Secrets (14 page)

Chapter Thirty-Six

If Emma wasn’t the love of Garth’s life, baby Anna was. Garth took to parenthood like a duck to water, whilst Emma initially struggled to adjust. She was ambushed by hormones and baby blues. She lamented her figure would never be the same again, and complained bitterly about exhaustion. Garth eventually persuaded Emma to introduce bottle feeding so he could help with the night shifts. He was more than happy to sit in Anna’s lamp-lit nursery in the small hours. Cradling his daughter, he’d watch her tiny rosebud lips as she fed, and marvel at her exquisite features. In the quiet of night Garth would tell Anna all about his latest romantic plot.

When colic came along, Garth would put the screaming infant over one huge shoulder and calmly pace up and down the nursery. As he gently rubbed Anna’s back he’d tell her about the current work-in-progress and various planned love twists. As far as he was concerned, broken nights with Anna were no great shakes. It simply gave him an opportunity to organise his thought processes for work.

Emma was more than happy for Garth to completely take over the night shift. They had resumed an intimate relationship two months after Anna’s birth, albeit a very intermittent one. However, by the time Anna was four months old, sexual relations with Emma abruptly stopped. Garth didn’t mind as such because Emma was the happiest she’d been in months. And when Emma was cheerful, that meant life was more serene. By the time Anna was six months old, Garth was struggling to remember what Emma looked like naked. He imagined pretty good because her figure was even trimmer than when he’d first met her.

And now, as Garth leaned back in his study chair and revised the chapter he’d just drafted, he acknowledged life was good. He had a gorgeous baby daughter and, workwise, things were peachy. Garth’s current heroine was playing hard to get, but the hero wasn’t taking no for an answer. Romantic fireworks were imminent. There was a tap on the door interrupting his train of thought. Seconds later, Emma peered into the room. She had Anna in her arms.

‘I’m off to the gym. Are you okay to look after Anna?’

‘Of course.’ Garth stood up and stretched. His eyes felt a bit gritty. He gave them a cursory rub. Anna was popping her second tooth and last night she’d been especially fractious. ‘How long do you think you’ll be?’

Emma wrinkled her nose. ‘Not sure. Why?’

‘It’s a lovely day. Perhaps later, when you’re back, we could take Anna out for a stroll. Maybe pack up a picnic and go to the park. Feed the ducks on the pond. That sort of thing.’

‘Ah. I promised Megan I’d join her and the girls for a late lunch after my work-out.’

‘No worries,’ Garth smiled. He opened his arms to Anna. ‘Come on then, little lady. If Mummy is busy being a gym bunny, perhaps we shall go and visit Granny and Grandpa, eh?’

‘Sounds like a great idea.’ Emma gave a tight smile. Garth’s parents weren’t her idea of fun. She did everything she could to avoid seeing them. ‘Right, I’ll be off.’ But she was talking to herself. Garth was already in La La Land with Anna, talking gibberish to the baby as pudgy fingers tugged at his hair and ears.

Marjory and John Davis were delighted to see Garth and their granddaughter. However, Marjory let it be known she was unimpressed with Emma, yet again, making her absence felt.

‘Why is the girl so unsociable?’ asked Marjory. They were sitting on easy chairs in the lounge, an occasional table set before them. Marjorie was presiding over a huge teapot. A tray bore a plate of biscuits and Marjory’s best porcelain. Emma would have sneered and referred to it as
the visitors’ china
. ‘Have we offended her in some way?’

‘Of course not, Mum.’ Garth settled Anna down on the carpet. He pulled a handful of favourite toys from Anna’s travelling holdall and placed them on the floor. The baby immediately rolled onto her tummy, star-fishing her fingers into the thick carpet so she could push her chest and head up. Grabbing a rattle, she regarded her grandparents and let out a torrent of jabber. Garth gazed at her adoringly. ‘You’re like your mummy, aren’t you, darling? You never stop talking!’

‘Hopefully, unlike her mummy,’ Marjory arched an eyebrow, ‘little Anna will grow up to keep a civil tongue in her head.’ Garth’s mother had never forgiven Emma for the rumpus at their anniversary celebration, even though her hearing aid had been on the blink and much of the commotion had been missed. Garth had blamed Emma’s imminent labour for the outburst, but plenty of relatives had been delighted to fill in the gossip blanks about Emma’s spat with Poppy. ‘Here.’ Marjory passed Garth a cup of tea. ‘Poor Adrian was absolutely devastated about losing Poppy.’

Garth gave a non-committal grunt. ‘I don’t think my bro has ever been heartbroken over a woman.’

‘He was about that one,’ Marjory insisted. ‘Poor lamb hasn’t dated anybody since.’

Garth snorted into his tea. ‘I don’t believe that for one moment.’

‘Well he usually introduces us to his latest, doesn’t he, John?’ Marjory turned to her husband who was gazing at the ceiling, a thoughtful expression on his face. ‘JOHN!’

‘What, dear?’

‘Oh, for goodness sake. Turn your hearing aid up.’

‘I can hear you perfectly well, dearest. I was actually miles away, figuratively speaking. Do you know,’ he turned to Garth, ‘at our “do”, I pretended I couldn’t hear properly because some of our guests – like Dorothy and Frank on your mother’s side of the family – aren’t really,’ he glanced at his wife and chose his words carefully, ‘on my wavelength. So I let them all prattle on, thinking they couldn’t be heard, and as a result I’m making three changes to my Will!’ The old man flung back his head and roared with laughter.

‘I never know whether to believe you, Pops, or whether you’re pulling my leg. Anyway, didn’t you recently buy yourself a new state-of-the-art hearing aid?’

‘Indeed.’ John accepted a cup of tea from his wife. ‘All my hearing problems are over.’

Garth grinned. ‘Thought as much. So you’re getting along well with it?’

‘Twelve-thirty,’ said John, looking at the clock on the wall.

‘Stop playing the buffoon,’ said Marjory in annoyance. ‘I was saying how Adrian hasn’t dated anybody since the fiasco between Emma and Poppy.’

John clicked his tongue. ‘Stop raking over the past, dearest. You know as well as I do that Adrian was seeing two other young ladies at the same time as Poppy. He’s a bit of a naughty boy, our lad. And don’t pretend you don’t know it, Marjory.’ John regarded Garth with a twinkle in his eye. ‘You see, Adrian is a chip off the old block.’

Marjory rolled her eyes. ‘You don’t impress Garth, and you certainly don’t impress me.’

‘I’ll have you know I was stepping out with three other ladies when I met you,’ John protested.

‘Violet Rowbotham, Elsie Brown, and Kath Johnson were
not
ladies,’ Marjory sniffed.

‘I know.’ John winked at Garth. ‘Best days of my life. But your beautiful mother came along and wowed me with her baby blues and impossibly tiny waist. And she’s still a fine looking woman. In fact, I saw our doctor the other day and he said, “John, you’re doing really great. You’ve got a hot mamma, so be cheerful.” What a compliment, eh!’

Marjory shook her head in exasperation. ‘He said you’ve got a heart murmur, so be careful.’

Garth smiled into his tea. His parents were always bickering but in a companionable way. He wondered what he and Emma would be like by the time they were his parents’ age. Somehow the rose-tinted picture of domesticity eluded him.

‘I’m sure Adrian will introduce us to his latest when he’s good and ready,’ said John.

‘I told you!’ Marjory’s jaw jutted. ‘There isn’t anyone on the scene.’

John gave his wife a knowing look. ‘
Au contraire
, dearest. Perhaps this time our boy is keeping his lady friend under wraps because it’s actually serious.’

Little did the three of them know how prophetic those words were.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

After an afternoon of being indulged by three besotted adults and making a spectacular mess with her granny’s homemade cake, Anna could hardly keep her eyes open. On the return journey home, strapped safely into her car seat, she was asleep in seconds. Not even the shrill ring of Bluetooth connecting with Garth’s mobile troubled her baby dreams.

Garth could see the caller was Adrian. He pressed a button on the steering wheel.

‘Wotcha, bro. Your ears must be burning!’

‘Why’s that?’ Adrian’s voice boomed into the car’s cabin. Garth checked his rear-view mirror to see if Anna had stirred. She hadn’t. He turned the volume button down.

‘I’ve just left Mum and Dad. They’re worried about you. Well, Mum is. She thinks you’re pining away after Poppy dumped you.’

‘No. I’m fine, mate. Just fine.’

Garth instantly knew that Adrian wasn’t fine at all. ‘Hey, bro. What’s up? You know you can count on my discretion. I won’t repeat anything back to our folks.’

‘Course,’ Adrian said gruffly. ‘Where are you?’

‘Cruising along the M25. I’ll be home in about half an hour.’

‘I need to have a one-to-one with you.’

‘Sure. I’m all ears.’

‘No, mate. It’s not the sort of thing to discuss over the phone.’

Garth frowned. He’d never heard his brother sound so serious. ‘Okay, no worries. Look, why don’t you come over to mine. Stay for dinner or something. I’ll square it with Emma and insist she behaves herself. How does that suit?’

‘Sure.’

‘Good. See you soon.’

Concerned, Garth disconnected the call. Adrian’s tone of voice made him feel suddenly anxious. He’d always been privy to his brother’s confidences. All through his teens Garth had been the one Adrian had turned to.

‘Don’t let Mum find out, but I’m seeing Vicky tomorrow night.’

‘Not
Sticky Vicky
?’

And Adrian had grinned. ‘Yeah. Cover for me. Tell her I’m playing footie with Andrew.’

There had been all kinds of dubious girls Garth had kept from their mother’s knowledge. Like Florence Milligan, the Avon lady’s daughter. She’d apparently done amazing things with a pot of Vaseline in exchange for a fiver. Or Emily Hardcastle whose life’s ambition was to be a teenage mum – at fifteen. And Judy Cotton who wasn’t just light-fingered around the make-up counter in Boots, but also light-fingered behind the back of the bus shelter. Adrian had had encounters with them all, and some. Garth had thought it unfair such girls had gained sullied reputations. Perversely his brother had been
fêted
as some sort of glorious bad-boy. Male student friends envied Adrian, while female pupils desperately pursued him. As the years passed, Adrian had excelled both academically and recreationally – the latter being games their mother would not have been impressed with. Workwise Adrian had achieved promotion after promotion. Garth suspected Adrian’s entire female staff were in love with him.

Garth overtook a lorry before gently cruising back into the inside lane of the motorway. He flicked a lever on the steering column. An automated voice asked him who he wanted to call.

‘Emma, landline.’

The sound of ringing filled the cabin, but his call went unanswered. Garth disconnected and tried another number.

‘Emma, mobile.’ It went straight to voicemail. Garth decided to leave her a message. He wanted to smooth the path for Adrian turning up later. ‘Hi, Emma. It’s me. I’ve had Adrian on the phone. He seemed a bit stressed and…well…please don’t be mad…I’ve invited him to dinner. Anyway, I’m on my way home so I’ll see you soon.’

Garth disconnected the call and prayed Emma wouldn’t go ballistic. Even worse, he hoped Adrian wouldn’t get to the house before him, otherwise Emma would send Garth to Coventry for at least a week. Anxious to avoid a row, Garth hit the accelerator. With a bit of luck he’d beat Adrian to the house.

When Garth pulled into his road, he let out an audible groan of dismay. Beyond the electric gates, Adrian’s car was already parked up. Garth determined he’d just have to tough it out with Emma. Releasing Anna’s travelling seat from the rear, he walked up to the front door. He was just fumbling with his key in the lock, when the door swung open. Emma stood there. She folded her arms across her chest and regarded Garth grimly.

‘Ah, Emma. Hi!’ Garth mustered an ingratiating smile and leant forward to peck her on the cheek. She immediately turned her cheek away, aping the famous rebuff Princess Diana had given Charles many years ago. Instead Emma snatched the sleeping baby and car seat from Garth. Wordlessly, she disappeared into the lounge. Garth heaved a sigh. There was a distinct lack of cooking smells in the house. Okay. He was definitely in the dog house.

Garth shut the door behind him and kicked off his shoes. Bracing himself, he made to go into the front room. Adrian was on his feet and now holding Anna’s travelling seat. Emma was standing by Adrian’s side. Garth paused in the doorway, puzzled. Something wasn’t right. There wasn’t exactly an atmosphere. It was more like… an undercurrent.

‘What’s up, bro?’ Garth padded over to an armchair and plonked himself down. ‘Well don’t stand on ceremony.’ He tried to lighten the strange mood. ‘Sit down, eh!’

But Adrian remained standing. He regarded his brother tensely. ‘There’s no easy way to say this, mate. So I’m just going to spit it out and tell it how it is.’