The Full Legacy by Jane Retzig Page B

felt my mouth contorting as I got the final sentence out.... ‘I really wish she had... Because if she had... maybe she’d still be alive today.’
    And the trifle, which had been so delicious only a moment earlier, seemed to turn to ashes in my mouth.
     
    Michelle found me sobbing in the changing room.
    ‘Bloody hell!’ she said, staring at me in horror.
    ‘Sorry.’ I snuffled hastily into a soggy square of kitchen roll, then glanced at my reflection in the mirror, convinced that I must have snot all over my face. I didn’t, but I looked a mess – red and blotchy and waterlogged.
    Michelle sat down beside me and patted my hand gingerly. ‘What on earth’s the matter?’ she asked.
    I felt sorry for her. She’d always been uneasy with strong emotion.
    I shook my head. ‘I had a row with Suzanne.’
    Michelle looked vague. ‘Which one’s Suzanne?’
    She didn’t mix much with my gay friends. Apart from Kay, who she slightly, subtly disapproved of, she didn’t know any of them very well.
    ‘The one who lives with Mary,’ I said. ‘They’ve been together for years. She used to be quite a good friend of Corinne’s.’
    ‘Oh yes?’
    I knew immediately what she was thinking.
    I shoved it to the back of my mind. I didn’t even want to consider that one.
    ‘She said Corinne only stayed with me because she was scared I’d fall apart if she left.’
    ‘Oh,’ said Michelle, not knowing what to say.
    ‘It’s true isn’t it?’
    ‘No.’ She busied herself with tidying the make-up trays. ‘It was more complicated than that Gill, you know it was. And you know what I thought of Corinne. I told you often enough at the time.’
    Yes, I remembered, comments like, ‘She’s making a fool of you... Why do you put up with it?... You deserve better... You’re a total mug if you believe that one...’
    ‘I’ll make you a nice cup of coffee,’ she said now. ‘Cheer you up a bit, eh?’
    I doubted that it would but I nodded anyway, grateful for her kindness.
     
    When she’d gone, I tore Turner’s card into tiny pieces and threw them in the bin. No way could I handle the complications of pursuing a relationship with this woman right now. No way!
     

 
Hope
     
    In a weird sort of way though, the relationship seemed to be pursuing me.
     
    Thursday I worked late before going on to teach my night class. I was reading through my notes from the previous week, psyching myself up for the group. It was getting near the end of term and everyone was twitchy about their year-end assignment. I was also feeling guilty that I’d forgotten to phone Mary the day before. I wondered if I’d have time to phone her now before class.
    Michelle crashed through the louvres.
    ‘Hey, Gill, you know you thought you were going to be getting away early tomorrow afternoon?’
    ‘Ye-es.’ She’d booked somebody in, I knew it.
    ‘I’ve just had a call from somebody who wants a rush job.’
    ‘Well, I hope you referred them to the opposition.’
    I was inclined to dig my heels in about this one. It had been a long week and I’d felt tired before I even started.
    Michelle looked sheepish. ‘I tried. She was adamant though. It had to be you and it had to be tomorrow.’
    ‘What is it then?... Bouncing baby?... Boudoir?... Oh, please God don’t let it be a wedding or I’ll be working till midnight!’
    ‘Boudoir... A Mrs Shaw... Say’s price is no object.’
    My heart leapt, and I knew I was in trouble.
    ‘Must be her hubby’s birthday next week,’ I snarled, trying to act normally.
    Michelle didn’t seem to notice that my hands were shaking.
    ‘Anyway,’ she said. ‘I booked her in for three o’clock. It won’t muck up your weekend too badly, will it?’
    ‘S’pose not. I’ll just have to phone up and cancel afternoon tea with Sharon Stone again. ’
    ‘Oh well... you know what they say.... “Treat ‘em mean - keep ‘em keen”,’ Michelle grinned. ‘It’s important though, not to turn away business,