Mad About You (19 page)

James headed for bed early, exhausted from the highs and lows of the day, but I was too agitated to sleep. I decided to
call Lucy to run it by her. She always gave really good, measured advice.

‘Hi, Emma, I was just thinking about you. I heard London Irish won. Brilliant news,’ Lucy said, when she answered her phone.

‘James is thrilled. Listen, Lucy, I –’

Lucy’s phone began to beep. Another call was coming in.

‘Damn! Sorry, Emma, I have to take this – it’s a big client. I’ll call you back.’

I waited up for an hour, alone on the sofa in the dark, but she never rang.

I arrived into work on Monday and found Babs waiting to have her makeup done. I began to apply moisturizer while she bit into a croissant. ‘I thought the vibrator was priceless. Did you see Mum’s face? She’ll
never
get over it.’

‘Yeah, it was a real riot for me.’ I rubbed a base coat of foundation into Babs’s cheeks.

‘Ouch! There’s no need to scrub my bloody face off,’ she complained.

‘Sorry. I’m just really annoyed about what happened and worried that maybe someone fancies James or he’s having an affair or … something.’

‘Who would fancy James? He’s so obviously married with kids. He has no sex appeal whatsoever.’

I stopped mid-application. ‘James has lots of sex appeal. Loads of women think he’s gorgeous, he’s great fun and has a very cool job. He’s not an accountant with thick glasses who watches
University Challenge
for kicks and thinks a glass of shandy is living on the edge.’

Babs polished off her croissant. ‘Relax, I’m just saying he’s not exactly a player.’

I rummaged around for an eye-shadow brush. ‘Of course he isn’t. I wouldn’t have married him if he were. I’ve no interest in being with someone who flirts with other women and makes me feel insecure. I don’t understand relationships like that. What’s the point in being with a man who needs constant attention? You’ll always come second to his ego and you’ll never be able to trust him.’

As if on cue, Gary stuck his head around the door. ‘Are you nearly ready? We’re all set up now.’

‘One minute. I want to look my best today.’ Babs grinned.

‘You look good to me.’ Gary winked and left the room.

‘I see you haven’t told him yet.’ I brushed on some blusher.

‘He’s only just back and I’m hardly going to announce it at work,’ Babs snapped. ‘We’re going for dinner tomorrow and I’ll tell him then.’

‘How far along are you now?’ I asked quietly.

‘I don’t know exactly – and that’s the last time I want you to ask questions like that here. I mean it.’

‘Don’t you feel even a little bit guilty about sleeping with a married man? Do you ever think about his wife and children?’

Babs shrugged. ‘I’m not married. He’s the one with the baggage, Emma. He’s the one with the family.’

‘I know, but I feel for his wife. I’d die if I found out James was cheating on me with a much younger woman.’

‘If he wasn’t sleeping with me, he’d be shagging someone else. It’s not his first time. Gary’s not a great family man who suddenly decided to sleep with someone. He’s got a reputation as a cheat.’

‘So why cheapen yourself by being another notch on his bedpost?’

‘Keep your voice down,’ Babs hissed. ‘You should have seen the texts he was sending me when he was away. He said the holiday was incredibly boring. I’m not just some other girl. He wants to leave his wife for me. We’ll be amazing together and he can really help me grow my career.’

I had to clench my fists tightly so I wouldn’t grab her by the shoulders and shake her. ‘And what about the baby? Is it going to slot into your plans?’ I added some bronzer.

‘Why not? Look at Angelina Jolie. She has millions of kids and they haven’t held her back.’

I stared at my sister. Could she really be so stupid and shallow? ‘Babs, I love you, which is why I’m trying to save you from being badly hurt. Listen to me. Gary will not leave his wife for you.’

Babs laughed. ‘Oh, Emma, you really don’t have a clue. Gary’s mad about me.’

Karen knocked on the door. ‘We need you on set now, Babs.’

I applied her lipstick, then Babs got up and stomped out. I watched her go. She seemed completely oblivious to the crash that was coming her way. How could she be so blind? She was usually so strong when it came to men. She had always had men falling over her, but she’d never had a proper relationship. She never allowed anyone in. Not friends or boyfriends. Once a relationship got past about two months and the guy started getting serious, she’d dump him. She was incapable of intimacy. I’d never really understood why. Was it because she had been spoilt? Being so much younger than me and my brother, she had been raised like an only child. Mum and Dad had showered her with attention and, of course, they’d been older and much less strict than they were with us. Babs had had them wrapped around her little finger from the word go and that hadn’t changed.

Sean, my brother, and I had talked about it a lot. Neither of us really knew where Babs had come from. She was so different from us in so many ways. But somehow Gary had got to her. It was the first time I’d ever seen her fall for someone. I was really worried how she’d cope when he dumped her. She was so impulsive and bolshie that she was likely to smash a bottle over his head or call up his wife. I needed to keep a close eye on her and catch her when she fell.

While Babs was filming, I called James to ask if he’d found out who had sent the vibrator.

‘I’m working on it,’ he said, sounding cross. ‘I’ve had a meeting with all the players and the staff and told them how appalled I was about the texts and the package that had been sent to my house. I didn’t say what it was, but I implied it was something unsavoury. But none of the players would admit to it. And the captain, Johnny, just came into my office to tell me that he had personally asked each player and they had all strenuously denied knowing anything about it. He was quite upset. He said they were very happy with me as a coach and he really felt none of them would do anything stupid to wind me up.’

‘Did you ask Ken, the guy you’d dropped?’

‘Yes, but he swore he hadn’t done anything.’

‘Well, then, who was it?’

‘Honestly, Emma, I don’t know what to think.’

I smacked the wall with my palm. ‘God, James, this is beginning to creep me out.’

‘I know, but for now I have no other leads. I’ll keep at it, though. I’ll keep asking questions and see if I can figure it out.’

‘OK. ’Bye.’ I felt deflated. I’d been really hoping James would say that Ken was the guilty party and that he had fired him. Damn.

I really needed to talk to someone, so I sent Lucy a text.
Do u want to make up for not calling back on Sat?

Yes please! So sorry
.

I need to talk to you about smthg. U free for cuppa this avo? I’m finishing early.

Call around to the office. I can show u where I spend my life!

I got the tube to Cannon Street and walked up the road to number twenty-five. I went through the glass doors of Image Leasing into the plush reception area. It had a luxurious slate
grey carpet and the walls were covered with big canvases of modern art. It was very impressive.

Lucy’s door was open and she was sitting back in her chair, talking animatedly to a man of about fifty. ‘Nice place you’ve got here,’ I said.

She jumped up and came over to hug me, then introduced me to Paul, one of her partners. ‘Lovely to meet you.’ He shook my hand. ‘Lucy tells me your husband is James Hamilton.’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, he’s had a fantastic start at London Irish. I’m a big fan of the club and I can tell you we were relieved when we heard he was taking over. The last fellow was a disaster.’

Lucy handed me coffee in a delicate china cup. Everything about the office was stylish and spoke of success.

I smiled at Paul. ‘Well, let’s hope they continue to win. It makes my life a whole lot easier.’

He laughed. ‘I can imagine. Now, Emma, I need to ask you, do you play golf?’

‘No, there aren’t enough hours in my day for that.’

‘Ah, but you see that’s the wrong way of looking at it. It’s a fantastic de-stresser. You’re out and about in the fresh air and you’re thinking of nothing but your next shot. It’s also excellent for networking. I play every Saturday morning. I was just trying to persuade Lucy to take it up.’

Lucy rolled her eyes. ‘Can you imagine Donal’s face if I announced I was going to play eighteen holes of golf on Saturday mornings?’

Paul came over to top up my coffee. ‘Donal has to understand that Lucy works fourteen-hour days and she needs to decompress. We all do. I had heart problems a few years ago and the specialist said it’s very important to have your fresh air and exercise and switch off for a few hours.’

Lucy patted his shoulder. ‘That’s all very well, Paul. You have a wife who will look after your children while you swan around the golf course for five hours. I have a husband who is waiting at the front door when I arrive back on Friday and literally throws my child into my arms and goes out to work.’

‘No offence, Paul, but men just don’t get it,’ I said. ‘James comes home late most nights. He can do that because I’m there to look after the children. But what if I had to work late? Who would look after the kids? A married man always has back-up – his wife. A married woman doesn’t.’

Paul smiled. ‘The solution is very simple – hire a nanny.’

‘You can’t leave your kids with a nanny twenty-four/seven. At some point they want to see a parent,’ I replied.

‘I’m always saying that working women need wives,’ Lucy said. ‘Donal’s great and he looks after Serge when I’m away, but he resents it and disappears all weekend, which means I never get any time to myself. If I had a wife, she’d just accept I had to work away and would be happy to see me when I got home.’

I frowned. ‘Hold on a minute, Lucy. If you had a wife and you worked away all week, I’m sure she would mind. No one wants to be alone all the time with the kids. It’s hard work and it’s lonely.’

There was a silence that lasted a fraction too long. Paul spoke up again. ‘I commuted to Berlin for years. I wouldn’t say my wife loved it, but she was able to afford a lot of help and she certainly enjoyed spending the money I was making. I don’t think it’s as difficult as you women make out.’

I put my hands up. ‘Have you dealt with two simultaneous tantrums in a supermarket? Have you spent hours cooking a nutritious dinner only to have it spat out? Have you spent three hours freezing your arse off in the park, catatonic with boredom, while your kids go up and down a slide? Have you tried to scoop poo out of bathwater?’

Paul laughed. ‘No, but nor has my wife. Like I said, she’s always had help around the house.’

I was annoyed by his persistence. ‘No matter how much help you have, your children still want you in the middle of the night when they have a bad dream. They still want you when they wet the bed, when they’re sick or tired or when they’ve had a bad day at school. I understand that having a husband who earns a big salary would make your life easier, but it’s still no picnic. I’ve stayed at home and I’ve worked and, I can tell you, working is a lot easier.’

Before Paul could respond, the receptionist came in and told him his conference call was about to begin.

Lucy went over and closed her door. ‘So, what’s up? You sounded very serious on the phone. Are you OK?’

I filled her in on all the recent drama. ‘The thing is, Lucy, if it’s not this guy Ken, who the hell is it? I’m beginning to think James might be cheating on me.’

‘No! James wouldn’t do that. He’s mad about you.’

‘Really? What about Mandy?’

Lucy paused. ‘OK, he had a flirtation with someone, but that’s all it was. Come on, haven’t you flirted with someone since you’ve been married?’

I thought about it for a minute. Had I? A guest on
Afternoon with Amanda
, the show I used to work on, had caught my eye. He was the resident doctor on the show and advised callers on their medical problems. He was good-looking and very charismatic, and we had flirted a bit while I did his makeup, but it had been innocent enough. He had asked me out for coffee once and I’d said no. I’d been tempted to go, but it would have taken things in a direction I might have regretted.

‘I suppose I did with one guy.’

‘You see?’ Lucy waved her hand in my direction. ‘You’re
not innocent either. But flirting is nothing. It’s just reminding yourself that you’re still a sexual being, that you’re not just a boring mother and wife. It’s a national pastime in Italy, so it really means nothing. You have to stop obsessing about Mandy. James didn’t sleep with her. It was a passing fancy.’

It was easy for Lucy to say. She hadn’t seen the way James had looked at Mandy. I knew that look. It was the way he’d looked at me when we’d first met. I still wondered whether, if he hadn’t got fired, he would have had an affair with her. I’d never seen him like that with anyone else. It had frightened me.

‘You’re right, I do obsess about it. But the texts and the vibrator are real. I mean, they sent the vibrator to our house. Don’t you think that’s really weird?’

‘That’s one way of putting it. I think it’s positively bizarre and a bit sick. The guy must be brain damaged.’

‘What if it isn’t a guy?’

Lucy frowned. ‘OK, for the sake of argument, let’s say James is sleeping with someone. What woman would send a vibrator to the wife of the man she’s having an affair with? It just doesn’t add up. It’s too odd. It has to be some moron at the rugby club. You know what some of those rugby guys are like. They can be so immature, like hormonal teenagers.’

‘I suppose so.’ I wasn’t sure what to think any more. The vibrator had blind-sided me. My head throbbed.

Paul popped his head round the door. ‘Sorry to interrupt, Lucy, but we need you on this call.’

Lucy headed for the conference room and I headed home.