Three’s a Crowd (25 page)

‘Thanks for understanding.'

‘Do you want me to keep some dinner for you?'

‘No, there's food I can finish off here.'

‘Do you want to say goodnight to the kids?'

‘Sure, put them on.'

Lexie stood by while the kids babbled on to their father; she felt chastened, but also a little uneasy. When she took the phone back off Riley, Scott had already hung up.

‘Okay, just another five minutes and then bathtime,' she said, walking back inside. She really felt like a glass of wine, but Lexie didn't like to drink when she was the only adult here with the kids. She peered out through the glass doors, where they were playing happily in the sandpit. It hadn't been as hot today, there was a fresh nor'easter rolling through the house, expelling any
hot air still lingering from the middle of the day. The kids should sleep well tonight.

It'd be okay to have just one glass.

Perched on a kitchen stool where she had a clear view into the back garden, Lexie took a sip of her wine as she picked up the phone and dialled Rachel's number. She needed to talk to someone, and easygoing, non-judgemental Rachel was the best listener she knew. After Annie.

‘Hi, it's Lexie,' she said when Rachel picked up.

‘Hi Lexie, what's up?'

‘Oh, nothing, just haven't seen you for a while. What have you been up to?'

‘Nothing, nothing at all. Same old . . . you know how it is.'

‘Hey,' Lexie remembered, ‘didn't you have that date?'

‘Oh yeah.'

‘So how did it go?'

‘Nowhere,' said Rachel. ‘He was married.'

Lexie gasped. ‘No!'

‘I'm afraid so.'

‘Is that allowed?'

‘No one's checking ID or anything,' said Rachel. ‘I guess they can do whatever they can get away with.'

‘That's terrible. What are you going to do?'

‘What do you mean?'

‘Well, can you report him or something?'

‘To be honest, I don't think anyone would give a damn,' said Rachel. ‘In fact, I've heard since that these sites can be a real hangout for married men on the prowl.'

‘I'm sorry but I think that's disgusting, it shouldn't be allowed. They should vet the whole process.'

‘But when you think about it, Lex, it's no different to any pick-up place, they're full of married men trying to hide their wedding rings while they chat up girls.'

For a moment Lexie softened, thinking of how lucky she was to have Scott, and how she really had nothing to complain about.

‘So what about Catherine's plans for you?' Rachel was asking.

‘That's part of the reason I was calling, actually.'

‘Oh?'

Just then a siren wail emanated from outside, followed by Riley's voice. ‘Mum-
mmy
! Mia got sand in her eyes.
Again
!'

‘Oh, damn,' she muttered. ‘Can you hold on just one minute, Rach?'

‘Sure.'

Lexie dashed outside and scooped up Mia, restraining her arms at the same time. Mia was too little to understand that rubbing her eyes with sand-encrusted fingers only made matters worse. Lexie quickly dealt with the offending sand under the kitchen tap, before popping Mia on the bench, holding a wet facecloth firmly over her eyes. She grabbed the phone again.

‘Sorry about that, Rach.'

‘No problem.'

‘Scott's not home and we're on the verge of crazy hour.'

‘Why don't you call me back, or I'll call you later if you like?'

‘Actually, I was going to ask, are you free Saturday? Maybe we could meet for coffee, or even lunch?'

‘Sure, where did you have in mind? I'll let Catherine know.'

Lexie hesitated. ‘The thing is, I'll have to bring the kids, and you know how she is around the kids.'

‘Uhuh.'

‘I really just wanted to sound you out about something, there's no need to bother Catherine with it. I know she's a very busy woman.'

‘Okay then.'

Lexie got the feeling Rachel was a little uncomfortable. ‘You know, why don't you just come here? That way the kids'll be occupied and we can have a nice chat.'

‘All right. What time?'

It was close to three o'clock when Rachel walked around the corner into Lexie's street. She had insisted that Lexie not put on
lunch, she had enough to do with the kids. A cuppa and a bickie would be sufficient. She couldn't imagine what this was about, what Lexie wanted to ‘run by her'. Rachel had no idea what she could offer, apart from a listening ear. Lexie was clearly missing Annie, and Rachel couldn't help but think she would prove to be a poor substitute. Annie had always appeared to possess boundless patience, Rachel had noticed it particularly in the way she was with her kids, or anyone's kids for that matter. She never seemed to get ruffled. Rachel vividly remembered a hot, sticky afternoon at Tom and Annie's house, Lexie heavily pregnant with Mia, and Riley playing up something shocking. Scott must have been at work and Lexie was close to tears trying to cope with Riley on her own. Finally Annie had gone over to him and crouched down, whispered something close to his ear and then took him by the hand and led him inside the house. Ten minutes later they had returned to the back garden; Riley was calm and he remained that way for the rest of the afternoon. It was almost as though she'd cast a spell on him.

As Rachel drew closer to their house now, she saw Tom's car in the drive, which meant he was probably home. She hadn't spoken to him since last weekend. Every time she thought about calling him, talking to him, seeing him, it freaked her out. She wished things could be different, because she really wanted to call him, talk to him, see him. Something had happened last weekend, and it wasn't the sex. It was spending time with him, mucking around, being mates again. She felt like she had got her best friend back, only to ruin it by sleeping with him. She was never going to be able to look at him the same way again. And the longer she left making contact, the more awkward it was likely to become.

Nonetheless, she scooted past his house and straight over to Lexie's door, huddling inside the alcove out of sight as she knocked, glancing over her shoulder like she was being followed. Or like she was insane.

Lexie opened the door, smiling widely, with Mia perched on her hip. ‘Hi Rachel! Look who's here, Mia. It's Aunty Rachel. Say hello to Aunty Rachel.'

But Mia was playing coy today, burying her head into her mother's neck with an obstinate grunt.

‘Mia –'

‘It's okay if Mia doesn't feel like saying hello,' Rachel reassured her. She was all for teaching children manners, but she often found the trouble parents went to to coax their tiny tots to perform, or conform, a little awkward for everyone involved.

‘She's overdue for her N-A-P,' Lexie explained, standing back to let Rachel through. ‘I wanted to keep her up till you got here so that she could S-L-E-E-P while we talk. Riley won't interrupt quite so much.'

This was beginning to sound serious.

‘You know what?' she went on. ‘I'll put her down right now. Just go on through, make yourself at home. Riley's out there playing.'

Rachel heard Mia begin to grizzle as Lexie mounted the stairs, revealing her fate. She walked out into the living area, immaculate as always. How she did it with two little ones was beyond Rachel.

‘Hi Riley,' she called, spotting him in the playroom as she put her bag down on the kitchen bench.

He looked up, contemplating her with a slight frown.

Rachel took a couple of steps closer. ‘Don't you remember me? I'm Rachel.'

‘I know who you are,' he said in a bored tone, returning his attention to the Lego model he was building.

Hmm, knew her, wasn't that impressed by her. Story of her life.

Rachel was perched on a kitchen stool flipping through a magazine when Lexie reappeared.

‘Did you get yourself a drink?' She skittered over to the fridge. ‘I should have said there was cold water. You would have been thirsty after your bus trip.'

She bustled about as she spoke, placing a coaster and a tall glass in front of Rachel and pouring icy water from a stainless-steel jug.

‘Thanks, I was fine.'

‘So, coffee?' she chirped.

‘Sure. If you're making it.'

Lexie turned around to fire up the coffee machine, or whatever it was you did with the things. Rachel was a total coffee pleb; while she enjoyed a good cup of coffee as much as the next
person, she was happy to drink instant, an admission she would never make in mixed company, of course.

Lexie prattled away about the kids, and Scott working so hard, and the kids, as she made the coffee, opened and closed cupboard doors, scuttled back and forth from the fridge, and a few minutes later, an elegant afternoon tea appeared before Rachel's very eyes – there was coffee, a little tray of sugar cubes piled into a pyramid, a plate of miniature cupcakes, all individually decorated, a basket of those homemade cookies encrusted with big chunks of white and dark chocolate, and what looked like a lemon-curd slice arranged on a green glass platter.

‘Lex, you shouldn't have gone and bought all this.'

‘I didn't,' she shrugged. ‘I made it.'

Rachel's eyes widened. ‘You made all this?'

‘Don't worry, I didn't do it all today,' Lexie dismissed with a smile. ‘Just the slice. I make the cookies all the time, the kids love them, and they keep quite well in sealed containers. The cupcakes last longer, because you can freeze them, so I always have some on hand.'

Rachel examined them up close, tiny little cupcakes with perfect dollops of creamy icing and a variety of toppings: a drizzle of gooey caramel, chocolate shavings, nuts, glazed fruit, a swirl of passionfruit. They were like miniature works of art.

‘They're all different flavours, right?' said Rachel, in awe.

‘Yeah, I make batches of different kinds, that way I can defrost a selection.'

‘Do you freeze them with the icing and everything?'

‘No, I just slapped that on this morning. It takes no time.'

She was clearly a freak.

‘Do you make these for the café?'

‘No way,' Lexie shook her head with a smile. ‘I just like to bake. Scott would never let me do anything for the café.'

‘Why not?' Rachel picked up one of the cupcakes with caramel. ‘Doesn't he think they're good enough?'

‘Oh, it's not that, he thinks my parents would be horrified if they thought I had to help out.'

‘I don't get it,' said Rachel, taking a bite of the cupcake. ‘Oh my God,' she warbled, her mouth full. ‘This is fantastic.'

‘You know how he's always worried that my parents think I married beneath me, and that he's not good enough?'

Rachel swallowed. ‘I can't imagine your parents would think that way.'

‘They don't,' she insisted. ‘I mean, if they were going to be disappointed with anyone, it would be me, because I didn't continue with medicine. But I know they love me, and they just want me to be happy, and they know Scott makes me happy, so they love him too. That's the way it works with them.'

Rachel was eyeing off the cakes again. ‘What's the passionfruit one?'

‘Well, passionfruit,' said Lexie, ‘with cream-cheese icing.'

Rachel sighed.

‘Help yourself,' Lexie insisted. ‘They're only bite-size.'

Rachel was not going to be able to resist. ‘What did you want to run by me?' she asked, picking another.

‘Oh, yes,' said Lexie. ‘Well, ever since Catherine started pushing me about going back to work –'

‘Don't let her get to you,' said Rachel, before popping the cake in her mouth. She had to stop herself from moaning audibly.

‘I won't, but the thing is, I do feel like I'm at a crossroads.'

‘Mummy?' Riley had wandered in. ‘What's up there?' he said, pointing to the top of the bench, which was just out of his line of sight.

Lexie excused herself while she got Riley a cookie and some juice and set him up on a little table out in the playroom.

‘You were saying you're at a crossroads?' said Rachel when Lexie returned.

‘That's right,' she said, sliding back onto a stool. ‘I do want to stay home with the kids, but Scott is working so hard, and I wonder if I shouldn't be contributing financially, but I don't know what I'd do. Catherine keeps forwarding me ads for lab assistants, but I don't want to go back to that. I never wanted to do it in the first place, but when I didn't go ahead with my medical degree, that was all I was qualified for.'

‘Then what do you want to do?'

‘I don't know,' Lexie shrugged.

Rachel looked at her. ‘Come on, if you could do anything?'

She hesitated. ‘I'd like to have another baby.'

‘Oh.' Rachel wasn't expecting that.

‘You think I'm mad, don't you?'

‘Of course not.' She glanced around. ‘I'm just wondering where you'd fit another baby. You've only got the two bedrooms upstairs, right?'

Lexie nodded. ‘I know, we can't have another baby living here, and we can't afford to move. Maybe we could if I went to work, but then, I wouldn't want to go to work and leave a new baby.'

‘What does Scott have to say?'

‘See, that's the thing,' said Lexie, ‘we haven't talked about it.'

‘Don't you think that's where you should start?' Rachel suggested.

‘I know, you're right. But he's so stressed out lately, we never have any time to talk.'

Rachel wasn't sure what to say, so she picked up another cupcake instead. ‘Are you sure he wouldn't think about stocking these at the café. They are seriously good.'

‘Thanks,' she said despondently.

Clearly she didn't want to talk about cupcakes. ‘Look, I'm probably the worst person to talk to about this. I've never even figured out what I want to do when I grow up, so what would I know?'