by Lacey London
‘Nothing!’ I stammer, trying to stop my cheeks from turning pink. ‘I was just wondering that’s all…’
My voice trails off into a whisper as we lock eyes. She knows what is really going on here. I can feel it in the air. Suddenly I am a little worried about what she is going to say. What should I say if she confesses to being a lap dancer? What if she still is a lap dancer? Oh, God! Why didn’t I think this through first? I should have prepared a script or something!
‘We… met at a coffee shop.’ Eve’s tiny voice pierces my thought bubble and stuns me into a mental silence.
‘A coffee shop?’ I repeat, trying to regain the use of my tongue.
‘Yes.’ She confirms confidently, not taking her gaze off mine. ‘We both reached for the last slice of chocolate cake and I guess love just blossomed. You’re not the only one with a fairy tale.’
She’s lying! I can tell and worse still, she knows that I don’t believe her. What the hell do I do now? I wasn’t expecting her to fob me off with a make believe story. I was whole heartedly expecting her to crumble and confess. I had actually conjured up images of myself attempting to put a positive spin on the positively seedy state of affairs.
‘Is there anything else you would like to know?’ Flashing me a smile through gritted teeth, she picks up one of her Pomeranians and runs her fingers through his white hair.
For a moment I debate not saying anything, but the thought of another sleepless night gives me the confidence to push it one step further.
‘Actually, there is something else.’ I lean forward on the breakfast bar and hold my breath. ‘Do you know a lady called Tamara?’
Eve’s smile seems momentarily frozen with shock and I suddenly worry that I have gone too far. An unreadable expression appears on her face as she looks down at the dog in her lap. For a while neither of us speaks, until finally the silence is interrupted by the sound of a car pulling onto the driveway.
Scratching her nose gently, Eve slides of her stool and shoots me a megawatt smile. ‘No.’ She says confidently. ‘I don’t know anyone by that name.’
Feeling like I have been shot with a very sharp bullet, I let my jaw drop open. Just as I am about to tell her that I know everything, the doorbell chimes loudly and the pack of pooches go crazy.
‘That will be Li.’ Taking my coffee mug Eve motions for me to leave. ‘You should probably go, Lianna will want to leave soon to beat the traffic.’
Not knowing quite what to say, I lean down to retrieve Noah’s car seat and start to walk towards the front door.
‘Actually, could you go out of the back? If Li sees you here we will never get away. You know she can talk for England.’ She smiles sympathetically, but it doesn’t quite meet her eyes.
My skin prickles at her cold words as I slowly turn around and make my way out of the back door. Just as I am closing it behind me, I hear Lianna’s familiar cackle and my heart pangs with sadness. How has everything changed so much in forty-eight short hours? How have I been made to feel like a villain is this trashy play? Shaking my head in disbelief, I suddenly feel a wave of anger. I haven’t done anything wrong here. It’s Eve who should be feeling bad, not me. She’s the one who has a seedy past, broke up a marriage and made enemies out of the entire village. I don’t think that Li would be so pally with Eve if she knew about her adulterous ways. After all, Lianna has been on the wrong end of deceit more times than I can care to remember.
Glancing over my shoulder as I make my way down the gravel driveway, I feel a pang of sadness in the pit of my stomach. What the hell just happened in there? I let myself back into the house and cover Noah with a blanket. Checking the clock, I realise that I probably have another hour or so until Oliver returns with his parents. I can’t keep this bottled up, I need to talk to someone. Grabbing my mobile out of my handbag, I open my contacts list and double tap on Gwen’s name. Thankfully, she answers on the second ring and is all too quick to invite me over to her place.
Obviously I don’t need asking twice and immediately jump into the car. Usually I would walk around to Gwen’s place as it is only a few streets away, but I really don’t have much time and I need to talk about this before my head explodes. A mere fifteen minutes later I am sat in Gwen’s pristine house with a cup of Earl Grey.
‘Well, I can’t say that I am surprised.’ Gwen sighs, shaking her head and taking a seat at her old oak dining table. ‘That woman has been trouble ever since she moved here.’
‘I just don’t understand any of this.’ I run a hand through my hair and try to make sense of the whole situation. ‘How do you know exactly that Eve was a stripper?’ Hearing Gwen’s twins in the hall, I make sure that the word stripper is barely audible.
‘Harvey, Tamara’s husband, played golf with Owen for years. It was common knowledge at the club that Owen used these… escorts.’ She curls up her lip in disgust as she speaks. ‘At every event he would have a different lady friend on his arm. Each one tackier than the last.’ Eve’s nose wrinkles in revulsion as she takes a sip of tea. ‘A few years ago at the club’s Christmas party, Owen brought along the delightful Evelyn. The only difference with Evelyn was that Evelyn stayed on the scene. By March she had moved in and by Christmas they were married.’
‘OK…’ I reply, scratching my head as I try to digest the information. ‘What about the whole affair thing?’
‘Well, the whole village already knew about Evelyn’s past antics. People around here talk, you know that, but with Owen being a friend of Harvey’s he was still invited to neighbourhood events. Hence why Tamara invited the pair of them to her annual dinner party. Everything was going swimmingly until Tamara caught Evelyn and Harvey in a rather compromising position.’
‘No!’ I whisper, my eyes wide with shock. ‘I just can’t believe Eve would do that.’
‘Really?’ Gwen laughs haughtily. ‘The woman who just lied to you?’
I purse my lips and look down into my tea. ‘This is insane. Eve has been such a good friend to me ever since we moved here. I can’t believe that I would be so wrong about someone.’
Noah starts to squirm in his seat and Gwen immediately scoops him up and attempts to comfort him. I hate to admit it, but Gwen’s perfect mother act is sometimes unnerving. Even Noah seems to be transfixed by her as he immediately silences and snuggles into her arms.
‘Tamara tried to make it work. Believe me, she tried every trick in the book. Counselling, romantic trips away, they even went as far as renewing their wedding vows before Tamara decided to call it quits.’
Gwen looks down at Noah and I feel a pang of sadness for this woman who I have never met. ‘Tamara moved away just before you and Oliver purchased number eleven. She cried so much when she left. Imagine leaving behind your family home, the place where you children were born and raised. The poor woman hasn’t been in touch since.’
‘How awful. I can’t begin to imagine what she must have gone through.’ I feel a lump in my throat as I picture my life falling into pieces like Tamara’s did.
‘Some of the other women in the village still gave Evelyn the time of day, but adultery is something that I can not forgive. Especially when it involves a friend of mine.’
Tarquin and Aureliana walk quietly into the room and collect a board game before disappearing into the play area. God, they are like robots. If I didn’t know any better, I would think they were battery operated.
‘Adulterous women are not to be trusted, Clara. You should be very careful having that woman in your life.’ Staring at me sternly, Gwen wags her finger to emphasise the severity of her point.
That’s exactly what Alice said. I nod in response and take Noah from her. Resting him on my chest, I kiss his soft head gently. I find myself wondering if Tamara has moved on and put her life back together. A part of me doesn’t even want to know, because if she hasn’t it will just make the situation a whole lot sadder.
‘You have created a nice life for yourself here in Spring Oak. A stunning home, a dotin
g husband and a beautiful baby. You don’t want anything to jeopardise that, do you?’ Gwen’s voice is almost hypnotic, making me feel a little dream like.
My heart suddenly becomes heavy as I shake my head. Oliver and I have been here once before. There was a time in Mexico that involved a busty brunette, a pack of lies and an insane asylum, but things are different now. We weren’t married then. We haven’t built this castle to have it burnt down by a buxom blonde with very questionable morals. Tucking Noah back into his car seat, I decide that I have to talk Lianna. Eve might have succeeded in taking Tamara’s husband, but I will be damned if she thinks that she is taking my best friend too. Thanking Gwen for her hospitality, I grab my car keys and climb back into the car.
As we pull away down the lane I realise that it is almost 2pm, which means that Oliver will probably be back by now and they will be wondering where we have got to. Feeling agitated that I won’t be able to speak to Lianna until much later, I pull over and send her a quick text message asking her to meet me tomorrow. After her numerous failed attempts to contact me over the last two days I’m not expecting her to get back to me right away, but I know Lianna and an invite to dinner somewhere that serves alcohol is not something that she will be able to resist.
A night out is the last thing that I feel like doing, but I know it’s the only way I will be able to pin her down. Just as I turn onto our driveway my phone pings confirming our appointment. Just as I thought, she wouldn’t be able to resist…
Don’t fear the enemy that attacks you, but the fake friend that hugs you…
Chapter 17
‘Well, would ya look at that.’ Randy peers down at Noah as a huge smile spreads across his face.
Oliver wraps an arm around my neck as we stand back and let Randy get acquainted with his first grandchild. Despite my worries over Eve and Lianna, this is a pretty magical moment. Now that Noah has been here for almost two whole months, I can’t quite remember what it was like not having him around. Watching Randy glow with happiness as he takes in Noah’s face, I have a flashback to the first time that I saw my beautiful son. It really is a feeling that cannot be put into words, but Randy’s smile expresses it perfectly. Sensing the magic of the moment, I dig out my phone and snap away at the pair of them. Before long I have Janie and Oliver jumping in on the action. By the time that I have finished, I have acquired enough photographs to fill an entire album.
As Randy’s flight was severely delayed, it was way into the evening when they finally made it back. Hence why we decided to give up on the cooking and ordered in a ton of pizza. Yes, I know that pizza isn’t the most glamorous of meals, but it sure is tasty and right now, tasty is all my grumbling stomach needs. As if reading my mind, the doorbell announces the arrival of our dinner.
‘Lordy hallelujah!’ Randy laughs, putting Noah into his Moses basket. ‘I’m so hungry, my belly thinks my throat’s been cut.’
Joining in with the laughter I start to clear the table and grab a bottle of whiskey from the kitchen. Yes, my in-laws drink whiskey with their pizza and I wouldn’t have them any other way. Dumping some glasses and Randy’s obligatory bottle of Tabasco on the table, I pull out a chair and slide in. It’s times like this when you realise just how important family is. An old friend once told me that the best way for a person to be happy is for them to count their blessings and not their cash. Before we had Noah, I must confess that I did count the latter more often than my blessings. I was always after the next big night out, more blinged up jewellery and this season’s designer dress. Sometimes it is hard to see what is right in front if you.
One day, when you least expect it, something happens to you that makes you realise the material things don’t matter. Once it hits you, you wonder why you spent so many years chasing things that don’t contribute to your happiness at all. Looking around the table, I am suddenly reminded of just how far I’ve come from being the girl who vomited on her prospective motherin-law’s boots in Mexico. I still don’t believe it myself sometimes.
My mind flits to Eve and I feel my stomach drop to the floor. Only I could pick a house next to a gold digging, lying stripper. Taking a slice of pizza, I glance down at my watch. This time in twenty-four hours I will be meeting with Lianna. Until then there isn’t really much I can do about the nymphomaniac next door. Taking a huge bite, I flash Oliver a smile and decide to push it to the back of my mind, but not for long…
*
Where the hell is she? She should have been here thirty minutes ago! Stirring my straw around my glass in agitation, I shoot the creepy guy to my left a filthy look. Despite my numerous attempts to contact her, Li has left me sitting here for more than half an hour. Feeling well and truly annoyed, I pull down the hem off my skirt and fiddle with my watch. Trust Lianna to be so bloody late on a night like tonight. A night where I actually have something important to talk to her about rather than our usual gossip and drivel. To make matters worse, tonight appears to be guy’s night. I say this because the entire bar is crammed full with groups of rowdy men, drunken boys and the odd elderly gentlemen.
Trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone other than the barman, I let out a frustrated sigh as Li pushes her way through the glass doors. Thank God! Raising my hand in acknowledgement, I shoot her daggers and motion to the empty booth near the bar. Thankfully she reads my crazy sign language and snags the last booth, much to the annoyance of a rather plump gentleman who was also making a run for it. Grabbing my glass, I make my way through the sea of people and smile apologetically when I spill it over a young lad’s shoes.
‘Where the hell have you been?’ I yell, the second that my bum hits the plush leather seat. ‘I’ve been sat over there for ages!’
‘I am so sorry!’ Li laughs light heartedly and shakes off her blazer, totally oblivious to my displeasure.
‘What was so important that you couldn’t call to let me know?’ I try to keep my voice light, but I can feel the anger growing in my throat.
‘I was with Eve.’ She mumbles, topping up her lipstick.
‘Eve?’ My blood runs cold at the mention of her name.
Lianna nods in response and grabs a menu from an adjacent table.
‘Again?’ Despite my efforts to stop it, my cheeks flush pink. ‘Why have you been spending so much time with Eve?’
‘Because we’re friends.’ Lianna’s brow creases into a frown as she puts down her menu. ‘What’s twisted your knickers?’
‘Nothing!’ I retort, folding my arms and looking away. ‘Absolutely nothing at all.’
‘Come on, drama queen. Spit it out.’ She lets out a sigh and twists her hair up into a bun before looking at me expectantly. ‘Well?’
‘It’s Eve!’ I slam my hand down on the table in exasperation.
‘Eve?’ She repeats in confusion. ‘What has Eve done? Eve’s fab.’
‘Oh, she’s fab all right.’ I scoff, shaking my head furiously.
Li rolls her eyes and lets out a snort. ‘It sounds to me like you’re the one with the problem, Clara.’
My heart pounds as I turn to face her. ‘Me?’
‘Yes! You!’
‘Can I get you guys some starters?’ A young waiter appears at our table and flips out a notepad.
‘No!’ We yell in unison.
‘Why am I the one with a problem?’ I press, not caring who hears me.
‘You’ve changed, Clara.’ She breathes, examining her fingernails. ‘Ever since you had Noah, you’re just not you anymore.’
‘Of course I have changed! In case you have forgotten, I am a mother now!’
‘How could I forget? It’s all you ever talk about! Noah this and Noah that. You are the one who chose to have a baby, not me.’
My skin smarts at her cutting words. ‘That is not fair and you know it.’
‘Of course it’s fair! You don’t come over any more, you don’t answer my messages. It’s like I don’t even know you.’
‘You can’t be serious?’ I shout, my eye
s filling with tears. ‘If anyone has changed around here, it’s you! Periwinkle has turned you into a monster.’
‘A monster?’ She laughs sarcastically. ‘Please.’
‘Yes! A monster! A self-obsessed, pig headed monster!’ The waiter who was pretending not to notice our row has now slowly backed away. ‘You don’t care about anything but yourself!’
Lianna makes a scoffing sound and tugs on her blazer. ‘Now you’re just embarrassing yourself.’
‘I’m embarrassing myself? I think you have done enough embarrassing for the both of us.’
‘What the hell are you talking about now?’ Lianna slides out of the booth and reaches for the door.
‘The way you behaved at Francesca’s party on Friday was unforgivable. You were drunk and unruly! You showed me up in front of my friends!’
‘Friends? Those women are not your friends, Clara! They’re awful! Arrogant, pretentious, conceited…. come to think of it, they’re everything that you have turned into.’
Yanking open the door, she shoots me a filthy look before flouncing out onto the street, leaving me alone in the booth. I can’t believe what has just happened. Lianna and I have never fallen out before. Granted we have had the odd disagreement, but nothing like this. A tear slips down my cheek and I wipe it away angrily. How dare she say those things to me? I look up to see a crowd of men staring at me wide eyed. Shooting them the dirtiest look I can muster, I grab my coat and try my best not to burst into tears. I am about to leave when my eyes land on the drinks menu. I feel so livid right now. Perhaps a drink would help to calm down. Before I can stop myself, I motion to the barman for a glass of wine. I make it clear that it doesn’t matter which grape, it doesn’t matter if it is red, white or, rose, as long as it is a large one it will be just fine.
The frankly frightened waiter places a glass down in front of me along with a neatly folded receipt. I don’t want to go home and I certainly don’t want to go after Lianna. Dropping my bag onto the seat next to me, I take a sip of the delicious wine and stare into space. As I replay the argument over and over in my head, I try to figure out what went so terribly wrong.
