‘It’s obviously popular,’ remarked Bunty as she and Perry entered the Town Hall along with the gathering crowd. They were quietly ushered to their seats and waited with bated breath for the performance to commence.
As Perry suspected, the play was a huge success, with the gut-busting, relentlessly funny two-hander that the audience loved. Bunty couldn’t stop giggling all the way through it. After arapturous applause from the theatre, they trundled out onto the high street again.
‘Where do you fancy eating?’ asked Perry, glancing across the road at the many eateries.
‘Italian?’ replied Bunty, noticing a rather charming restaurant lit up invitingly on the corner.
‘The Italian Bistro. That looks cosy.’ They crossed the road to enter it.
After pizza and a bottle of wine, they decided to call a taxi to drive them back to the marina. It was getting dark and they didn’t fancy the walk back. It had been a lovely, eventful day, but they were now tired and in need of a sleep. Their floating bedchamber was calling.
Bunty made them cocoa before snuggling into bed. As night fell, a calmness surrounded the still water of the canal, while all the boats gently rocked their occupants into a deep slumber.
Tara was not sleeping well. The following day would bring the court hearing. Her mind spun with every scenario imaginable. What would the District Judge decide? How would Richard react? Anxiety was starting to build, making her chest tighten. She knew the stress symptoms well, having suffered with them for some time, thanks to her ex-husband.
Forcing herself to take deep, steady breaths, Tara willed her body to regulate naturally. God help her at the hearing if she was in this state now, she thought with dread. Then she remembered Claire’s words of assurance, telling her she was by her side, fighting her corner. Of course she was – and nobody better than Claire to do so. If anyone was capable of representing her and gaining what she was owed, it had to be the best friend who knewevery trick in the book and loophole Richard may contrive. Why had she not listened to her in the first place? Because she’d been too weak and weary, that’s why. Not any more. Although wary of the repercussions, Tara was absolutely staunch in her quest to seek what was rightfully hers and Calum’s.
She had Jack as moral support too. It was a comfort to know he’d be there and she didn’t have to arrive at court alone. In fact, Jack had offered to drive and promised her lunch afterwards, in an attempt to make the day less daunting.
Thinking about Jack helped calm her down. He was proving to be a real rock. He was also bonding with Calum, which she had mixed feelings over. Whilst glad the two liked each other, it also worried Tara that Calum may become too attached. What if it all went disastrously wrong? But, alternatively, what was she supposed to do? Never see anyone and live like a nun?
Thinking about moral support, she wondered if Richard would be coming to court with Melissa, or if he was going to show up solo. Tara was actually beginning to doubt if Melissa even knew about the court case. She wouldn’t put it past him to keep shtum in the vain hope of sorting it all out quietly without her knowledge. He was a fool if so, because if Claire managed to get what they were applying for, Melissa would most definitely have to be put in the picture. It would mean a change in her and Richard’s lifestyle for sure.
She looked at the bedside clock. It was well past midnight. Sighing, she rolled over and closed her eyes, desperate to get some sleep.
