The Guilt Trip(61)

“Oh, hi,” says Rachel. “It’s Chrissy, isn’t it?”

The woman nods and breathes out a palpable sense of relief.

Rachel offers her hand and introduces Paige. “So, you’re a friend of Ali’s?”

“Yes,” says Chrissy. “We were at school together.”

Rachel feels Paige come alert, the lawyer in her ready to pounce, as if knowing what Ali was like back then will somehow shed light on why she’s a homewrecker now.

“That must have been a blast,” says Paige. “I can’t imagine what she was like back then.”

“How long have you known her?” asks Chrissy, deflecting the implied question.

“Long enough,” says Paige.

Rachel throws her a warning glance, and Paige looks at her as if to say, “What?”

This is going to be harder than Rachel thought and she bitterly regrets telling her anything. It’s hard enough keeping a lid on it herself without having to worry about Paige, who, it has to be said, is far more unpredictable. It had seemed like a good idea at the time—she’d probably done it in the hope that Paige was going to talk her out of the downward spiral she’d gotten herself in, except she’d somehow fanned the flames. It wasn’t her fault—she was only doing what a good friend would naturally do—but Rachel wishes she’d kept her suspicions to herself, at least until she’d worked out exactly what she was going to do about them.

“I’m married to Will’s brother Jack,” Rachel says to Chrissy, whose confused expression suggests she’s waiting for Paige to elaborate.

“Oh,” says Chrissy, visibly relaxing. “So you and Ali are now sisters-in-law.”

Rachel nods, unable to comprehend how any kind of sister could do what she’s doing. “Yes, I suppose we are.”

“Cool,” says Chrissy. “You’re going to have so much fun. She’s such a great girl.”

Rachel and Paige snatch a glance at each other.

“So, you’ve known each other forever,” says Paige.

Chrissy smiles. “Since primary school. We met when we were nine and have been as thick as thieves ever since.”

“What was she like when she was younger?” asks Paige. “I assume not the same as she is now.”

The line of questioning is making Rachel feel uncomfortable and she wonders how far Paige is going to go.

A perplexed expression crosses Chrissy’s face as she mulls it over. “I guess not, but so much has changed between then and now that I suppose it’s impossible to stay the same. But for Ali, it’s all been for the good—mostly.”

“Mostly?” presses Paige.

“Well, compared to what she was like back then, she’s definitely come out of her shell.” Chrissy smiles, as if remembering fondly. “We were so similar when we were growing up—I think that’s what drew us together.”

“I can’t imagine you ever being similar,” says Paige disparagingly.

Chrissy, in her floor-length maxi dress, seems to shrink into the ground. Her knees bend, her shoulders round even more than they do already and her head dips, as if she’s trying to make herself invisible.

“We wouldn’t say boo to a goose,” she says quietly. “She was even shyer than I was.”

Paige laughs falsely. “And now look at her.”

They all turn to where the most noise is coming from, knowing that that’s most likely where Ali will be—right in the middle of it.

“Oh my God,” she shrieks, as her family circles around her. “I honestly thought I was going to pass out. When the registrar said, ‘Do you, Alison Foley, take Will…’ I could feel myself swaying and thought, I’m gonna go! I don’t know how I didn’t.”

Will walks over to the group and they all cheer and crowd round for hugs and celebratory pats on the back. “Please may I introduce my husband,” shrieks Ali, holding a glass of champagne in the air. “Woo-hoo!”

“I’ve never seen her so happy,” says Chrissy, smiling reflectively. “It’s so wonderful to see.”

“Especially after everything…” says Paige, leaving it hanging there.

Rachel looks at her, dumbfounded, wondering where the hell she’s going with this. She can suddenly visualize Paige in her wig and gown, commanding a court room in a criminal trial. If she followed this line of questioning at work, she’s sure the judge would accuse her of leading the witness. For a moment, it feels like Chrissy isn’t going to take the bait, and Rachel breathes a sigh of relief, but a part of her hopes that she might, even if it’s just to give her a tiny window into Ali’s world, and the slightest explanation as to why she would do what she’s doing with another woman’s husband. With her husband’s brother.

“Exactly,” says Chrissy. “The accident hit her really hard.”

“Her mum’s, you mean?” asks Rachel.

Chrissy nods. “She still blames herself, no matter how many times Maria tells her not to.”

Rachel desperately tries to claw back any nuggets of conversation that she’d had with Ali on the subject, but there’s little to glean. Either Ali hadn’t divulged the details, or Rachel hadn’t bothered to listen.

“That must be an awful burden to carry,” offers Paige.