taking her courage in both hands, she phoned Brambles.
It was Ben who answered, and she was warmed by his spontaneous, ‘Sylvie! How good to hear from you!’
In the background, she heard Tina’s exclamation, and the next instant she had seized the phone from her husband and her voice came over the line.
‘Sylvie, how are you? You must be telepathic! I was just about to phone you.’
‘I’m fine,’ Sylvie said steadily. ‘I was wondering if you’re up for our Christmas shopping trip?’ Since they were schoolgirls, it had been the custom for the two of them to shop together for their Christmas presents.
‘Just what I was going to suggest!’
‘I’ve a couple of days’ holiday due, so I could fit in with you. One day next week?’
‘Perfect. How about Tuesday? Both the children have after-school activities, so we shouldn’t have to rush back. Could you stay for supper, as usual?’
‘Oh, Tina, I’d love to!’
‘It’s a date, then. I’ll pick you up when I’ve done the school run.’
Tina put down the phone and stood for a moment, her hand resting on it. When she finally turned, her eyes were moist, and she and Ben exchanged a smile.
‘Well done,’ he said quietly.
‘I’m so thankful, Ben. I was afraid this business with James might have done for us.’
‘You’ve both too much sense for that. It was bound to be awkward for a while, but it looks as though you’ve weathered it.’
‘The next hurdle will be when the two of them meet, as they’re bound to.’
‘Well, unless it happens here, which is highly unlikely, it’s not your worry. In the meantime sufficient unto the day . . .’
‘Amen to that,’ she said.
The following Tuesday dawned sunny and crisp with frost, perfect weather for Christmas shopping.
Having dropped the children at school, Tina drove to the flat Sylvie shared with a work colleague, and, parking at the kerb, tooted on the horn. She appeared at once, a red scarf knotted at her throat and clutching a capacious shopping bag. Tina reached over to open the passenger door, and they gave each other a quick, slightly embarrassed, hug.
‘Ready for the fray?’ Tina asked.
‘Absolutely. I have a list, but I’m not sure that’s a good thing; if you’ve too definite an idea of what you want, you never find it.’
‘Well, let’s think positive. We usually do well together, sparking off ideas.’
As they drove through the rime-encrusted countryside, conversation was at first rather stilted, but by the time they’d circled several car parks, finally securing a space in a multi-storey, their reserve had completely disappeared.
‘Right,’ Tina said, locking the door and shivering in the blast of cold air. ‘Let battle commence!’
The Promenade was already crowded with shoppers, the shops festooned with decorations and miniature Christmas trees, windows piled high with tempting goods – jewellery, cocktail dresses, exotic foods. They shopped solidly for two hours, with varying degrees of success, and had just decided on a coffee break when Tina suddenly seized Sylvie’s arm and pulled her behind a rack of dresses.
Sylvie looked at her in surprise. ‘What’s the matter?’
Tina nodded towards someone approaching down a near aisle. ‘Abigail,’ she said.
Sylvie gave a little gasp. She’d never seen the woman who’d stolen James from her, and her eyes fastened avidly on the slender figure, taking in the careless elegance of the sheepskin jacket and tightly fitting trousers, the high boots, the dark hair shining under the shop lights. Then she was past, and Sylvie let out her unconsciously held breath.
‘My God, she’s gorgeous, isn’t she? No wonder James fell for her.’
Tina squeezed her arm. ‘Let’s have that coffee.’
Minutes later, they were seated at a table, two cappuccinos in front of them. But an unspoken pact had been unavoidably broken, and almost at once Sylvie returned to the subject uppermost in their thoughts.
‘How is
It was Ben who answered, and she was warmed by his spontaneous, ‘Sylvie! How good to hear from you!’
In the background, she heard Tina’s exclamation, and the next instant she had seized the phone from her husband and her voice came over the line.
‘Sylvie, how are you? You must be telepathic! I was just about to phone you.’
‘I’m fine,’ Sylvie said steadily. ‘I was wondering if you’re up for our Christmas shopping trip?’ Since they were schoolgirls, it had been the custom for the two of them to shop together for their Christmas presents.
‘Just what I was going to suggest!’
‘I’ve a couple of days’ holiday due, so I could fit in with you. One day next week?’
‘Perfect. How about Tuesday? Both the children have after-school activities, so we shouldn’t have to rush back. Could you stay for supper, as usual?’
‘Oh, Tina, I’d love to!’
‘It’s a date, then. I’ll pick you up when I’ve done the school run.’
Tina put down the phone and stood for a moment, her hand resting on it. When she finally turned, her eyes were moist, and she and Ben exchanged a smile.
‘Well done,’ he said quietly.
‘I’m so thankful, Ben. I was afraid this business with James might have done for us.’
‘You’ve both too much sense for that. It was bound to be awkward for a while, but it looks as though you’ve weathered it.’
‘The next hurdle will be when the two of them meet, as they’re bound to.’
‘Well, unless it happens here, which is highly unlikely, it’s not your worry. In the meantime sufficient unto the day . . .’
‘Amen to that,’ she said.
The following Tuesday dawned sunny and crisp with frost, perfect weather for Christmas shopping.
Having dropped the children at school, Tina drove to the flat Sylvie shared with a work colleague, and, parking at the kerb, tooted on the horn. She appeared at once, a red scarf knotted at her throat and clutching a capacious shopping bag. Tina reached over to open the passenger door, and they gave each other a quick, slightly embarrassed, hug.
‘Ready for the fray?’ Tina asked.
‘Absolutely. I have a list, but I’m not sure that’s a good thing; if you’ve too definite an idea of what you want, you never find it.’
‘Well, let’s think positive. We usually do well together, sparking off ideas.’
As they drove through the rime-encrusted countryside, conversation was at first rather stilted, but by the time they’d circled several car parks, finally securing a space in a multi-storey, their reserve had completely disappeared.
‘Right,’ Tina said, locking the door and shivering in the blast of cold air. ‘Let battle commence!’
The Promenade was already crowded with shoppers, the shops festooned with decorations and miniature Christmas trees, windows piled high with tempting goods – jewellery, cocktail dresses, exotic foods. They shopped solidly for two hours, with varying degrees of success, and had just decided on a coffee break when Tina suddenly seized Sylvie’s arm and pulled her behind a rack of dresses.
Sylvie looked at her in surprise. ‘What’s the matter?’
Tina nodded towards someone approaching down a near aisle. ‘Abigail,’ she said.
Sylvie gave a little gasp. She’d never seen the woman who’d stolen James from her, and her eyes fastened avidly on the slender figure, taking in the careless elegance of the sheepskin jacket and tightly fitting trousers, the high boots, the dark hair shining under the shop lights. Then she was past, and Sylvie let out her unconsciously held breath.
‘My God, she’s gorgeous, isn’t she? No wonder James fell for her.’
Tina squeezed her arm. ‘Let’s have that coffee.’
Minutes later, they were seated at a table, two cappuccinos in front of them. But an unspoken pact had been unavoidably broken, and almost at once Sylvie returned to the subject uppermost in their thoughts.
‘How is
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