‘Nothing much to tell, sorry.’
‘Parents gone, no siblings.’
‘I wanted a fresh start. Cranley is just what I needed.’
Angela halted. ‘Jinnie, give the poor woman some air. We’ll catch you up.’
Beth looked down at the buggy. In the time it had taken them to reach the café, both babies had drifted off. Ruairi twitched slightly; Dahlia blew a tiny milk bubble.
‘Beth, Jinnie doesn’t know all about Luke,’ Angela said softly. ‘It’s not my place to share that stuff.’
Beth nodded. ‘Thanks, Angela. I appreciate that.’ She gave Angela a hug before they followed Jinnie inside.
‘Ladies, have I got news for you!’ Janette pushed aside her half-eaten steak bake and clapped her hands with glee.
‘Janette, you promised to keep this under your hat.’ Jo mimed zipping her mouth.
‘Ach, it’ll be all over the showbiz news soon enough. Harvey’s just landed himself a part in a Hollywood blockbuster!’
Beth, Angela and Jinnie gasped in unison. Jo, however, made a ‘calm down’ gesture. ‘That’s stretching it a bit, ladies. He’s got a minor role as a sidekick to that actor who seems to be in everything these days. Damn it, what’s his name?’ Jo scrolled through her phone, turning it to face her captive audience.
‘Bloody hell,’ declared Jinnie. ‘That’s Pedro Pascal! Ooh, I loved him inThe Last of Us.Even if I sobbed when he?—’
‘Stop!’ said Beth. ‘I haven’t seen it yet.’ Not entirely true. She’d watched an episode with Diana and ended up switching to a cute romcom. Too gruesome. Although Beth and Diana had agreed Pedro was very easy on the eye.
After a few minutes of excited chatter about Harvey’s step up the acting ladder, they placed their orders and sat down.
Beth looked at her two newish friends. Nice people, leading happy lives. Well, she assumed they were. People hid things all the time. Like the small matter of a genie in the basement: not something you casually brought up over coffee and cake. But she could tell Jinnie about Luke.
‘I’m married, Jinnie.’ She looked at Angela, who gave a barely perceptible nod. ‘Angela already knows. We’re not together, which is probably stating the obvious. The reason we’re not together is difficult to talk about.’
Jinnie reached out and squeezed Beth’s hand. ‘Then don’t talk about it. Sorry about the grilling earlier. Sam tells me I’m too nosy for my own good.’
‘Nosy is just another word for curious.’ Beth smiled just as Dahlia woke. Her serene features transformed into a full-blown scowl of anguish.
‘Oh, so sorry.’ Jinnie rummaged in her bag, located a scarf and draped it around her. ‘She needs feeding, but my milk supply’s been rubbish. And she won’t latch on, then when she does, it hurts.’
To prove the point, Jinnie winced as Dahlia engaged and then squirmed away. ‘Oh, help. Now I’m leaking. How embarrassing. Excuse me.’ Jinnie plonked a now-apoplectic Dahlia back in the buggy and ran to the toilets. Roused from his slumber, Ruairi joined in.
‘Bet you wish you’d stayed in bed,’ sighed Angela, unstrapping her son. ‘This one’s bottle-fed, so I’ll get Jo to warm it up if you could maybe hold Dahlia for a second.’
Beth looked at Angela in horror.Surely she doesn’t expect me to take charge.
Dahlia’s cries grew louder. A couple in the corner tut-tutted, and Jo made her way over.
You can do this, Beth.
Gigi. The voice in her head. Often irritating and unwanted, but now it soothed her. Shecoulddo this.
‘Come on, little one.’ Beth eased Dahlia free and pulled her close to her chest. The warmth, the smell, the sheer fragility of her cracked something in Beth’s heart. A tiny person, trusting in her to provide comfort. ‘There, there. No more tears. You’re safe.’
Dahlia’s sniffles subsided. Beth hugged her closer. Everything around her faded away. She’d woken this morning broken by a dream. But this was reality, and it hadn’t broken her.
‘Beth, thank you!’ Jinnie reappeared, gratitude etched on her face. ‘Look at her. You have the magic touch.’
Beth passed Dahlia back to her mum. ‘There’s no magic involved. You have a beautiful daughter, and that’s something…’
It felt as if the entire café paused. A freeze-frame moment. ‘That’s something to treasure. And if you ever need a babysitter, call me.’
