“I don’t know,” Erica said. “But maybe it’s to do with not clinging on to the little things. Claudia?”
“Why are you looking at me? My relationship fell apart without me even noticing it was happening. I’m the last person to help.”
Erica floundered. “You were upset about the tree—the kids had plans, you wanted to stick to the usual. Pete suggested lunch.”
“And that was thoughtful.” Anna covered her face with her hands. “And I snapped at him. I should have been flexible. And appreciative that he was trying so hard.”
Erica rubbed her back gently. “Maybe it is time to make new traditions instead of clinging to the old ones.”
Anna let her hands drop into her lap. She felt exhausted. “Any suggestions?”
Erica shrugged. “Have an adventure.”
“At Christmas?” Anna took a sip of water. “What sort of adventure?”
“I don’t know. But do something different,” Erica said. “That way you won’t be sitting around wondering if this is the last time you’re going to be doing it because it will be the first time. Take control.”
“Also, you’re seeing your life as this big empty void but there is so much you could do. You’re great with kids,” Claudia said. “Can’t you do something with that? Volunteer at a school. Work in a library. You know every book there is. Set up a children’s book club or something.”
Anna stared at her.“A children’s book club?”
“Yes, I’m sure your library would host it. They’d love it. Or maybe you can travel around schools. Be a mobile book club.”
Anna felt something stir inside her. A children’s book club. “I like that idea. No idea how it would work, but it’s something to think about.”
She was about to discuss it further when her phone buzzed. She picked it up and felt her heart beat faster. “It’s Pete.” Her fingers were so sweaty she almost dropped the phone. “He wants me to call him if I’m not busy.”
“You’re not busy. Call him. And then come back and tell us what happened because the stress is killing us.” Claudia waved a hand toward the door. “We’ll stay here and eat, and drink and discuss all the reasons women might kill their husbands.”
“If we’ve finished talking about this book then I’d like to end the conversation by saying that I’m surprised she didn’t kill him sooner.” Erica picked up the book and gave Anna a gentle push. “Go. And give our love to Pete. Now then, Claudia, you and I are going to talk about how to kill a man and get away with it.”
“I’ve always favored using food.”
Anna rolled her eyes. “You two are delightful.” But she appreciated their attempts to lighten the atmosphere.
She grabbed her room key and her purse and headed to the door.
“Hope it goes well.” Claudia tried hard to sound casual and Anna could tell that her friends were now almost as tense as she was.
“Thanks.”
She walked back to her room,wishing she’d had more time to think through exactly what she was going to say.
Her hand shook as she closed the door behind her and tugged off her boots. She’d been with Pete for more than half her life. He was her best friend and it was ridiculous to feel nervous, but still, she felt nervous as she held her phone and braced herself for the call.
In all the years they’d spent together, they’d never hit a bump as big as this one. Right now this felt like the most important conversation she was ever going to have. What if she said the wrong thing? And it shocked her that she could know someone as well as she knew Pete, and love someone as well as she loved Pete and yet still get it wrong. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and called him.
“Hi there.”
“Hi. Sorry I haven’t been in touch before. It’s been a little pressured here. Hold on a moment. Lola has found one of Meg’s shoes and she’s chewing on it. Lola! Drop it. I said—” There was a pause and the sound of Lola barking happily. “Damn. I thought nothing could go wrong in the five minutes it took me to call you. Where did she find that? I was careful. Sorry.”
Anna wanted to ask which shoes, but then she decided she didn’t care. Meg’s shoes were Meg’s problem. She didn’t want to talk about Meg.
“If Meg left the shoes where Lola can grab them, then that’s on her.”
“It wouldn’t have happened on your watch.”
“Of course it would.”
