The Art of Friendship

by Lisa Ireland

  Maybe she should just ride home and call her own mum at work? Her mother was good at knowing what to do in situations like this one. Kit could suss out whether Libby was already home before she said anything, and if Libby wasn’t around then she’d get her mother on the case. Now that she had a plan she felt a little better. She retrieved her bag and dug in it for a pen and paper. She tore a sheet of foolscap from her English folder and scribbled a quick note to Libby.

  Hey Lib,

  I waited for you for ages after school but you didn’t come. I’ve decided to ride home and see if you are at your place for some reason. If you see this note can you ring me or come to my place to let me know you’re okay?

  Love Kit x

  She tucked the note under Libby’s bell, stuffed the folder back into her schoolbag and slung the bag onto her back before dragging her own bike out of the rack. That was when she heard the noise coming from behind the shed: a thud, and voices too. She dropped her bike, shrugged off her bag and went to investigate. Maybe Libby was hiding, playing some stupid joke on her? She picked her way through the uncut grass down the side of the shed, her eyes trained on the ground. The bike shed was towards the rear of the school grounds, close to the irrigation channel that bordered the school, and it wasn’t unusual to see the odd tiger snake in the vicinity. She rounded the corner and for a split-second was paralysed by what she saw.

  Libby was pushed up against the shed wall. The buttons of her summer uniform were undone and her pink training bra was clearly visible. Goody stood in front of her, one hand on her shoulder pinning her to the wall, the other up under her dress. Libby’s eyes were squeezed shut.

  Shit.

  Kit ran full pelt and launched herself at him. ‘Stop it. Get off her now.’ She pummelled his back with her fists.

  He swung around, pushing her away with one arm. She stumbled backwards slightly before coming at him again, but this time he was ready for her. He’d turned so he was facing her and as she hurled herself forward he pushed back against her, shoving her to the ground. ‘Piss off, you crazy bitch.’

  Kit jumped to her feet. ‘Let’s go, Libby.’

  Libby didn’t move, she just stared at Kit with uncomprehending eyes.

  ‘Come on. It’s okay. I won’t let him hurt you.’

  Libby blinked and opened her mouth to say something but seemed to change her mind.

  Goody was zipping up his school pants. ‘Yeah go on, fuck off, both of you. Pair of stupid lezzos.’

  Libby was crying now as she buttoned up her dress. Kit went over to her and picked up her schoolbag. ‘Let’s go home.’

  Libby nodded and followed her into the bike shed without another word.

  Chapter 12

  Libby turned sideways to the mirror and sucked in her stomach before checking her reflection, but it was no use. Her spare tyre didn’t magically disappear, and even if it had there was no hiding the cellulite on her thighs in this swimsuit. She wished she’d taken the time to shop for decent bathers before she’d left home. The other women on this trip were all so glamorous, she highly doubted any of them would be sporting two-year-old faded black numbers from Target, but they were all meeting poolside at ten for ‘lounging, swimming, cocktails and gossip’ according to Georgina, so she figured some type of bathing suit was mandatory. Swimwear hadn’t been a high priority for her these past few years. When she took Harry to the beach she made sure she covered her pale skin with a long-sleeved rashie and board shorts, and it wasn’t as if she needed bathers any other time. Her propensity to burn made it hard for her to enjoy the beach so the only time she went was to take Harry to Nippers. It wasn’t as if there was any time during that activity for her to lounge around sunbathing, even if she’d wanted to. So swimwear had never managed to make it into her online shopping cart, a fact she was regretting right now. It was almost nine o’clock, so there wasn’t enough time to walk to the nearby Suria shopping centre to purchase something new, but maybe she’d make her way there after lunch. Her wardrobe was seriously lacking compared to the other wives and she didn’t want to spend the whole trip feeling like a country bumpkin.

  ‘Stop worrying so much,’ Cam had said early this morning when she was fussing about her outfit to wear to breakfast. ‘You always look amazing no matter what you wear. In fact . . .’ he came around behind her and embraced her, his hands cheekily cupping both her breasts, ‘you look best to me wearing nothing at all.’

  She laughed and turned around to kiss him before pulling back. ‘Come on. We really don’t want to be late down to breakfast.’

  After breakfast Cam had kissed her goodbye and told her to go shopping if she was worried about her wardrobe. ‘Treat yourself, babe,’ he’d said. ‘You deserve it.’

  So maybe she would. Georgina, Felicity and Alli had been to KL many times. She’d ask them for some recommendations of where to shop, and maybe buy herself a couple of nice outfits as well as new swimmers. It had been years since she’d been on a real shopping spree, at least one that involved brick and mortar stores. Before their move she’d often spend hours in the middle of the night trawling online stores for bargains, often filling her cart with thousands of dollars’ worth of clothes, handbags and jewellery, only to shut down her computer before checking out. But now that was behind her. She could shop all she wanted. Cam had told her to go for it and just this once she was going to put herself first. And Cam would benefit too. After all, if he was going to make it in this company she probably should try to look the part of the corporate wife.

  Right now, the problem of the Target bathers would be sorted by donning the colourful kaftan Kit had insisted she pack as a cover-up. ‘You don’t want to get sunburned,’ she’d said, ‘and the length and arm coverage mean it’s respectful. I know you’re in a resort but don’t forget Malaysia is a Muslim country. I always try to respect the local customs whenever I travel.’ At the time Libby had only packed the thing because it was a gift from Kit – brought back from one of her overseas jaunts, possibly South America, but Libby couldn’t be sure. In Melbourne the garment had seemed garish and not something she could picture herself wearing, but right now the fact that it completely covered her worn-out bathers elevated its rustic charm.

  Thinking about Melbourne brought Harry to the front of her mind. She wondered how he was coping without her there. Hopefully Kit was managing to keep everything ticking along smoothly. She’d hate Harry to be embarrassed by not having the right uniform, or for him to miss an assignment deadline. It was probably stupid but she couldn’t shake the feeling that leaving Harry at home was a mistake. Maybe she could call him and just check that all was well. She glanced at the time on her phone. Melbourne was three hours ahead so Harry would be in class now. She’d have to settle for sending a text. At least he’d know she’d been thinking of him while he was at school.

  After she’d texted Harry she slathered her pale body in copious amounts of 50+ sunscreen and plonked a pair of sunglasses on top of her head, then picked up her beach bag and made her way to the pool area. She had her sketchbook in her bag and figured she might have some time to do some preliminary sketches for her next painting if she went to the pool area a little earlier than the agreed meeting time. But as she approached the sun lounges on the pool’s edge she heard her name being called.

  ‘Libby, we’re over here.’

  She looked up to see Alli waving at her from a table beneath a large market-style umbrella. Felicity was there too, flipping through a magazine.

  So much for her drawing time. There was no way she was dragging her sketchbook out in front of the others. She smiled and waved back at Alli as she made her way to them. ‘Hi, you two. I didn’t think anyone would be here yet. I thought I’d come down early and maybe have a swim before everyone else arrived.’

  ‘Looks like we all had the same idea,’ Alli said. ‘I thought I’d read a little, but Felicity was already here when I arrived.�
�

  ‘I wanted to make sure we got a table with plenty of shade,’ Felicity said. She pulled back the skin on both sides of her eyes. ‘Can’t afford to get any more wrinkled.’

  ‘You’re not a bit wrinkled,’ Libby said truthfully.

  Felicity grinned. ‘Thanks to Dr Madden and the lovely girls at Skin Deep.’

  Alli laughed. ‘Those girls work wonders. Where would we be without them?’

  Had Felicity had plastic surgery? Or botox perhaps? Her forehead was remarkably smooth for a woman of her age. And what about Alli? Had she had work done too? She didn’t seem the type, but then again it wasn’t as if Libby really knew her. Maybe that sort of thing was standard in this group. God, no wonder they all looked amazing. She was dying to know if her theory was true but she could hardly come right out and ask. She touched the skin at the base of her throat – which lately had begun to take on the texture of uncooked chicken skin – and wondered if this Dr Madden could do anything about that. Maybe if she got Alli alone later she could ask her, but right now she decided to change the subject to one where she was on safer ground. ‘So what are you reading, Felicity?’

  Felicity held up the latest edition of Vogue. ‘Trying to get some inspiration for my Christmas in July gown.’

  ‘Oh.’ Good grief, Libby hadn’t realised it was going to be such a formal affair. And obviously the outfit was a big deal if Felicity was thinking about it now. Libby certainly didn’t own anything that was Vogue calibre. Shopping was definitely in order, but she really had no idea where to start. She thought about the little pot-belly her kaftan was concealing. And her upper arms weren’t exactly toned either. Perhaps it was time to give in to Alli’s pleading that she accompany her to Pilates classes at the club. She’d cited her dodgy knee as an excuse, even though Alli had assured her that Pilates would actually help her core strength, which would in turn benefit all her joints. It wasn’t that Libby was exercise averse, it was more about limiting her number of entanglements with the Arcadia housewives. Not that they were awful; in fact at the last book club she’d quite enjoyed herself. Sure, the conversation was superficial – handbags, make-up, kids and a bit of celebrity bashing – but it was mostly harmless fun. Cam certainly approved of her growing friendship with the other wives, he was thrilled she was fitting in so well, but sometimes she needed her own space. Between book club, fundraising committee meetings and tennis, she saw at least one of the others most weekdays. She’d drawn the line at Pilates. Maybe she needed to reassess that decision, though. At least until after the ball.

  ‘Are you feeling okay, Libby?’ Alli asked.

  ‘Fine. Why?’

  ‘You’re rubbing your stomach. I hope the local cuisine doesn’t disagree with your digestive system.’

  Libby let her hand drop to her side and laughed. ‘The food here is great. I might have eaten a tad too much at breakfast, that’s all.’

  ‘Oh, I know how you feel,’ Felicity agreed. ‘Never mind, we can work it off in the gym later.’

  ‘Pfft,’ said Alli. ‘It’s too bloody hot to be going to the gym. Give it up, Felicity. We’re on holidays.’

  ‘Yeah, that’s all right for you to say, skinny minnie. I am not naturally thin like you are. I don’t want to go back home five kilos heavier. So what about you, Libby? Coming to the gym later on?’

  Libby shook her head. ‘Actually, I thought I might wander over to the centre under the towers and do some shopping.’

  Alli picked up the table flag to signal a waiter. Her huge square-cut diamond ring glinted as it moved loosely on her finger, catching rays of sunlight as she waved. ‘Now you’re talking. Feel like some company? I’m pretty familiar with the shopping here. I could show you around if you like.’

  Damn. Why had she mentioned her plans? Of course the others would want to come. She wasn’t sure her budget – or her taste – was in the same stratosphere as Alli’s, but she could hardly refuse. ‘Sure. That would be lovely.’

  ‘Great. What about you, Liss? Can we tempt you away from the gym?’

  Before Felicity could answer the waiter arrived to take their order.

  Alli clapped her hands together. ‘So, let’s get this party started. Who’s for a mimosa?’

  *

  In the end only Alli accompanied her on her shopping spree, and despite Libby’s initial reservations she had to admit it was nice having another woman to shop with. It was great having someone waiting outside the change room to offer an opinion, and Alli certainly wasn’t afraid of voicing hers. She was clearly a seasoned shopper who knew all the best places to shop, and her stamina was enviable.

  After an hour of trying on swimsuits, each one seemingly more expensive than the last, Libby’s enthusiasm for shopping was beginning to wane. It wasn’t that she hadn’t found anything that looked good; in fact quite the opposite was true. Right now she was wondering if the change rooms had been fitted with trick mirrors because the black and gold one-piece garment she was wearing had seemingly worked miracles on her middle-aged body. The ‘powermesh’ panel in the front sucked in her belly, the moulded cups lifted her small breasts enough to give the impression of cleavage, and somehow the cut even managed to make her non-existent backside look kind of shapely. But there was simply no way she could justify spending four hundred dollars on a swimsuit that would in all likelihood only get a few days’ wear each year.

  ‘Well, let’s have a look at you,’ Alli called from outside the fitting room.

  Libby slid back the curtain, and tentatively took a step forward.

  ‘Oh my goodness, this is definitely the one. You look amazing, truly. It looks so fabulous you should get two. They have the same suit in an orange fabric, which would look wonderful with your complexion. I’ll go grab it for you.’

  ‘Oh I don’t think I need two . . .’ Libby’s words fell on deaf ears as Alli strode back out into the main part of the shop. Within moments she’d returned with an orange and black floral suit in her hand.

  ‘Let’s see this one on.’

  Libby decided there was no real harm in trying the thing on, and to her surprise the colour did suit her. If anything this one was even more flattering.

  ‘Oh, that one’s gorgeous too. You simply have to have both.’

  Libby decided to come clean. ‘It’s not that I don’t love them, but it’s an awful lot of money. I just don’t think that I can justify spending that amount on bathers.’

  Alli laughed and shook her head. ‘Oh nonsense, of course you can. This might be speaking out of turn, but I have a very good idea of what Cameron earns.’

  Libby felt her jaw drop, but her shock at the statement didn’t seem to deter Alli.

  ‘This is one of the perks of this ridiculous life we lead. I know I don’t know you that well yet, but I know that you’ve had to drop your life in order to follow Cameron’s dreams, am I wrong?’

  ‘Well, it’s not exactly like that. I did have to move, I guess, but I really didn’t mind because –’

  ‘Because you’re a good wife, a good mother, and you did what was best for the family. Am I right?’

  ‘Well, yes, but –’

  ‘No buts. The thing is, Libby, this is a man’s world. At least for people like you and me. The lives we lead are centred around our husbands. They get to be the hunters, the providers. They get to do exactly what they want and our compliance enables that. The pay-off is we get some shiny trinkets in return. Don’t ever feel guilty about taking advantage of that. And you know what? The men love it. They love to see their wives reaping the fruits of their labour. That’s what they’re working so hard to achieve. To provide for us.’

  Libby shook her head. That might be the case with Alli and Greg, but her marriage wasn’t like that at all. ‘Honestly, Alli, I don’t need two suits.’

  ‘But you’re going to get the orange one at least? It looks so amazing on you it would
be a crime to leave it in the store. Come on, I’ll take the blame if you like. I’ll tell Cameron I bullied you into it.’

  Libby grinned. She had to admit, she did look good. ‘Well, if you’re prepared to take responsibility . . .’

  ‘Good girl! Now get changed and we’ll go upstairs for a celebratory pastry.’

  There was a definite thrill in watching the sales assistant wrap her purchase in pale pink tissue paper and carefully seal the package with a gold sticker embossed with the store’s logo before sliding the package into a gorgeous carry bag. Libby tried not to think too much about the cost as she handed over her credit card.

  Her exhilaration lasted all the way up to the fourth floor, where they found the café Alli had told her about. Once they were seated Alli insisted on ordering champagne to celebrate Libby’s first purchase.

  Libby shook her head, giggling. ‘I probably shouldn’t. I’ve already had two cocktails today.’

  ‘Nonsense. We’ll just have one.’ Alli turned her attention to the waiter. ‘Two glasses of champagne, Veuve Clicquot if you have it. When we’ve finished our wine you can bring out a pot of English Breakfast tea and two slices of the hummingbird cake.’ She glanced at Libby. ‘Trust me, it’s to die for.’ Alli smiled at their server before dismissing him. ‘That’ll be all. Thank you.’

  The last time someone had taken it upon themselves to order for her had been on a disastrous first date when she was still at university. She hadn’t liked it then and, despite Alli’s obviously good intentions, she was a little taken aback by it now. Alli was turning out to be a bit of an enigma. When they’d first met she’d seemed very down to earth, and Libby had figured her for a kindred spirit, but today she was showing another side of herself and Libby wasn’t sure what to make of it.