Changing Places (12 page)

‘I’d like that.’ Rachel had always been jealous of Jill and Anna’s weekly lunch dates. She’d imagined them talking about important things in very glamorous
cafés.

‘What time is your appointment?’ Jill asked.

‘Two.’

‘Good, we won’t be too rushed.’

A sullen-looking waiter, chewing gum, leaned across her to clear the table. ‘What can I get ya?’

‘A tuna salad and a mineral water, please,’ Rachel said.

Jill ran her eye down the menu and then shut it with a snap. ‘Chicken curry and grapefruit juice, please.’

‘Grapefruit juice?’ Rachel stared at her.

‘It’s my new diet. You have grapefruit with every meal. It burns off all the fat in the food and you lose weight.’

‘Then why not have egg and chips and grapefruit juice?’

Jill made a face. ‘Don’t be smart. This one’s going to work, you mark my words.’

Rachel shook her head. Being thin wouldn’t suit her voluptuous, attractive cousin. Her ample curves suited her wide smile, dark flashing eyes and mane of black hair. She had a presence and
a style that most women would kill for, but Jill still wanted to be thin. Or maybe she was just addicted to diets. ‘What happened to the Neander-Thin diet?’

Jill waved a dismissive hand. ‘Impossible with my lifestyle. You weren’t allowed any processed foods and, like, I live on the stuff! Show me the woman who goes home after a long day
at the office and eats fresh pasta and vegetables and I’ll show you a liar.’

‘Or someone with their own private chef,’ Rachel commented.

‘That’s it, you know!’ Jill nodded enthusiastically. ‘I need to get rich to get thin. If I had someone to prepare tasty, low-calorie dishes for me, I’d be a size
ten in no time.’

‘Is Andy a good cook?’

Jill grinned. ‘No idea. We don’t usually have time to eat.’

‘He’s still around then?’

‘He’s still around – for the moment.’

‘Oh Jill, you’re a terrible woman.’

‘Why?’

‘You just don’t give men a chance.’

‘Rubbish!’

‘It’s true. I mean, what about Dermot? He was lovely.’

‘He was a mummy’s boy.’

‘Okay, then – Ollie. What was wrong with him?’

‘Golf bore.’

Rachel shook her head. ‘You know you’re looking for a man that doesn’t exist, don’t you? Nobody’s perfect.’

‘I’m not looking for perfection,’ Jill said, her eyes lighting up as the waiter approached with their lunch. ‘Just a good body, white teeth, a decent line in conversation
and a big bank balance.’

‘As if you need a man with money, with your high-powered job and flashy car.’ Rachel scoffed.

‘I don’t, but I don’t want a sponger either.’

‘Like I say, you’re impossible to please.’

Jill tucked cheerfully into her curry. ‘Choosy maybe, impossible no. Anyway, enough about me. How far along are you now?’

‘Twelve weeks.’

‘Wow, that’s a milestone, isn’t it?’

‘Yes. The chances of miscarriage are much lower once you get past the first trimester.’

‘That’s wonderful. Rache, you must be delighted.’

Rachel nodded as she picked the diced cucumber from her salad.

‘And what about Gary – is he all excited?’

‘He’s happy.’ Rachel didn’t look at her cousin. After his initial excitement wore off, Gary’s reaction had been rather disappointing. He wasn’t as sympathetic
as he’d been when she was pregnant with Alex and he was still working ridiculously long hours even though she’d complained of tiredness and asked him for more help with their son.

‘And?’

Rachel looked up to see Jill studying her. ‘And nothing. I’m just a bit fed up. I feel so fat and frumpy.’

‘You don’t look it.’

‘Yes, I do, don’t lie to me. Have you seen Anna at all?’ She decided it was best to change the subject before she told Jill to feck off and stop patronizing her.

‘No, she seems to be very busy in work.’

‘Isn’t she always? She was supposed to have Alex over to stay one night, but of course it didn’t happen.’

Jill frowned. ‘You know she’d never let Alex down without a very good reason.’

‘I suppose.’ Rachel pushed away her salad and looked longingly at Jill’s curry.

‘Any word from your folks?’

Rachel brightened. ‘I got a postcard yesterday from Venice. They were planning to move on today but Mam’s feeling a bit under the weather so they’re going to stay on for a few
days.’

Jill rolled her eyes dramatically. ‘Oh God, imagine being stuck in Venice! Wouldn’t your heart go out to them?’

Rachel laughed. ‘Mam doesn’t seem that keen on the place. She says it’s smelly.’

‘I think I could live with it. Have you thought any more about going out to see them with Alex when school breaks up?’

‘Yes, but he’s got such a busy summer lined up, what with soccer camp and everything, I’m not sure when I could organize it.’

‘Try,’ Jill urged her. ‘It would do you the world of good and your mam and dad would love to see you.’

‘I suppose.’ Rachel’s smile was vacant. She’d lost interest in the idea of going abroad. The thought of travelling with a young child and a large bump wasn’t very
appealing. And she was nervous about leaving Gary – God only knew what he’d get up to in her absence. She’d love to talk to Jill about Gary but if she put it into words, said it
out loud – well, then it would be real. Much better to say nothing and get on with it. Things would work out, especially when the baby arrived. She was not going to mention any of her
suspicions to Jill; she was probably blowing things out of proportion, just the way she always did. To make sure her resolve didn’t weaken – Jill was so kind and such a good listener
– Rachel changed the subject yet again.

‘How’s the job going?’

Jill looked faintly surprised. ‘Fine.’

‘Did you sort out that fella who’s after your job? Vinny, wasn’t it?’

‘Yeah, Vinny Gray.’

‘He sounds like that gangster.’

‘The Kray twins.’ Jill winced. ‘God, I don’t think the world could handle it if Vinny had a twin brother. He’s a right little shit but clever with it,
unfortunately.’

‘Still, once you do your job well that’s all that matters.’

‘Maybe,’ Jill nodded, thinking how naïve her cousin was. Rachel had no idea how cut-throat office life could be. ‘At least Sue, that’s my boss, is no fool. I’m
sure she sees right through him.’

‘There you go then. You’ve nothing to worry about.’

‘No,’ Jill agreed, although she didn’t believe it.

She had always felt so confident, so sure of her ability, but lately she was beginning to doubt herself and it was all because of Vinny Gray. Not because of the sponsorship deal he’d come
up with for the lingerie company – anyone could get lucky – but because she’d just found out that Sue Boyle had headhunted him from their biggest competitor and that had made her
nervous.

When Jill first started in this business, she knew that she’d found the perfect job. It was immediately obvious to her and everyone else that she had a knack for it. She was usually able
to come up with quirky ideas and, where possible, she tried to incorporate humour. Sue Boyle had recognized and nurtured Jill’s talent, and her rise through the company’s ranks had been
meteoric. Now, Jill had some competition in the shape of Vinny Gray, and she’d have to really pull the stops out if she didn’t want to see him being promoted above her. The thought made
her feel slightly ill.

‘Are you having dessert?’ Rachel had snatched the menu that the waiter had handed her when he returned for their plates.

Feeling decidedly depressed now, Jill nodded. ‘I’ll have the tiramisu with some ice-cream.’

Rachel beamed. ‘And I’ll have the chocolate cheesecake.’ She called the waiter and they gave their order. ‘And a latte, please.’

He turned to Jill. ‘Tea or coffee?’

‘Another grapefruit juice,’ Jill told him. ‘Make it a large one.’

As her sister and cousin indulged themselves, Anna was making her way home. Val had taken a message from Liam asking her to meet him there. The dirty devil! It was a while
since they’d nipped home at lunchtime for a bit of rumpy-pumpy. Anna stopped off at the deli in the village for some sandwiches and a punnet of strawberries – had to keep their strength
up, after all!

‘I’m home,’ she called as she breezed in and dumped the bags in the kitchen. ‘Yoo-hoo, Liam.’ She headed for the stairs, unbuttoning her shirt as she went.

‘In here,’ Liam called from the sitting room and she turned to come back down, a smile on her face.

‘So this is where you are.’ She posed in the doorway and smiled seductively. ‘I hope you’re feeling peckish.’

‘Sit down,’ Liam said, his voice faint.

Anna dropped the pose and noticed for the first time that her husband’s eyes were red and swollen and his face ashen. ‘Liam, what is it?’ She hurried to his side. ‘Is it
your mother?’

He shook his head.

‘Then what? For God’s sake, tell me what’s happened!’

Liam gulped and grasped her hands in his. ‘I’ve lost my job.’

It took nearly an hour for Anna to get the full story out of him. All the clandestine meetings that Liam had assumed were a prerequisite to his promotion had actually been to
discuss how they were going to rescue the company, for Patterson’s was suddenly in a lot of trouble.

‘They lost the Drayson order and another customer is going into receivership. Patterson’s would have gone to the wall too unless they took radical action.’

‘So they fired you?’ Anna exploded. ‘But they need you! If they’re going to ride this out, they need strong management.’

Liam’s smile was resigned. ‘Apparently I’m too expensive. Frank Boylan has taken early retirement, Greg Dunne and I have been made redundant and Ted is going to run
things.’

‘What about Phil?’

Liam’s eyes hardened. ‘He’s staying. You know he knew all about it? I can’t believe the bastard didn’t warn me. And I thought he was a mate.’

‘They can’t do this, Liam, they just can’t!’

‘They’ve done it, Anna. That old bastard has been stringing me along. He must have been thinking about this for a while. Bloody Sarah probably knew too – she does all his
typing.’

‘It’s unfair dismissal, we’ll sue them.’

Liam shook his head, his eyes weary. ‘It’s not dismissal, it’s redundancy. I would only have a case if they replaced me.’

‘Ted can’t possibly run it on his own.’

Liam closed his eyes and said nothing.

Anna took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. He was in a bad enough state without her losing it. ‘It’s going to be okay, darling, I promise. You’ll walk into another
job. With your qualifications and experience, companies will be queuing up to hire you. You’ll probably get an even better job.’

Anna sat for ages, clinging to his hand and comforting him, but she felt as if someone had kicked her in the stomach. If one thing in their life had seemed secure, it was Liam’s career. He
had known from an early age that he’d wanted to go on to college and study engineering – Josie told everyone how hard he’d worked and how he’d always been at the top of his
class. After college, he’d worked as a supervisor in a small company before securing a job as Line Manager in Ted Patterson’s company, specialists in switches and connectors. He was
only twenty-three and Josie had been delirious.

After a while, Anna rang the office and told Val she wouldn’t be back in that afternoon. ‘Bit of a family crisis.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry, love. Nobody’s sick, I hope?’

‘No, Val. I’ll fill you in tomorrow,’ Anna promised and rang off. Then she dragged Liam down to the pub and poured several pints into him. As the alcohol started to take
effect, Liam came out of his stunned stupor and began to talk about their future. As he went on about the possibilities and the types of business he’d like to get into, Anna felt herself
relax. This was more like it. This was the Liam she knew. Not the devastated tearstained man that she’d walked in on at lunchtime. Liam would very quickly find himself a new job, a better
job. They would get through this; she would do everything she could to help him. And then when they came out the other side, they could concentrate on starting their family.

‘I won’t be home for dinner,’ Gary said over his shoulder as he wrestled with his tie in front of the mirror.

From her position in the bed, Rachel barely reacted. Gary was rarely home for dinner. ‘Fine. I’ll have something with Alex.’ Rachel thought she’d pick up a pizza for them
both. She didn’t have the energy to even consider cooking.

‘It’s an important meeting, I can’t get out of it.’

‘It’s okay, Gary, I understand.’ She managed a smile.

‘Good.’ He bent to kiss her forehead and was gone.

Rachel lay back on the pillows and tried to remember when Gary had last kissed her on the lips, properly, deeply, passionately. She gave up, pulling the sheet up to her chin and closing her
eyes. Now that Alex was going to school with his friend, Rachel could go back to bed in the mornings. She hadn’t felt this weary on her first pregnancy, but then when she was expecting Alex
she’d been excited at the thought of becoming a mother. This time there was no excitement. Rachel felt riddled with guilt as she stroked her small bump. God only knew how this poor child
would turn out. Before it was even born, it had a lousy mother. Rachel felt the tears well up but swallowed hard and sat up. Crying wasn’t going to do her or her baby any good. And
she’d felt awful the other day when Alex caught her at it.

He’d wandered into the kitchen looking for a snack and discovered her weeping over the potato peelings. Running to her, he’d wrapped his skinny little arms around her. ‘Please
don’t cry, Mummy, I hate it when you cry.’

Rachel got up, put on her dressing-gown and went down to the computer. Once she’d signed in to
MumSpeak
, she went to the mums-to-be section on the discussion board and started to
type, not giving herself time to think about what she was doing or why. The anonymity of the service allowed her to be a lot more forthcoming than she would ever be with Jill, and it seemed to be
the same for many of the other mothers. There were topics on this website that you’d never hear discussed at a mother and baby session, that’s for sure. She typed quickly and when she
was finished, read it back once.