by Lisa Ireland
An arm came from behind and slipped around her waist. ‘Hello, beautiful.’
She smiled and turned to plant a kiss on Cam’s lips. ‘I thought you’d given up on me.’
He grinned. ‘Never. I just saw Trace outside and I wanted to give her the assignment notes she asked for.’ Libby hated that she felt a prick of jealousy creep into her veins, but before it could take hold Cam continued, ‘And I wanted to ask her if she’d seen you about this morning. I thought maybe you’d been held up at the library or something.’
Libby sighed and shook her head. ‘I just got here. I’ve been on the phone to my friend, Kit. You know, the one in London.’
Cam nodded. ‘Yeah, Jude’s daughter, right?’
Libby loved that he kept track of the most important people in her life. ‘Yeah. Poor Kit’s not having a great time of it right now.’ She inclined her head towards the counter. ‘Shall we get coffee?’
‘I’ll get them. You go sit.’
Libby knew better than to argue. In the whole time they’d been seeing each other Cam had never let her pay for a meal or a drink when they were together. She knew lots of other people her age might see this as old-fashioned, but Libby thought it was chivalrous. It didn’t take long for Cam to return with their drinks and a slab of lemon slice. ‘You looked like you could use a treat,’ he said.
She smiled. ‘I’ll split it with you.’
‘Deal.’ He broke the slice in rough halves and took the smaller portion for himself. ‘Want to talk about it?’
She nodded. ‘Actually, I do. Kit’s got herself in a bit of bother and she’s been asking my advice. I’m completely out of my depth and she’s made me promise not to tell anyone else. I know I probably shouldn’t tell you either, but you don’t know her, and if you promise me you won’t share what I say with another soul . . .’
‘Scout’s honour.’
She laughed. ‘You were a scout?’
‘Ha, don’t laugh! I was indeed. A sea scout in fact.’
‘Well, seeing as you’ve given me your word of honour, I’ll tell you the whole story. The main thing to remember is that Jude doesn’t know any of this, so if we happen to be at my place when she’s home you have to be super careful not to say anything.’
‘Of course.’
Libby drew in a deep breath and then began. ‘Kit’s pregnant.’
‘And I’m guessing she doesn’t want to be?’
‘No.’
Cam didn’t seem overly shocked. He just nodded and listened as she relayed the story. When she got to the part about the father refusing to take responsibility his eyes widened and he shook his head. ‘What an arsehole.’
‘Yeah, I know.’
‘What would you want to do if that happened to us?’
Libby was momentarily surprised by the question. ‘I don’t know.’
‘You haven’t thought about it?’
‘Honestly, I really haven’t,’ she lied. She’d spent countless hours dreaming of having Cam’s babies. ‘Have you?’
He shrugged. ‘Kind of.’
‘And?’
‘I’d support whatever you wanted to do, of course.’
‘So what if I chose to have it?’
He smiled. ‘Then that would make me really, really happy.’
Her insides turned to liquid then. Maybe there was a chance he was a keeper after all. She leaned across the table and kissed him on the mouth.
When they were done, Cam sat back in his chair and frowned. ‘So Kit wants to have an abortion then?’
‘I don’t think she knows what she wants. The trouble is that there’s really no time to muck about. She’s quite close to the cut-off point for an early abortion. I’m not really sure what happens over there if it goes past the twelve-week point. I don’t know whether she would be able to access an abortion through the public health system. In fact, I’m not sure how that all works anyway, with her being an Australian. She’s visiting a doctor again tomorrow to get some of this stuff sorted out. I just feel so worried about her because she’s all alone over there. She’s made me promise not to tell her mum and I feel really conflicted about that. I’m living with Jude and I know this big secret about her daughter. I know Jude would go to her if I told her, but Kit made me promise I wouldn’t tell her, and I don’t think she’d ever forgive me if I did.’
Cam stretched his legs out under the table and pressed his calf against hers. ‘You don’t think she’ll come home?’
Libby shook her head. ‘I suggested that, but it’s a bit tricky. If she’s going to have a termination it needs to happen really soon. If she’s to pack up her life and come back here that’ll take a week or two, and of course she’d have to start the whole medical process all over again once she got home. All things considered it’s probably easier to have it done over there. I just wish she wasn’t going through this alone.’
‘Would you consider going over there to be with her? Semester break starts next week, so it’s not like you’d have to take any time off.’
‘Yeah, I’ve thought about it, but I just can’t afford it and I have no way of getting that sort of money. I can’t ask my parents without telling them what it’s for. If I did tell them, there’s no way they’d approve of me going overseas to support my friend through her abortion. My mother would be horrified to say the least.’
‘And you don’t think it’s a good idea to tell her mum?’
‘Honestly I don’t know. But Kit’s not a child and I guess she’s entitled to make her own decisions. She told me in confidence. It’s bad enough that I’m telling you. You’ll meet her one day, and I want you to promise me that when you do you won’t let on you know anything about this.’
He looked into her eyes. ‘I already gave you my word.’
‘Yeah, I know. I’m just feeling guilty about betraying her trust. But I really needed someone to talk to about all this.’
‘I think what you really need is something to take your mind off your worries, and I have just the thing.’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘Oh yeah? What’s that?’
‘I think we should forget this afternoon’s study session. Come back to my place and let me have my wicked way with you.’
She laughed. ‘Always thinking of others, aren’t you?’
He grinned. ‘I aim to please.’
Chapter 22
Three weeks before the party, Kit decided it was time to bite the bullet and let Libby in on the true identity of the man they’d dubbed ‘the suit’. She really hadn’t expected to still be with John at this stage so she hadn’t worried too much about him crossing paths with Libby at the party, or any other time. But as the party drew closer and Libby kept nagging her about bringing him along, Kit had felt it was only fair to tell her the truth. She knew Libby wouldn’t like it, but the problem was that this thing with John wasn’t petering out. In fact it was going from strength to strength. She still didn’t picture the two of them living happily ever after or anything resembling that, but they were content right now, and she didn’t see why Libby’s dislike of John – warranted or not – should stand in their way.
She’d arranged to meet Libby for a walk along the Altona foreshore early Saturday morning, just the two of them. Libby brought along Lottie, the rat-like dog Cam had purchased as a bribe to keep Harry coming home on weekends. They’d walked for a bit in relative silence, their jackets zipped high and their beanies pulled down over their ears to protect them from the icy wind, and then Libby started to chat about how good it was to have Harry home this weekend and how she felt that the new school was suiting him. Apparently he’d helped out with dinner the previous evening without being asked. ‘Even though what happened at Claybourne was terrible at the time, I really think it was a blessing in disguise,’ Libby said. ‘I had a call from his counsellor this week to tell me Harry will be starting a pro
gram next term designed to push him out of his comfort zone in various ways – physically and emotionally – and that the aim is for him to build resilience.’
‘That sounds fantastic.’
‘Yes, I’m feeling more positive about the move now. Of course I miss Harry, but I’m beginning to realise that he’s growing up and it’s important that he develop independence from us – well, from me. It’s hard, but it’s for the best.’
Kit nodded. Now seemed like as good a time as there was going to be to broach the subject of the party. ‘I want to talk to you about the guy I’m bringing to the party,’ she said as she marched forward staring straight ahead, unable to look Libby in the eye as she spoke.
‘Oh. My. God. Please tell me I’m finally going to meet “the suit”.’
Kit’s stomach churned. ‘Actually, Lib, you’ve already met him.’
‘What? It’s someone we know? Who? Let me guess! Someone we went to school with?’
Kit shook her head. ‘No. It’s someone you met more recently than that. Libby, before I tell you who it is I want you to know that I didn’t mean for this to happen, but it did. When I first met . . . this person . . . I, well, I never thought that anything would come of it. I never thought I’d be introducing him to my friends . . .’
Libby laughed, a little nervously, Kit thought. ‘God, Kit, you’re making it sound as if you’ve hooked up with Charles Manson. I thought you said this one was a gentleman.’
‘He is, Libby – it’s John Quinlan.’
Libby stopped and stood very still.
Kit turned back to face her. ‘I know this is awkward –’
Libby stared at her. ‘John Quinlan? The principal, John Quinlan?’
Kit nodded. The sound of her heartbeat thudded in her ears, drowning out the sounds of the wind and the sea. Time seemed to slow as Libby continued to stare at her.
Eventually Libby spoke. ‘You can’t be serious. How can you . . . be with that man after what he did to our family?’
‘Lib, please listen to me. I didn’t mean for it to happen. But he’s truly not a terrible person. I know you two didn’t see eye to eye about what happened with Harry, and I understand why, but I really think you misunderstood his motives. He’s a good guy and he really wants the best for all the kids he works with.’
Libby still hadn’t moved. The pup, obviously anxious to keep going, began to yap but Libby ignored her.
‘And you said yourself that everything has worked out for the best,’ Kit ventured.
‘That’s hardly the point. I can’t believe you waited this long to tell me. All these weeks we’ve been bantering about “the suit” when you knew it was a man I despised.’
‘I didn’t think . . . I didn’t know how to tell you. And the thing is, I didn’t think I’d have to. I never expected it to last as long as it has. You were the one who encouraged me to let it happen, to see how things went.’
‘That was before I knew you were dating John Quinlan.’ Libby said his name like there was a sudden sour taste in her mouth.
‘I know, but that doesn’t change things. He’s still “the suit” I’ve been telling you about, and he makes me happy. Last week you said you thought he was the best thing that had happened to me in a long time. Lib, I know you don’t like him and I understand that, but he’s part of my life now, and it’s important to me that the two of you are able to be civil to one another.’
Libby shook her head and bent to pick up Lottie to stop her barking. ‘I can’t believe you want to bring him to the party. It’s my birthday, for heaven’s sake, and I’m sorry, but I don’t want that man in my house.’
A lump formed in Kit’s throat. ‘I’m sorry you feel that way, because it’s my birthday too, actually, and John is my date. If you can’t get past this, this . . .’ She wanted to say ‘pettiness’, but stopped herself. Libby was upset enough. There was no point in escalating the situation further. She took a steadying breath. ‘Look, Lib, I don’t want to fight. I respect your feelings about John, really I do, but he’s important to me and my birthday celebration won’t be complete without him. If you can’t get past your animosity towards him enough for him to be invited, maybe I should back out of the party. Perhaps we’d be better off doing our own things.’
Libby’s eyes were glassy as she shook her head. ‘We can’t cancel the party now. The invitations have already gone out.’
‘Maybe you should go ahead with your friends. I can email my friends . . .’
Libby’s shoulders sagged. ‘But it was supposed to be about the two of us. And Felicity has gone to so much trouble. I can hardly tell her that there’s only going to be half the number of people. She’s planned for at least sixty guests.’
Kit was well aware of Felicity’s planning. Despite Libby’s assurances to the contrary, the whole affair seemed to be far more extravagant than Kit was comfortable with. It was a costume party, for fuck’s sake. Kit hated dress-up parties, a fact Libby was well aware of. Initially Felicity had pitched a nineteen-forties theme to her, which Kit had rejected out of hand. ‘No way. My friends won’t be into that at all. It’s not like they can just throw on something they have hanging around the house. I don’t want people to have to go to a huge effort or expense to celebrate with me.’
Felicity had been astounded that Kit felt that way. ‘But, darling, a little effort is what makes these things fun.’
Libby jumped in with a solution. ‘We were born in the seventies, Liss. I think a seventies theme would be more appropriate. People can go to as much or as little effort as they choose then. What do you think, Kit? I’m sure your friends wouldn’t be too put out, would they? It’s not that hard to find a pair of platform shoes and put on a pair of oversized sunglasses.’
Kit didn’t want to seem like a complete pain in the arse so she’d reluctantly agreed. The costume thing wasn’t her only problem, though. Everything about this party was over-the-top, including the budget. The whole thing was costing a fortune, and unnecessarily so. Her friends had all received very fancy printed invitations – a group text would have sufficed in her opinion. And Felicity kept cc-ing her in on emails to Libby about themed food and cocktails and ‘event styling’. Whatever happened to a few cases of wine, a decent cheese platter and a birthday cake? Every time Kit brought up the cost, Libby told her not to worry about it, but she was determined to pay her fair share. Libby seemed to have forgotten that not everyone had an unlimited income.
‘I don’t know what to tell you, Lib. I really want John there. I feel like I’ve had very little say in this whole affair, to be honest. You were the one who backed out of Paris, and before you say anything, I totally understand why, but when you suggested having this joint party I wasn’t really that keen, remember? You were the one who wanted us to do something together. You talked me into it by convincing me it would be fun. But then your new mates got involved and suddenly it feels like this is your party and I’m just an afterthought. Now you’re asking me not to bring the man I’m seeing. I’m thinking that maybe my initial instinct was right and this party isn’t a good idea.’
Libby was silent. Acid burned the back of Kit’s throat. Maybe it was too much to expect of Libby, to accept John just yet. She was stupid to have forced the issue. It was too soon. She liked John a lot and she wanted him by her side at the party, but she wasn’t sure that her relationship with him was worth falling out with Libby over. She opened her mouth to speak but Libby cut her off.
‘All right, you win. He can come. But don’t expect me to be all over him. In fact it might be best to tell him to give me a wide berth.’
Kit’s relief caused her to do something completely out of character. She rushed forward and hugged Libby tight, causing Lottie to bark in protest. Kit stepped back and laughed. ‘Thank you, Lib. I promise John won’t be in your face at all. You won’t even know he’s there.’
*
These lazy Sunday mornings at John’s place were becoming a habit. Kit felt mildly guilty about leaving Hugo alone overnight, and there was no doubt in her mind that she’d pay a price for doing so when she got home this afternoon. Last weekend he’d shredded the curtains in her bedroom. Sometimes she and John spent Saturday nights at her place, but Hugo wasn’t thrilled about that arrangement either. He resented sharing the bed with another male and made his objections known, usually by jumping on Kit’s head in the wee hours of the morning, and hissing at John every time he rolled over. And when it came down to it, it was easier for her to leave Hugo overnight than for John to leave Buffy alone. Dogs were so much more dependent than cats, which is why she would never choose to own one.
John rolled onto his side and looked at her. ‘Good morning. What are you so deep in thought about?’
Kit decided that it was fairly pathetic to answer that she was contemplating the impact of their relationship – Shit. Is it really a relationship? – on her cat, so instead she decided to bring up the other thing that was on her mind. The party. She’d made such a big deal to Libby about John being invited, but she hadn’t actually managed to extend the invitation to the man himself. ‘So I have this thing coming up later this month. It’s no big deal, so don’t feel obliged, but I thought you might want to come as my date.’ Maybe he wouldn’t come and the problem of Libby’s reaction to him would be solved.
He grinned, and that stupid belly flip thing happened. It’d been a few months now and he was still giving her random butterflies in the stomach, much to her annoyance.
‘That’s a mighty romantic invitation there. May I be so bold as to ask what this “thing” might be?’
‘It’s a birthday party.’
‘That sounds like fun. Does this mean I might actually get to meet some of your friends at last? Whose birthday is it?’
Now the butterflies turned to faint nausea. Was inviting him a mistake? It would mark them as legitimate. People would see them as an actual couple, and while John seemed keen for that to happen, she wasn’t sure she was there yet. And then there was the whole issue of how Libby would respond once she saw him in the flesh. ‘Well,’ she began, already regretting having started this conversation, ‘technically, it’s mine.’
