’ Yasmin paused for a moment. Then she said ruefully, ‘Well, I hadn’t actually planned on getting pregnant, but these things happen, so you just make the best of it, don’t you? And now Ben’s here, I wouldn’t be without him for the world.’

  When her nails were finished, skillfully repaired and buffed, and made shorter than before in deference to her new job, Roo paid the bill and added a twenty pound tip.

  ‘Wow.’ Yasmin’s eyes widened. ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Of course I’m sure. You fitted me in at short notice. And you’ve done a great job,’ said Roo. ‘You deserve it.’

  ‘Well, thanks.’ Yasmin grinned. ‘You can come back again.’

  And the weird thing was, she almost couldn’t wait. Roo picked up one of the salon’s glossy pink and cream brochures detailing the treatments on offer and wondered which of them to have next. ‘I will.’

  ***

  The phone rang that evening just as Ellie was getting ready for bed.

  ‘Oh, hi! Is that Ellie? Ellie, hi there, honey is Tony with you?’ Tamara, Tony’s personal assistant in LA, had one of those singsong super-sweet voices that made you feel as if you were swimming through treacle.

  ‘No. He’s not here.’ Ellie frowned; what an odd question. ‘He isn’t in Britain. He’s in LA.’

  ‘No, honey, he’s not here. He’s definitely over there with you.’

  ‘He isn’t, though. And he would have told me if he was coming over.’

  ‘Well, he asked me to organize it. I booked the plane tickets myself and drove him to the airport. OK, don’t worry, I just need to ask him about fitting in an interview but his cell’s switched off. No problem, I’ll keep trying. Bye, honey, bye!’

  OK, this was officially strange. Ellie tried Tony’s number. Tamara was right; it was switched off. She left a message asking him to call her and said, ‘If you’re here, why didn’t you tell me?’

  Most odd. But he must be all right, surely. There had to be a simple explanation.

  Ellie yawned, brushed her teeth, and went to bed.

  Chapter 35

  He got back to Ellie while she was at work the next day.

  ‘Tony! Are you all right?’ She’d actually started to worry when his phone had still been switched off this morning.

  ‘I’m fine, sweetheart.’

  ‘Where are you?’

  ‘At home in LA.’

  God, who’d ever trust an actor? He was such a plausible liar. ‘No you’re not,’ said Ellie. ‘I spoke to Tamara. You’re over here.’

  ‘Oh. Damn. OK, you’re right. I knew I should have returned Tamara’s calls first.’

  ‘Your phone’s been switched off !’

  ‘Battery was flat. I forgot to pack my charger, that’s all.’

  ‘Why didn’t you come to the flat?’ Where you have a perfectly good spare charger.

  Tony paused then said, ‘I thought you and Todd would appreciate having it to yourselves. I was being discreet, giving you a bit of space.’

  ‘Are you serious?’

  ‘Really, it’s not a problem. I took a room at the Berkeley. You and Todd don’t want me hanging around and—’

  ‘Oh, Tony, that’s over, it didn’t work out. It just wasn’t right.’ Ellie lowered her voice; Zack was only in the kitchen and she didn’t want him to overhear. ‘We tried, but we’re happier as friends.’

  ‘Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry.’

  ‘Don’t be. We’re both fine about it. So you can check out of that hotel right now and get yourself over here. You won’t be a third wheel, it’ll just be us.’

  ‘Except I’m heading back tomorrow. It was just a flying visit. It’s hardly worth it now.’

  He sounded… sad. ‘Are you busy tonight?’

  ‘No, no, nothing planned…’

  Something definitely wasn’t right. ‘Come over, then. I haven’t seen you for ages. I’ll cook dinner,’ Ellie volunteered. ‘I’ve learned how to do Thai green curry.’

  ‘Really?’ It was his favorite.

  ‘Really!’

  ‘Is it nice?’

  Honesty forced her to prevaricate. ‘It might be nice.’

  ‘Or it might not?’

  ‘I’m still practicing. Come over and let me give it another go. If it all goes horribly wrong, we’ll order a takeaway.’

  Sounding slightly more cheerful, Tony said, ‘Or shall I just order it now?’

  Zack came into the office a couple of minutes later, dressed in a suit and jangling his keys.

  ‘All OK? I’ve got a lunch meeting in Piccadilly. Can you take Elmo out for a run at some stage? I’ll be back by four at the latest.’

  ‘No problem, that’s fine.’ He was wearing a new turquoise shirt and it was on the tip of her tongue to say how much the color suited him, but Ellie felt the speeding-up sensation in her chest that meant she was finding him attractive again. Dammit, and she’d worked so hard to squash those feelings, had thought she’d succeeded in getting them under control. OK, just don’t mention it, keep it zipped.

  But she must have looked as if she were about to say something because Zack had stopped in the doorway and was looking expectant. ‘Anything else?’

  Yes, that color’s fantastic against your tan, you look unbelievably gorgeous, you’re making me think things I shouldn’t be thinking…

  ‘No,’ Ellie flashed him her busy smile, ‘nothing else. Have a nice time!’

  At two thirty she gave Geraldine a call. ‘Hi, it’s me. Do you want to send Elmo over?’

  ‘Oh hello, darling, absolutely! Sweetie, up you get, it’s for you.’

  Ellie heard snuffling and said, ‘Elmo! Coming for a walk?’

  ‘There you go,’ Geraldine said with satisfaction. ‘He’s on his way.’

  Moments later Ellie looked out of the kitchen window and saw Elmo launch himself over the wall. He burst through the dog flap, tail wagging furiously and paws skidding across the tiled floor.

  ‘Come here, baby.’ She bent to clip his lead on, but the doorbell simultaneously rang and Elmo gave her the slip. Finally she managed to scoop him up and answer the front door.

  ‘Oh.’ Louisa, on the top step, recoiled from the sight of Elmo at unexpectedly close quarters. ‘I’ve come to see Zack. Is he upstairs?’

  ‘He’s not here.’

  ‘You’re just saying that.’

  ‘I’m not.’ What was this about?

  ‘His car’s over there.’ Louisa pointed across the road.

  ‘He took a cab into town. He really isn’t here. Was he expecting you?’

  ‘No. I just need to talk to him.’ Louisa’s hair and makeup were perfect; she was wearing an apricot linen dress and ultra-high, ultra-pointy cream shoes.

  ‘Well, he’s in a lunch meeting now. Why don’t you try phoning him later?’

  ‘I’ve tried phoning him. It’s not the same, and most of the time he doesn’t even pick up.’ Louisa’s voice began to wobble. ‘Look, can I come in?’

  Elmo was wriggling like an eel, keen to get on with the business in hand. Ellie hesitated. ‘The thing is, we were just about to go out for a walk.’

  ‘Fine then. I’ll come with you.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘Please let me. I need to talk about Zack. There, there, good doggie.’ Gingerly Louisa patted the top of Elmo’s head, which had to be a first. Even Elmo looked astonished. ‘He’s quite sweet really, isn’t he?’

  ‘Who, Zack?’

  ‘No, the dog.’ She watched as Ellie attached the lead to Elmo’s collar and put him down. ‘The last few weeks have been horrible. I’ve missed him so much.’

  ‘Who, Elmo?’

  ‘Zack.’ Once the front door was closed, Louisa followed them down the stone steps. ‘So ho
w’s he been?’

  ‘OK. The same, really.’ Oh dear, was that insensitive? ‘I’m sure he’s missed you too,’ Ellie said hastily. ‘You know what men are like. They hide it well.’

  But it was too late; Louisa’s face had crumpled. ‘It’s so unfair. I’ve never been so miserable in my life. Does he talk about me?’

  ‘Um… not really.’

  ‘He must do. He must have said something! We were perfect together.’

  They made a strange little procession, heading past the shops along Regents Park Road. Elmo led the way, straining against his lead and desperate to reach grass. Ellie was second, walking fast in her sparkly flip-flops. Bringing up the rear, hobbling slightly and struggling to keep up in her too-high heels, was Louisa.

  ‘He hasn’t said anything to me,’ Ellie called over her shoulder. She waved to Briony, who worked in the cake shop.

  ‘Is he seeing someone else?’ said Louisa.

  ‘No.’

  ‘How can you say that? How do you know?’

  ‘OK, he hasn’t told me he’s seeing anyone else. And last week I had to go along as his plus-one to an event, because—’

  ‘Oh God, the dinner at Claridge’s? He invited you? That’s so unfair!’

  Ellie increased her pace; this was getting awkward now. Louisa’s voice had risen and people were turning to stare at them. At last they reached Primrose Hill itself and she was able to let Elmo off his lead. Finding a stick, she threw it as far as she could and watched him tear after it.

  ‘I bet you’re glad we broke up, aren’t you?’ Louisa’s hands were on her hips as she struggled to get her breath back. ‘You’ve got Zack all to yourself now.’

  Don’t blush, don’t blush. ‘I work for him. That’s all.’

  ‘Urrgh!’ Louisa let out a panicky screech and kangarooed sideways as Elmo came hurtling back with the stick in his mouth. Her heels sank into the ground and she struggled to regain her balance. Accusingly she said, ‘But you must fancy him.’

  ‘OK, enough. I do not fancy Zack.’ Ellie prayed her nose wouldn’t suddenly extend by a couple of feet. ‘I have a boyfriend. His name is Todd.’ Todd wouldn’t mind her borrowing him again; it was all in a good cause. ‘And I don’t need to listen to this rubbish, so you can stop following me now. Bye.’

  Louisa promptly buried her face in her hands and shook her head in defeat. ‘Oh God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I just d-don’t know what to do…’

  People were definitely paying attention now. A small girl tugged at her mother’s arm and said in a loud voice, ‘Mummy, is that big lady crying?’

  This only made Louisa cry more. She clenched her fists and wailed, ‘I’m not big.’

  ‘Come on.’ Ellie ushered her over to a free bench. ‘Sit down. Here, I’ve got a tissue somewhere.’

  All the makeup, so carefully applied in Zack’s honor, came off on the tissue. For several minutes Louisa sobbed noisily. Ellie sat next to her, let her get it out of her system, and threw the stick twenty or thirty times for Elmo to chase after and joyfully retrieve. Like a girl with hopeless taste in men, getting her heart broken over and over again, it evidently never occurred to Elmo to stop and wonder if maybe it was all a bit pointless.

  ‘Have you got any more tissues?’ Louisa mumbled finally.

  ‘No.’

  ‘Do I look a mess?’

  Mess was an understatement. How to be diplomatic? ‘A bit.’

  ‘Oh Goddddd…’ Louisa rose to her feet. ‘I need to clean myself up. Can we head back to the house now, so I can use the bathroom?’

  Ellie hesitated but didn’t have the heart to refuse. Oh well, she could make it up to Elmo with a top-up walk later. Whistling and calling him back, she re-attached his lead and said, ‘OK, let’s go.’

  Elmo registered his protest by waiting until they’d reached Ancram Street before squatting and depositing a pile of poo on the pavement.

  ‘How can you do that?’ Louisa shuddered as Ellie bent and did the inverted nappy-bag trick to pick it up. ‘That’s so gross.’

  Did she think poo-collecting was her favorite hobby? Ellie said evenly, ‘I don’t love it. It’s just something that has to be done.’

  ‘What time did Zack say he’d be back?’

  ‘He didn’t.’ Oops, another lie. ‘He could be gone for hours yet.’

  ‘Or he might not. I could stay and wait.’

  ‘I don’t think so, I have to work,’ said Ellie.

  ‘I wouldn’t be a nuisance. I’ll just wait for him upstairs.’

  ‘Really, it’s not a good idea.’

  ‘Oh, for God’s sake, you’re not very sympathetic, are you?’ Louisa’s emotions rose and her face reddened. ‘You just don’t get how important this is! I love Zack and I want him back. He means everything in the world to me. My heart is breaking, I’m going through hell here… you can’t begin to understand how I feel!’

  Just for a microsecond Jamie appeared without warning, leaning against a parked car with his arms casually crossed and his blond hair glinting in the sunshine. He surveyed Louisa with amusement. Then, as if sensing that Ellie was teetering on the edge of retaliation, he turned and shook his head at her. ‘Don’t do it.’

  He was right. It would be the cheapest form of one-upmanship. Ellie exhaled. Then a taxi drew to a halt and Jamie, in his pink T-shirt and jeans, simply vanished. Elmo let out a volley of barks as Zack jumped out of the cab.

  Chapter 36

  ‘Well, well, what a surprise,’ Louisa jeered at Ellie. ‘You were lying. Fancy that.’

  ‘I told you, I didn’t know when he’d be back.’ Ellie bristled; Zack was welcome to take over now.

  ‘Hello? Do I look stupid? You were just trying to get rid of me because you’re after him yourself.’

  It had evidently slipped Louisa’s mind that she did look stupid. Well, hooray for that. Zack finished paying the cab driver and strode across the road towards them.

  He took in the situation at a glance. ‘What’s happening here? What’s been going on?’ He moved towards Ellie. ‘Are you all right?’

  Which was nice in one way, but succeeded in sending Louisa into paroxysms of jealousy.

  ‘Zacky, I’ve missed you so much! I need to see you.’

  Zacky? Oh good grief, did she actually call him that?

  ‘Seriously.’ Zack carried on addressing Ellie. ‘Are you OK?’

  ‘I’m fine.’ His hand was on her arm. It felt amazing…

  ‘Zacky? We have to talk!’

  He turned to look at Louisa. ‘Really, there’s no point.’

  ‘Oh my God, I don’t believe this. Look at the two of you together. And you’re protecting her!’ She swung round, her swollen piggy eyes homing in on Ellie like lasers. ‘I asked if there was anything going on between you two and you denied it. You sneaky, lying, little—’

  ‘I’ll leave you to it.’ Ellie headed past her to get to the house. Zack kept a firm grip on her arm and went with her. Enraged, Louisa let out a howl and lashed out wildly in an attempt to separate them. The tissue-thin handles of the nappy bag were torn from Ellie’s grasp. The bag hit Louisa’s ankle with a wet thud and this time her reaction was ear-splitting, her screams reverberating down the street as she jerked back and kicked it like a football into the air.

  ‘Ugh… eurgh! ’ The bag hadn’t burst but the fact that it had made contact was enough. Louisa hopped around, looking as if she’d quite like to amputate the offending leg. Elmo, entranced by another opportunity to play fetch, scooted along the pavement and joyfully retrieved it. Carrying the bag back by its handles, he deposited it at Louisa’s feet and waited for her to do it again.

  ‘You filthy disgusting animal, get away from me!’

  ‘OK, enough.’ Zack unlocked the front door, ushered Ellie past him, and whistled at Elmo to follow her. ‘I’m sorting this out now. Get inside.’

  Ellie pulled the door closed behind her and headed on through to the kitchen. She watched Elmo slurp noisily from his
water bowl. Moments later the phone rang.

  ‘Well, this has brightened my day no end,’ said Geraldine. ‘It’s like Sex and the City on my very own doorstep.’

  At the sound of her voice, Elmo pricked up his ears and disappeared through the dog flap.

  ‘Elmo’s on his way over,’ said Ellie.

  ‘Are you in the kitchen? Why aren’t you watching the fun? Come on, get the binoculars out! Louisa’s on her knees now, she’s going to ruin those smart shoes of hers. Or you could come over here and we’ll watch it together… oh hello, sweetie, did the nasty lady not want to play catch with you?’

  ‘I can’t come over,’ said Ellie. ‘I’ve got loads of work to catch up on.’ Not true, but she’d already witnessed enough misery for one day.

  ‘Shame. So what’s it all about?’ From the tone of her voice it was plain that Geraldine already knew.

  ‘Don’t you have the window open?’

  ‘Of course I have! What d’you expect me to do? Lip-read? She’s convinced there’s something going on between you and Zack.’

  Ellie’s mouth was dry. ‘I know. But there isn’t.’

  The front door slammed twenty minutes later and her fingers on the keyboard went into overdrive… Dead Mr Mackenzie, Many thinks for your letted… aargh, Ellie hurriedly deleted the errors before he could see them.

  But Zack didn’t glance at the computer screen. He put his head round the door and said with a sigh, ‘Come on, I think we could both do with a drink.’

  He seized a bottle from the fridge, Ellie collected two glasses, and they headed upstairs to the living room. The icy white wine sent little wavelets of relaxation through her stomach but did nothing to dissipate the Zack-related emotions. She took another swallow. At least he didn’t know they were there.

  Zack raked his fingers through his hair and said, ‘Well. Sorry about that.’

  ‘Not your fault.’

  ‘Isn’t it? I hate ending relationships. God, it’s the pits. Maybe I did it wrong.’ He paused and rubbed his forehead. ‘But I never expected that kind of reaction. Not Louisa. You wouldn’t think she was the type.’