What an absolute cow the woman was. Aware of what she had gone through – Sarah couldn’t imagine how anyone would survive losing a child – she felt bad for thinking it, but the fact was, she was unbelievable. It seemed as if she were deliberately trying to stir up trouble between Laura and Steve.
Thirty-Five
There actually weren’t that many guests: just a few neighbours, along with herself and Sherry, who seemed to be dominating the conversation with tales of her fashion assignments abroad. ‘Well, I said to Stella, that’s going to make headlines, but for all the wrong reasons,’ she was telling one of the mothers, who was doing her best to look fascinated while attempting to placate her little boy, Lucas, who was desperate for another go on the slide.
‘McCartney, and I doubt she’s ever met her, let alone talked to her,’ Laura whispered cynically as she headed past Sarah to take Lucas by the hand and lead him away. The mother smiled gratefully, but Sarah was sure she’d much rather Laura led Sherry away.
Laura really was good with children. Sarah watched as she chatted to the boy, bending down to his level and making him giggle before helping him onto the slide.
‘All right, Sarah?’ Steve asked, his expression cautious as he led Ollie across from the food table, which was laden with party snacks that would rival anything Mary Berry could produce. There were sausage rolls, slices of chicken terrine topped with leeks and apricot, star sandwiches – Sarah had had to hide a smile at those – and a variety of puddings, including an impressive Spider-Man birthday cake in the shape of a four. Laura really had worked hard. She was clearly desperate for Ollie’s party to go well.
‘Fine.’ She smiled, despite the strong words they’d had. The sun was shining. Ollie was happy. She was on her own, but things could be worse. ‘How are you two doing?’
‘Good, aren’t we, Ollie?’ Steve looked down at him, and then pseudo-despairingly back to Sarah. ‘He’s into the volcano cake.’
‘So I see.’ Sarah couldn’t help but laugh at her chocolate-coated child, who blinked innocently up at her as he attempted to lap the evidence from his cheeks. Laura had also made a towering chocolate sponge with molten toffee lava. It was a chocolate-dribbling disaster waiting to happen, but it was definitely a hit.
‘No Joe?’ Steve asked curiously.
Dropping her gaze, Sarah shook her head. ‘No, no Joe.’
‘He’s on duty,’ Ollie provided, pausing in his efforts to free his face of chocolate. ‘Catching all the baddies.’
‘Ah.’ Steve nodded. He was eyeing her narrowly when she looked back at him, though, as if he didn’t quite buy it. Her flushed cheeks were probably a bit of a giveaway that things in her garden weren’t all rosy.
‘We have a swimming pool too, of course.’ Sherry’s loud tones drifted across the lawn. ‘One does wonder how one would manage without one’s own pool in these hostile temperatures.’
Eyeing the sky, Steve smirked. ‘She thinks she’s in the tropics.’
‘Pity she isn’t,’ Laura growled, coming towards them after delivering Lucas back to his father. ‘Preferably the jungle, with another poisonous viper for company, or a big fat boa constrictor.’
Steve’s gaze flicked awkwardly from her to Sarah and back.
‘What’s a boa constrictor, Daddy?’ Ollie piped up.
‘Er …’ Steve knitted his brow. ‘It’s a kind of—’
‘In fact,’ Sherry interrupted, striding across to him, ‘why don’t you, little Ollie and Laura come over to us tomorrow? The pool’s just been cleaned and I’m sure Grant would love to—’
‘No,’ Laura said flatly.
Sherry’s eyes travelled in her direction. ‘But it seems silly not to make use of it, darling,’ she said. ‘You have a private swimming pool at your disposal, you might as well—’
‘Can we, Daddy?’ His face lit with excitement, Ollie tugged on Steve’s hand. ‘Can we?’
‘We could have Sunday lunch together.’ Oblivious to her daughter’s eyes drilling into her, Sherry continued talking to Steve. ‘Grant’s the cook in our house, of course, with my always being so busy, but—’
‘I saidno!’ Laura shouted, causing a hush to fall over the garden. ‘We’re busy. Tell her we’re busy, Steve.’ Her eyes were desperate. Sarah would swear the blood had drained from her face.
‘It’s only an invitation to lunch, Laura.’ Steve looked at her, perplexed. ‘We could just—’
‘We’re not going!’ Laura was adamant.
‘You’re drawing attention, darling,’ Sherry hissed, her smile tight as she moved bodily in front of her daughter, as if shielding her from their guests. Or their guests from her daughter? Sarah wasn’t sure which.
‘Laura …’ His expression fearful, Steve moved towards her, but Laura backed away. ‘Calm down,’ he said, clearly concerned. ‘It’s okay. We don’t have to—’
‘It’snotokay,’ Laura cried. She appeared to be gasping for breath.
