‘Really?’ said Katy. ‘Because from where I’m sitting, going backwards is exactly what you aredoing.’
‘And I have to agree,’ Rebeccajoinedin.
Annabel sighed. ‘Now there’s asurprise.’
‘Oh come on, look at it from our point of view,’ said her sister. ‘It took a while, but after all the heartache, we finally get a chance to see the real you again. The Annabel that laughs and jokes and isn’t afraid to show herself up. Then just as quickly as you reappear,puff!’ She flicked her fingers out like some sort of magician. ‘You, the woman we all know and love, are back to locking yourself away in that house of yours as if the outside world doesn’texist.’
Annabel didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t argue. She’d surprised herself at how quickly and easily she’d managed to fall back into herroutine.
‘And all in the toss of a coin,’saidKaty.
Rebecca put her hand up in disdain. ‘Don’t remind me,’ she said. ‘Have you ever heard anything soridiculous?’
It was clear the two of them were never going to give up and Annabel felt cornered, forced to question if this had been on tonight’s agenda all along. To pretend all was well until they got her on neutral ground. Unlike at home, in public she’d have to listen to them and, with a bit of luck on their part, come to her senses. ‘It might seem ridiculous to you,’ she said. ‘But it makes perfect sensetome.’
‘Does it?’ asked Katy. ‘Because I don’tbelieveyou.’
As usual, it seemed Annabel was talking toherself.
‘I think you’re running scared. I think you started out on this journey with Dan thinking you wanted one thing and then you realised you wanted something else. Yes, a baby would give you someone to love and yes, that love would be reciprocated. I get that. But we both know a baby isn’t enough anymore, why else would you call this pregnancy thing off? You want the whole package and that freaksyouout.’
Annabel took a sip of her wine. The evening was going from bad to worse, and fast. The last thing she needed was another lecture. The last thing she needed was someone telling her how she felt. ‘I almost had the whole package with Tom,’ she said. ‘And look where that got me. As for your scoffing, Rebecca, be it a penny or a couple of quid, people put their futures in the hands of the Money Gods all the time. You only have to look to the lottery toseethat.’
‘What? And now that these Money Gods have spoken, we’re supposed to just accept it, are we? We’re supposed to get on with our lives knowing you’re sitting in front of the box night after night turning into some sort of amoeba? You’ll be telling me you’re going to get acatnext.’
‘Funny you should say that,’ saidAnnabel.
Desperate to change the subject, she knew she was just being mean, that she didn’t really have any such plan. But her sister hated cats with a passion and Annabel knew that to even imply getting a feline friend would be enough to send the woman off on atangent.
‘Jesus,’ said Rebecca, true to form. ‘Mrs. Miggins down the street got a cat when herhusbanddied.’
Annabel sat back, relieved to see her cunning planplayout.
‘Granted she’s a lot older than you, but one soon turned into two and then three and you know what cats are like. Before anyone knew it, she had a house full.’ She pursed her lips, shuddering at the thought. ‘Talk about a giantlittertray.’
‘Look,’ said her friend, keen to get their original discussion back on track. ‘We all know how specialTomwas.’
Bugger!thought Annabel. Trust her to bring thingsintoline.
‘Even though he’s no longer here, how special he still is. And what happened, well it’s beyond words. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find happiness again,Annabel.’
‘For my sake as much as yours,’ added Rebecca, obviously still pre-occupied with all thingsmoggy.
Annabel almost laughed. Talk about a pair of hypocrites. It didn’t seem too long ago that one of the women before her thought she was still grieving, while the other insisted she’d lost the plot. As for their dislike for Dan, they’d had him down as some sort of badinfluence.
‘What do you think Tom would say if he saw you like this?’ asked Katy. ‘Would he want you to justgiveup?’
‘Because it doesn’t stop at the cats, you know,’ her sister carried on. ‘Before long you’ll be wearing floppy hats and hoarding pile after pile ofnewspapers.’
‘To think, my own sister, a cat lady,’ added Rebecca. ‘I need adrink.’
Before she could protest, Annabel’s glass was snatched from her hand. She watched on, wide eyed, as her pregnant sister began downing itscontents.
‘Thank you,’ said Annabel. For the baby’s benefit if not the mother’s, she quickly re-claimed her now half-emptyglass.
‘Then you’ll stop leaving the house altogether like some sort of hermit,’ said Rebecca. ‘And let’s face it, when it comes to the life of a recluse, you’re already half-waythere.’
Annabel stared at her sister, unsure whether to laugh or feel offended. She supposed it was her own fault, a part of her even felt a bit guilty. In her desire to the change the subject she’d obviously pushed the poor woman over the edge. However, in her condition, it probably didn’t help that her hormones were all over theplace.
