The Secrets Sisters Keep: A heartwarming, funny and emotional novel (The Devlin Sisters Book 2) (21 page)

Wendy stormed out, slamming the door hard behind her. I sank back into my chair.

Could this day get any worse?

I glanced down at my mobile phone. Three missed calls, all from Clara’s new school.

As I picked up the phone to call her teacher, my secretary burst into the room. ‘I’m so sorry to interrupt, Louise, but Jay Goring is on the phone. He said it’s urgent.’

I took a deep breath, picked up the receiver and went into crisis-management overdrive. Not letting Jay speak first, I said, ‘I’ve just seen it. I’m appalled. She’s been fired. Wendy will never darken our door again. She was a black sheep and I should have got rid of her ages ago. You can check your billing hours, Jay. They are completely above board. You know me. You know you can trust me. I have never let you down, nor will I …’ I talked and talked, reassuring him constantly until he eventually interrupted me.

‘That’s all very well, but I’ll still be taking my business elsewhere. I respect you, Louise, and you have an excellent reputation, but that girl worked for you, in your department. If you could employ someone as appalling as her and allow her to sully your name, then you’re not as clever as I thought.’

‘Jay, wait. Don’t be hasty. Let me take you out to lunch and we can talk about it. Wendy’s an anomaly. She had a child and hasn’t been able to cope. I’ve been wanting to get rid of her for ages, but you can’t just fire someone. You know how it is, these things take time.’

‘I would never have someone like that working with me. I would have found a way to move her. As head of the department, the buck stops with you, Louise. You are ultimately responsible. I won’t be changing my mind. I’m taking my business away from you.’

I squeezed my eyes shut. ‘Is there anything I can say to dissuade you?’

‘Nothing. Good day.’ He hung up.

I destroyed a second item in my office that day when my phone hit the wall and shattered.

J
ess came back
from the baby shower on a high. She went on and on about it until I wanted to scream. But I bit my lip and tried to look interested.

‘OMG, Mum, Pippa’s friends are, like, 
soooo
 cool.’

‘Really? Were there many there?’

‘Well, no, because Pippa says when you work in TV people get really jealous of you, so she just had three friends and me. But one of her friends is an actress, one is a beautician and one is a fitness instructor. They’re all so glamorous.’

‘Well, I suppose they’re all young.’ Young with no children and no financial worries or husbands who left them, I thought grimly.

‘I dunno. I think one of them was, like, nearly thirty, but they all look amazing. Their clothes rock.’

‘What has the actress been in?’

Jess swung her legs. ‘She said she’s doing loads of auditions, but nothing’s come up yet. She’ll definitely make it to Hollywood, though, because she’s so beautiful. She looks like Kim Kardashian.’

How the hell did Jess know what Kim Kardashian looked like? I never let her watch any of that reality-TV rubbish. ‘How do you know who –’

Jess rolled her eyes and cut across me: ‘Don’t start freaking out. Pippa lets me watch 
The Kardashians
.’

‘You know you’re not allowed.’

She shrugged. ‘In this house, but in their house I can pretty much do what I want. It’s so much more fun over there. They don’t treat me like a child.’

‘You’re nine years old, Jess.’

‘Nearly ten, Mum.’ She flicked her hair, an annoying new habit she’d picked up from Pippa. ‘Anyway, Pippa loved my present. She said it was her favourite by far.’

‘Well, that’s nice.’ Jess and I had compromised on a fifty-euro limit to her spending on the baby-shower gift. She had decided to buy a pale yellow nappy cake, which contained booties and blankets, muslin cloths, bottles and mittens.

‘So, is she big now? Her due date’s not far off.’ I hoped she was a whale.

‘No, she’s still tiny with just a bump. She said she’s only put on eighteen pounds. Her friend Heather said Pippa will be back in her skinny jeans the day after the baby is born!’

I tried not to think evil thoughts, but it was difficult.

‘Was your dad there for any of it?’

‘Mum, I forgot to tell you the best bit. Dad arrived at the end of the shower and gave Pippa a Tiffany necklace with a big diamond P on it. It’s so amazing.’

My stomach twisted. Jack had bought me one of those necklaces, with a big diamond S on it, back in the good old days. I’d sold it to pay a couple of months’ rent when everything had fallen apart.

‘Wow! Well, Pippa certainly seems to have been spoilt.’

‘She so deserves it, though. She always says, “Good things happen to good people.” She also says a positive attitude is, like, super important. When I told her you’d been dumped, she said you needed to work harder on being full of sunshine, like her.’

I decided to leave the room before I told my nine-year-old daughter exactly what Pippa could do with her sunshine.

I
rang Jack at work
.

‘Hi. How are you?’

I wasn’t in the mood for niceties. ‘Pippa is letting Jess watch 
The Kardashians
. You know how I feel about her watching those reality-TV shows. She’s too young and impressionable, Jack.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes.’

‘OK, I’ll have a word with Pippa. But I have to say, Sophie, Pippa has been amazing with Jess. They get on like a house on fire. She’s really stepped up to the plate as a stepmother. She’s so welcoming to Jess.’

I couldn’t face another bloody Pippa love-in. ‘Fine. But we both agree that Jess is too young for that trashy TV. So make sure she doesn’t let her watch it again.’

‘OK. No need to bite my head off. I heard you broke up with the guy. I’m sorry, Sophie. Jess said you’ve been in terrible form.’

‘No, I haven’t. I’m just tired from working and being a single parent,’ I snapped.

‘You’re not a single parent. I see Jess as much as I can,’ Jack replied.

‘I’m with her eighty per cent of the time Jack, OK?’

‘Your choice, Sophie. If you want, I’m happy to take her more. Pippa would like it too.’

To Hell with Pippa!
 I wanted to scream. ‘It’s fine, Jack, just sort out the reality TV. I have to go.’ I hung up before I took out all of my anger with Andrew, Pippa and life in general on my ex-husband.

O
n Wednesday evening
, I sat in the restaurant, drumming my fingers on the table. I was cross that Mum and Julie were late. I was worried Louise would arrive first because I still had no idea why we were having this dinner. Mum and Julie had promised to be on time. We’d arranged to meet fifteen minutes early so we’d all be there before Louise arrived and they could fill me in on what was going on.

I had a really important breakfast meeting with a prospective new client at eight thirty the following morning, so I wanted to get to bed as early as possible. It was already eight forty-five and I was getting cross. I badly needed a good night’s sleep.

Julie had called me two days ago to tell me I had to come to this dinner because it was vital that we were all there. She said we had to confront Louise about something. But then she hung up because one of the boys smashed the TV with a football.

I’d tried to call Mum to find out what on earth was going on, but she hadn’t rung back. She’d just sent a text saying she was tied up, but would explain all when she saw me.

Finally Mum and Julie arrived and plonked themselves down at the table. Julie poured herself a large glass of wine and glugged it back.

‘Steady on,’ Mum said. ‘You need your wits about you tonight.’

‘Can someone please tell me what this is all about?’

Mum looked around, checking Louise wasn’t coming, then leant in and said, in a low voice, ‘We think Clara has Asperger’s and we want to confront Louise about it because she’s putting her head in the sand when early treatment is vital.’

What? It took me a moment to process all that – it was the last thing I’d expected to hear. Clara? Could she be? I thought about it, and suddenly it made sense. All of her quirks could be explained by Asperger’s. But this was certainly not the right way to go about talking to Louise. I had to stop them. ‘Are you mad?’ I said. ‘Louise is going to see this as a sabotage or weird intervention. You should talk to her one to one.’

Julie put down her glass. ‘I tried Sophie, but she brushed me off. We need to make her see that Clara needs help.’

Before I could say anything else, Louise arrived, cross and fed up. She threw her handbag down, poured herself some wine and gulped it. ‘Christ, what a bloody week this has turned out to be,’ she said. It was unlike Louise to complain, or to drink quickly. The fact that she was already in a bad mood did not bode well.

‘What’s up?’ I asked.

She ran her hands wearily through her hair. ‘Work, Clara, everything. Anyway, what was so urgent that we had to meet for dinner mid-week?’ she demanded. ‘I’m having the week from Hell and I really don’t have time for this.’

Julie and Mum looked at each other. Mum leant over and squeezed Louise’s hand. ‘I’m sorry to hear that, pet.’

Louise pulled her hand away. ‘Can we order? I’m starving and I can’t stay long,’ she said.

‘Neither can I,’ I said. Then, staring hard at Mum and Julie, I added, ‘I think we should all just have a nice relaxing meal.’

Mum shook her head at me. There was no stopping her: she was on a mission.

We concentrated on our menus, then ordered our food.

‘So, what’s going on?’ Louise asked, glancing at her BlackBerry.

Julie looked at Mum. ‘Go on.’

Mum smiled in a fake way. ‘We’re here because we want to talk to you, Louise.’

‘About what? Did you hear about the Jay Goring palaver? It hasn’t reached the press, has it? I think I made sure of that. Christ, I hope Jay isn’t telling everyone about it. I asked him not to out of respect for me and he said he wouldn’t, but you know what gossips people are. I hope –’

Julie interrupted her: ‘Louise, we want to talk to you about Clara,’ she said.

‘What about her?’ Louise snapped.

I sat back in my chair, powerless to stop Mum and Julie now, waiting for the inevitable explosion from Louise. This was madness. Mum and Julie should have known better.

‘Well, it’s just that we feel that it might be a good idea to have Clara seen by a psychologist, to help her integrate better and come out of herself.’ Julie had another swig of her wine.

Louise’s eyes narrowed. I could feel her whole body tensing beside me. ‘Julie, I told you already that Clara doesn’t need any testing. She’s fine. Why are you bringing this up again?’

I felt sick. This was not a good idea.

‘What is this? Some kind of intervention? Are you seriously telling me I don’t know my own child?’ Louise’s voice was getting louder as her anger grew. ‘I am sick of people telling me that Clara’s different. She isn’t different, she’s a genius. Why can’t you get that into your thick heads?’ Louise slammed her hand on the table.

‘Calm down, Louise,’ Mum begged. ‘We all love Clara, sure she’s the sweetest child in the world, but I’m worried about her. She’s very introverted.’

‘So what? So was I. I always had my head in a book too.’

Mum shook her head. ‘No, Louise, you were not an introvert. You were the opposite. You had an opinion on everything, you bossed everyone else around, you organized games, you were competitive and ambitious, you loved a challenge … You were not shy or quiet.’

Now that Mum had reminded me of Louise as a child, I realized she was right. I had always thought Clara was like Louise, but she wasn’t. Louise had been a bossy cow when we were kids. I had been terrified of her. My heart sank. Julie and Mum were right about Clara.

Gavin arrived. He threw himself into a chair and picked up a bread roll. ‘Jesus, you could cut the air in here with a knife. I take it you’ve already told Louise that we think Clara has Asperger’s.’

‘What?’ Louise glared at him.

‘Shit,’ Gavin said.

‘How dare you say that about Clara? What would you know about anything? You can’t even hold down a job. Don’t you ever say anything about my Clara again. She’s more intelligent at four than you’ll ever be.’ Louise’s face was bright red and she was spitting fire.

Gavin chewed his bread. ‘You can be as much of a bitch as you want, Louise, but I know I’m right. I love that kid. She’s the most amazing little girl in the world, but she’s different. And before you tell me I’m a stupid, ignorant fool, hear me out. I think she has Asperger’s and I’ve looked into it. It’s not a bad thing, it just needs to be picked up early. Once she’s diagnosed, she can get all the extra help she needs to deal with the world.’

Louise stood up. She was shaking. ‘My child does not have Asperger’s. She’s just really, really bright and someone as thick as you will never understand that. I’m leaving before I hit you.’

I put out my hand to stop her. I could see she felt put upon and was reacting like a cornered cat. She felt we were insulting her baby. Gavin had been far too abrupt. ‘Louise, we all adore Clara. Please sit down and let’s just talk.’

She yanked her arm away from me. ‘I’m not staying another second to listen to you all insulting my daughter.’ I could see tears in her eyes.

Julie stood up and went over to her. She took Louise firmly by the shoulders. ‘Louise, you know all I want is the absolute best for you and Clara. You know I love her. You know I would do anything for you both. Please listen to what we have to say. We only want the very best for Clara. We want her to have the most amazing life possible. Sometimes when you’re very close to someone you don’t see things. I’m begging you to sit down. If, after you’ve listened to us, you want to tell us all to shag off and storm out, I won’t try to stop you. But we’re your family and we love you and we want to help.’

Louise very reluctantly sat down. ‘You’ve got exactly five minutes,’ she said, tapping her watch.

Mum cleared her throat. ‘I’ve always thought Clara was an extraordinary child. She’s incredible, but I did notice that she always avoids eye contact. She never plays with other children and gets very fixated on things.’

‘So what? So do loads of so-called normal kids,’ Louise snapped.

‘Let her finish,’ I said quietly.

‘Then I began to notice her obsession with time, how she likes to get dressed a certain way and how she can’t stand the various foods on a plate to touch. All things that individually are no big deal, but together began to make me worry. I’ve raised four children and I knew Clara was different, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Then one night I saw a programme about children with Asperger’s syndrome and everything began to make sense.’

Louise said nothing. She looked thunderous.

Julie added gently, ‘I only realized how intense her quirks are when she stayed with me. Then I knew something was up. Louise, she’ll have a brilliant life. She just needs help in some areas and you’re the best person in the world at fixing problems.’

I put my hand on Louise’s rigid shoulder. ‘You really are. You’re the person we all go to with our issues. Clara’s lucky to have you as her mum. Whatever she needs, you’ll get it for her. She’s still your little girl, still your precious Clara. She just needs some assistance.’

Louise picked up her BlackBerry and her bag. Standing up slowly, she said, in an icy tone, ‘None of you has any right to put disgusting labels on my daughter. Clara is the most incredible human being on this planet. She is streets ahead of your pathetic children. I am shocked, appalled and disgusted by your behaviour. You make me sick.’

She stalked out of the restaurant and we all stared at each other. I could tell Julie was thinking the same thing as me – pathetic children?

‘That went well,’ Gavin said.

‘You shouldn’t have come blustering in like that,’ Julie snapped. ‘It’s an incredibly sensitive issue. She was completely thrown. You’re an idiot.’ She was fighting back tears. ‘It was a disaster.’

‘It didn’t go well,’ Mum said, ‘but Louise would always have reacted badly. She’s a very proud woman and she’s devoted to Clara. It’s hard to hear things about your child that you don’t want to hear. She’ll come round. She needs time to process it. She’s a very intelligent woman and she’ll see we’re right. These things take time. We must be gentle with her.’