Remy pulled a face. ‘It’ll be that he can’t find the scissors or figure out how to put crisps in a bowl or some other life-altering dilemma that requires my input! Good job he’s handsome.’ She spoke with a love that even her sarcasm couldn’t disguise. Ashleigh felt a flash of envy, wondering what it might be like to share her life in this way. She dated, sporadically, but the disappointment of men who were never quite what she was looking for, never quite Archie, made her rather not bother. She was fifty, more than set in her ways, and with an understanding that it was to be the single life for her. The odd dinner, the company of men a nice diversion, but never more than that. Just as she now, with the glorious benefit of hindsight, understood how things with Guy might have started to shift after her wedding weekend, she also understood how the same was true of her life with Archie. She had found motherhood difficult; dogged by self-doubt, she had retreated, distracted herself with being busy and never looking up. It meant not having to deal with the disintegration of her marriage, which was staring her in the face. Instead she simply painted on a smile and waited for the axe to fall, as if believing it was almost inevitable, the punishment she deserved. Another consequence of that damned stunt that Remy had pulled, leaving her feeling like a passenger rather than the captain of her ship. Steered this way and that since her sister had leaned in and told her,‘Don’t say anything! It’s done! I did it for you. I love you, Ash ... No one will ever know, and that’s all that matters!’
But she knew.
She had always known.
‘Don’t know whyIhave to come!’ She had planned to take a shower and then spend time putting her make-up on.
‘Ren! Ash!’ he called a little more forcefully now.
‘For the love of God, we’re coming!’ Remy adjusted her glasses and Ashleigh reluctantly put hers on.
‘How do I look?’ Ashleigh posed in the shades and sucked her cheeks in.
‘Marvellous, little dove, absolutely marvellous!’
Remy
Remy loved having her sister under her roof. Things between them had been so much nicer since Archie had upended their lives, and Ashleigh had, in the immediate aftermath, spent a week living in Sophie’s room at their old house, while Sophie bunked on the floor with Harper, and Evie slept on the floor in Bertie’s room. All those years ago now, it had been quite glorious, one big, happy family! Eating together, as they shared tales of their childhood, growing closer in a way that was just wonderful. And occasional weekends thereafter spent in each other’s company, laughing over the silliest things, and never able to order KFC without announcing,‘Thank you, yes. I’d like some chicken, please!’before falling apart. There had been a family holiday to Cornwall, birthdays, Christmases, graduations, Mother’s Days and Easter weekends too numerous to mention, but which were the building blocks for a lovely future. The dream. It gave her an enormous sense of peace, to have some of their closeness restored, part of her joy rooted in how happy her parents were whenever theirgirlswere together.
‘Midge, where are you?’ Remy now shouted as she made her way down the stairs with Ashleigh close behind. She was excited about the gathering. Nothing formal, just family, a decent chocolate cake and a bit of a boogie in the kitchen. Perfect. Her husband stood by the sink in the square kitchen of their lovely little cottage, their haven, the house of their dreams on the outskirts of Amesbury. They had lived here for nearly six years now, and shecouldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Not that it had been easy to walk away from their old house, which held so many memories, but it had been time. The cottage had felt like home the moment they walked in. The garden was private, the light on the blond wood floors warmed her soul, and the pretty front door with the half-timbered porch a design she had always dreamed of.
‘What’s up?’ she asked her handsome husband, who stood with his arms folded across his chest, his expression hard to read.
‘I’m afraid you’ve got some early guests.’ He nodded towards the sitting room.
She turned to her sister. ‘Bloody Mum and Dad! Itoldyou!’ Her complaint was wrapped in affection, aware that it was their special day too: fifty years since she and Ashleigh had been plonked in their arms.
Walking ahead, she set foot in the sitting room and couldn’t help the scream that left her throat! She jumped up and down on the spot and felt quite light-headed, to the point where she thought she might fall over.
‘No! No way! Oh my God!’ Her tears were automatic. A visceral reaction of love, loss and relief all rolled into one.
Ashleigh too started to cry, as one of the early guests ran forward and caught Remy in his arms, lifting her clean off the ground.
‘Tony!’ She held him tightly, eyes shut, letting the realisation sink in. Her very best friend was here, all the way from Sydney. He washere! In her house!‘Tony!’ She hardly dared let go and look at him in case he disappeared. ‘I can’t believe it!’
‘Hello, darling.’ His emotion matched her own.
Finally he put her on the ground, and she stared at the face she had known so well. He had aged, a little, of course, but was still the same twinkly-eyed, kind man she had always loved. His tan was enviable, his hair styled, although with a lot less hairspray than he had once favoured. The years melted away:he was here, hermarvellous friend ...the touch, scent and sight of him enough to take her back to a time when they had been inseparable and the thought of not seeing him would make her so miserable!
‘I can’t believe it!’ was all she could repeat. ‘I just can’t believe it!’
‘Hey, Ash!’ Remy watched as he hugged her sister too, still quite unable to accept that he was actuallyhere!She turned to smile at Midge, who looked just as swept up in the high energy of the minute. ‘This is Raul!’ Tony pulled away and pointed to his handsome other half, who held out his hand, which she rejected, pulling him in too for a hug.
‘Raul!’ They had of course only previously met via Skype.
‘Love the glasses!’ Raul pointed at her face.
‘She’s making us wear them.’ Ashleigh laughed, quickly removing hers. Remy followed suit, having quite forgotten they were there.
‘When was the last time you were all together?’ Midge asked, his face split with the satisfied smile of one who had pulled off a master surprise!
‘Too long,’ she managed. ‘Tony, I can’t believe it!’
‘Okay, you have to stop saying that!’ He tutted. ‘Believeit – I’m here! Midge and I have been plotting and planning for months!’
‘Midge! I never suspected a thing.’ She beamed, full of love for her man, who would know how much this meant to her.
‘It’s not been easy keeping it a secret, you have no idea how many times I nearly let the cat out of the bag! We were even on a call once and you walked in. I had to say, “Okay, mate, speak soon!” And end the call!’
