Part 12 (2/2)

'Yes, that's fine.' I unzipped my bag and pulled out the bottle of rose wine I'd brought as a sweetener. I handed it to her. 'I got you this, Susan,' I said with a smile. 'I know it's one of your favourites.'

She took it from me, looking a bit taken aback, and when she spoke, her voice had softened a little. 'Oh, that was thoughtful of you. I was just going to make a meal. We can have it with that.'

'Better still, why don't you let me take you out to lunch as a thank-you for having me at short notice?' I suggested.

She smiled. 'Oh, thank you, Louise. That would be lovely. I'll get my coat.'

Over lunch I heard all about Karrie and Simon clearing off to Paris at Easter and leaving her literally holding the baby. I thought it was a bit thick of them but I decided to play it cool.

'Well, I know how you love little Peter so I don't suppose you minded,' I said.

We'd drunk a bottle of wine between us and it had loosened her inhibitions somewhat. She frowned.

'Of course I didn't mind having him,' she said. 'We had a lovely time together, the two of us. What I did mind was that Karen felt she had to manipulate me into it. If she'd asked outright I'd still have said yes.'

'Oh well, no doubt she had her reasons,' I said tactfully. 'And what about you? What have you been up to since I was here last?'

Her face clouded. 'Well, to tell the truth, dear, I've had a bit of a disappointment.'

'Over what?'

She looked up at me. 'Over a man actually.'

I raised an eyebrow at her. 'A man, eh? Well, you dark old horse, Susan.' I looked at her, my head on one side. 'So are you going to tell me about it?'

I got the whole story about the duplicitous Ted and his double life; about the lovely time she'd enjoyed with him only to discover his deception. When she'd finished pouring it all out to me, she looked up.

'I expect you think I'm a foolish old woman.'

I reached across the table to pat her hand. 'Of course I don't. The truth is, Susan, we women never seem to learn, do we?'

She sighed. 'I suppose not. The truth is I only ever loved one man and that was your father. I'm not used to the kind of games people play nowadays.'

'I met someone I used to be at drama school with,' I told her. 'He's in the same show and I thought we'd get together again. We spent Christmas together and he even asked me to move in with him. Just when I'd decided to say yes, he announced that he'd moved his sister and her two kids in.'

'Oh dear, why was that?' Susan looked concerned.

I shrugged. 'Search me. At a guess, I suppose he regretted asking me and moved them in to make things impossible.'

Susan shook her head. 'How devious of him. And now you have to see him every day work with him. How uncomfortable.'

'Oh, we're still friends,' I told her lightly. 'We have to be under the circ.u.mstances.'

The following morning, Susan went out to the supermarket. She'd asked me to go too but I fancied a lie-in, even though it was only on the sofa. Soon after she'd gone, I got up and made myself some toast and coffee. I was just about to get into the shower when the bell rang. I dragged on my dressing gown and went to answer it. Outside stood a tall, elderly man carrying a large bouquet of flowers. I guessed him to be the notorious Ted.

'Good morning,' I said frostily. 'Can I help you?'

He looked a bit taken aback. 'Oh is Susan Mrs Davies in?'

'No, she isn't,' I said. 'I'm Louise, her stepdaughter. I take it you are Ted.'

He nodded. 'That's right.'

'Well, I can tell you for nothing that you're wasting your time,' I told him. 'I've heard all about you. She wants nothing more to do with you and your devious ways so you can take your flowers and give them to the next gullible woman you pick up on the bus!' And with that I slammed the door in his astonished face.

When Susan arrived home I told her about Ted's visit. Her cheeks coloured.

'Oh. What did he say?'

I shrugged. 'Not a lot. I sent him on his way told him what he could do with his flowers.'

'Flowers?' she enquired weakly.

'Yes. He was carrying this enormous bunch of flowers. Daffodils and irises and those vulgar stripy pink things. I've always hated those, haven't you?'

'Tulips? No. I quite like them actually.' She was unpacking the shopping, her back to me. 'What else did he say?'

'Nothing. I didn't give him the chance,' I told her. 'I don't think he'll be bothering you again though. If he didn't get the message he must be thick!'

'I see.' She turned to me. 'I take it you were rude to him?'

'I only told him you didn't want any more to do with him.'

'Well, I wish you hadn't,' Susan said. 'I wish you'd told him I was out and left it at that.'

I stared at her. 'After what he did? You must be mad if you're even thinking of taking him back after that.'

'But it's my decision, isn't it?' To my astonishment, her eyes filled with tears and she fumbled in her sleeve for a handkerchief. 'What I told you was in confidence and in future, I'd be grateful if you'd mind your own business, Louise.'

'But you said you were really upset and ...' But she'd disappeared into her bedroom and closed the door firmly behind her. I sighed. Really! There was no pleasing some people.

The atmosphere was distinctly frosty after Ted's visit. Susan was distant hardly speaking to me, and the following afternoon, I decided to go and say h.e.l.lo to Karrie. When I announced my intention to Susan she seemed relieved.

'She should be home from school by four,' she said. 'But she usually picks up some shopping before coming home so I should give her another half-hour if I were you.'

I took myself off to the pictures after lunch, unable to stand Susan's glum face any longer. There was hardly anyone else in the multiplex and the film was mediocre. I came out feeling depressed. Maybe it hadn't been the best idea to come home after all. Even a visit to my bourgeois sister was preferable to going home to Susan. I took the bus to Sunnyside Drive and arrived at Karrie's soon after half past four. I rang the front doorbell and waited but no one came. I rang again still no reply. But Simon's car was in the drive so I knew that someone had to be at home. I walked round the side of the house and through the back gate. The kitchen looked out over the back garden and I took a peek through the window. What I saw gave me a start. There in the middle of the kitchen, Simon was embracing a blonde girl. She had her head on his shoulder and he was holding her close and murmuring in her ear. I jumped back before either of them spotted me. My G.o.d! Simon of all people. And that old cliche: the husband and the au pair! Poor Karrie! Did she even suspect? I tiptoed away as quietly as I could, closing the side gate behind me. Walking down the tree-lined avenue my head was in a whirl. Karrie and Simon. The perfect couple. Who'd have thought it?

I was almost at the end of the road when Karrie's little car came round the corner. She saw me at once and pulled into the kerbside, winding down the window.

'Louise. Mum said you were coming for a visit. Were you coming to see us?'

I opened the pa.s.senger door and climbed in. 'I've just been,' I told her. 'Karrie, I'm so sorry but I've got something to tell you.'

'To tell me?' She looked alarmed. 'What are you talking about? Is it Mum?'

'No, she's fine. Look, I don't quite know how to tell you this, but I've just called at yours. No one answered the door so I went round to the back. Karrie Simon was in the kitchen. He was kissing your au pair girl.'

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