Page 39 of The Bordeaux Book Club
‘What? It’s true! You’re so boring, Mum. You’re either moaning about the garden, or you’re reading books. You never notice me, or Dad. We’re just… You don’t care about us!’
‘That is so unfair.’
‘Is it?’ Scarlett said, her face flushed. ‘Well, maybe I don’t want to stand around here and be moaned at all the time.’
‘Oh, come on, I only said…’
But Scarlett had now reached peak self-righteousness. ‘Forget it!’ she said, flinging down her trowel and stomping back into the house.
Leah was left in the early-morning sun, with a bed stretching away and an enormous number of seedlings yet to be planted. She could do it herself. It might even be more pleasant just to work quietly.
But her mind was chattering. Did Scarlett really think Nathan might be tired of her? That Leah ignored them both? Or was she just finding weapons she knew would hurt Leah the most?
Was Scarlett hurting? Did she need her mum more? Was Leah being distant with her daughter? She thought about her reluctance to knock on Scarlett’s bedroom door. Had she been avoiding her?
Or had Scarlett simply managed to manipulate the situation so that she got what she wanted – a morning sitting on her bed while Leah worked alone in the garden?
Either way, the argument had stirred something in Leah. Something she’d been half-ignoring. Where was Nathan going? And why was he being so evasive about it all?
15
The café was bustling with life, despite the fact it was a weekday morning. Leah felt it wash over her as she was absorbed into the interior. Thoughts of Scarlett and Nathan seemed to melt away as she walked across the tiled floor towards her friend in the corner.
She’d surprised herself by calling Grace, suggesting they meet up for a coffee. She was almost always the invitee, rather than the inviter, when it came to their friendship. Mainly because she sometimes found her friend a bit exhausting. Yet when she’d needed to get out, Grace had agreed immediately.
Leah had made an effort today – swapping her usual jeans for a smarter pair of linen trousers and a white, sleeveless top. She’d kept her hair loose and it fell to her shoulders in gentle waves – she could smell the ghost of her shampoo when she moved her head. She’d forgotten what it was to feel beautiful, but today, she realised she must look better than usual – one or two men glanced at her as she walked towards the back table, their glances appreciative. She hated that kind of attention ordinarily, but it was nice to know that despite hitting her forties, she could still turn the occasional head.
Grace was already there, sitting with a copy ofPride and Prejudiceopen in front of her. Next to her was a tiny coffee cup and the wrapper of a square of dark chocolate. She’d clearly been here a while.
‘Hello!’ Leah said, pulling out a chair and sinking into it. ‘Am I late?’
Grace looked up, smiled and marked her page with an ornate, silver bookmark. ‘Not at all,’ she said. ‘I couldn’t sleep so thought I’d come in early and use the opportunity to read.’
‘Sounds blissful, actually,’ Leah said.
‘It was,’ Grace said, ‘although I think I’ve probably had one too many espressos.’
They laughed. Grace was dressed in a fitted blouse and jeans, her hair neatly straightened into submission around her face. Leah got to her feet. ‘Shall I get you another?’ she said, ‘or maybe something else?’
‘Mint tea?’
‘Sounds like a plan.’
‘Thanks for meeting up,’ Leah said when she’d returned with their drinks. ‘I just needed to get out.’
‘No problem, we should do it more often,’ said Grace.
‘It feels a bit like we’re cheating on the rest of the group!’ Leah quipped, eyeing the book on the table.
‘If you don’t tell, I won’t,’ Grace said with a grin.
They really should do this more often, Leah thought as she sipped her coffee. It seemed odd, she thought, that she and Nathan were officially ‘masters of their own time’ and yet to have none left over for fun. Perhaps Nathan was right, making this sort of stand – taking himself off to Bordeaux to wander around and get a bit of headspace and perspective.
As usual, thoughts of Nathan’s disappearances made her heart lurch a little. Was she being paranoid? Had Scarlett’s words hit a nerve? She and Nathan had been married for fifteenyears – they’d had difficult times before where they’d seemed to pull away from each other, or life had got in the way. But they’d remained faithful, loyal. Why should now be any different? It wasn’t as if he was disappearing overnight and returning with lipstick on his collar, or any of the clichés you’d expect. ‘Leah – everything OK?’ Grace interrupted her reverie, her face concerned. ‘You look miles away.’
‘Yes, fine,’ she said, decisively. ‘Anyway, tell me about you. How’s the gardening group going?’
Grace shook her head slightly, ‘Yes, fine. Well, unless you bring up the subject of lawns.’
