Chapters (58)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Forty-one
- Forty-two
- Forty-three
- Forty-four
- Forty-five
- Forty-six
- Forty-seven
- Forty-eight
- Forty-nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-one
- Acknowledgements
- An Eastbourne Murder Mystery
- Canelo Crime
- About the Author
- Also by Sheila Bugler
Dee felt a sudden flash of hatred for Ella’s partner. If he’d never come back into their lives none of this would be happening. But then Jake would have grown up without knowing his father, and Dee wouldn’t have wanted that, either. Besides, Tom was a good man, and no matter how much she didn’t like it, Dee couldn’t begrudge him doing what he thought was right for himself and his family. Which meant she’d have to find a way to accept this.
‘It’s brilliant,’ she heard herself say. ‘Like you say, a great opportunity. And Jake will love it.’
‘You really think so?’ The relief on Ella’s face was painful to observe.
‘I really think so.’ Dee twisted her mouth into something close to a smile.
‘Promise you’ll come and visit?’
‘Promise.’
Ella jumped up, crossed the short space between their chairs and threw her arms around Dee’s neck.
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘Thank you so much, Dee. You don’t know what it means to me that you’re okay about this.’
‘Okay is pushing it,’ Dee said, returning Ella’s hug. ‘But I’ll get used to it.’
Because she didn’t have a choice. Then, before that thought had time to set up home inside her head, she extricated herself from Ella and stood up.
‘This calls for a proper celebration,’ she said. ‘Lucky for you, I keep a bottle of Prosecco in the fridge in anticipation of any reason to celebrate.’
The Prosecco tasted like vinegar. Dee managed to swallow a few sips before giving up. Somehow, she got through the next forty minutes, smiling when required and making occasional comments, pretending she was interested in whatever Ella was talking about. While all the time her heart was cracking into thousands of tiny pieces.
‘You still okay for this evening?’ Ella asked, as she was leaving.
‘This evening?’
‘It’s Friday,’ Ella said.
Every Friday, Dee and her neighbours got together for pizza and a chance to catch up and celebrate the start of the weekend.
‘Of course.’ Dee frowned. ‘I’ve totally lost track of the days this week. Tell Jake and Tom I look forward to seeing them later.’
She couldn’t do it. She’d call later and make an excuse. Tell them she had a headache or something. She gathered up the empty glasses and the bottle, pouring the remains of the Prosecco down the sink. Moving on autopilot. Refusing to stop and think about what Ella had just told her, knowing if she did that she’d fall apart.