about it now, I almost gagged, wondering why it had taken so long to irritate the hell out of me.
I glanced over at Wilbur. I must admit it was nice to wake up beside such a quiet sleeping companion.
‘Come on boy. Let’s go for a walk around the garden before the truck comes. We’ve got a big day ahead and then the boys are bringing dinner for us. You’ll like them and I think they just might like you.’ I patted his blonde head and I was sure those black lips smiled, if only briefly.
*
‘More champagne babe?’ Steve asked, filling my glass without waiting for an answer.
From behind me, Thomas began kneading my exhausted neck muscles with those wonderfully powerful hands of his. I rolled my neck. ‘Mmmm,’ I moaned. ‘Don’t stop.’
‘Darling please tell me this is not going to be the new you? Your hair is ghastly. Let me organise a blow-dry for you tomorrow with Carmen. You know you love her big Texan blow dries. Treat yourself, please,’ Thomas begged.
I laughed and swept my long dark curls up into a ponytail. ‘Thomas I’ve spent all day with the movers and tradespeople. I promise you this is not the new me.’ Swinging myself around, I placed my legs over the side of the armchair.
‘Well what time is Marty coming? You mustn’t let yourself slip,’ Thomas admonished, taking a sip of champagne.
‘Just leave her be, Thom,’ Steve chided over his shoulder, as he continued to investigate the house further. ‘I love this armoire,’ his voice came from the next room, his boots loud on the naked wooden floorboards. ‘I’m taking a walk outside before it gets dark. Wilbur’s coming with me.’ I heard the sound of the heavy front door close.
With folded arms, Thomas turned to me and demanded, ‘Well, what time?’
‘He’ll be here shortly. He’s picking up dinner from Sitar for us. And Thomas I need to remind you…’ I enunciated clearly, ‘he is just a friend.’
Thomas waved a hand at me. ‘Darling, both Steve and I love Marty. Steve just won’t admit it yet. He’s in a tough spot. He’s struggling to be loyal to Davis on any level. He may be his brother, but God knows, he’s behaving like a horse’s arse.’
I laughed at his honesty. ‘That’s putting it mildly.’
‘Truly he is. But what can you do? He’s been led around by his dick… Sorry darling, that didn’t help did it?’
I hardly needed reminding. I shook my head, my heart sinking rapidly. ‘Thom, I don’t think it’s just that. I think it’s his ambition as well. But he’s gone too far. I’ve been thinking about it, and I know this all began when I wanted to step back from the business, when I stopped making it my first priority and decided that I wanted to spend more time at home and have a baby. God, we know how driven Davis is. To be honest I think he and… I’d rather not say her name… are cut from the same cloth. They suit each other perfectly. They’re both completely ruthless and they deserve one another. I’m sorry to say it has taken distance for me to see him clearly, and now I wonder how I could not have seen it before.’
‘Oh darling...’ he said, patting my knee. ‘I feel just dreadful for you.’
‘Yes I know, but it’s even more than that.’ Standing, I walked over to the window and then I spun around. ‘If he wasn’t happy, I wish he could have told me, been honest. It’s the lying that I hate the most. I think he got to a stage where it just rolled off his tongue, and he no longer knew what the truth was, and what was a lie.’
Thomas shook his head with disgust. ‘Tell me you’ve at least heard from the dragon?’ and he drew inverted commas in the air.
I smiled at his terminology for my ex mother-in-law, Eileen. ‘Not a word.’ I shrugged. ‘I know you’ve had a few run-ins, but I’ve always gotten on fairly well with her.’ Now that I was reminded, I was rather miffed. ‘You’d think I was the one who’d run off with someone else, not the other way around.’
Thomas flapped his hands around. ‘She’s hopeless darling. I think she’d like to call, but some people just don’t know what to do at times like these. You and I made such great outlaws together, now…’ He threw himself back on the couch with typical Thomas theatrical style.
I attempted to change the subject. ‘I’m ravenous. Hope Marty’s not too much longer.’ I caught Thomas’s look. ‘Thomas, stop it. You’re hopeless. He is truly a good friend and he’s been invaluable over the past few months. It’s been great having someone to share my ideas with. But that’s all.’
‘Well my dear, all I’m going to say is, I believe it’s about bloody time you made up a shopping list of exactly what you want in a man, because it may just bloody-well be under your nose. Now where the heck is that champagne bottle? A man is not a camel.’
*
The house was in far too much disarray to have dined inside, and as it had been a spectacular early evening, I had suggested we spread our Indian feast upon the front steps and gaze at the garden. I had even found the brand new white damask tablecloth, crystal champagne flutes and candlesticks, all of which, among other things, I had purchased last month for my new home. As I had set up the formal picnic, I had seen all three males give each other the “she’s crazy” eye, however it did not deter.
After dinner, Steve, the gadget guru, attempted to set up a small TV in the kitchen. One by one, the other two males had drifted from the front steps to assist. Even Wilbur appeared to have offered his help as one minute he had been beside me and the next he was in the kitchen.
Finally, realising I had been deserted, and with the sound of good natured jesting coming from inside, I joined them in the kitchen and began to rummage around to find four new mugs for instant coffee. I was hanging out for the new coffee machine to arrive.
‘Truly Steve, don’t worry too much. I have never really been a TV person,’ I told him over my shoulder, as I searched a large box labelled “new kitchen things” for the sugar bowl.
‘I’m almost there,’ he told me, fixated on his task, while the three of us watched on.
Finally, Thomas had had enough. ‘Take me home gorgeous or loose me forever.’ He draped himself over Steve’s back.
With the remote control pointed at the TV and not taking one bit of notice of Thomas’s dramatic behaviour, Steve muttered, ‘One more sec. I’m almost done.’
‘I’m simply exhausted,’ Thomas exaggerated, while Marty and I shared a fleeting smile. Pouting with impatience, Thomas roamed off, only to be heard seconds later shrieking. ‘Oh my God. Nooooooo! Peach!’
I quickly followed Marty and Steve towards Thomas’s cries. In unison, both men came to a direct halt at the front door and began laughing.
‘What?’ I demanded, pushing past them, unable to see what they were laughing at. And then, I too stopped in my tracks.
There stood Wilbur, frozen to the spot, guilt written right across his face, in amongst the Indian picnic, the remnants of dahl around his mouth, the tandoori lamb container now licked scrupulously clean, a new crystal wine glass on its side. All that remained of our dinner
