“Vincent’s. I booked a table.”
Daniel looked surprised. “On your own?”
“Er . . . well, I did book it for three. But it’s no problem”—she smiled—“I’ve let him know it’s just me now.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” He looked contrite. “We should have come back.”
“Honestly, it’s fine.”
Cherry thought she ought to add her apologies at this point. “Sorry, Laura. If we’d known . . .”
She thought she saw a flicker of irritation cross Laura’s face before:
“Not to worry.”
“It was thoughtless.” Daniel moved over to the fridge. Opened it and peered inside. “Tell you what, I’ll cook you something.”
“No, honestly.” Laura stood. “Vincent’s expecting me. He wanted to catch up with the family news.”
“You sure?”
“Of course.”
“Sorry. Again. I don’t know why I didn’t think to check or anything. Cherry just said she was famished and we went and grabbed something.”
She hadn’t been that hungry, remembered Cherry. She’d just said she was because she preferred eating alone with Daniel to having his mother tag along. It would’ve been more polite, more friendly, to wait, but it was only one night, for God’s sake. It wasn’t like she hadn’t done the whole “family and friends” thing the night before. Laura could hardly expect them not to want to be alone atsomepoint. In fact, she thought, with a touch of irritation, if she’d stop trying to be therethe whole bloody time, she might not find herself alone at dinner.
Laura looked across to Cherry and smiled. “Right, well, I’d better go. The reservation’s at nine.”
“We’ll come with you. Have a nightcap or something,” said Daniel.
Cherry really didn’t want to. She was tired after a day of sun and half a bottle of wine, but she smiled as if she thought the plan was a good one.
Laura hesitated. “No, it’s all right. You’ve been out all day. I expect you just want to relax a bit. I’ll be perfectly fine on my own.” She grabbed her jacket and bag and kissed Daniel’s cheek.
“See you both later.”
“Sorry again, Laura. We’ll call next time,” said Cherry.
Laura nodded and left the house. As the door shut, Cherry pulled a face. “I feel bad.”
“Yes, me too,” said Daniel. “Maybe we should spend a bit of time with her tomorrow?”
“I was thinking the same thing. Do you think your mum would enjoy a relaxing day by the pool? We could cook lunch, make up for tonight,” said Cherry, and her burst of benevolence was rewarded with a hug.
* * *
Laura came home to a quiet house; a light was left burning for her. It wasn’t quite eleven. There was a note on the table:Waited up for a while, but fell asleep on the couch. Hope you had a great night. Fancy a day by the pool tomorrow? We’re doing lunch!
Daniel had signed it from himself and Cherry. She listened, but could hear nothing, and so went to bed alone.
13
Sunday, June 22
THE NEXT MORNING, LAURA EXPECTED DANIEL AND CHERRY TO RISElate again, but to her surprise, they’d already gotten up and had breakfast by the time she followed the waft of fresh coffee into the kitchen. She could hear them laughing and chatting outside. She liked listening to their youthful exuberance and enthusiasm, their limitless energy for what they wanted to do with their lives with no sense at all that the energy might run out or the beliefs might change. The mix of determination and idealism was exciting.
She especially liked not knowing how it was all going to turn out, the joyful anticipation as you reached every milestone in a child’s life: Would it be a girl or a boy? What would they look like? What would their personality be like? How would they get on at school? Who would their friends be? What would they choose to study, choose to become? Having a child was the very best kind of lottery. She still thought of Rose like that every time Daniel reached a touchstone, just briefly, a curious, painful wondering that would never be answered.
