Chapter 29
The hairstylist, whose name I vaguely thought might be Ingrid, gave me a warm smile when I entered the salon ten minutes later.
‘Back again? Aw, it’s lovely for them to have company.
Will you be joining us at The Quicken Tree tonight?
It’s going to be a smashing do, and Callie mentioned to Clara that she was going to invite you.
Clara was in here this morning having her hair done.
You’ve just missed her, actually.’ She rolled her eyes.
‘Why am I telling you that? As if you care! Anyway, do come along tonight and meet everyone. It’ll be fun. ’
I gave her a weak smile. ‘Am I okay to go up?’ I nodded towards the door marked Private.
She looked surprised that I’d even asked. ‘Of course you are! You’re family!’
She wouldn’t be so welcoming if she knew the truth about me, I thought bleakly, as I headed upstairs.
I was about to walk into the living room when I realised that this was Danny’s and Brooke’s home. Their own private space.
Hesitantly I knocked on the door, then leapt back in fright when Brooke’s head poked through it. The look on her face revealed she was as shocked to see me as I’d been to see her like that.
‘What are you doing here?’ she whispered, looking panicky. ‘Go away! Danny’s here.’
‘That’s what I was hoping,’ I said. ‘I need to talk to him. To both of you.’
‘That’s not a good idea. He’s not—’ She turned her head so her face was back in the living room. It was quite unnerving. I heard her say, ‘It’s no one. It’s not important. Just one of the girls from downstairs.’
There was a sudden squeal of, ‘No, Danny, leave it!’
I frowned, not sure what on earth was going on, then Brooke said sullenly, ‘Danny wants you to know he’s standing right next to you.’
Every hair on the back of my neck and along my arms stood up immediately. I felt sick to my stomach, and my heart raced as I realised that Danny was probably staring at me intently right now. What was he thinking, I wondered? And was he still angry that I’d married Rory?
‘You’d better come in and sit down,’ Brooke said. ‘He says there’s no point standing on the landing.’
With shaking hands, I pushed open the door and followed Brooke to the sofa.
‘Am I all right to sit down?’ I asked the empty air near me.
‘He’s sitting in that armchair,’ Brooke said, nodding over at the one furthest away from the television, which was now, I noticed, switched off.
The curtains were open, as was the window, and light and sunshine were streaming into the flat.
I glanced at the armchair, wondering what he was doing, thinking.
‘He says congratulations on your marriage,’ Brooke said at last.
I sighed. ‘I’ll bet he does.’
‘He wasn’t being sarcastic,’ she said. ‘He hopes you’ll both be very happy.’
I gave the armchair a doubtful look. ‘Do you?’
‘What do you want, Kirsty?’ Brooke asked. ‘It’s an important day for us today. We’re performing at a special event tonight and—’
‘I know. The engagement party of Callie and Brodie at The Quicken Tree Inn,’ I said. ‘High Spirits are singing a song to mark the occasion, but it’s a surprise for the happy couple.’
Brooke eyed me suspiciously. ‘And how do you know all that?’ she demanded.
‘Penny has invited us. Rory and me. Callie and Brodie heard we were related to you two and seem to have decided that we’re part of this community now – at least while we’re here.’
Brooke glanced over at the armchair. ‘How long are you here anyway?’ she asked, whether on her own behalf or Danny’s I wasn’t sure.
‘We leave tomorrow morning,’ I said.
Brooke was clearly listening to Danny. ‘And will you ever come back, or is that it?’ she asked reluctantly.
‘Honestly? I have no idea. Right now, I don’t know if Rory and I will be together by the end of the day, so that’s one problem. And then there’s how you two feel. I don’t know if you’d want us to come back after all this.’
If Danny had a reply to this Brooke didn’t want to pass it on. She turned and stared pointedly out of the window, leaving me to sit in awkward silence, wondering if Danny was also quiet or if he was ranting and raving at me.
‘I wish I could see you, Danny,’ I said softly. ‘I wish I could hear what you’re saying. I miss you.’
Tears rolled down my cheeks suddenly as I realised it was true. I did miss him. He’d been my best friend once upon a time, and I’d never stopped loving him. The fact that I wasn’t in love with him didn’t change that.
You couldn’t not love Danny. He was way too nice.
* * *
Danny
Kirsty looked older. That was the thing that struck Danny the most as he watched her, awkward and vulnerable, struggling to put into words whatever it was she’d come here to say.
Well, of course she’d got older. He’d known she must have. Even so, seeing her like this was weird. He tried to work it out in his mind. He was twenty-nine and he’d died eighteen years ago. Kirsty had been nearly twenty-seven, so that must make her…
His eyes widened. She’d be forty-five in June! Middle-aged. She was still attractive, but it was hard seeing the fine lines around her eyes. Like she’d well and truly left him behind.
‘I missed you too,’ he told her. ‘I’m happy to see you, and – and you look as beautiful as ever.’
Brooke bit her lip and gave him an odd look, but she dutifully repeated what he’d said.
Kirsty gave a weary laugh. ‘I look older,’ she said. ‘I expect I must look ancient to you both now.’
Danny and Brooke exchanged glances, and he was grateful when she made no comment to confirm Kirsty’s suspicions.
‘I never meant to hurt you,’ Kirsty said suddenly, ‘but I know I have, and I’m so sorry about that.
Rory and I – we both love you. It was the most unexpected thing that happened between us.
I mean, come on. You know yourself that I hardly ever saw Rory when you were…
living with me. I know you two met up after work sometimes and at your mum and dad’s house, but he was just your big brother to me.
Nothing more. It was only afterwards that we started to get to know each other, and it was years – years before we saw each other as anything more than friends. I swear it.’
Danny sighed. ‘I already know that. Rory’s explained it.’
As Brooke repeated what he’d said, Kirsty burst out, ‘He might know it, but does he feel it? Does he believe it?’
She raised an eyebrow at the armchair.
Danny wished she could see him, make eye contact with him. Right now, she was looking somewhere in the region of his left shoulder which was quite disconcerting.
After some hesitation he said, ‘Yes. I believe it. I know you and Rory would never do anything behind my back or deliberately hurt me.’
He noticed there was a hint of sarcasm in Brooke’s voice when she repeated his words.
‘It still hurt though. And it hurts that you didn’t come with Rory to tell me.’
‘I know,’ Kirsty said when Brooke told her what he’d added. ‘I can imagine it would. Thing is, Danny, I’ve always been a coward. It’s taken me every ounce of courage I possess to come here and face you today.’
She laughed bitterly. ‘And then I can’t even see you! But I know you can see me, and I know you can hear me, and that’s all that really matters. The thing is, Danny, I think it’s time you knew the truth.’
Brooke’s eyes widened and she stared at Kirsty like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Her glance flew to Danny then back to Kirsty again.
‘The truth about what?’ Danny asked.
‘Nothing,’ Brooke said. ‘She’s just talking rubbish.’
‘The thing is, Danny,’ Kirsty said determinedly, ‘the thing is—’
‘The thing is, today’s our tenth wedding anniversary, and we’re hoping you won’t mind that we’ve been invited to the party tonight where you’re performing. We’d really love to hear you both sing, but if it’s too much for you, given the occasion, we’ll understand.’
They all stared in shock at Rory, who was standing in the doorway, white-faced and slightly breathless.
‘I’m sorry, Danny, I really am. You’re my brother. You mean the world to me, and I can’t bear the thought that I’ve hurt you. Can you forgive me? Can you forgive us?’ he asked.
Danny frowned. What was going on here? Because clearly something was.
Faintly he heard Brooke hiss at Kirsty, ‘Are you insane? What do you think you’re doing?’ She stood up and gave her cousin a forced smile. ‘Shall we go into the kitchen while these two have a little chat?’
Rory sat down as the two women headed into the kitchen.
‘What was all that about?’ Danny asked suspiciously.
‘Nothing. Nothing at all. We just want to make amends somehow,’ Rory said.
Danny’s eyes narrowed. Something felt very off here. And what did Brooke want to talk to Kirsty about anyway?
He got up and headed into the hallway.
‘Danny, don’t!’ Rory begged, but Danny wasn’t going to be put off.
‘I’m sorry, he knew something was up and I couldn’t stop him,’ Rory said miserably, as both women turned to look at him. ‘He’s here with me,’ he added to Kirsty.
‘It’s nothing,’ Brooke pleaded. ‘Just women’s talk. Go back in the living room, Danny.’
‘I know something’s going on,’ he said. ‘What aren’t you telling me?’ He looked round at the three of them, all looking as guilty as each other. ‘What are you all keeping from me?’ When no one replied he snapped, ‘For God’s sake! I’m not a child. Just tell me.’
‘He wants to know the truth,’ Rory said quietly. He shrugged. ‘It’s your call, Kirsty.’
‘You’re not seriously going to do this?’ Brooke cried.
‘It’s the only way to forgive myself,’ Kirsty said miserably. ‘The only way I can move on. He deserves to know.’
‘This isn’t about what Danny deserves,’ Brooke said furiously. ‘This is about you! Selfish as always! You want to be able to tick the box and say you’ve made amends, but you haven’t given any thought to how he’ll feel once he knows the truth, have you?’
‘There have been enough lies,’ Kirsty said.
‘When Danny knows the truth about us, he’ll be able to let go.
He’ll stop clinging to me and to the past. He’ll see it for what it really was.
Don’t you see?’ she begged. ‘If he lets go of me, he might finally see you! He might actually be able to build a future with you. You both deserve that. I want to give you that future. Let me do this.’
‘At his expense?’ Brooke shook her head, her eyes bright with tears. ‘You can’t do that to him. Anything but that. It would destroy him. Please, Kirsty. Don’t hurt him any more than he already is.’
‘What are they talking about?’ Danny asked, bewildered. He looked from Rory to Brooke and back again. ‘Will someone please just tell me what’s going on here? What is it I don’t know?’
‘Please,’ Brooke whispered. ‘Don’t.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Kirsty told her. ‘Danny’s right.
He’s not a child. He’s a grown man and he deserves to be treated like one.
Danny, I want you to know how very sorry I am.
I really, really am. But the truth is, that night of the party, the night of the accident, I wasn’t ill at all. I was at home with – with another man.’
Danny reeled in shock. ‘What?’
Brooke hung her head, evidently unable to face him. She’d known about this?
‘I was seeing a man from work for a couple of months. It meant nothing. Well, it was an escape, I suppose. You see, Danny, I never wanted to move to Cherry Tree Cottage, and I didn’t want to have children either.
And I didn’t know how to tell you or make you understand.
I was pretty unhappy, to be honest, and I suppose Bobby was a way out.
A stupid mistake. As it turns out, a terrible mistake, because that night, Bobby took a photo of us in bed, unbeknownst to me, and he sent it to your phone. ’
Danny could barely take it all in. ‘But I never saw any photo,’ he said, dazed. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘No,’ Brooke said, hardly daring to look at him. ‘I did, though. I saw it, and I was so angry that I decided to hitch a lift with Lee Hardwick and confront Kirsty and this man at your home. Well, you know what happened after that.’
Danny stared at the three of them, trying his best to absorb what they were telling him, then slowly he turned to Brooke.
‘All this time and you never told me. Eighteen years and not once did you think to mention that my wife had been having an affair.’
‘I’m so sorry, Danny,’ Brooke sobbed. ‘I only did what I thought was best.’
‘And as if that wasn’t enough, you tried to stop her from telling me when she finally had the decency to own up.’
‘Danny,’ Rory said, ‘that’s not fair. Brooke was trying to make Kirsty see sense. She did it for you!’
‘Is he blaming Brooke?’ Kirsty asked incredulously. ‘Danny, did you hear what I said? I had the affair. I cheated on you. Brooke did nothing except try to help you, and if you can’t see why she’d do that then you’re a very stupid man.’
Danny gazed at Brooke, who was standing with one arm rubbing the other in a gesture of anxiety. She looked anguished and broken and desperately fragile.
Kirsty was right. He had been a very stupid man. And he’d been in denial for way too long.
‘I – I need to get out of here,’ he gasped as realisation hit him like a ton of bricks.
‘Danny, wait!’ Rory shouted and Brooke lunged for his arm, but thankfully missed.
He ran down the stairs and through the shop, not stopping until he’d reached the village green. Then he sank down onto the grass and covered his face with his hands.
‘You can run as far as you like,’ came a voice behind him, ‘but I’ll only run with you.’ Danny looked up angrily as Rory dropped onto the grass beside him. ‘Come on, Danny, don’t look at me like that. It’s time you and I had a proper talk.’