in a soup kitchen on Christmas Day. Nikki was understanding and inoffensive. Deep down Holly knew she was very lucky if this was her ex-partner’s new girlfriend. Holly instantly trusted her and felt comfortable that her children would be in her presence. Nikki had told her she loved kids and had been excited about getting to know Lottie and Jacob; she’d even gone out to buy them small gifts. ‘I actually really liked her. She’s mature for a twenty-five-year-old and she couldn’t wait to meet the children. She was so easy to get on with and I can see that she and Rob make a great couple. They seem so much better suited than Rob and I ever were.’
‘You’re handling things great,’ Emma said sincerely. ‘I can’t imagine many people like their ex’s new girlfriend. I think it’s fantastic if you can be friends.’
‘Yes, I really hope we can,’ Holly replied truthfully. ‘Anyway, tell me about the wedding,’ she said eagerly, not wanting to talk all about herself. ‘What’s the dress like? Or are you keeping it a secret?’
‘Charlie sorted a hire company for me and they’ve leant me one for free providing I tag them in my wedding posts,’ she explained. ‘I’ll show you a photo; it’s so pretty,’ she said, clicking on her mobile and flicking through her images.
‘Wow, Em, that’s so good. I can’t believe you haven’t had to pay for your wedding dress,’ Holly said, incredulous.
‘Charlie has managed to get free suit hires for all the men too; I’m really lucky to have him,’ she explained, flashing Holly the image of a stunning ivory, backless gown. ‘He’s been great at getting all the free stuff. I still have a few things to do though before the wedding, so I wondered if you and Kim wanted to come along to help me pick things? I’m so indecisive about this kind of thing.’
‘Of course. Anything to help, you know that. Your dress is stunning,’ she said, her mouth popping open as she took Emma’s phone to get a closer look. The material looked so delicate and expensive; it would mould to Emma’s slender figure beautifully. It was the kind of dress that Holly would steer well clear of due to an unforgiving tummy area. Since having children, the idea of a flat stomach seemed like a thing of the past; Holly was fine with this though. Personally she’d rather go out with her kids for pizza and ice-cream as a treat without worrying about her bikini body. It just wasn’t as important now.
‘Thanks Holly. Let’s go in the pool for a bit,’ she replied, walking ahead. ‘I just want everything to be absolutely impeccable, you know?’
Holly nodded. She worked with brides all the time being a hair stylist. Her diary was pretty much fully booked for the rest of the year and she’d offered to do Emma’s wedding hair for her on the big day. It had been Edna, Holly’s mother, who had suggested taking some time out of her diary in the summer for a break from work, so Holly had made sure she’d left some time where she hadn’t booked any weddings in. Holly was grateful she’d listened or she wouldn’t have managed to get to Vegas. Being booked up for weddings seemed to dictate her life. ‘It’s normal to want a faultless day; I think all brides feel like that,’ she told her reassuringly.
As they reached the pool, Emma smiled thinly as she placed her drink on the side of the pool. ‘It has to be perfect. It’s what everyone expects of me. I can’t let them all down.’
Holly looked at Emma oddly and just before she could respond, Emma dunked her body into the water and swam off.
Holly didn’t know which way to look as the taxi drove down the strip to the Planet Hollywood Hotel where they were staying. Her eyes darted from one grand hotel to another, the strip shimmering mesmerizingly, promising excitement and entertainment. Holly was fascinated by the bright lights flashing everywhere she looked. There seemed to be so much going on. It was a place for non-stop adventures, exactly like in films and it felt surreal that she was actually there. The taxi pulled into the hotel and Holly was delighted to reach the icy breeze of the air-conditioning again. The heat outside was stifling and Holly could feel sweat at the nape of her neck; there wasn’t even the slightest breeze. She was meeting Emma and the others in a few hours for drinks and she was hoping that Kim would be joining them. Surely she didn’t want to stay in the room for the rest of the day? She knew Kim felt tired and jet-lagged, but they weren’t in Vegas for long and Holly really felt as though they should be making the most of it.
Kim was sitting up in bed in her silky pyjamas watching the large television when Holly walked back into the room.
‘Hey, how you feeling?’ Holly asked her. ‘The pool parties here are incredible. You really should have come along,’ she told her, ‘we’re going to have the best time.’
Kim stretched out lazily on the bed. ‘I haven’t actually been to sleep,’ she said, ‘I’ve just been chilling out and watching a film. Bliss. I can’t remember the last time I actually watched a film without being interrupted by something.’
Holly couldn’t remember the last time she’d watched a film that wasn’t a Disney one. Even when her children were finally asleep she found she was always doing something round the house. Usually tidying up the toy room or catching up on washing. It seemed there was always something that needed doing when you became a parent.
Holly perused the room-service menu. ‘Ooh, let’s order champagne,’ she said, her eyes gleaming as she ran her finger down the menu, ‘to get us in the mood for this evening.’
Kim looked unsure. ‘I’m not sure I’m feeling up to it.’ Her eyes flicked over to the digital clock. ‘It’s two in the morning. in London right now.’
‘So?’ Holly replied ebulliently, ‘when has that ever stopped us before? It’s not like we have the children with us, is it? Emma said we’re all meeting at a bar in Caesars Palace tonight, but that’s not for another hour or so.’
Kim yawned. ‘Oh really? I might give tonight a miss, you know. I’d just like a quiet one to catch up on sleep. That sounds much more appealing than drinking in a bar; I still feel so tired.’
Holly felt a surge of disappointment. She loved her friend with all her heart, but since she’d had children, Kim had really changed. They hadn’t been out in ages and she’d so been looking forward to Vegas and spending quality time with her best friend like they used to. She had hoped that without the children, she’d be the old, fun Kim again, instead of this sensible, unenthusiastic new version. Some days Holly wondered what had happened to Kim. Kim had never been the maternal one out of the two of them. She’d always turned her nose up at the thought of having children, saying that she enjoyed her own life too much to give it up for someone else.
‘I think I’m more of an animal person,’ she’d once said, after they’d been to visit a friend’s baby. ‘I’d much prefer to hold a kitten or puppy than a baby.’
It had been Holly who had been more interested in babies, excited when someone had a newborn she could cuddle and really looking forward to having her own one day. She’d always had lots of younger cousins and had four younger nephews who she doted on. But Kim? Kim hadn’t even planned on having Mylo; it had just happened (a slip-up, she’d said) and then everything had changed. Just like that. It was as though Kim had had a personality transplant, suddenly obsessed with babies and children, wondering how many she could fit in before she hit forty. She suddenly stopped wanting to go out any more. Kim had always been
