Caro introduced her cousin Todd, and Jared, and they exchanged handshakes and hugs.
‘Thanks for taking care of her last week,’ Todd said to Cammy.
‘I was happy to do it,’ he replied, and the two of them shared a glance, a smile, a moment of mutual gratitude.
‘Right, that’s enough of the mushy stuff,’ Val interrupted. ‘Gents, you can either stay here tonight in a very civilised bar with all these very civilised people doing very civilised things, or you can come to my house, drink way too much, eat great food and let Josie teach you how to do the slosh. It’ll scar you for life but it’ll be worth it.’
‘I’m so up for that,’ Todd beamed.
‘Hell yes,’ Jared agreed.
Cammy felt a rush of relief.
‘Then I guess that’s what we’re doing. Caro?’
Instinctively, he held out his hand.
Instinctively, she took it.
‘Let’s go,’ she said, and Cammy knew. This was it. This was what it should feel like.
He squeezed her hand and followed the two couples in front of him, Val and Jared, Josie and Todd, each pair with their arms linked as they crossed the foyer.
‘You know that she wants him to go travelling with her,’ Todd whispered to Josie.
‘You know that he wants to go,’ Josie replied, and they danced to the door to the soundtrack of her infectious cackle.
Epilogue – Part 2
Bernadette and Lila
‘That woman has the best laugh I’ve ever heard,’ Nina giggled as a group passed their table in the foyer of the hotel.
Bernadette couldn’t reply as she was in mid-action.
‘Mum, if you start with the “Wheels On The Bus”, he’ll never let you stop,’ Nina warned. Bernadette was having too much fun to care.
This had been Stuart’s idea, coming out to a hotel to bring in the new year, rather than celebrating it separately or having it at home. Sarah had invited them to spend it with her and Piers and their families, but Bernadette had gratefully declined. It was time to be with her children and grandchildren and start a new tradition for their family. They’d arranged for a babysitter to take the little ones up to their room at 9 p.m., leaving the adults to enjoy the party that was taking place in the ballroom. Nina and Gerry, and Gerry’s parents, and his two brothers and their lovely wives, and Stuart and Connor, Bernadette and… Just Bernadette. She hadn’t yet got used to not saying his name in the same sentence, but it was still a blessed relief every time it dawned that she no longer had to.
It was amazing how quickly a lifetime together could be unravelled. He’d already had his lawyers send her the contracts to buy out her share of the house, just as Nina had demanded. She was a smart cookie, her girl. At first Bernadette had resisted, bending to his protests that it would completely wipe him out financially, but she’d finally signed this morning andsent them back. He’d just have to deal with losing his savings. Maybe there was justice in that. She’d lost years of her life to their marriage, now he’d lost his wife, his money, and according to Marge, there were rumours swirling as to his relationship with Lila. That kind of gossip could damage a pillar of the community.
Retribution wasn’t the reason Bernadette had forced him to give her what she was due. The deciding factor had been the cottage that was for sale, tucked away in a beautiful little cul-de-sac down by the river, roughly halfway between Sarah’s home and Nina’s, about ten minutes either way. She’d made an offer for it and it had been accepted. Her settlement would be enough to buy it and to have enough left over to enjoy life, to go on holiday, to have some new adventures. Sarah’s husband Piers, had already persuaded her to join them on a Caribbean cruise over Easter. She couldn’t wait.
The best thing about it was that she hadn’t had to ask Kenneth’s permission. All those years she’d been desperate to go on a cruise and he’d blocked her. No more.
She’d insisted that Nina invite him tonight so the kids could share the celebration with both parents, but he’d declined. Instead, he’d boarded a plane to New York, going a couple of days early for some big medical conference he’d been invited to. It was probably just as well. Stuart had told her that Kenneth was still apoplectic that he’d dropped medicine and was refusing to take his calls. He hadn’t even had a chance to tell him about Connor. Bernadette had invited them to Sarah’s for Christmas dinner and had a great night.
Kenneth had spent the day alone.
The man was a fool. Well, good luck to him. Bernadette could honestly say that she didn’t feel anger, or resentment or hostility.
She just felt free.
Fifteenth chorus of ‘Wheels on the Bus’ over, she headed to the ladies room, and Nina joined her at the mirrors. ‘I’ve never seen you look so great, Mum. You’re glowing. Makes me really happy.’ Bernadette knew she was right. Sarah had made her go to the hairdressers, have a couple of highlights added to her hair, tonight she had a bit of make-up on. But none of that was what really made the difference in how she looked. That was all down to happiness, pure and simple.
‘Thanks, my darling. If I’d have known it was going to feel this good, I’d have done it years ago,’ she said lightly.
‘I wish you had,’ Nina replied. ‘I really do. I hate the thought of him lying to you all those y—’
