Friends Like Us (45 page)

She and Charlie had spent the last two weeks talking and talking. She had no idea that she could feel like this, so happy and so excited. They were half in each other's houses, spending every moment with each other. There was just so much to say. And she had begun sleeping, something she hadn't done for years. Deep, slumberous sleeps where she would wake feeling rested. Only that morning, Charlie brought her up a cup of tea and a croissant in bed. Rob wasn't one for eating in bed. He was always worried about crumbs. Charlie was a man after her own heart and believed in the pleasure of breakfast in bed. And everything else that could be done in bed.

Rob had sent her a card for Christmas. It was a picture of their old college in Trinity, covered in snow. There was a bicycle leaning against the front of the building which looked exactly like her old Raleigh. She almost cried when she opened it. Inside he had written: ‘thank you for the memories'. One day, they might even be friends, she thought. You never knew what was around the corner.

She couldn't stop grinning these days. She popped a peanut into her mouth and wondered if she should order another drink. But then, in a bundle of scarves and gloves, and kisses and hugs and ordering of more drinks, Steph and Melissa appeared. They appraised each other. All of them dressed up and looking fabulous.

‘Heels, Eilis?' said Melissa, with mock-shock. ‘Where are the comfortable shoes?'

‘In my bag, give these things half an hour and then the loafers are coming out. But I've bought new ones… green suede. I'm in love with them.'

‘They are not going to go with the dress.'

‘And I'm not going to care,' she said. Looking forward to going back home at the end of the night where Charlie would be waiting for her in bed.

‘Now,' said Melissa. ‘Have you got your narrative all sorted?' said Melissa.

‘What do you mean?' said Steph.

‘You know, when you get asked what have you been doing for the last twenty years, you have something snappy and cool to say, such as working on a crocodile farm in Australia, training bats in Romania, or dedicating yourself to the word of God. Whatever. You can't actually go into detail. Just be wafty and enigmatic. That's the done thing at reunions.'

‘I'll work on it,' said Steph. She had decided to turn up, after some deliberation. She wasn't quite ready to start partying, but it was Rachel who had persuaded her.

‘Go on, Mum,' she had said. ‘Granny would want you to.'

And Rachel had done her make-up and had made a really good job of it. Maybe a bit too much sparkle but she felt good.

Melissa was sitting there, smiling beatifically. ‘My story is I've been working in the diamond mines of Peru,' she said. ‘And cattle rustling in Mongolia.'

‘Outer or inner?' asked Steph.

‘Both.'

There was something most definitely different about Melissa. She assumed the glow of someone with
news
.

‘You look… different, Melissa. Like you're happy?' Eilis accused.

‘Might be…' Melissa giggled. (Giggled? That was a first.) She didn't quite know how to put it. ‘Cormac and I… we've…'

‘Yes… yes?' Eilis and Steph clutched each other. ‘You haven't, have you? At long last?'

‘We've… we've fallen in love. Have been for years. We just didn't know it. Or just didn't sort it out. I don't know. But we are now. And it's amazing.' She beamed at them.

Eilis and Steph actually laughed out loud.

‘Talk about slow train coming!' said Steph. ‘We've known for years.'

‘Why'd you wait so long?' said Eilis. ‘Men like Cormac are thin on the ground. No, endangered. He should be cloned.'

‘I've been a fool, I know that,' said Melissa. ‘I wasn't ready, I suppose. I didn't trust myself with him. You know, not to spoil it.'

Eilis and Steph nodded. They knew, they understood.

‘And there's this.' She held up her ring. ‘I almost forgot!'

They all squealed.

‘We should order champagne!' said Eilis.

‘Not for me,' said Melissa. ‘I've decided to lay of the sauce for as long as… maybe forever. I just don't want to be like… you know…'

Mary hadn't drunk in two months now and was diligently going to A.A. She and Frankie had met up again and Mary was fretting about what to buy Cara and Caleb for Christmas. Melissa had suggested some books she thought they might like. And something plasticky to off-set the books.

‘Anyway,' said, Steph. ‘I'm so glad for you. You are perfect for each other.' She had tears in her eyes.

‘Do you really think?' Melissa was enjoying the corroboration of her own feelings. It was so lovely to let go and… bask. This was a
nice
feeling.

‘Yes, I do. Really.'

‘Thanks Steph,' said Melissa. They smiled at each other. ‘And how are you… how's it all going?' They were all suddenly thinking of Nuala.

‘Grand, so. Kind of. You know. One day at a time,' she tried to smile. ‘Dad's taking it hardest, but he's with us most days, me and Rachel. We're getting him through it, which is helping us. And with Rick…'

‘With a silent P,' said Melissa, sipping her Elderflower spritzy-thing.

‘Indeed, Mr Silent-P is gone… and it's so wonderful to wake up and know that the day is mine to be in charge of.' She shrugged knowing that no one could hurt her ever again, knowing that she and Rachel could look forward to a calm future. She was never going to relinquish control over her life as easily as she had done before. Who ever thought living alone could be empowering? ‘I can do whatever I like,' she said. ‘No eggshells, no atmosphere. No Miriam.'

‘You mean Mrs Mad McMad,' said Melissa.

Steph actually thought she was going to laugh. Surely not? This was
not
a laughing matter. She should have been crying into her glass, planning elaborate revenges or dreading the lonely hinterland of the perimenopause. Instead, she was drinking a glass of Prosecco with her friends and was feeling her mouth twitch into something resembling a smile.

She held up her glass, feeling suddenly unburdened by it all. It didn't have to be terrible. The thought of Nuala not being here was awful but her mother was the most life-giving person she had ever met. She would want her to
live
. ‘Here's to adultery,' she said, the idea slowly spreading. ‘Thank God for adultery! The escape route for the non-proactive, unhappy wife!'

‘To adultery!' the other two chorused, clinking and slightly spilling their drinks. ‘And to inaction! And apathy!' Others in the bar were looking over at them. They all laughed.

‘So Eils, what about you? Any news?' said Steph, waiting for Eilis to do her usual and not say much. But Eilis cleared her throat.

‘Um…' she began. How to put it all into words? ‘Well, Rob's gay and I have embarked on a sordid and immensely satisfying affair with a man who is the handsomest thing ever to walk the planet and brings me out in a cold sweat every time I think of him.'

Steph and Melissa gaped for a moment trying to take it all in, and then the three of them burst into laughter, the kind of gasping for air, flappy-hands, choking laughter which, to all the fellow drinkers in the bar, looked as though they had lost their minds.

In fact, it was just the opposite. It may have taken more than four decades, but minds had been found, never to be lost again.

‘It's been quite a year, hasn't it?' said Eilis.

‘Yes,' said Steph, ‘It's been one of the most roller-coasty of my life. I am looking for less drama next year. I don't think I could go through another year like this.'

‘To us and our continued adventures,' said Melissa. ‘Together.'

They clinked, all of them with tears in their eyes.

‘You know,' said Steph. ‘I didn't realize how lonely I was without you both. I mean, I was just getting on with things, but not to have you, people I could talk to, was awful. It made everything worse.'

‘Me too,' said Eilis. ‘I missed you both.'

‘Well, let's make sure it never happens again, okay?' said Melissa. ‘We've got plenty of years left to go. And things will happen to us. The remarkable, the unremarkable. But this time, we'll do it together.'

‘Okay, gang,' said Steph.

‘I'm in,' said Eilis.

‘Jesus Christ!' Melissa looked at the time on her phone. ‘It's time! Are you ready to face your past?' Melissa said.

The reunion was starting.

‘Let's go!' said Eilis. And in they walked, the three of them, arm in arm. Life, they had discovered, worked so much better when they were together. They were the perfect fit. The DJ was playing tunes from the 1990s.

Steph looked at her friends on either side. ‘I couldn't have done any of this without you,' she said.

‘I'd be in a crumbling heap,' said Melissa, grinning, giddy on love and life. ‘Weeping in the gutter without you two.'

Eilis grinned at them. ‘Friends like you,' she said. ‘I don't know what I'd do if you two hadn't walked back into my life.'

‘Friends like us,' said Steph.

‘Jesus!' said Melissa. ‘I've just seen Sister Attracta. She's waving to us. We'll have to go over and be nice.'

And they did. They could have been eighteen again, meeting their past selves and lives. But what about the future? Life was better, it was obvious, the future brighter when they had each other.

 

 

 

We hope you enjoyed this book!

Siân O'Gorman's next book is coming in summer 2017

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Evelyn O'Rourke was the kind soul who put me in touch with Emma Dunne, my first reader who gave me the encouragement to keep on going. My agent Ger Nichol is one of the kindest and most encouraging people ever to exist. Her enthusiasm and sensitivity are a joy to behold and receive. To the team at Aria and Head of Zeus, especially the scarily-smart Jade Craddock and the super-powered Caroline Ridding… thank you for taking a chance on me.

A big shout-out to my friends, all so interesting and inspiring and always a privilege to be around: Merlo Kelly, Iseult Hall, Camille O'Sullivan, Denise Doorly, Sarah McNulty, Laura Mahoney and Ella McSweeney. Also to Karen Wilson, Caryl Beynon and Louise Halfpenny who have been my friends for a very long time. I consider myself very lucky to be in your midst.

My family thank yous: my wonderful Irish clan, Ronnie, Regina, Annajoy, Ben, Sally and Boz, my brilliant sister, Sadhbh, and amazing brother in law, Jason, and my best friend and husband, Donal. But most of all, to my daughter Ruby… quite simply, the nicest and loveliest person I have ever met. Thank you for being you.