Lipstick and Lies (43 page)

The twins were unimpressed that their father had cancelled
his weekend with them.
They were also disappointed to be missing
Billy Elliott.

‘I was really looking forward to
it
,’ Toby
whined
over the Cocoa Pops.

‘Whaddya wanna see that musical for?’ Jonas jeered.
‘Are you plann
ing on being a ballet dancer?’

‘Shut up Jonas,’ Toby said good-naturedly
.
‘I just happen to think it was an ace film a
nd wanted to see the musical.’

‘Rather you than me
,
bud.
I can’t be doing with pirouettes.
Not unless they’re being done by Diane Cooper
.
And preferably in a tutu
.’

I bent down and wiped some squashed Cocoa Pops from the floor.
‘Who’s Diane Cooper?’

‘The most gorgeous girl in Year Ten,’ said Toby wistfully.
‘She’s in
Petra
’s class.’

‘Take it from me,’ said Jonas, ‘Diane Cooper has not even
registered
your existence.’

‘Actually I have a plan to make her noti
ce me,’ said Toby smugly.

‘Oh yeah?
’ Jonas goaded.
‘Are you going to
imitate
Billy Elliott and
pirouette past her?’

Petra
came into the kitchen and caught the tail-end of the conversation.
‘
You’re not twelve yet Tobes
.’
She ruffled
Toby’s hair affectionately.
‘Diane Cooper is
n’t
interested in little boys.’

‘She will be,’ Toby as
sured with supreme confidence.

‘You better let me in on your plan,’ Jonas winked at Toby, ‘and leave the
big boys to do the flirting.’

Livvy rolled her eyes.
‘You might be nearly thirteen and six feet tall Jonas, but you’re like a piece of string
, a
nd as unappealing as Toby.
Plus you both have voices
squeakier than a door hinge.’

‘If my plan is successful,’ said Toby, ‘then my voice will have m
ore gravel than our driveway.’

Jonas sat up straight.
‘Spill the beans Tobes.’

‘Laters,’ said Toby
.
He jerked
his head
in my direction
.

I pretended not to notice
,
and set about loading the dishwasher with bowls.
The likes of Toby and Jonas trying to impress a girl called Diane Cooper were not of interest to me right now.
I was far more concerned about making contact with Stevie.
I’d
give him another call shortly.

‘Good morning everybody,’ Jamie came into the kitchen.
‘And what have we here for breakfast?
Oh
. Cocoa Pops.
Any chance of something
hot?
’ my husband
glanced hopefully
at the range
.

‘
Certainly
.’
I reversed out of the dishwasher.
‘I can put your Cocoa Pops
in the microwave if you wish.’

‘
Ah.
I see you’re not a sunn
y bunny this morning darling.’

‘I’m perfectly sunny thank
you.
’
I
hunkered
back down to my stacking
.
‘I’m just a bit tired.’

Not to mention queasy.
That was why everybody had
cereal
for breakfast.
The thought of standing at the range and frying bacon turned my stomach.
Unusually Edna wasn’t up and about.
Most mornings she straddled
an industrial
-
sized frying pan like a cello player
.
I hoped my mother-in-law was all right.
It was unlike her to not be having breakfast with us all.
My mind wandered back to
last night, and
her over bright eyes
.
Again, I found myself wondering if she’d been
crying.
I sighed.
Did the path of true love ever run smooth
ly
?
Even when seventy-two?
Jamie sat down
.
His face looked as bleak as the weather outside.

‘Sorry darling
,’ I smiled apologetically
.
‘
I’ll cook you something nice tonight.
Promise
.
’

‘Mum
,’ Livvy piped up, ‘you
shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep
.’
My daughter got up from the table.
‘
Not unless it’s
something like
fish fingers and chips.’

The kids scraped
back
their chairs
, and
peeled off to bedrooms to sort out school bags.
Seconds later Edna came into the kitchen.
Jamie perked
up.
His expression said it all; a
ny chance of
a plate loaded with a few sizzling somethings
?

‘I must have overslept,’ said Edna.
‘Are you all right Cassandra dear?
You look a bit peaky.’
Edna pulled the frying pan from a cupboard and immediately began cracking eggs into it.
And now a saucepan was making an appearance
.
A
tin of baked beans
were being opened
.
Jamie was looking as though
he’d died and gone to heaven.

‘I do feel a bit rough actually Edna.
I think I’ll borrow Rocket later on
,
and get some fresh air with Eddie.’
I
paused.
S
tudied my mother-in-law. She didn’t have quite her usual buoyancy.
‘No Arthur this morning?’

‘Oh
,
he’ll be along in a bit,’ Edna assured.
‘I think he’s,’ she
focussed on
the bubbling eggs, ‘licking his wounds.
He was a bit upset about me turning down his marriage proposal.
And I felt somewhat distressed at causing him hurt.’
Ah.
‘Do you w
ant some eggs Cassandra dear?’

I mentally shuddered.
‘No thanks.’

‘Is everything all right between you and Arthur?’ Jamie
asked.

‘Right enough.
He’s a good man.
A nice man.
He
’s just
feels
somewhat discomfited
that he – you know – allowed himself to be prematurely
swept away by the M word
.
’

‘Is that all it is then Edna – a friendship?’ I asked ge
ntly.

‘Well,’ she flipped eggs onto plate
s
and ladled on beans
,
‘I can’t deny that I don’t think of Arthur romantically.
Because I do.
But marriage is a big leap of faith.
And
not one I can make just yet.’

‘Do you want me to have a word with him Mum?
’ Jamie picked up his knife and fork.
‘
I can take Arthur out
for a few beers if you like.’

‘Oh no
,
Jamie dear.
He’d die of embarrassment.
Probably best
he didn’t know you
are
even
aware of his proposal
, much less it
being
declined
.
He’s a proud man.
And right
ly so.’

Jamie and I glanced at each oth
er as Edna pulled out a chair.

‘So,’ Jamie
nodded his head in the direction of the garage,
‘
does that mean the boat project is
still on?
’

‘
Oh yes!
Most d
efinitely.
We aim to be sailing around the coast this Spring.
There’s not a moment
to lose with the restoration.’

I went over to the playpen
where Eddie had been gurgling happily.
Leaning over the safety rail, I picked up my little boy before turning back to my mother-in-law
.
‘Well I’m
glad
to hear it Edna.
And
I’m sure everything between you and Arthur will be fine.
Just give him a day or two to recover his pride.
You know what men are like,’ I smiled.
‘And talking of men, I
must sort this young man out.’

I hastened upstairs.
En-route to Eddie’s nursery, I grabbed
my mobile phone
and
punched out Stevie’s number.
Clamping it to one ear, I
deftly set about
topping and tailing
my little boy
,
whilst listening to unanswered ringing
.
Once ag
ain my call went to voicemail.

‘Hello Stevie.
Me again.’
I wrestled Eddie into a nappy.
‘I’m not going to prevaricate.
I know exactly what’s going on.
You’re having an affair with Selina.
Of all the women in the world
,
I don’t know why you have to mess around with that one.
She’s an absolute bitch.
And if you want my honest opinion
,
I think she’s a bit of a basket case too.
She’s an ex-girlfriend of Jamie’s and has a major axe to grind with me.
She’s under the impression I took him off her
,
when
I did no such thing.
Before we married she tried to split us up by making out she was having an affair with him.
And now she’s shacked up with Jamie’s boss
,
who’s
a very decent bloke.
He doesn’t deserve the likes of Selina mucking his life up
,
and I’d be mortified if he found out his fiancée was messing around with my ex-husband.
It’s embarrassing Stevie.
Embarrassing for all of us.
And what if the kids found out?
Don’t you ever stop and wonder what they think of you constantly tom
-
catting around?
And why the heck haven’t you been in touch with your employers to let them know where you are?
I know you’re a reprobate Stevie
,
but I didn’t have you down as irresponsible where work was concerned.
Anyway,’ I posted Eddie’s arms and legs into a romper suit, ‘could you please call me.
Apart from anything else
,
I said I’d let
Charlotte
know you were okay.
She was worried about you.’

Without further ado
I ended the call
.
Popping
Eddie over my shoulder
, I
charged back downstairs, grabbed my coat of
f
the
banister and pocketed my keys.

‘Kids?’
I
stopped and
yelled
back
up the stairwell
.
‘I’ll see you outside in the car.’
Going through to the kitchen
,
I plucked my holdall from the back of a chair.
Edna had gone off to get dressed.
I gave Jamie a fleeting kiss on the cheek.
‘You
’re going to be late darling.’

‘
Thankfully there’s n
o rush this morning
.
’
Jamie caught my hand and pulled me back to him.
‘So I’ll have a second kiss.
Preferably not
on
my right eyeball.’

I
leant in and
kissed my husband gently on the mouth.
‘Like that?’

‘Not bad.
You can carry on
tonight
.’

I gave a lop-sided smile.
I felt so dog-tired, by this evening
I’d probably
be
snoring for
England
.
Hurrying out to the car, I strapped Eddie in
to his car seat.
Whilst waiting for the children, I rang Nell.
She answered on the seventh ring
,
and sounded harassed.
Rosie was yell
ing lustily in the background.