City Lives (47 page)

‘I don’t think so, Marcy. I’ve thought about this long and hard. I need to give the time to my kids instead of brushing them off and telling them to be quiet. It’s wrong.
I’m a mother first and a writer second.’

‘I’m disappointed to hear you say that,’ Marcy said regretfully. ‘You’re making great strides in your writing career. Your sales are excellent. The only way you can
go is up. When you leave Enterprise, of course,’ she added acerbically.

‘The only “up” place I’ll be going is to the Golden Gates if I don’t quit this stress and get a life, Marcy.’ Maggie laughed. ‘I’ll keep in
touch.’

‘Do that,’ said her ex-editor glumly.

Maggie smiled as she typed in the last quotation marks and full stop. She was finished. Finally finished. Enterprise could go whistle for their next one. Although, knowing them, they’d
threaten to sue it out of her. Well, they could try, she thought grimly, as she saved her work and began to print out.

This year was for her children. If she could fit in a few pages every day, fine. If she couldn’t, tough.

Alma Al Shariff slipped into the dress that she’d worn to that awful party at Devlin’s. It was a pity about the bad memories. But the dress was stunning and she
needed to strut her stuff tonight at the college dance. Sulaiman had told her on the plane to New York that he was going to divorce her. He had said it simply and plainly, ‘I’m going to
divorce you,’ and then he had picked up his paper and ignored her for the rest of the long-haul flight. Fortunately Mrs Ling and the children had been in the opposite row. They hadn’t
heard the pronouncement.

It was essential that Alma meet a new man in the next couple of weeks. A new rich man with all his faculties in order. If he couldn’t perform, bye bye. Celibacy was not her thing. Nor was
being on her own with hardly any money, which was what would happen once Sulaiman divorced her. Alma sighed deeply. She was scared . . . very scared. But she could never let that show. Neediness
and fear made men run very fast . . . in the opposite direction. So tonight she was operating on all thrusters. Alma raised her chin, stuck out her boobs, made sure the slit in her skirt was
straight against her thigh and prepared to make her entrance.

Sulaiman Al Shariff downed another whiskey as he waited for his wife to finish preening so they could go to the goddamn faculty party. He was not enjoying America. The pace of
life was too fast. The competition was fierce and much was expected of one. He longed to be under the stars in the desert, happy in his own little world. But he would never be happy again. Alma had
seen to that. After the divorce came through he’d have to go home to Pakistan so that his mother and sister could look after his children. That would be a big upheaval, one thing in life that
Sulaiman hated.

The year ahead couldn’t possibly be worse than the one that was ending tonight, he mused.

That had been the mother of all years.

Galway City Girl was buzzing. Devlin was hosting the party of parties, a huge luncheon to celebrate the grand opening of the first City Girl health farm. On time and just
slightly over budget.

The rich, the famous, the movers and shakers had been invited by the PR firm Caroline had chosen to promote the new complex. A pianist played soft music. Waitresses moved between guests,
offering selections of delicious canapés. Sun spilled through shining windows over the polished wooden floors. The bay windows overlooked a frothy blue sea. Guests stood mesmerized by the
views.

Champagne flowed.

‘Congratulations, Devlin. It’s beautiful. The building is magnificent.’ Maggie hugged her friend warmly. ‘I wish you the very best of luck with it. You and Caroline have
done a brilliant job.’

‘Thanks, Maggie.’ Devlin hugged her back. ‘I’m chuffed with it. It’s turned out better than I ever expected. Talking of Caroline, where is she?’ Devlin
scanned the huge throng but couldn’t see her friend.

‘She’s out there.’ Maggie grinned. ‘With your landscaper. Look.’ She nodded towards the window. Outside, Caroline was looking at something in a bed of daffodils
that Matthew was pointing out to her. She was laughing.

‘There’s something going on there,’ Maggie declared.

‘What? Caroline and Matthew?’ Devlin’s jaw dropped.

‘Have you not noticed them together? They’re very comfortable with each other. They seem to have a great bond. She’s very happy in his company,’ Maggie observed.

‘Good Lord!’ Devlin had been so engrossed in sorting out the last-minute hiccups and overseeing everything, she hadn’t really been taking much notice.

She felt a moment of pique. Matthew was
her
fantasy.
Her
little flirtation. And Caroline had swiped him. She saw Matthew smiling down at her friend and felt ashamed of her
childishness. How could she be so mean? It probably went back to the days of their youth when Devlin could have had any man she wanted and Caroline had never had a boyfriend. Now Caroline had
turned the tables on her in the strangest way. It was going to take a little getting used to.

‘Just what she needs,’ Maggie said firmly, mistaking the reason for Devlin’s frown. ‘I’ve never seen her looking so well and so healthy. They go for a lot of walks
together, she told me.’

‘She never said anything to me.’ Devlin was a tad put out to have missed out on this. ‘But then I suppose we’ve been so up to our eyes every time I come to Galway we
haven’t really had a chance to have a heart-to-heart. I haven’t been down as much in the last few weeks, because of my sciatic nerve. It’s killing me.’

‘You poor old thing. There’s nothing worse than that pain.’ Maggie patted her friend’s bump.

‘It won’t be long now, another couple of weeks. I won’t be sorry when it’s all over.’ Devlin sighed. ‘I feel as if I’ve been pregnant for ever. I
suppose I’d better go and put myself about and charm the pants off potential guests. He made a great job of the grounds, didn’t he?’ Devlin said, looking out at the vista of
daffodils, heathers and snowdrops and crocuses that graced the garden.

‘It’s paradise.’ Maggie sighed wistfully. She’d love to spend a week here.

‘Yes it is,’ Devlin agreed. ‘Oh Lord.’ She groaned. ‘Here’s that awful woman from that ghastly newspaper. I’d better go and be nice to her. I’m
really looking forward to our dinner tonight.’

‘Me too,’ Maggie said. ‘Dinner at Caroline’s will be the perfect end to a perfect day. Is Luke staying over?’

Devlin laughed. ‘He is not, he said he wouldn’t dare sit in on our dinner tonight. Especially when we haven’t been together for ages. If you don’t mind I’ll go home
with you tomorrow.’

‘Lovely, so it’s just going to be the three of us. A good old girlie night. My favourite! Go be nice,’ Maggie joked and didn’t envy Devlin in the slightest as she went to
greet the journalist.

She’d be talking to journalists too soon for her liking.
Betrayal
was scheduled for an autumn publication. She’d have to grit her teeth and do her interviews and then see
them describe her novel in print as ‘trashy’, ‘pulp fiction’, ‘bonkbuster’, without even having read it. The joys of it all, she thought wryly, as she sipped her
champagne and gazed out to sea. Still, her attic was converted. She had a room of her own. It had its compensations.

Outside, Caroline drew a deep breath of satisfaction as she looked at the façade of the beautiful building that housed the new health farm.

‘It looks good, doesn’t it?’ She turned to Matthew.

‘It’s a fine building. Devlin should be proud. And you too.’ He looked very handsome in his suit, such a change from his familiar jeans.

‘Aren’t you going in to hobnob with the rich and famous?’ he asked.

‘I know I should. It’s much more peaceful out here.’ Caroline smiled.

‘I suppose you’ll go home to Dublin now that it’s all set up,’ he said casually.

Caroline was silent for a moment, then she said quietly, ‘I was thinking that I’d like to live here permanently. I was thinking of buying a place of my own actually. I really like
Galway. I’m happy here.’

‘Are you, now? That’s good, Caroline. We’ll get plenty of walks done, so.’ Matthew smiled down at her.

Caroline smiled back. ‘Plenty,’ she agreed.

The candles were lit, the scenters fragranced the air. The smell of roast lamb and rosemary permeated the kitchen.

Devlin, Maggie and Caroline were in their towelling robes. The three of them had had a massage to ease away the stresses and strains of the lunch do. It had been after six thirty when they left
City Girl. Caroline had insisted they get changed.

‘It’s a relaxing girls’ night. What could be more relaxing than sitting in our robes?’ she declared, kicking off her high heels the minute she got in the door. The other
two followed her example, needing no second urging.

‘I’m having a glass of wine tonight, to celebrate.’ Devlin patted her tummy. ‘The first of my pregnancy. I don’t think that’s too bad.’ She and Maggie
were lounging on the sofa as Caroline put the finishing touches to the meal.

‘It’s fine. One glass won’t do any harm,’ Maggie assured her. ‘And if anyone deserves to celebrate you do.’

‘I think we all have something to celebrate,’ Caroline said as she carried a tureen of steaming home-made potato soup to the table. ‘I made this because I know it’s your
favourite,’ she said to Devlin.

‘That’s my pal.’ Devlin grinned as she sat down at the table. ‘Are you celebrating something other than the birth of our latest venture?’ She arched an eyebrow in
Caroline’s direction.

‘Yes,’ Caroline said firmly. ‘I’ve made a decision about my life which I think is cause for celebration for me.’

‘What?’ Maggie and Devlin asked simultaneously.

‘I’m staying here, in Galway. If that’s OK with you?’ she said as she ladled the soup into bowls.

‘It’s fine. But do you mean for good?’ Devlin was a bit taken aback.

‘I’m going to buy a place here. I love it. I’m very happy here and I never thought I’d be saying that, almost five months ago.’

‘Would this happiness have anything to do with a certain Matthew Moran?’ Maggie asked slyly as she buttered some brown bread.

Caroline blushed.

‘Did you see that, Devlin Delaney?’ Maggie teased. ‘Did you see that blush? That reddener?’

‘I certainly did. What’s going on here?’

‘There’s nothing going on,’ Caroline laughed. ‘He’s a lovely man who came into my life at a time when I was on my knees. He helped me to pick myself up and dust
myself off and get going again.’ She sat down and began to eat her soup.

‘And that’s it,’ Maggie said, puzzled.

‘No. It’s very special. I
knew
the minute I spoke to him on Christmas Eve. I felt as though I’d known him all my life. I feel very safe with him. I can talk to him for
hours and he can talk to me. I never had that with Richard. I never had that with a man before. It’s lovely. I know you’ll laugh at this, Maggie, but Matthew has a beautiful soul. You
can see it in his eyes. He’s a very “good” person.’

‘I know what you mean, Caro. Luke has that quality too. It’s a sort of a strength that’s very reassuring,’ Devlin interjected.

‘Yeah.’

‘I wish I could meet someone with a beautiful soul.’ Maggie sighed, feeling quite left out.

‘You have three beautiful little souls in your care,’ Devlin pointed out gently. ‘But I know it’s lonely. Someone’s there for you, Maggie.’

‘Can you feel it in your waters?’ Maggie grinned.

‘I can feel it in me waters,’ Devlin confirmed.

‘Have you started the next book?’ Caroline asked Maggie.

‘I have not. I’m taking a break. The well’s run dry. It will have to fill up again. I’m doing all the things I missed doing. I’ve got a life again. I’m going
swimming with the kids. I’m working out in City Girl. I’m meeting friends. I’m reading other people’s books. I’ve got some balance back and I feel much
better.’

‘You look great,’ Caroline approved. She hadn’t seen Maggie since before Christmas. ‘And your room’s finished?’

‘It certainly is. It’s lovely, isn’t it, Devlin?’

Devlin nodded. ‘It’s a real little haven away from everyone. When you do get back to writing again it will be perfect for you.’

‘I don’t know if I want to write there, actually. I want a place that’s just for me, if you know what I mean.’

‘I can understand that feeling. Maybe you’re right, Maggie. Keep it for yourself,’ Caroline agreed as she cleared away the dishes. ‘What does Terry think of
it?’

‘I’ve never asked him up to see it. It’s off limits to him. I think he’s seeing someone. He comes home very late several nights a week.’ Maggie popped an olive into
her mouth.

‘Oh!’ Caroline placed the roast lamb on the table. ‘And you don’t mind?’

‘I couldn’t give a hoot,’ Maggie said airily and they all laughed. ‘Well, it keeps him out of my hair and that suits me,’ Maggie said firmly. ‘The kids are
happy enough and that’s all that matters. I’ll never put my writing before them again. Time enough for that when they’ve upped sticks and left. Talking of upping sticks,’
she changed the subject, ‘how’s the house coming along, Devlin?’

‘It’s fabulous. The new extension’s almost ready. The whole place has been gutted, rewired, new heating, the works. We hope to be in by July.’

‘That’s a good time to be moving in. The baby will be nearly two months old,’ Maggie remarked. ‘He’ll be fine and hardy.’

‘Is it a boy?’ Caroline asked eagerly. ‘Did you ask?’

‘No. Maggie just insists I’m carrying to the back and she maintains it’s a boy.’

‘We’ll see.’ Maggie forked some garlic potatoes into her mouth. ‘This is delicious, Caroline. I’m really enjoying myself. Thank you.’

‘Me too,’ echoed Devlin.

‘Any word of Mrs Yates?’ Maggie asked.

‘I told you she’s out of the coma. She’s paralysed down one side. And she’s lost her speech. She’s in a nursing home. I won’t sell the business as long as
she’s alive. I don’t need the money and it would only agitate her. I wouldn’t do that to her with the state she’s in.’

‘A sad end to a pretty empty life,’ Maggie reflected.