The Rose Garden (6 page)

She had to agree it was tempting. Last Saturday she’d ended up babysitting for Liz and Joe, and it was shaping up to her babysitting again this Saturday if she was around.

‘Yeah, maybe you’re right. A night with just the girls would be great.’

Evie had insisted on paying for her sandwich, which was a relief as her wallet was pretty empty-looking. Standing at the cash machine an hour later she couldn’t believe it! Shit, shit … shit – her money was dwindling away at an alarming rate. Thank heaven she was staying with Liz and not paying rent and gas or electricity bills for the moment. She had to get a job – just had to …

Joe was busy organizing dinner when she got in, and she read a story with the kids as he sliced the vegetables. Liz was so lucky to have such a good husband. Gareth had been utterly hopeless at cooking.

Finn was starving and she offered to feed him as Joe made the chicken stir-fry.

‘Liz is on her way.’ He smiled as he handed her a clean bib.

Feeding Finn was a messy job, as every now and then he would plunge his hand into the bowl for a taste, or try to grab the spoon from her. He had a spare plastic spoon which he couldn’t really manage.

‘He’ll soon be feeding himself,’ joked Joe. ‘He loves finger foods – you should see him demolish a few chips!’

Liz looked tired when she got in, throwing her bag and jacket in the hall, lifting Ava and Finn for a kiss before chasing upstairs to change.

Kim felt guilty as her sister reamed off what a busy day she’d had. She herself was a disgrace … but at least today she’d been to a recruitment agency and she found herself telling them about the insurance job.

‘That’s great, Kim,’ smiled Liz. ‘Any company would be lucky to have you work for them.’

‘Well, let’s see if I even get called for an interview!’

Sitting at the table talking as Ava told them about what she’d done in playgroup, it reminded her of when they were kids and her mum and dad would ask them about their day and school. Liz had
made such a good home and life with Joe and the kids. Kim wondered if a home and family would ever happen for her. She tried to picture Gareth and somehow, in a weird way, it just didn’t fit.

They were having coffee afterwards when Liz asked her about babysitting on Saturday.

‘I’m sorry, but I said I’d go into town for a meal with Evie and the girls, but I could do Friday if you two want to go out.’

‘Most definitely,’ said Joe. ‘A great escape – we’ll head for a drink to the Step Inn.’

‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’ asked Liz.

‘Of course not … you’ve been so good to me. I don’t mind doing a bit of babysitting and if you want I’ll make dinner for us all tomorrow night.’

‘I’ll take you up on that!’ Joe grinned.

Kim felt relieved that at least she could help out, even if she couldn’t contribute very much financially. Her stay here was only meant to be short-term, but, having trawled a lot of rental sites on the internet, paying out rent in a house or apartment on her own was not a viable option while she was so broke and on the dole.

Later she helped bath the kids and put them to bed. Having the children sharing the one bedroom was hardly ideal, as she had almost to whisper so she didn’t wake the sleeping Finn.

Downstairs she virtually collapsed in front of the TV. Joe and Liz were in the kitchen getting clothes and things sorted for the next day – parenthood was sure tough work.

By eleven o’clock everyone was in bed, the house quiet. She could hear Liz and Joe talking and laughing in bed together. Snuggled against her pillow, Kim found herself going back over all her old messages from Gareth. She wondered what he was doing and if he was missing her the way she missed him …

‘YOU LOOK
BEUUUTIFUL
,’ PRONOUNCED AVA, WHO WAS WATCHING HER
as she got ready for her night out with the girls.

Glancing at herself in the mirror, Kim was pleased with her efforts. Tight jeans, expensive Karen Millen top, and her classic fitted black jacket. A bit of eyeliner made her eyes look huge and she ran a slick of fresh lip gloss across her lips.

‘And you look beautiful too,’ she told her niece, who was in her pink rabbit pyjamas with her hair washed. ‘
Mmm
– and you smell really good too.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘I’m meeting some of my friends and we are going to have dinner and have some fun. I’m staying in my friend’s tonight, so I’ll see you tomorrow.’

Downstairs Liz and Joe had rented two DVDs and had a bottle of wine chilling.

‘Once Ava is safe in bed, we are enjoying our Saturday,’ teased Joe, kissing Liz.

Kim laughed – it didn’t sound too bad to her.

‘Enjoy your night!’ called Liz.

Kim parked her car near Evie’s apartment and left her overnight bag there. They each had a glass of wine as they set up the futon in the living room where she would sleep later. Evie’s place was such a mess, she had no idea how her old schoolfriend managed living
this way; there were canvases and paints and clutter everywhere.

‘Did I tell you that I’ve got a spot in the artists’ exhibition on Merrion Square for the next two weekends, selling my work?’

‘Oh Evie, that’s brilliant news!’

‘Spots are like gold dust and I’ve been waiting months for this. It gives me a chance to show off my work and hopefully sell a few paintings.’

‘If you need any help, I’m free,’ offered Kim.

‘Thanks – it would be nice to have a bit of company.’

Kim knew how much painting and art meant to her friend. So Evie had studied art and had really struggled after college to find a market for her big, strong canvases. She had done a teaching diploma and now worked three days a week as an art teacher in a city-centre school. The kids there loved her and she was always doing big art projects with them, but Evie really wanted to sell her own work and make a name for herself as an artist.

Kim loved her friend’s paintings and was busy creating a website for her that showcased her artwork and gave details of how to buy it and even commission pieces.

‘Hey, we’d better hit the road. Ali and Mel and Lisa just texted to say they’re already on the way into town,’ urged Evie, and they made a run for the Luas tram.

Alfredo’s on Wicklow Street was packed and Kim couldn’t believe how lucky they were to get a big table near the window. She hadn’t seen some of the girls since her break-up with Gareth.

‘You okay?’ asked Rhona, who was sitting beside her.

‘Not really,’ she admitted. ‘It hurts like hell, but I’ve got to try and get used to it.’

‘Gareth’s such a wally! When he comes crawling back to you, promise me that you won’t cave in and go back with him!’

‘I don’t think that’s going to happen,’ she sighed, grabbing a glass of the house white.

‘It will – he’ll realize that he had one of the nicest girlfriends on the planet and he let her go …’

‘Thanks, Rhona,’ said Kim, a lump in her throat.

‘Don’t underestimate yourself,’ continued Rhona firmly. ‘Women do it all the time.’

Kim nodded. Rhona had been in school with herself and Evie, and worked in one of the big law firms. Her husband, Will, was a lawyer too. They’d got married two years ago and had a baby boy of about five months.

‘How’s Baby Ollie?’

‘He’s thriving. Will and I might be exhausted, but he’s great! We’re mad about him. It changes everything, but in a good way … But listen, no baby-talk tonight. I finished breastfeeding ten days ago and after fourteen months am finally able to drink again! I’d kill for another glass of wine.’

‘Sure thing!’ laughed Kim, topping her up.

They ordered two big plates of antipasti for the table and Kim went for the seafood risotto.

Mel was getting married in five months’ time and entertained them with awful stories of the outrageous behaviour of her future mother-in-law, who wanted to invite fifty friends to the wedding.

‘We keep telling her that it is going to be a smallish wedding, but she doesn’t believe us. She thinks that we’re made of money.’

‘Set a limit and tell her she has twenty-five or thirty places, and that you don’t care who makes up her thirty places but that there is no going over on that,’ advised Rhona.

Kim loved the girls; most of them had been friends for so long and knew each other really well. Husbands and boyfriends didn’t really come into it when they were together, which meant she wasn’t over-conscious of being single again. Anyway, she knew the girls were all on her side no matter what happened.

The waiters kept them topped up with wine and she shared some dessert with Rhona. They were happy there, talking and swapping places and chatting, and as they ordered coffee the head waiter brought them each a flaming sambuca on the house.

It was long after midnight when they began to break up.

‘Fingers crossed that Ollie is conked out,’ muttered Rhona,
getting into a cab with Lisa. ‘If he wakes up Will is going to have to deal with him and give him his night feed – I’m far too tipsy to manage!’

‘The night is still young,’ slurred Ali. ‘Why don’t we hit a nightclub?’

Kim had absolutely no intention of going to a nightclub; she wasn’t in the mood for dancing and shouting at people.

‘Let’s find a nice cosy bar where we can have another drink or two,’ suggested Evie.

‘Davy Byrne’s,’ said Ali, leading the way up towards Duke Street.

Town was busy and they stopped for a few minutes to listen to a young band performing U2 songs in front of a massive crowd on Grafton Street.

‘Bono’d be proud!’ laughed Kim.

The bar was busy, but Evie and Ali managed to find a booth near the back that they could all squeeze into.

Mel was being chatted up by some gorgeous Frenchman who seemed oblivious to the engagement ring sparkling on her finger.

‘Maybe he’s blind,’ teased Evie.

Kim was so glad that she had made the effort to come out with her friends. She’d economize for the next week. Seeing the girls had made her feel like herself again – the old Kim who had existed before Gareth had come along. Sipping her wine, she relaxed as Evie and Ali talked about going away to the sun in a few weeks’ time for a girly break.

‘If you want to come with us you’re welcome,’ laughed Ali. ‘My dad and mum have a place near Marbella and I’ll get it for a few days. We’ll just have to pay our airfare and spending money.’

‘I’ll have to see if I can afford it …’ she trailed off.

‘Maybe you’ll get that great job that you were telling me about,’ Evie encouraged her.

‘Maybe!’ she said, embarrassed. She’d love to go on a break with the girls, do all the things they could afford to do, but at the moment she was stony broke.

It was almost 2 a.m. when they decided to call it a night and, grabbing her coat and handbag, Kim joined the throng of people on Dawson Street. There was no shortage of taxis on the busy street, with all its late-night bars and restaurants. As Evie and she headed towards the front of the rank, Kim stopped suddenly, realizing that Gareth was further up in the queue. He was laughing and talking with some guys, probably his mates Cormac and Shay.

Kim stopped. Should she say hello to him, or pretend she didn’t see him? He was deep in conversation, unaware of her watching him.

‘Gareth!’ she shouted drunkenly. ‘Gareth!’ She started to move towards him.

Suddenly Kim realized that Gareth wasn’t with a few of the guys, but had his arm loosely around the shoulder of a tall, skinny, dark-haired girl.

‘No!’ shouted Evie, grabbing her arms and dragging her back. ‘Leave him!’

She watched as he got into a cab with the girl. Who the hell was she? Had he just met her in one of the bars?

‘Was that Gareth?’ asked Ali drunkenly as they got into a cab of their own.

‘Shut up!’ hissed Evie.

Kim stared out at the city lights, street after street, unable to think of anything but the fact that tonight Gareth was with someone else …

SOMEHOW KIM MANAGED TO HOLD IT TOGETHER UNTIL SHE AND
Evie had climbed up two flights of steep stairs of the tall Georgian building to her second-floor flat. The ancient lift was dodgy and Evie refused to put foot in it once darkness fell. Ten minutes earlier they had deposited a very drunken Ali safely to her door.

The minute they got in Kim began to cry. Evie made her sit down on the couch and have a pint of water.

‘Gareth didn’t even say hello to me!’ she sobbed.

‘Luckily he didn’t see you!’

‘He’s met someone already!’ she wailed. ‘I can’t believe it! Do you think he was seeing her while we were still living together?’

‘I know Gareth’s a bit of a shit, but I don’t think he’s the two-timing type,’ said Evie. ‘He’s too old-fashioned and boring to be having an affair under your nose! Odds are he just met that girl tonight, or maybe she’s a work client or something.’

‘Sure,’ sobbed Kim, imagining the dark-haired girl arriving back at the apartment and being romanced by Gareth, who could be so bloody charming when he wanted.

‘There’s nothing you can do about it,’ Evie said gently. ‘Let it go.’

‘I can’t,’ she wailed, ‘I just can’t!’

‘Remember when Brian and I split up two years ago and I found out that he’d been seeing bloody Aoife behind my back for weeks? It nearly drove me mad. The fact that my boyfriend was going out with someone who I used to call a friend nearly drove me crazy.’

‘But they broke up, didn’t they?’

‘Yes, but it was the betrayal and the broken trust that got me. Brian was bad, but Aoife was worse for going out with him. I haven’t spoken to her since.’

‘I shouldn’t have gone out tonight. I should have stayed in and babysat for Liz.’

‘You babysat for them last night,’ Evie reminded her. ‘Besides, just because you and Gareth aren’t together doesn’t mean you can’t go out with the girls for a meal and a drink. Don’t be so stupid, Kim!’

‘But if I wasn’t in town,’ she hiccupped, ‘I wouldn’t have seen him!’

‘You are hardly going to hide away. You know what Dublin’s like – everyone knows everything about everyone!’

‘I just wish that I had stayed home and hadn’t seen him.’