Coconuts and Wonderbras (37 page)

    ‘A bit of excitement on the dance floor I see,’ bellows the DJ. ‘That’s the way, let it all out and free your soul for the New Year.’

Christ, what is he on? We all turn to stare at him as he wriggles and jigs underneath the huge ‘Happy New Year’ banner. Oh, don’t you just hate New Year’s Eve?

    ‘How dare you,’ hisses Serena. ‘What’s your problem Libby?’ she spits, struggling to get up. ‘Is it that you can’t bear it that Toby is in love with me? He has been waiting for the right time to break it to you and finally dumped you yesterday. Which bit did you not understand?’

Jasmine plonks herself in front of me and points an aggressive finger at Serena.

    ‘How dare
you,
’ she fumes. ‘Stealing other women’s boyfriends. You should be ashamed of yourself. Just because your father is a CPW, it doesn’t mean you can walk all over people. Poor Libby has been distraught at losing Toby.’

Well, I wouldn’t go that far. A bit upset maybe.

    ‘It’s okay…’ I begin.

    ‘And it takes a lot of courage to come to a party on your own and be reminded that you’re all alone and won’t be getting married. It’s not easy coming to terms with being on the shelf you know, and all thanks to someone like you.’

Christ, no need to rub it in.

    ‘And she is a famous publisher’s agent with famous clients.’

She’s getting carried away now.

    ‘And who the fuck are you?’ responds Serena
poking Jasmine in the chest.

Jasmines face drops and for one awful moment I think she is going to burst into tears. Toby groans.

    ‘Let’s get those wriggling bums back on the dance floor girls,’ shouts the DJ in a shaky voice.

    ‘It’s Raining Men’ blares out at us and people begin to slowly drift back to the middle of the hall.

I take Jasmine’s arm and turn to Toby who gives me a shrug.

    ‘Well, Toby, it’s New Year’s Eve, you make the choice.’

Jasmine squeezes my arm while Toby looks decidedly uncomfortable. Serena meanwhile takes a step closer and pushes her face in front of mine and for one frightening moment she comes so close that I actually fear she is going to kiss me.

    ‘He finished with you, don’t you get it?’ she hisses.
Jasmine squeezes my arm even tighter.

    ‘Oh really, is that what he told you?’

I look at the shamefaced Toby.

    ‘Well, you know what? I’ve finished with him for the third time. Here’s hoping third time lucky.’

I pull Jasmine away and head for the ladies, where there is, of course, a queue. Everyone pities me and allows me to the front where Jasmine and I dive into side-by-side cubicles.

    ‘I thought you were great,’ calls Jasmine through the wall.

    ‘So did I,’ calls another voice.

    ‘Me too,’ shouts someone else.

Oh great, I have become an icon for women. This kind of fame I do not desire. I sit on the loo and stare at my knickers.

    ‘Thanks for your support Jasmine,’ I call back.

    ‘Oh that’s okay. Toby can’t help it, you know, he just lacks confidence.’

He lacks something that’s for sure.

    ‘Libby, what sodding loo are you in?’ yells Issy.

I
unbolt the door and swing it open.

    ‘Christ, I disappear to the buffet for ten minutes and you end up in a ballroom brawl.’

We spend five minutes hogging the mirror and complimenting each other before heading back
to the ballroom. I stop to
check my Blackberry in the vain hope that Alex may have texted me to wish me Happy New Year, but there is nothing. The time is ten-twenty and I stupidly wonder if he will be under the clock, as he said, at eleven forty-five. Now I am being stupid. The man’s
engaged isn’t he? It was announced today in
The Times
for goodness sake. The New Year will hold many changes for me. I can’t possibly go back to work at Randal and Hobson, or if I do, I can’t continue to be Alex’s
agent. I decide to go to the clock anyway, after all, there’s no harm in just going there is there? On the other hand, I will just get all upset and maudlin and start the New Year in a miserable state. I spend the next hour avoiding the champagne and the buffet and just allow myself a few peanuts. I closet myself in a corner where I can clearly see everyone, and that
includes Alex’s old friend. Toby makes several half-hearted attempts to approach me, but Serena
puts a stop to each one by either pulling him onto the dance floor, or into her arms for a long smooch. I
do not feel in the slightest bit jealous, she’s welcome to him. After an hour of this I decide it’s probably best to go home and dive under the covers before the clock strikes twelve.

    ‘I’m going home,’ I announce.

    ‘Before midnight?’ says a surprised Jasmine.

    ‘I’d much rather.’

    ‘I’ll get Jonathan to call you a cab,’ says Issy giving me a hug.

I walk out of the ballroom, turn left, and glance nervously at the clock. A lone waiter clears some glasses that sit at its base. He gives me a hurried smile and rushes away. The distant sound of music and people shouting reaches my ears. The clock says eleven-thirty and of course, there is no sign of Alex. Why am I so stupid to think he would be here? The music
gets louder as Issy exits the hall leaving the door open.

    ‘Taxis are very busy tonight, but one should be here soon.’

    ‘I’ll wait downstairs, get some air. Thanks Issy.’

    ‘I’ll see you in the morning, well more like the afternoon probably,’ Issy says while giving me a long hug.

I force a laugh and with one hand clutching the banister and the other my shawl I make my way down the stairs to the exit passing smug loving couples. I pull the shawl tighter and begin walking to the taxi rank. It is a full five minutes before I realise that I don’t have my handbag.

Chapter Thirty-One

    Harry leaves the ballroom at
the same moment that Libby realises she no longer has her handbag. He is hot and tired and wishing that midnight would hurry up so he can go home. The coolness of the foyer helps a little and he pulls a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his forehead. A passing woman gives him an admiring look and, not wanting to miss any opportunity, he reciprocates with a warm inviting smile. Harry had decided a long time ago that he was not going to settle down with just one woman, not when there were so many to enjoy. He takes a quick glance at the clock to see how much longer before it strikes midnight. Only twenty-five minutes, and that will pass quickly. His eyes alight on something sitting on the base and he walks a few paces closer to see what it is. He picks up the small sequinned clutch bag and stares at it for a moment trying to decide if it would be impolite to open it. Finally, he clips open the clasp and looks inside. He pulls out a lipstick, a small mirror and some tissues before retrieving what he really wants,
a Blackberry. He scrolls to owner and smiles.

    ‘Libby Holmes, well I never, and just where are you?’

He strolls back into the hall and looks around. The place is packed
and it is almost impossible to spot anyone. He wanders to the bar, but she isn’t there. He sees Issy and approaches her.

    ‘Hi, how are you doing?’

Issy smiles while looking at him warily.

    ‘Hello,’ she says cautiously. ‘Have we met?’

He looks vaguely familiar but she can’t for the life of her think where she has seen him before.

    ‘Sorry, we haven’t actually met but I saw you with your friend Libby in Dirty Doug’s a few weeks ago. You were talking with Ace.’

Recognition sparks in her eyes and he holds out Libby’s bag.

    ‘She left this by the clock.’

Issy groans.

    ‘She was outside waiting for a taxi,’ she says. He hears the despair in her voice. She grabs a shawl from the back of one of the bar stools but Harry immediately puts a hand on her arm.

    ‘It’s freezing out there; you’ll catch your death. I’ll go and see if she is still waiting and if I don’t find her I’ll come back with the bag.’

He sees the relief on her face. He
grabs his jacket and runs down the stairs to the exit. In his haste he crashes into a woman who is coming in and knocks her handbag from her hand sending the contents sprawling into the street. After helping her retrieve them he turns to the taxi rank and hurries in the direction of the woman who is walking towards him.

Alex

    Alex didn’t know what the hell he was doing. It wasn’t like him to be indecisive but he really couldn’t make a decision, at least, not one that he felt was the right one. It had been a hellish day and his hopes that it may now improve seemed unlikely. What a way to begin a New Year. He’d always liked things in his life to be clear cut. He hated loose ends and right now there were far too many. At least tonight he would be able to clear up quite a few with Penny’s parents. Not quite how he had hoped to spend his New Year’s Eve. He checked his watch and was pleased to see he was on time. Penelope Vistor opened the door and on seeing Alex smiled widely.

    ‘Oh honey, as always, you are dead on time.’

    ‘I’m never late.’ It was almost a growl and she leaned forward hesitantly to kiss him.

    ‘Mummy and daddy are waiting.’

He exhaled and followed her into the
lounge where Penelope’s parents greeted him warmly.

    ‘Right, old chap, let’s get this wedding organised,’ bellowed her father.

Chapter Thirty-Two

    How could I have been so stupid? Who leaves their handbag behind? I try to recall when I had put it down. Of course, I had laid it on the clock base when I had put my shawl around me. That means I have to go back in and then I will probably miss my cab, and that means I will be stuck at the Dome for New Year with all those smug loving couples. I could kill myself. God, I’m heading towards becoming another statistic. Several drunks lurch towards me and I quickly sidestep them. What am I doing walking the streets in the middle of winter. I’ll be mistaken for a call girl next. Actually, there’s a thought. I mean, how hard can it be? And of course, there is plenty of money in it. Obviously, I wouldn’t go in for that sado-masochism stuff. I’m not into pain or perversion. Shoving a tampon up my fanny is about as masochistic as I’ll ever
be.

    ‘Hey, how are you doing?’

Good Lord, I’ve pulled already, nothing like starting the New Year with a bang. Heavens, did I really just think that? I look up to see it is Alex’s friend, whose name I can’t for the life of me remember.

    ‘Oh hello,’ I say pointing to the Dome. ‘I’m just going back.’

    ‘For this,’ he says holding out my handbag.

    ‘Oh.’

    ‘You left it under the clock.’

    ‘Along with my brain it seems.’

He laughs.

    ‘How are you? I heard you went to Cambodia with Ace.’

Oh and where did you hear that? I wonder. My teeth are
chattering and my toes, I swear, must have turned blue. I point to the small café on the corner by the taxi rank.

    ‘I really must go in,’ I say trying to stop my teeth from murdering each other.

    ‘Oh God. Yes of course.’

He opens the door and ushers me inside.

    ‘It is a bit cold,’ he says draping his jacket around me. I quickly push my frozen hands into the pockets.

    ‘How is Alex?’ I ask haltingly.

No, no don’t tell me. I really don’t know why I asked. I really don’t want to hear any more about the wedding.

    ‘A bit pissed actually, haven’t you spoken to him?’

Not for several days actually. I
shake my head. Best to take the Fifth Amendment here I think.

    ‘Did you see the wedding announcement that Penelope’s parents put in the papers?’

Now I’m nodding. It’s like someone slit my throat and pulled my puppet strings.

    ‘Talk about
Fatal Attraction
,’ he mumbles. ‘Do you want a coffee, or hot chocolate?’

    ‘What do you mean?’

    ‘I mean do you want a hot drink, something to warm you up.’

    ‘You said Fatal Attraction, what did you mean?’ I repeat.

    ‘Penelope’s insane behaviour, don’t you agree?’

That she is insane? Oh yes, indeed. I nod, but I have no idea what we’re talking about.

    ‘I thought he’d be at the party tonight, he had tickets…’ he continues.

I stand up.

    ‘I expect he’s preparing for his wedding. I should look for my cab.’

    ‘What wedding?’

For goodness sake.

    ‘His wedding to Penelope, of course.’

    ‘He’s not marrying her.’

    ‘What?’

    ‘Didn’t you know?’

    ‘Know what?’

    ‘He called it off. She just couldn’t accept it.’

Oh my God.

    ‘What’s the time?’ I
scream.

And then it all comes rushing back to me. Madam Zigana’s cryptic warning. What was it she had said?

    ‘A few minutes can change the path of your destiny. A few minutes can make all the difference. ’

Please don’t tell me I have left it too late.
Of course, the dashing man, whose initial begins with B, is Alex Bryant. Why did it take me so long to realise?

    ‘Quarter to twelve, why don’t you come back for the celebrations.’

    ‘I’ve got to go,’ I say sounding like Cinderella and just to prove it I lose my shoe in the run back to the Glass Dome.

   
‘Look to the clock dearie. Don’t forget that. A few minutes can change the path of your destiny. A few minutes can make all the difference.’

Alex, please, please be there.

Chapter Thirty-Three

    ‘There isn’t going to be any wedding,’ says Alex, firmly.

Penelope gasps and clasps her mother’s hand.

    ‘Alex,’ she exclaims.

    ‘Penny, we discussed all this weeks ago. I don’t understand what you’re doing.’

Alex looks at Penelope’s parents sympathetically. He realises that the poor buggers have no idea what is going on.