‘So you thought it would be okay to step on me and Jennifer to get yourself out of a hole? Nice, Cassie. Good to see you haven’t changed.’
‘Woah.’ She raises her hands. ‘I only came over to introduce you to Lyle and buy you and Toby a drink, but I see you might have had a few too many already. I’ll leave you to it. No hard feelings on my part, okay?’
‘Unbelievable,’ I mutter.
She and her group move over to the bar, laughing and chattering – no doubt about me and how I need to lighten up. I’m so angry my hands are shaking.
‘One mushroom hotpot and one shepherd’s pie.’ Lucy’s teenage daughter has arrived with our food order and is placing it on the table. ‘Can I get you any condiments with that?’
Toby shakes his head. ‘No thanks.’
‘Okay, enjoy.’
‘What do you want to do?’ Toby asks carefully. ‘Shall I speak to her? Tell her that what she did was bang out of order?’
I shake my head. ‘No, leave it. It won’t make any difference anyway. She doesn’t think she’s done anything wrong.’ I suddenly realise this is one hundred per cent true, and always has been. That girl thinks she can do anything she likes no matter how it affects other people. She has zero empathy.
‘I’m so sorry,’ he says, leaning forward and taking my hands in his. ‘I was wrong to suggest coming out tonight. I’ve only made things worse. Do you want to go back home?’
I straighten up and look Toby in the eye. ‘And let her ruin our night out? No way. Anyway, this smells bloody lovely. Let’s just forget you-know-who and get back to enjoying ourselves.’
‘Sure?’
‘Yep. I’m so excited about our spa weekend!’
‘I love you, Mrs Johnson.’
‘Love you too.’
We start eating and I try to ignore Cassie and her cluster of friends at the bar. But it’s not easy. Her shrill laugh keeps cutting through our conversation, setting my teeth on edge. Why the hell did she have to come back to Shaftesbury now of all times? This is supposed to be a special week for me and Toby, but now it’s been tainted by her selfishness.
‘You sure you’re okay?’ Toby’s forehead creases with concern once again.
‘What? Yeah,’ I answer brightly. ‘Absolutely fine.’ But my earlier excitement at our impromptu night out has evaporated, replaced by a heavy feeling of dread. As if things are closing in on me. First Madeline, then Dina and now Cassie again. The past and the present converging. The sense that something disastrous is happening and yet I can’t quite figure out what it is.
Nineteen
NOW
I drop the children at school and stride into work, trying to banish the dull throbbing in my gut, telling myself that I’m being ridiculous. That there’s nothing to worry about. It’s probably just an anxiety hangover from Cassie’s appearance at the pub last night. I wish I could just erase her from my mind. The early-morning air is freezing, the sky white with snow clouds. I hope the weather holds off or our guests might not be able to make the party tomorrow.
I finally heard back from Madeline earlier this morning via text. It wasn’t exactly friendly, but it wasn’t rude either. Just perfunctory, telling me she’ll pick up the cake and party decorations as planned. Thank goodness for that – at least that’s one weight off my mind. Toby has written his speech, which he won’t let me hear before the party. I asked Dad if he might say a few words, but he said that public speaking wasn’t really his thing. I’m disappointed, but I have to agree with him – his speech on our wedding day was pretty basic. Just wishing us a long and happy life together. Which was lovely, but I think our guests were expecting a bit more – perhaps an anecdote or two. Luckily, Toby has arranged for his dad to say something at the party instead.
As I approach the salon, I slow my pace, that feeling of dread resurfacing. I realise it’s because I’m nervous about seeing Jennifer again after yesterday’s debacle with the magazine article. Thankfully, she’d calmed down by the end of the day, but I got the feeling that I still wasn’t her favourite person in the world. Which, in my opinion, was a little unfair, as Cassie shaftedmeas much as Jennifer. Anyway, I’m here now, so I may as well go in and get it over with. I arrive at the same time as Becky, who gives me a sympathetic look. But we aren’t given the opportunity to dissect yesterday’s disaster as Jennifer opens the door for us and ushers us in.
‘You girls okay this morning?’ she asks.
‘Bloody freezing,’ Becky replies.
‘Fine,’ I add, unable to gauge Jennifer’s mood.
‘Oh come here, you silly sausage.’ My boss opens her arms and gives me a hug laced with Dior. ‘I’m sorry I went off on you yesterday. Of course it wasn’t your fault, babe.’
‘Oh.’ I put a hand to my heart. ‘I’m so relieved, Jen. I really thought you blamed me.’
‘No, not you. That trampy little cow Cassie Barrington. If I ever see her again, I’ll…’ she tails off and laughs. ‘Anyway, I bought us all posh coffees and Danishes to banish the evil witch from our thoughts.’ She points to the reception desk. ‘Tadaaa!’
‘Yum.’ Becky grabs a coffee and a pastry and takes a huge bite.