The Younger Wife(54)

Heather had to admit the party was more low-key than she’d expected. She’d heard so much about the designer toddler parties people had these days, the ones that looked like they belonged on Pinterest rather than in real life. This, apart from its beautiful setting – Sonny and Tully’s home – was refreshingly simple: a dozen kids running about on the lawn, a man in a dog suit, party games and a pi?ata (filled with actual lollies rather than nutritious snacks). There was no official party entertainer, no designer goodie bags, no painstaking decorations beyond balloons and a generic cardboard Happy Birthday banner. The food table boasted party pies, sausage rolls, fairy bread and a fruit platter. The only thing faintly fancy about the party was the cake, prepared by Rachel, in the shape of the dog – Bluey.

‘What’s the problem, buddy?’ Stephen said to Miles when the boy continued to scream. ‘I thought you loved Bluey.’

‘No!’ Miles cried. ‘Too big! Bluey go away!’

Tully appeared, directing Sonny to the far end of the garden, and Stephen squatted down in front of Miles. ‘I see what you mean,’ Stephen replied seriously. ‘Then again, you’re pretty big too. You’re three now, don’t forget. And I think you’ve grown a bit taller since I last saw you.’ While he was talking, Stephen swept Miles up and planted the boy on his shoulders. ‘See? Look how tall you are. You’re even taller than Bluey!’

This did the trick, sort of. Miles stopped screaming, although he continued to look wary. Stephen was the perfect grandfather, Heather decided. The perfect dad. The perfect doctor. Now she just needed to be perfect too.

There were a few glasses of champagne dotted around the coffee tables, but by and large, it was a dry party. Heather was fine with that. She hadn’t touched a drop since the night she punched Stephen and she didn’t plan to. As ashamed as she was by what had happened the night of the dinner party, it had proved to be a turning point for them. Since then, things had been good. Calm. Lots of evenings in, watching documentaries and cooking very basic meals in a very un-basic kitchen. They’d even had a lunch date with Mary and Michael – just the four of them this time – and it had been an unmitigated success. Afterwards, when Heather commented on how lovely it had been, Stephen had replied, And that is how lovely everything can be. He stopped short of saying, if you don’t drink, but Heather had heard the subtext.

‘The cake looks amazing,’ Heather told Rachel.

Rachel smiled. ‘I haven’t made Bluey before. But I like a challenge.’

‘Stephen’s birthday is coming up,’ Heather said. ‘I’ll have to get you to make his cake.’

‘Stephen likes mud cake,’ Pam said to no one in particular. She was still seated on her chair just a few paces away. They all looked down at her in surprise.

‘You’re right, Mum,’ Rachel agreed. ‘Chocolate mud cake is Dad’s favourite.’

Rachel and Tully squatted down in front of her. They moved carefully, hesitantly, as if they feared any sudden movement might break the spell.

‘What’s your favourite?’ Rachel asked her.

‘Glazed lemon cake,’ Pam said without missing a beat.

The girls laughed. ‘That’s right,’ Tully said. ‘You love lemon cake.’

As they started venturing into other foods – favourite breakfast, favourite snack – Locky wandered over and started playing too. You couldn’t have scripted a more lovely scene. Stephen was right, Heather realised. Of course this was the right place for Pam. She was exactly where she should be.

As if on cue, Stephen came over with a bright-eyed Miles still perched on his shoulders. ‘Is it time for the Bluey cake?’ he asked. ‘I’d like an ear, please.’

They all looked up, even Pam.

‘I want an ear!’ Miles cried.

‘There are two ears, baby,’ Tully said, getting to her feet.

‘And since you are the birthday boy,’ Stephen said, removing Miles from his shoulders and setting him back on his feet, ‘you can have first pick.’

Miles grinned and gave Stephen a high five.

Pam stared at Stephen, her nose scrunched, as if she’d smelled something that had gone bad.

‘Look out for that guy,’ she said, pointing at Stephen.

The warning was delivered in a quiet moment, when the music was between tracks and the lion’s share of the kids had gone inside to scavenge from the party food table.

‘What guy?’ Tully said. ‘You mean Dad?’

But Pam wasn’t listening to them; her gaze was still on Stephen. ‘He made my life hell,’ she snarled. ‘I should’ve left him years ago.’ She spat.

‘Yuck, Grandma,’ Miles said.

Stephen patted Miles’s head. ‘It’s all right, buddy. Grandma’s just a little confused.’

‘How convenient,’ Pam said.

Stephen opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Sonny appeared in his Bluey costume again and Miles let out a particularly shrill scream that had everyone wincing.

‘For Christ’s sake,’ Stephen said to Sonny. ‘Will you take off that bloody suit? You’re terrifying the poor kid.’

‘Go on, Sonny,’ Tully said, standing. ‘I’ll bring the rest of the kids in for pass-the-parcel.’