Life Swap (44 page)

‘I love you too!’ she yells back absent-mindedly, her mind already in Sommersby, New York, picturing the children collecting fresh eggs from the chickens, concentrating on what you would do with an apple orchard in winter.

But Richard smiles. Now he knows he’s on the way to being forgiven.

‘Mail order!’ Amber announces, rushing into his office, the children behind her.

Richard grins. ‘Great minds think alike,’ he says, swivelling his computer screen so Amber can see the website he’s looking at: ‘
Baked and unbaked, fresh and frozen apple pies delivered to your door
,’ she reads. ‘
Twenty-eight different varieties of pie. All delicious, all 100 per cent organic and natural
.’

‘Is that Appletree Orchard’s website?’ she asks, not remembering seeing it before.

‘No. I’ve been looking at orchard websites in general and what they offer, and mail order and Internet do seem to be where it’s at. We could combine pies, pastries and cakes with gift baskets. Look at this.’ He clicks again and Amber perches on the arm of his chair to look at Harryanddavid.com, admire their hampers filled with fresh apples, gourmet cheeses, nuts, crackers and delicious jams.

‘We could do all of this,’ Richard says happily. ‘And more. We could really make this work.’

‘And children’s parties,’ Amber says excitedly. ‘We could offer children’s parties at the farm, petting, playground, food and drink included.’ Amber smiles. ‘You know, I’m not sure we’re ever going to become millionaires with something like this.’

‘No, but we’d be happy,’ Richard says. ‘It would be
our own business, and seeing as you’re now the star writer in the family you could write all the copy in the catalogues.’

‘Oh thanks a lot,’ Amber sniffs. ‘But before you get your knickers in a twist…’

‘What?’ Richard starts to laugh.

‘What?’

‘What did you just say?’

‘I said before you get your knickers in a twist. It’s an English expression.’ Amber smiles. ‘One of my favourites actually. That, and cor blimey.’

Richard reaches out and pulls Amber onto his lap. ‘I do love you, you know,’ he says, nuzzling her neck. ‘And I’m sorry. I know I was wrong. I really am so sorry for being so stupid.’

‘Dad!’ Jared pipes up from the corner of the room where he and Gracie are decorating Richard’s now defunct business cards. ‘You did say a bad word!’ His eyes are wide with horror.

‘Oh. You’re right, Jar. Sorry. I didn’t mean to say the S-word and I won’t say it again.’

‘You have to say sorry to Mommy,’ Gracie adds.

‘Okay,’ Richard grins, so thankful that he has Amber home, that she is supporting him, that they will find a way out of this mess, and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and all of a sudden it seems to be burning bright. ‘I’m sorry, Mommy.’

‘That’s okay.’ Amber lets out a reluctant smile as she finds herself relaxing involuntarily into his arms.
‘But as I was saying, before you get all excited, let’s check out the town, okay? There’s no point doing all this research if it’s a horrible town with crappy schools.’

Richard reaches behind Amber to his desk and hands her a stack of papers.

‘What’s this?’

‘Schools report. Town information. Ranked number nine in best small towns in America.’ He looks at his watch. ‘And in about half an hour Ted Riley is faxing over the business report.’

‘Ted Riley?’

Richard grins. ‘The owner of Appletree Orchard. I spent an hour on the phone with him. We’re driving up there to see it on Tuesday.’

Amber’s mouth drops open. ‘How did you manage all this while I was out?’

‘Honestly? I’m excited. I’m really excited about this change. I’m excited about the prospect of starting my own business…’

‘Our own business,’ Amber corrects him.

‘Oh yes?’ Richard raises an eyebrow.

‘Yes,’ Amber says firmly. ‘Never mind just writing the copy. It’s a family business, which means it needs a family to run it.’

‘You’re right. So Gracie can write the copy for the catalogues, and Jared can be in charge of inventory.’

‘Be serious.’

‘I’m sorry, darling. But yes, you’re right. Part of not wanting to be on Wall Street any more is to spend more
time with my family, and a family business could be perfect. But we shouldn’t get too excited until we see it.’

‘I know. But if this isn’t the one for us, at least we’ve made a firm decision that we’re going to move, and if Appletree Orchard is awful, something better will come along.’

‘Will you phone our realtor tomorrow morning and get her to come over to value this?’

‘Yup, but I have to tell you, a girl in the League just sold her house on Edgetree Road for $3.6 million, and it’s not as nice as this, not as big, and in a far worse location.’

‘That’s what I was hoping,’ Richard says. ‘Let’s get her over and see what she says.’

‘I’ll call her first thing,’ says Amber. ‘Wouldn’t it be so weird if this all worked out? If doing this life swap turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to us?’

‘How so?’

‘Well I didn’t realize how much I missed working, and I didn’t realize how trapped I felt here, and if I hadn’t gone, yes, you would still have lost your job, but the chances are we would have stayed in Highfield and you would have just found another job in the city. I just feel this is such a fresh start for us. This is exactly what we need.’

‘I hope you’re right,’ says Richard. ‘And I guess it’s what you’ve recently been saying: everything happens for a reason.’

‘That’s right,’ smiles Amber, remembering how she picked up the phrase from Kate. ‘And now we just have to wait and see what the future has in store.’

Chapter Thirty-three

‘Amber was very nice,’ Leona says, when Vicky is firmly ensconced back at her desk, so happy to be back at work, to be with her colleagues who are more like family than even her friends. ‘But I have to be honest, she wasn’t you, and she was a bit like a fish out of water.’

They all huddle round her, all dying to know whether being in Highfield was like the television show, whether she was still desperate to get married, what the American housewives thought of her.

‘It was great,’ Vicky laughs, as a crowd gathers. ‘Sexy husband, gorgeous huge McMansion, sweet children and a wardrobe you’d kill for. Three Birkin bags,’ she turns to Stella with a grin.

‘Three?’ Stella attempts to hide her envy. ‘God, how gauche. Those Americans, can’t do anything by halves.’

‘Jealous?
Moi?
’ Leona puts a hand to her chest in affected fashion and shakes her head at Stella. ‘You fashion editors. You’re all the same. So come on, Vicky,’ she turns back to her, ‘we’re all dying to know if you shagged the husband.’

‘You’re a married woman, Leona! How can you ask with such glee?’

‘Basically because it’s not my husband, although
frankly you’re welcome to have sex with my husband if you want, would take some of the pressure off me.’ She rolls her eyes as the others laugh. ‘I’m not joking,’ she adds, with a serious expression as she looks around the room hopefully. ‘Anyone?’

‘As it happens, no, I did not have sex with her husband, and why is that the first question everyone wants to ask?’

‘Because he’s gorgeous?’ Leona says. ‘We’ve all seen the pictures.’

‘Well he is gorgeous, and no, we didn’t have sex.’

‘Not even a kiss?’ Leona persists, and Vicky colours.

‘You did! You brazen hussy! You snogged him!’ But Leona’s eyes are wide with shock.

‘No I didn’t!’ Vicky says.

‘So why are you blushing?’

‘Because I did quite fancy him, but trust me, he wasn’t interested in me. This is a man who loves his wife, and you’ve met her, she’s gorgeous, why would he even look at me?’

‘Darling,’ Janelle is standing on the outskirts of the group, listening with amusement, ‘just because a man has filet mignon at home, doesn’t mean he doesn’t fancy a McDonald’s every now and then.’

The group laughs, and immediately disperses to appear busy. Vicky whispers to a giggling Ruth, ‘Am I going completely crazy or did our editor just liken me to McDonald’s?’

‘I know. I can’t actually believe she said that.’ Ruth’s shoulders are shaking with laughter. ‘I’d never say you
were a McDonald’s. Roast chicken, perhaps, but not McDonald’s.’

‘Roast bloody chicken indeed. I’d forgotten what it was like here. Should have stayed in Highfield.’

But Vicky couldn’t be happier to be back. Her week is a whirlwind of catching up, meeting with journalists, checking the copy for the next issue. The following week, when she’s caught her breath and America is already beginning to feel like a distant memory, she picks up the phone and calls Amber, and is nevertheless surprised when Richard picks up the phone.

‘Hi, Richard,’ Vicky says. ‘It’s Vicky.’

‘Vicky! How are you?’ Richard’s voice is as jovial and warm as it has always been.

‘I’m great. Happy to be home. How are you? I’ve been thinking about all of you so much. I miss the kids!’ She wants to ask if he’s told Amber yet, but doesn’t dare.

‘They miss you too, although they’re pretty happy to have their mom back.’

‘How is Amber?’

‘She’s doing great, although I have to tell you it’s been crazy since she got back. We’re listing the house, and we’ve found a new house to buy, and a business, and everything’s insanely busy.’

‘You’ve found a house? And a business?’ Vicky is in shock. ‘Already?’

‘You know what? I’ll let Amber tell you all about it,’ Richard says. ‘Hang on, I’ll just get her.’

*

‘But that’s unbelievable!’ Vicky says, as Amber finishes telling the story, of how they went to Appletree Orchard and it’s a little disorganized, needs quite a lot of work, but could be amazing. ‘Your life will completely change.’

‘I know,’ Amber smiles. ‘And I have to thank you for it. I’m obviously resigning from the League, and you know what? I can’t wait! I can’t wait to spend more time with my husband, with my kids, and get involved in a business again.’

‘How is it, having Richard at home?’

Amber sighs. ‘Right now he’s driving me a bit crazy. He keeps coming in asking me what’s for lunch, or asking where I’m going, or why is Deborah phoning again when I’ve already spoken to her three times today.’

Vicky laughs. ‘Are you sure you’re ready to go into business with him?’

‘You know what? If it doesn’t work we can always do something else. Working at
Poise!
just made me miss working. It made me miss doing something other than organizing fashion shows and galas. And Vicky, you should see this place. We flew up there to see it, and even though it’s kind of overgrown and messy, it could be so beautiful, and I honestly don’t think I would have had the courage to change my life like this if I hadn’t done the piece, so thank you.’

‘Oh God, you don’t have to thank me. I’m just glad it all worked out, although I’m also glad that it’s been so life-changing for you – it will make wonderful copy.
Speaking of the copy, do you have anything ready yet for me to read?’

‘I do,’ Amber smiles. ‘I just have to do one more read-through, but I did as you asked: a thousand words.’

‘And you’ve put in the stuff about Richard losing his job, and buying a business and everything?’

‘Well, I said he left his job. I didn’t want to put in about him being made redundant six months ago. Do you mind? I just know his ego couldn’t take that, and in the future if he ever does decide to go back to Wall Street it would be terrible to have that in print. I haven’t lied, I just haven’t told the whole truth.’

‘Okay, don’t worry. It will be fine, just get it over to me as soon as possible,’ Vicky says, realizing she’ll have to adjust her own copy somewhat, remove the paragraphs about finding Richard at the aquarium, but it is fine, isn’t the cruxof the story. ‘Give your delicious kids a big hug and kiss from me,’ Vicky says. ‘And tell Jared I haven’t forgotten about the dalek. I’ve already sent one to him and he should get it any day.’

‘A what?’

‘It’s a British thing,’ Vicky laughs. ‘I got him hooked on stories about a TV show called
Dr Who
. It’s not quite as sophisticated as
Star Wars
, but close.’

‘Is this why he keeps walking around jerkily saying, “Exterminate. Exterminate”?’ Amber asks with a laugh.

‘I’m afraid I’m guilty,’ Vicky says. ‘Now get back to finishing the piece and I’ll put an advance copy in the post as soon as I have it.’

*

‘Vicky?’ Ruth calls out from her desk. ‘Huge Anus on the phone for you. Do you want to call him back?’

‘What?’ Leona splutters from the other side of the desk.

‘I know. Poor bloke. He’ll tell you his name is Hugh Ja-nus, but everyone calls him Huge Anus. Thanks, Ruth. I’ll take it.’

‘So the queen of life-swapping returns,’ Hugh’s voice comes down the phone. ‘How was it?’

‘Lonely,’ Vicky says, realizing that it was. That she missed this far more than she even knew at the time. ‘And it’s good to be home.’

‘Has Janelle filled you in? That we’re going ahead with the documentary, but we’re doing another ad when your piece goes in, looking for two more people to swap lives, but this time both in England to keep the budget down.’

‘That’s great, Hugh. And kind of a relief not to have my fifteen minutes of fame. Not sure I could deal with that.’

‘Well the reason I’m calling is to see if I can make a lunch date with you. I’ve got a meeting with the head of documentaries next week, and I need to make a presentation about the show, and for that I need to know more about your experience. I’ve already left a message for Amber in the States, and I’d love to meet up with you sooner rather than later.’

‘Sounds great.’ Vicky flicks through her diary, surprised to see how busy this week is. ‘Oh shit,’ she says. ‘It looks like they’ve saved everything up for when
I got back. This week looks crazy. I’m just not going to be able to do it. When’s your meeting? Maybe I could do next week.’

‘Tuesday.’

Vicky shakes her head. ‘It’s not going to work.’

‘Okay. Dinner, then? What about dinner?’

‘Sure. Dinner would be fine.’