The barbecue was a last-minute plan.Lauren had sent a text a few hours ago, and now Steve and Jimmy stood at the grill debating when to turn the steaks, while Lauren and Cath prepared salads inthe kitchen.Poppy, who had been discharged last night, lay inside on the sofa.
Nel watched her sister through the window, wondering if she could interpret the invitation as a peace offering of sorts after their confrontation at the hospital.She’d told Cath about the argument as they’d flipped pages and shuffled through photos, looking for the picture of Maddie wearing the ring.Cath had listened quietly.When Nel finished recounting the details of the conversation, she’d said something that had floored Nel: ‘I think she’s always been a little jealous of you.’
‘Jealous?’Nel said.‘Ofme?’
Cath shrugged.‘Your life has looked pretty exciting from back here,’ she said.‘I think she probably wonders what she might have done if she didn’t have Poppy so young.’
As though sensing Nel’s gaze, Lauren looked up and gave her a quick smile.Nel smiled back.It felt like something had shifted between them.
Nel was shaken from her thoughts by Jimmy’s warm laugh.He had his head tipped back, still laughing at whatever it was that Steve had said.She felt herself joining in quietly even though she hadn’t heard the joke.
‘What’s so funny?’Lauren asked.She was standing next to Nel, opening a bottle of champagne.
Nel shook her head.‘Just Jimmy.’
Lauren looked back at her, one eyebrow raised.
‘What?’Nel asked, confused.
Lauren lowered her voice.‘I see the way you look at him.’
‘What?’Nel’s cheeks felt hot.She glanced over to the barbecue where thankfully Jimmy and Steve were still engrossed in conversation, oblivious.She lowered her voice.‘For god’s sake, Lauren, he’s like my brother.’
‘Yeah,’ a pause, ‘but he’s not your brother.’
‘We’re just friends,’ Nel said definitively.
‘Okay, okay.’Lauren raised her hands in mock surrender.‘Although you know what they say … The woman doth protest too much.’
‘It’sthe lady,’ Nel corrected her.‘And you’re being ridiculous.’
Lauren shrugged and turned her attention back to the champagne cork.Out of the corner of her eye, so that Lauren wouldn’t see, Nel looked back at Jimmy as he took a swig of his beer.He’d rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, his forearms tanned against the white linen.
She looked away quickly, feeling self-conscious.The truth was, shehadfelt something that night at the Grand when he’d stroked her hand.Even now when she thought of that moment again, a pleasant shiver rippled through her, but it was true what she’d told him that night.She wasn’t good at relationships.It probably wouldn’t work out.And it didn’t matter anyway.She was leaving, so what was the point?
Lauren popped the cork.‘Bubbles?’She was already filling Nel’s glass.Cath came outside and placed a salad bowl on the table.
‘Have a seat, Mum.’Lauren passed her a glass.
‘Thanks, darling.’
Poppy wandered out and hovered next to Lauren.
‘Mum, Grace is having some … people … around to her place tomorrow night to watch movies.Can I go?Please?It’s only three doors down the road and I’ll just be, like, lying on the couch at her place instead of here.Please?’
Nel could tell how desperately Poppy wanted to go and she found herself willing Lauren to say yes.
Lauren quizzed her daughter.‘People?Which people?’
‘Just friends,’ Poppy said vaguely.When Lauren frowned, she added, ‘Mainly girls … and a few boys.’She reeled off some names.
‘Howmanypeople?’
‘I think about four or five.’
‘Will parents be there?’
‘Yes.’
