The Other Woman(82)

‘I’ll look after you,’ he said, as if reading my mind. ‘It won’t be so bad.’

Tears sprang to my eyes, as I realized that the one person I had on my side could be snatched away from me at any time of Pammie’s choosing.





39

Unusually, Pammie was already in the restaurant, sitting at the table, laughing loudly with James and his girlfriend, as we walked up to them. It already felt like I was the odd one out, the one they were laughing at.

Pammie stood up to greet us. ‘Darling,’ she said to Adam, ‘it’s so lovely to see you.’

I smiled tightly.

‘And Emily. Dear Emily, you look . . .’ She took a purposeful breath as her eyes travelled up and down my body. ‘Ravishing.’

Adam helped me off with my coat.

‘Hi, Em, this is Kate,’ said James awkwardly. He leant in for a kiss, and it took all my will not to pull away from him. I shook Kate’s hand as she loomed into view. She was tall, blonde, and slim, and I felt my heart break a little.

I smiled. ‘Lovely to meet you.’

‘You too,’ she replied, ‘I’ve heard a lot about you.’

I wanted to say, ‘How so?’ but instead, I gave the standard response. ‘All good, I hope?’

No one ever offers an answer to that, yet it’s one of life’s few rhetorical questions that everybody wants a response to.

We smiled between ourselves, whilst Adam went off in search of a coat stand. ‘So, how’s things?’ James asked eventually. ‘Busy at work?’

I hadn’t seen him since our wedding dinner for the wedding that never happened. His hair was a little longer, the front just cutting across the top of one eye, and the sun had lightened it to a dark honey blond. I’d assumed that his deep tan was from spending his days tending to the gardens of England, but I noticed that Kate also had a colour to her cheeks. My chest tightened as I imagined them being away somewhere romantic, a villa or intimate hotel, in Italy or France, perhaps, spending their days lying by a pool, and their nights making love. I tried to banish the thought of it, hating myself for still caring, even after what he’d done.

‘Yes, all good,’ I replied. ‘You? You look like you’ve been away.’

‘We’ve been to Greece,’ said Kate excitedly. ‘It was amazing, wasn’t it?’ She looked to James, who gave her the same look back and took hold of her hand. Did Adam and I look at each other like that?

‘Here’s the big man,’ said James, as Adam came towards us smiling.

They shook hands and I watched as Adam was introduced to Kate, their attempt to kiss each other awkward as he went in for two, whilst she was only expecting one. I could feel a prickle of embarrassment from them both.

She was all eyes and teeth, and I pulled at my dowdy blouse self-consciously, wishing I’d worn the dress that Adam and I had fought over a few weeks ago. At least then I could have begun to compete.

‘Isn’t she gorgeous?’ Pammie whispered, as she stood beside me, watching them. ‘She’s got it all.’

I didn’t react. I just continued to watch the two men fawn over her. This was going to be worse than I had even imagined.

‘So, what’s new?’ James asked, finally bringing me back into the conversation.

‘Well, let’s just order a bottle of wine and we’ll tell you,’ said Adam, summoning over the waiter.

‘Sounds ominous,’ James laughed.

‘Not at all,’ said Adam. ‘We’ve got some pretty big news, actually.’

I watched Pammie’s face, her muscles contracting as she struggled to remain expressionless.

‘Oh yes?’ she managed. ‘Have you set a new date for the wedding?’

‘Not exactly,’ said Adam. ‘Things have moved up a gear or two.’ He looked at me and took my hand, and I gave him my best winning smile.

‘Ooh, sounds exciting,’ piped up Kate.

Adam looked around the table and grinned. ‘Well, we’re having a baby,’ he said.

James’s mouth fell open, Kate beamed and clapped her hands together, and Pammie sat there stony-faced, her jowls twitching.

‘Wow, guys, that’s amazing,’ said James. ‘That’s really cool. Wow.’

‘How far gone are you?’ asked Kate. ‘When are you due? Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?’

I batted the answers back just as fast as she asked the questions.

‘Three months. Spring. No.’

James shook Adam’s hand again, and he came around the table to kiss my cheek. ‘Congratulations,’ he whispered, and my body stiffened.

‘Mum?’ said Adam, still awaiting a reaction.

‘Well, it’s just a shock,’ she said tearfully. ‘A good shock, but a shock nonetheless.’ She tried to smile through her tears, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

‘That’s wonderful news, son, really.’ She wasn’t attempting to get up, so Adam went around the table to her. I didn’t bother.

She clung onto him, like a limpet.

‘Mum, you’re supposed to be happy, not crying.’ He laughed. ‘Nobody’s died.’

‘I’m all right, son,’ she said, sniffing. ‘Being a grandma is going to take some getting used to. I’m pleased for you, really I am.’