The Sisters (39 page)

‘Bitch.’

‘Oh darling, tell me something that I don’t know,’ Anoushka replied as she grabbed Jessica’s hand, pushed past Andrew and made her way down the steps.

‘Andrew looks like someone has just taken a big shit on his Porsche. Like Biff in Back to the Future’

‘Lou,’ Jessica said clearly surprised to see Lucinda standing at the bottom of the stairs as Andrew walked quickly past them and hailed down a black cab.

‘Oh, wow. Another LeSoeur,’ Anoushka said. ‘I love the coat.’

‘Thank you,’ Lucinda replied as she smoothed down the lapel of her Max Mara coat. ‘I think that it’s old enough for me to get away with calling it vintage. Well, my divorce was rather boring in comparison to yours. Congratulations.’

‘I didn’t think you’d be here,’ Jessica said as she hugged her sister and waved goodbye to Anoushka and Sarah.

‘Bea called me last night and told me that you were receiving the judgement this morning. So, I figured that the least that I could do was support you. I got into the public gallery just in time to hear the judge ripping Andrew a new one. If I had my way I wouldn’t have given him a penny.’

‘I couldn’t really argue with the joint account. I’m just glad that it’s over and I’ve kept my house and the business. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t…’

‘Stop it. Don’t even think about it. It’s over. Anyway, I did have another reason for coming here this morning.’

Jessica looked at Lucinda and wondered what it could possibly be. Despite the apologies and the promises that they would try and move forward there hadn’t been that much progress beyond a few texts and a short phone call here and there.

‘Will you come with me to the Loose Women show? I have to be there in…’ Lucinda lifted the sleeve of her coat and looked at her watch. ‘Thirty minutes.’

‘You’re going to be on Loose Women?’

‘Yes, Sal has been brilliant and I’m on there today as a guest panellist. I’d completely understand if you said no, I know that you have to work…’

‘No. I’d love to come. If you’re sure you want me there.’

‘Of course I do,’ Lucinda said as she grabbed Jessica’s hand.

‘What do you want to do? Walk? The studios are only across the Waterloo Bridge,’ Jessica asked.

‘You’re having a laugh aren’t you? Have you seen my heels?’ Lucinda said as she lifted up her right foot and revealed the familiar red sole. ‘Five inches darling. I’m not walking anywhere and when we get into the taxi you can read this.’ Lucinda reached into her bag and pulled out a copy of the latest issue of Allure magazine. It wasn’t due out for another week but a copy had been couriered to her that morning. Jessica ran her fingers across the cover, which featured a stunning picture of Lucinda with the heading ‘Comeback Queen.’

‘You look gorgeous.’

‘Stop it. I told them to airbrush me to death. Come on let’s go,’ Lucinda said as opened the door of a taxi.

As they sat next to each other there was silence as Jessica read the article. The silence was only broken by her audible gasp as the taxi pulled into the gates of the television studios.

‘It wasn’t supposed to make you cry,’ Lucinda said as she paid the taxi driver and they waited for the security guard to phone them through.

‘I just never knew. Oh Lou, I’m so sorry for everything.’ Jessica said as she pulled a tissue out of her pocket.

‘Jess, there’s no me without you. It’s as simple as that,’ Lucinda said as she linked arms with her sister and they walked towards the studio doors where a runner was waiting for them.

‘Oh my God. I thought you were going to be late,’ Emma said as she ran into the makeup room to greet Lucinda, leaving Sal talking to the production manager.

‘When am I ever late?’ Lucinda replied as she sat almost motionless as the makeup artist finished her makeup.

‘I know, I know but I was calling and then…oh Jess.’ Emma said as she noticed Jessica sitting quietly behind Lucinda. ‘What are you doing here? I’ve been trying to call you. Bea texted me and told me about the hearing. I thought you were in a pub getting pissed somewhere.’

Emma clapped her hands to her mouth when she realised what she’d said. ‘Shit, sorry sis. I didn’t mean.’

‘Please, don’t worry about it. Seriously. Lou asked me to come so here I am,’ Jessica said.

‘Cool, it’s a shame that Bea isn’t here but I’ve told her to watch.’

‘We’re ready for you now,’ a young production assistant said before speaking into her headset.

‘Good luck sis,’ Emma and Jessica shouted as they left the dressing room and made their way to the studio.

Lucinda closed her eyes and silently said a prayer. She would be performing
Stripped back
live for the first time without the safe walls of the New Cross studio that she’d initially thought was a crack house, or before her usual audience of Katelyn and Reece. ‘Ok. I’m ready,’ Lucinda said as she got up from the make-up chair and walked towards the studio.

‘You definitely have to come back,’ Andrea Mclean said as she gave Lucinda a hug at the end of the show. ‘You were simply brilliant.’

‘Thank you, I’d love to come back. Thanks for having me,’ Lucinda replied, feeling exhilarated by the whole experience.

As she walked out of the studio building, Lucinda felt the full force of her younger sister as she hugged her. ‘You were bloody fantastic. I knew you would be. Wasn’t she brilliant, Sal?’ Emma said.

‘You most definitely were,’ Sal said as he squeezed into between the sisters and hugged Lucinda tightly.

‘She should have her own show. Sal, Jess, we’ve got to find a way to get Lou her own show. I’ve already been receiving calls from fuck knows who. Who knows where this could go,’ Emma said talking at a hundred miles an hour. Jessica simply rolled her eyes as she continued her conversation on the phone, more than used to Emma’s manic disposition when she was over excited.

‘Right, that’s sorted,’ Jessica said as she put her phone into her bag.

‘What’s sorted?’ asked Lucinda.

‘I’ve just booked us a table at Maze and Bea is going to meet us there. Sal, you’re more than welcome to come.’

‘Nah, I think I’ll leave you girls to it,’ Sal said as he grinned. ‘I love you all but I can only imagine what it’s going to be like once you lot get together.’ He kissed them all and left.

‘You need to read this,’ Jessica said as she handed the magazine to Emma. ‘And you better take these too.’ Emma looked at Jessica oddly as she took the pack of tissues from her hand.

‘Fucking hell. I can’t go in there looking like this,’ Emma said as she stood in the restaurant foyer watching her reflection in the black compact mirror. ‘Why did you have to say all of those things Lulu? Why couldn’t you have just done an article saying how fabulous you were and that you survive on a diet of brown rice and green juice? Selfish cow.’

‘Sorry sis,’ Lucinda said as she took the mirror away from Emma and took out the small sponge and started to cover up the traces of mascara that had run down her face.

‘So you should be,’ Emma said with a smile.

‘That bastard has just sent me the rudest message,’ Beatrice said as she entered the foyer and immediately hugged Jessica. ‘I just texted Andrew back and told him to go and fuck himself and that I’m applying for a restraining order. Jess, promise me, if you ever, and I mean ever, decide to get married again, get a pre-nup.’

‘I have absolutely no intention of getting married again,’ Jessica replied.

‘We need champagne,’ Jessica said to the waiter before they had even sat down at the table. Beatrice, Lucinda and Emma all looked up at her from their seats. ‘Don’t look at me like that. I’m not drinking. I’ll just have sparkling water and a virgin mojito.’

‘Oh sis, you have to read this,’ Emma said as she handed the magazine, that was now well read and already opened at the article on Lucinda, to Beatrice. It didn’t take too long for Beatrice to start sniffing away as she read Lucinda’s words.

‘See, do you see what you’ve done?’ Jessica said as she handed Beatrice a tissue.

‘Thank you. All, I’ve got is bloody baby wipes in my bag,’ Beatrice said as she gratefully took the tissues.

‘I’ve got something to say,’ Jessica said halfway during their afternoon of champagne, virgin cocktails and lobster and king prawn dumplings.

‘Do you have to?’ Beatrice asked as she put down the spoon containing her chocolate profiterole. ‘Because I’m telling you that I’m quite pissed and may not appreciate the sentiment of your words.’

Lucinda fell into Beatrice’s arm laughing. ‘I can always say a few words if you fancy a good cry again.’

‘Hell no,’ said Beatrice.

‘Right, I promise that I won’t be long. If someone had told me at the beginning of the year that we’d all be sitting here, together, well I wouldn’t have believed them. We’ve all been through so much,’ Jessica said.

‘It has been a bit shit,’ Emma interrupted.

‘Yes, you’re right it has been a bit shit but we’re here together now and I never thought that we’d have that again and I just wanted to say that I love you all and I’m so blessed to have you all as my sisters.’

‘Oh crap. I need a drink before I start crying again,’ Beatrice said as she reached for her glass of champagne.’ She immediately put her glass down as Emma let out a scream, which caused a waiter to stop in his tracks and for other diners to turn their heads.

‘What the hell Ems,’ Lucinda said as Emma leaned over the table and handed over her iPhone to Lucinda.

‘How on earth did you manage…?’ Lucinda said as she read the email again, not quite believing what she was reading.

‘It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I did it. I got you Ronnie Scott’s,’ said Emma.

‘SO, HOW does it feel to finally be home?’ Owen said as he placed the last of the cardboard boxes on the floor.

‘It feels, I don’t know. I really don’t know,’ Lucinda replied suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the fact that after nearly six months she was now walking into her own house. Madeline had left the house absolutely spotless and had even gone so far as to hire painters and decorators. The front door gleamed after being sanded down and painted in a glossy lilac and all of the rooms had been repainted to give the house a fresh, clean, welcoming feel.

‘Hey come on,’ Owen said as he put his arms around her. ‘This is a good thing. Look how far you’ve come and being back here is a sign of that.’

‘You’re right,’ Lucinda said as she put her arms around Owen’s neck and kissed him. ‘Where are the twins?’ Owen asked. He’d only met them a few times and didn’t think they’d react warmly to finding him kissing their mother in their living room.

‘Don’t panic. They won’t be home for ages yet,’ Lucinda replied as she kissed him again. ‘You know, I still can’t believe all of this is happening to me,’ she said.

‘Well you should do. We’re allowed to have good things in our life, Lou. You’re definitely a good thing in my life. I don’t even regret how we met.’

‘As I recall, you were shouting at me in the street.’

‘It wasn’t really shouting. It was more like an enthusiastic conversation.’ Lucinda laughed and leaned into him to kiss him again but stopped when she heard her name being called.

‘Who’s that?’ Owen asked as he stepped out into the corridor where the front door was still open.

‘It sounds like my dad,’ Lucinda replied.

‘Lulu, why have you got the front door wide open?’ Richard said as he walked into the corridor.

‘Will, you stop rushing about,’ Felicia said as she emerged behind him. ‘You’re still recovering you know. Oh hello,’ Felicia said as she spotted Owen in the corridor.

‘Mum, dad what are you doing here?’

‘Your father insisted that I bring him,’ Felicia said as she hugged her daughter.

‘Well, you’re not letting me go to the show tomorrow so I thought I’d pop in and see how you’re doing,’ Richard said, without taking his eyes off Owen. ‘But you seem to be doing ok.’

‘Hello Mr. LeSoeur. I’m Owen, Lou’s erm…’

‘You’re probably a bit old to be calling yourself her boyfriend, so what is it partner, significant other?’ Richard said as he shook Owen’s hand.

‘Richard. For Pete’s sake, I’m Felicia. It’s nice to meet you finally,’ Felicia said as she shook his hand also. ‘Just ignore him. I think that he’s got cabin fever.’

‘So would you if you were cooped up in hospital for three weeks and then you were stuck at home,’ Richard said as he walked along the corridor, running his hands against the wall and inspected the paintwork on the ceiling.

‘Lulu, tells us that you own a restaurant,’ Richard said.

‘Yes, I do,’ Owen replied as he followed Richard. ‘If you’re planning on staying for a short while, perhaps you’d like to come for a late lunch.’

Felicia shook her head as she watched Richard and Owen walk away. ‘He’s been driving me mad all week.’

‘Well, it can’t be much fun for him being stuck at home all day.’

‘I know all that but he’s acting like he’s cured but who knows what could happen. I just don’t want him pushing it. He’s still not fully recovered from the surgery.’

‘Mum, you wouldn’t be happy if he was just sitting at home feeling sorry for himself. You know what dad’s like, he wants to feel part of the world.’

‘I know and I shouldn’t complain when I think about the alternative. But anyway, let’s not dwell. He seems nice, your friend.’

‘Oh, Owen. Yeah he is nice. He’s really nice. I’ve been really lucky with everything.’

‘You’re blessed child. You’ll have to invite him round for Sunday dinner.’

‘I don’t think he’s ready for that. Not all of us all at once.’

‘Well, you may just have to. I can’t see you hosting a dinner party anytime soon,’ Felicia said as she looked around the chaos of the room. There was furniture that hadn’t yet been arranged and boxes that had yet to be unpacked. Lucinda could have stayed in the rental house for a few more weeks but as soon as Madeline had handed back her keys with a caveat that the decorators needed just one more day, Lucinda had gone straight there. Walking into her own house was the final piece in the convoluted puzzle that had been her life.