Three’s a Crowd by Dianne Blacklock Page B

next two and a bit years, until Rachel dropped out and took off overseas. Tom was the only one who understood at the time. Her parents shook their heads as they wrote their cheques, writing cheques being pretty much the extent of their parenting, and of far greater use to Rachel than any discipline or advice they might have cared to administer. And Catherine thought she was plain mad, throwing away two whole years of a law degree. Not quite two years, Rachel reminded her. She had failed yet another subject, so she was falling further behind. ‘That means you’ll be taking a lot of classes with me,’ Catherine pointed out. She was a year behind Rachel and Tom, but gaining fast. Giving birth to Alice in herHSC year had created a momentary setback, but setbacks were only ever momentary in Catherine’s life, whereas they had a tendency to completely derail Rachel’s. She sometimes had the feeling her whole life thus far was one big setback.
    Catherine maintained that Rachel had wasted too many years travelling, and that’s why she was where she was today. Which was nowhere, in Catherine’s estimation. But travelling had suited Rachel; the incredible freedom of drifting from place to place without a plan, finding somewhere to stay for a night, then staying for a month. Or six. And moving on when she felt like it. She had never been happier, except for that brief period at Rainbow Street, and that was a big part of the reason she left. She knew it couldn’t last, so she didn’t want to get too used to it, too attached, only to watch it inevitably dissolve around her.
    By the time she returned from overseas there was no more share house. Everyone had moved on, graduated from uni and into adult life. Catherine was forging ahead with her career and had already managed to fit in a brief marriage and divorce. She had insisted that Rachel be back in time for her second wedding. And Tom was thoroughly settled with a wife and two kids. Rachel suddenly had the urge to catch up to her friends, to settle too, whatever that meant. Perhaps it was time to make a home for herself. That was right about when Sean came along, so she settled for him.
    â€˜So, shall we drink to Annie?’ said Tom, raising his glass.
    â€˜Of course,’ said Rachel.
    He clinked his glass against hers and they drank, though as the Scotch hit the back of her throat she gasped a little, just managing to swallow it down before she had to cough.
    â€˜Are you right there?’ Tom asked.
    â€˜Just not so used to spirits,’ she croaked, clearing her throat again.
    â€˜Me either. But this is pretty smooth stuff.’ He turned the bottle to check the label. ‘Clients give it to me. I keep it for special occasions,’ he added, shaking his head ruefully.
    Rachel looked at him. ‘Well, you got through today,’ she said. ‘That was no mean feat. And Catherine certainly didn’t help.’
    He frowned. ‘Yes, she did, of course she did.’
    Rachel winced. ‘I know that, I just . . .’ God, she sounded like a bitch. ‘I only meant, well, I know what Catherine’s like, better than anyone, and I should have reined her in –’
    â€˜Hey,’ he interrupted her, ‘she’s not your responsibility. Besides, I’m grateful to her. I realise today wasn’t very “Annie”, but I wasn’t up to organising it,’ he went on. ‘Let’s face it, the only person who’d be able to pull off an Annie-style funeral would be Annie herself.’
    He had a point. ‘Surely the girls would have liked to have some input?’ said Rachel.
    â€˜I think they’re still in shock, Rach. Perhaps after a while . . .’
    She thought about it. ‘So maybe you can plan your own memorial, say, in a year’s time, just the three of you.’
    He was staring out into the garden. ‘How are we ever going to get through a year?’