‘I’ll go and see,’ said Tara, and it was only when she was walking through the hall that it occurred to her that it might be someone very late for Molly’s birthday party. Someone who should have been there from the start?

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

‘Hello, Tara,’ said Diane. Then she took in Tara’s party dress, and the streamers still round her neck. ‘Sorry, is this a bad time?’

Too late, Tara remembered their conversation about Ruth’s vases. Diane had said she’d come round to get them that weekend.

‘Oh, the vases! I totally forgot.’ She clutched her head. Why hadn’t she looked for them before now? ‘We’re all in the garden. Come and have a piece of birthday cake while I go and get them.’

‘We?’

‘Dad and Toby and me. It’s Molly’s birthday, we’ve been having tea.’ Diane’s head reared back, hearing Keith’s name, but Tara was filled with a strong urge for everyone to just get along. A strong urge, or strong gin. ‘We’ve had a good afternoon. It’s been nice. Honestly. Just say hello to Toby. When was the last time you saw him?’

The prospect of seeing Toby seemed to be about as exciting for Diane as seeing Keith.

‘You know what, Tara, I’ll just wait here,’ said Diane, but Tara urged Diane towards the garden, and stumbled back into the kitchen in search of the vases.

It took her a while to find what she was looking for. Ruth had vases for every type of flower and they were arranged in height order in the floor-to-ceiling cupboards in the pantry, so by the time Tara had climbed up on the stool, found the right ones, and then found a strong enough bag to put them in, Toby had been in and out for another round of gin and tonics.

Tara staggered out with the bags. Diane was sitting stiffly at the table with Toby, and Keith was over by the rose beds, on his phone. Neither Diane nor Toby was saying much.

The air felt charged with freshly snapped words.

Diane got up as soon as Tara appeared. ‘Thanks, lovely,’ she said. ‘Oh, and you wrapped them up. Thanks for the cake, it was delicious.’

‘You’re not leaving?’ Tara looked between them. ‘Stay, have a catch-up. Toby, tell Diane about that great spa you reviewed this week. Weren’t you looking for a thermal spa, Diane?’

‘No spoilers, please. It’ll all be online from Monday,’ said Toby brightly. ‘With links.’

‘It’s OK. I need to get back.’ Diane gave her a pointed look. ‘Say goodbye to Keith for me when he’s finished on the phone with his new girlfriend.’

‘What?’ Tara hurried after her as she stalked back down the garden to the kitchen door. ‘What new girlfriend?’