The Sister-In-Law(77)
‘I did give it a second thought, as it happens.’
‘I’m sure you did,’ I said sarcastically, ‘before saying “yes please!” Anyway, my point is, if you don’t want Jamie to know that you were about to end the marriage to “star” in a tacky TV show for singletons, then you should keep quiet about me and Jamie.’
She stood for a few seconds, composing herself, all her hurt and disappointment channelling into anger. ‘God, what a bitch you are,’ she said, like she was talking to herself.
‘I’m sorry, Ella, but you drove me to it.’
‘No, you’re not sorry. You’re a smug, jealous cow,’ she hissed. ‘You’ve looked down your nose at me all the time I’ve been here… And thanks to you, me and Jamie are over.’
‘You don’t have to be over,’ I said. ‘If you don’t rock my boat, then I won’t rock yours. No one needs ever to know.’
‘You’ve made me look an idiot,’ she laughed. ‘I’ve messaged my agent, texted my friends and told them. You’ve trampled on everything; do you have any idea what you’ve done?’
‘I’m sorry, but I had to…’ I had no pity for her. I felt vindicated; she was clearly set on abandoning Jamie and the Taylors at the first sniff of something better.
‘Yeah right. You’re just nasty. SO jealous because your pervy husband hangs around me all the time. “Let me put your sun oil on, babe”,’ she said in a whiney voice meant to be Dan’s. ‘Jamie says he can’t keep it in his pants, that Bob told him he worries when Dan does staff interviews because he picks young, pretty women who can’t do the job. But that doesn’t bother Dan, he soon finds something to keep them busy,’ she added with a smirk. ‘I see him staring at me– and so do you.’
I didn’t want to hear this. ‘Ella,’ I said, ’I don’t know why, but it seems to me all you’ve ever wanted to do is destroy me, and I don’t know why.’
‘Me destroy you? You told everyone I was a thief, that I stole my motherin-law’s earrings – and then said I was lying about my own sister drowning. Who would lie about something like that?’
‘I’m sorry… about your sister. But the earrings, you took them, I saw you.’
‘I didn’t. Joy told me to get them for her.’
‘She said that to help cover it up, that’s what Joy would do because she doesn’t want the embarrassment, the shame…’
‘No, she asked me to get them from her dressing table. I took them downstairs to her – she said she wanted me to have them, but I mustn’t let you know because you’d be jealous.’
‘That’s just not true, Joy wouldn’t do that. You’re lying again, Ella. When will it stop?’
‘She said she hadn’t bought me a wedding gift,’ she pushed on, ignoring me, ‘and so I could have them and wear them when I got home, but never in front of you.’
‘I don’t believe you,’ I said. ‘I was with Joy when she opened her jewellery roll, she was surprised and upset that they weren’t there.’
‘She had to be surprised, she couldn’t tell you that she’d given them to me.’
I rolled my eyes; she really wasn’t able to ever take responsibility for her actions. Always the victim, always someone else’s fault.
She started to walk towards the kitchen door and I leaned on the counter, surprised at how badly she’d taken it, but at least I’d brought about some kind of ending. Hopefully I’d managed to put a stop to her constant threats. But then she turned around.
‘Oh, and by the way, you’ll be pleased to know I already told Jamie I was leaving him. Said I had this great offer and had to be single with no commitments – I wanted to be upfront and honest and didn’t want to string him along. He didn’t have sunstroke, he just couldn’t face everyone. So your little plan to blackmail me has backfired spectacularly, babe. Talk away, I’ve nothing to lose. But you still do.’
CHAPTER THIRTY
The following day, Dan and I were in the garden with the children when I saw Ella slip out through the French windows. I was immediately on alert. In the aftermath of what had happened, I was feeling guilty. I only wanted to do to Ella what she was doing to me, dangle her secret in front of her. It was defensive rather than vindictive. I never expected her to end their marriage within hours of receiving the message and throw herself headlong into a reality-show dream – one that didn’t even exist.
I considered explaining it to Jamie, apologising to both of them because it was my fault they were now in the early stages of parting. I consoled myself that if she really loved him, and he her, then this wouldn’t have happened – but that would have been a natural break, not something forced upon them by me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw she was walking over the grass in our direction. She had this look on her face that made my chest hurt and my heart began pounding as she approached.
I dared to look at her, our eyes met but she didn’t flinch, just continued to march our way, hair flying behind her, sunglasses on her head.
‘Dan, can I have a word?’ She stood over us all, but her eyes were focussed on Dan, she didn’t even look at me or the kids.