Changing Places (8 page)

Liam pretended to choke on his sandwich. ‘
You
want a quiet night in? Who are you and what have you done with my real wife?’

Anna laughed. ‘Maybe I’m getting old.’

‘That must be it. You’re ready to stay at home and mind babies.’ He winked at her. ‘Never thought I’d see the day!’

‘Are you going out after training tomorrow night?’ Anna asked.

He shook his head. ‘No chance. I’ve an early meeting with Patterson on Thursday.’

‘So if I cancelled Jill and Rachel, you and I could have a quiet night in, I suppose.’

He stroked her knee under the table. ‘If you play your cards right.’

‘You are going,’ Jill told her the next morning when she got the call.

‘But Jill—’

‘I don’t want to hear it, Anna. See you at eight-thirty.’

‘That’s very early, I’m not sure—’

‘Eight-thirty at Rachel’s. Be there.’ And Jill hung up.

‘Thanks.’ Anna put down the phone and glared out the window.

‘Something wrong?’ Val asked.

‘Just being press-ganged into going out tonight.’

‘How terrible,’ Val teased. ‘I hate it when that happens.’

‘Oh, don’t start,’ Anna moaned. ‘You’ve no idea what a difficult night it’s going to be.’

‘Why’s that then?’

‘Because my sister will be there,’ Anna replied without thinking.

‘And that’s a problem?’ Val looked concerned.

Anna gave an embarrassed laugh. ‘No, it’s just that she’s a bit down at the moment and not much fun.’

‘And isn’t that when she needs her sister most?’ Val chided her.

‘It is indeed, you’re quite right, Val.’ Anna picked up some papers and escaped to the photocopier. She felt riddled with guilt now for saying anything derogatory about Rachel.
She was her sister, for God’s sake, and even if she was annoying at times she was family and you didn’t talk about your family like that. At least Anna didn’t.

She hadn’t even told Liam how upset she’d felt when Mam and Dad decided to sell the house and leave the country to travel the length and breadth of Europe. There was something so
final about the sale of their family home, and it had been hard to put on a brave face and wish her parents well. And Anna did wish them well, she really did, but she still missed them and often
wished they’d been content to stay put and veg out in front of the telly like most normal parents. Anna had often wondered if Rachel felt the same, but had never asked. Her sister
hadn’t seemed bothered on the face of it, but whether that was for real or just a front, Anna had no idea.

‘Oh Jill, I’m really not in the mood for this,’ Rachel was telling her cousin.

‘Don’t even think about pulling out,’ Jill ordered, distinctly fed up with both sisters. ‘I organized tonight for your benefit, remember?’

‘I’m not some kind of charity case,’ Rachel retorted, stung.

‘I’m not saying you are, but you did say you should be out clubbing, so tonight, you’re going clubbing.’

‘Okay.’

‘Sorry, did you mutter something?’

‘I said okay, okay?’

‘Try to contain your enthusiasm. I’ll call for you at eight-thirty. Be ready.’

Dragging herself upstairs, Rachel went into the bedroom and opened her wardrobe to see if she possessed any suitable clubbing clothes that could compete with her gorgeous sister or voluptuous
cousin. As she trawled through the wardrobe, Rachel thought how old and dated everything looked. Sensible clothes of a stay-at-home mother. Sweatshirts, cotton tops, drawstring trousers and
leggings. Stuff that didn’t require too much ironing and that didn’t draw attention to the thickened thighs or bulging stomach.

And when had she stopped wearing colours? Everything she owned seemed to be pale and washed-out and mumsy. God, it was depressing. She pulled out the pair of tailored black stretch trousers that
she always ended up wearing when she had to get dressed up. She could wear the silky grey halter-neck top with them that she’d bought for Gary’s Christmas party, but her arms were too
fat and pale to be exposed. The red shirt was out because it showed off every lump and bump and accentuated her red cheeks – why had she ever bought it? That left the black V-neck velvet top
– which made her boobs look nice, but velvet seemed a bit warm for Summer – or her white shirt, the Old Reliable. She’d have to leave the last button open but at least she
didn’t feel so bad about that now that there was a baby inside. With her high black shoes and plenty of make-up she should look reasonably presentable.

Rachel sank on to the bed with a sigh. Being presentable was all very well but she’d prefer to look like a babe. She’d prefer to make men’s heads turn, to get chatted up when
she went to the bar, maybe even be asked to dance. It would be so nice to feel sexy and fanciable. Gary sometimes told her she was sexy but that didn’t count because it was usually said after
a few drinks and accompanied by a hand on her leg. Men would say anything at a time like that.

Rachel quite enjoyed sex with Gary. He knew her body well and for a short time she could close her eyes and imagine she was sexy and beautiful. But even their adequate love-life would come to a
halt once Gary found out about the baby. He’d been terrified to come near her when she was pregnant with Alex for fear of hurting the baby – as if! But, on the other hand, he had looked
after her, cosseted her and been so tender and thoughtful that Rachel would gladly trade her predictable sex-life for some more of that.

Rachel decided to tell him about the baby tonight when she got home. She had to do it soon, now that Jill and Anna knew. All she needed was for Anna to tell Liam and Liam to say something to
Gary and then she’d be in real trouble. He would be disgusted that she had confided in her sister before telling him. Rightly so, as she knew her mother would say. God, how she missed her
mother! It was lovely getting her postcards every couple of weeks but it wasn’t the same as sitting down over a cuppa and having a really good chat.

Rachel would have loved to tell her mam about the baby and confide her fears about having a second child but there was no way you could have a conversation like that on the phone. Perhaps when
the school term finished she’d take Alex to visit her parents somewhere for a few days. It would be nice to have a break and Alex would be thrilled to see his granny and grandad. Rachel took
the black trousers and went downstairs to press them, feeling slightly happier. The thought of seeing her mam suddenly made all of her problems seem manageable.

‘So where are we going?’ Anna asked when they were in the taxi and heading for the city centre.

‘I thought Renards – we could have something to eat there,’ Jill replied as she checked her lipstick in a small compact mirror. ‘And if it’s too quiet we could head
round to the Viperoom.’

‘Where?’ Rachel frowned, not having heard of either of these clubs. ‘What’s wrong with Club M?’

Anna giggled and rolled her eyes at Jill. ‘Oh Rachel, you’re
so
out of touch.’

‘Well, I’m sorry but I’m a little bit busy being a full-time mother to keep up with all the trendy nightspots that I never get to visit.’

‘Lord, you’d think you had a dozen children, to listen to you.’

‘Ladies, ladies, please,’ Jill cut in. ‘We’re going out to enjoy ourselves and let our hair down, remember?’ She didn’t think she could cope if the two of
them started tonight. After having to sit smiling as that little shit Vinny presented his sponsorship plans to the ecstatic senior management of Cauldwell’s, Jill felt exhausted and would
have much preferred to curl up on her sofa with a large glass of wine and a box of chocolates.

The taxi pulled up outside Renards and she pushed 25 Euros into the driver’s hand. ‘Keep the change. Right, girls, let’s go.’

‘Let me give you something towards the taxi fare.’ Rachel started to rummage in her bag.

‘You can buy the first round.’ Jill propelled her towards the door. ‘Mine’s a double.’

After they all had a drink in front of them, Jill did what she usually did when she wanted to relax the sisters; she steered the conversation around to their escapades when they were
children.

‘You were always causing trouble,’ Rachel told her big sister, ‘but Mum always blamed me. You could do no wrong.’

Anna looked incredulous. ‘That’s rich! You were always nicking my stuff and listening in when I was talking to my friends. You don’t know how lucky you were, Jill, being an
only child.’

‘I had you two instead though, didn’t I? Telling tales on each other, playing tricks on each other.’

‘We weren’t that bad,’ Anna protested, looking at her sister for support.

‘Not at all!’ Rachel confirmed. ‘Family rows are what prepare you for going out into the big bad world.’

‘So how did
I
cope?’ Jill asked.

Anna winked at her. ‘Like you said, You had us!’

‘Ah right, I see. Are you still drinking water, Rachel?’ Jill signalled to a waiter.

Rachel made a face. ‘No, get me one of those alcohol-free beers.’

‘They’re disgusting,’ Anna said, wrinkling her nose.

‘I know, but there’s only so much water I can drink.’

‘What about an alcohol-free cocktail?’ Jill suggested.

‘Oh, yes!’ Rachel looked hopefully at the waiter.

‘We have a selection,’ he told her. ‘I’ll bring you the list.’

The cocktail list was impressive and Anna and Jill decided to try one too. ‘Plenty of alcohol in mine,’ Jill warned the waiter.

‘Yes, madam.’ He smiled and left.

Jill stared after him. ‘Madam? God, do I look old enough to be a madam?’ She leaned forward to examine her reflection in the glass table. ‘That new cream isn’t working.
Look at all the lines around my mouth.’

‘They’re scratches on the table,’ Anna told her. ‘And you look gorgeous as always.’

Jill was wearing a very sexy wrap top that emphasized her cleavage, and a short tight black skirt that showed off her wonderful legs.

‘I need a lot more than face cream,’ Rachel complained. ‘I’m the youngest and I look the oldest.’ Anna, three years her senior, was looking impossibly young and beautiful in powder-blue cotton cut-offs and a tiny strappy top that revealed her toned, tanned midriff.

‘Of course you don’t.’ Anna waved an impatient hand at her sister.

‘It’s true,’ Rachel insisted. ‘I’ve let myself go. I’m sure Gary thinks so.’

Jill and Anna exchanged glances. ‘Why do you say that?’ Anna asked.

‘Oh, I don’t know.’ Rachel shrugged, relieved that the waiter chose that moment to deliver their elaborate cocktails. She took a sip of her drink and smiled in delight.
‘This is gorgeous!’

‘Mine’s lovely too,’ Jill agreed, allowing Rachel to dismiss the comment, but she knew it hadn’t been an idle one. She saw Anna open her mouth to question her sister and
shot her a warning look.

‘So when are you going to tell him?’ Anna said instead.

Rachel spiked a piece of strawberry with her cocktail stick. ‘Tell him what?’

‘You know what.’

Rachel abandoned the strawberry and sat back in her seat. ‘Probably tonight.’

‘Really? That’s great!’

‘He’ll be very happy, Rachel,’ Jill added.

‘Yes, of course he will.’ Anna’s smile was encouraging.

‘I know.’ Rachel forced a smile and then excused herself to go in search of the loo.

‘Do you think she’s okay?’ Anna asked Jill when they were alone.

‘Yeah, but I don’t think she’d planned on having another child, at least not yet.’

‘I don’t understand that. It’s not as if she has anything else to do. Now that Alex is at school you’d think she’d be delighted. I mean, what does she do all
day?’

Jill shook her head, laughing. ‘Oh, please don’t say that to her.’

‘Of course I won’t. I’m not completely insensitive, you know! But I’d go nuts at home all day on my own. It seems so, so . . .’ Anna searched for the right word
‘. . . boring. She certainly doesn’t look like she’s enjoying herself, does she?’

‘Shush, she’s coming,’ Jill hissed and smiled broadly as Rachel returned. ‘So, girls, how about a dance?’

As the evening wore on, Rachel relaxed a little although it didn’t stop her sister irritating the hell out of her. As usual, after just a couple of cocktails, Anna was
tipsy, giggly and bumping into everyone. But with a toss of her pretty head and a wide smile she’d sing ‘Sorry!’ and receive the inevitable indulgent smile and a
‘That’s okay.’ Anna could do no wrong.

Jill bopped her heart out with her two cousins, sang along to all the lyrics and watched Rachel watch Anna. Her envy was understandable, she supposed. Anna could get away with anything simply
because it was clear that all she was doing was having fun. Rachel looked so like her, but her grim face and distant manner meant she was nowhere near as attractive as her sister. What, Jill
wondered, would it take to put the smile back on to her face?

Anna sat back in the taxi and closed her eyes. She was feeling pleasantly woozy from the cocktails and footsore from dancing in her high shoes but it had been a good night,
much better than she’d been expecting. While Rachel hadn’t exactly let herself go, they’d had a few laughs and relations had definitely improved. And when Anna got out of the taxi
to say goodbye to her sister, Rachel hadn’t even pulled away when, on impulse, Anna had hugged her. Maybe a few more nights out was exactly what they needed.

Rachel definitely needed to loosen up. She had been spot on when she’d said she looked older than her sister and cousin. Her solemn manner and clothes made her look closer to forty than
thirty. Anna had seen her in the same clothes on several occasions and those black trousers were positively shiny at this stage. Rachel could well afford to buy clothes but she just didn’t
seem interested.

Anna remembered the wonderful Saturday shopping sprees the three girls used to enjoy before Rachel got married. They rarely came home without a new outfit. But Rachel had stopped meeting them
after she married Gary. In fact, everything had really changed once Gary came along.

Rachel had been dating a mad, charismatic, slightly unpredictable guy before she met her husband. Bridie was a bit concerned about the relationship because Eric didn’t seem the most
reliable sort of boyfriend, but he was a lovable rogue and even she couldn’t resist him for long. When he decided to throw in his job and move to the States, Bridie and Shay were terrified
that their twenty-year-old youngest daughter would go with him. But they didn’t have to worry about that because it soon became clear that Rachel didn’t figure in Eric’s plan.