Chapter 27
27
BABS
Dee arrived back at Sunset View ten minutes after Babs sent her the text. She was obviously waiting for a reply and it had been really good of her to give Babs and Geoff space to talk. As soon as she heard the front door open Babs took out the bottle of wine that she’d put in the fridge earlier. ‘Want one?’
‘Heck, yes! Better still, put the straw in the bottle!’ Dee sank down onto the sofa and kicked off her shoes. She took the glass Babs handed her and took a long gulp. ‘Where’s Geoff?’ she asked. ‘Have you two made up?’
Babs nodded. ‘He’s apologised. I’ve agreed to keep an open mind and go on the house viewing trip to Spain with him. And he’s promised to forget the idea if I decide that I really don’t want to move.’ She looked over the rim of her glass at Dee. ‘You were right that there was a reason for his behaviour.’ She told Dee about Geoff’s health scare. ‘He didn’t tell me because he didn’t want to worry me. Idiot! Instead he caused all this mayhem.’
‘Poor Geoff, he must have been worried sick. And yes he should have told you. Are you both all right now?’
‘I’m a bit shook up about it all. I thought me and Geoff were rock solid but now I know we’re not,’ she confessed. ‘Anyway, Geoff’s gone home and I’ve agreed to catch the train back tomorrow morning. I wanted space to pack and talk to you, not just walk out on you without any notice.’ She frowned, suddenly noticing that Dee looked upset and had already downed half of her glass of wine. ‘Listen to me banging on, when there’s obviously something wrong. What’s happened?’
Dee bit her lip and ran her finger alongside the rim of her glass. ‘Yvonne, Andrew’s wife, told me that Nigel and Andrew are both playing AWAY in Portugal. She sent me photos as evidence.’
Babs almost spilled her wine. ‘What, of them actually doing it?’
‘No!’ Dee retorted, eyes flashing. ‘But they’re kissing and holding hands and, well, it’s obvious that they are more than friends.’ She opened the gallery on her phone and showed Babs the pictures and video.
Babs whistled. ‘The arsehole!’
Dee finished off her wine with a long gulp. ‘Yvonne is flying to Portugal tonight to catch them in the act. She doesn’t want to give Andrew the chance to wheedle out of it. She wanted me to go too.’
‘And are you?’
Dee shook her head. ‘No. I’m not going home yet either. Maybe not at all. It’s not the first time Nigel has been unfaithful to me,’ she admitted.
‘What?’ Babs was outraged, but not totally surprised. Nigel was so full of himself and his own importance she wouldn’t put anything past him. ‘He really is a toerag, isn’t he! I’m glad you’re leaving him. But why not go home and change the locks? Why should you give up your home?’
‘I can’t do that, it’s Nigel’s home too and he’ll only get someone in to change the locks back.’ Dee’s hand shook a little. ‘I don’t want the upset, Babs. I want to keep away and sort myself out. I’m going to see if the estate agents have another place to let and stay down here for a while.’
Babs was astonished. The old Dee would never have made that decision. This week had done her good. It had done Babs good, too, she acknowledged, made her realise how much she rushed in, how stubborn she could be. She should have talked to Geoff, but he should have talked to her as well.
‘I hope you don’t let Nigel talk you round. You deserve much better than him,’ Babs retorted. ‘You always have. He puts you down all the time, so you don’t realise how gorgeous and amazing you are. Look how well you’ve fitted in here. You blossom without him around.’
Dee looked startled. ‘Well, thank you for those lovely words.’
‘I mean them. You’re way too good for that slimebag!’ She was so mad she could throttle Nigel if she ever saw him. She’d always hated the way he treated Dee but Dee had never seen it. She acted as if she actually thought that she wasn’t good enough for HIM. ‘Look, do you want me to stay? Geoff can go on this house viewing trip by himself and I’ll go home when he returns. I feel like I’m deserting you when you need me.’
‘Of course you’re not. You and Geoff must go together, it’s important. And it’s best for me to be on my own so I can sort my head out. I am glad you’re staying until tomorrow though, and no need to catch the train I’ll drop you back. I want to collect some of my things while Nigel is away. Now, how about we pop over and see Edna? It might cheer us both up.’
Babs looked at her thoughtfully. Dee was strong, and yes she knew people down here so wouldn’t be alone. And she did want to go with Geoff, this week apart had been devastating for them both. ‘Make sure you keep in touch and let me know what’s going on,’ she said. ‘I want some photos of the garden party, for starters. I’m going to miss it.’
‘Of course I will. And you send me some photos of the villas you see in Spain. I wouldn’t be surprised if you fall in love with one!’
‘I think that’s very unlikely. Anyway, we’d better leave the rest of this wine until we’ve seen Edna. We don’t want to turn up sozzled!’
‘Good point.’ Dee put the bottle in the fridge. ‘Shall we get going?’
* * *
A woman slightly younger than Edna, with short grey hair in a chin-length bob answered the door to them. ‘You must be Dee and Babs. Edna’s told me all about you both.’ She smiled. ‘Now let me guess,’ she pointed to Dee. ‘You’re Dee.’
‘I am. And you must be Mabel,’ Dee said.
‘That’s me. Now we’re all introduced come on in. Edna was hoping you’d drop by.’
Edna was sitting in a comfy but ‘lived in’ brown floral armchair, her bandaged ankle resting on a stool. ‘Hello, girls, how lovely to see you again.’ She pointed to the matching and equally worn sofa. ‘Take the weight off your feet.’
Dee smiled at being called ‘girls’ at their age. ‘How are you feeling?’ she asked as she and Babs sat down.
‘I’m fine. I have to use a walking frame and hobble about for a few weeks but Mabel will look after me.’
‘That I will. And we need to set off soon, I don’t want to get caught up in traffic,’ Mabel said. ‘So I hope you don’t mind if I don’t offer you refreshments.’
‘No worries, we’ve just had a drink, thank you,’ Babs said, not adding that it was wine.
‘Well, thank you for popping in. I didn’t think I’d see you both again. I know you’re going home on Saturday.’
‘I’m going home tomorrow,’ Babs said. She glanced at Dee.
‘I’m staying a little longer. My husband has been playing away – again – and I’ve had enough,’ she said.
Edna and Mabel both looked outraged. ‘How appalling! You must leave him,’ Mabel declared. ‘You deserve better than that.’
Edna leaned forward. ‘Are you staying on at Sunset View?’
‘No, it’s been let to someone else from Saturday but I’m sure they have somewhere else on their books that I can rent.’
Edna and Mabel both exchanged glances and Mabel nodded.
‘Well, why not stay here while I’m at Mabel’s, it will give you time to sort out what you want to do?’ Edna suggested. ‘I’d feel much better about leaving my cottage empty if you were living here, and you could look after Snowy for me too. He’s got attached to you. That is, if you want to.’
Dee looked incredulous. ‘Are you sure? I’d pay you rent of course.’
‘You will not. You two saved my life.’ Edna pursed her lips firmly. ‘We’d be doing each other a favour.’
‘Then, yes. Please! I’d love to stay here,’ Dee said.
Babs was delighted for Dee, it was the perfect solution.
* * *
Later that evening they went down to The Pirate’s Head so Babs could say goodbye to everyone. Andi had joined the group tonight and she called out as soon as they stepped in and waved them over.
‘Have you two got your names down for the karaoke tomorrow?’
Babs shook her head. ‘I won’t be here. Geoff and I have made up and he’s persuaded me to go to Spain to take a look at some properties. And he’s promised that if I don’t want to move there he’ll drop the idea.’ She placed her drink down on the table. ‘It’ll be a holiday, at least.’
‘I’m so pleased,’ Cath said. ‘We could all see how much you missed him. Do come down and visit us now and again, won’t you? Bring Geoff with you.’
‘I will,’ Babs promised.
‘And what about you and your husband?’ Cath asked Dee.
Babs saw that Kenny was listening intently. ‘Nigel and I are finished, I’m filing for divorce,’ Dee told her. ‘I’m afraid he’s had one affair too many, although you might think I should have thought that the first time I discovered he was seeing someone else.’
Cath placed her hand over Dee’s. ‘Not at all. Relationships are complicated and the decision whether infidelity ends your marriage or not is a personal one. We’ll be sorry to see you go, though.’
‘Well, actually, I’m not going just yet. Edna is going to her sister’s until her hip and ankle are better and has kindly asked me to stay in her cottage and look after Snowy while she’s away.’
‘I’m glad you’re not leaving us yet. We need you on the Artists’ Studios fundraising committee,’ Kenny added.
‘Count me in,’ Dee replied. ‘And, at some point, I reckon I’m going to have to find a job to bring in some income.’ She had some savings but they would soon go and who knows how long it would take to sort out a divorce settlement.
‘How do you fancy helping me in the café?’ Andi asked. ‘Moira’s daughter is being discharged but she needs care at home, so Moira has to stay to look after her three grandchildren until she recovers. Tyler can only cover until Saturday, and to be honest I don’t think I could cope with him much longer anyway. I was going to contact the agency. But if you fancy it, it might tide you over for a couple of weeks, until you can sort something else out.’
‘I’d love to!’ Dee said immediately. ‘Thank you.’
Babs thought that was a wonderful idea. Andi was lovely and it would get Dee out of the house and bring in some regular money. Dee looked delighted too.
‘When do you want me to start?’ Dee asked.
‘We open at eight on Monday morning so if you could be there half an hour beforehand, I could show you the ropes?’ Andi suggested. ‘Eth, a local student, covers at weekends so I’d only need you on the weekdays.’
‘Perfect!’ Dee said. She smiled at Babs. ‘That’s another thing slotting into place.’
Babs had been feeling guilty about going back home and leaving Dee down here by herself, but now – in a matter of hours – she had a home and a job. Even if only temporarily – it made Babs feel easier about going back home without her.
Dee had a rocky road ahead but at least she had the support of friends and she seemed so happy down here. It would give Nigel a shock when she didn’t return home, which served him right. He’d treated Dee abysmally over the years. And her best friend deserved much better.