Chapter 19
NINETEEN
LONDON
The Three Musketeers
‘TFI Friday.’ Ray Glover flew into the kitchen and poured himself a coffee from the jug. ‘Marcus and I are off to a reassuringly expensive spa hotel in Hampshire. I cannot wait.’
Penny was at the water cooler, filling her water bottle. ‘All right for some. I have a weekend of rugby practice.’
‘I don’t think you’ve quite got the thighs for that, dear,’ Ray laughed.
Penny rolled her eyes. ‘Funny, funny. I am the official terrible twins’ chauffeur, as darling husband is off on a golf weekend. You men have it so easy,’ she harrumphed and marched back to her desk as Victoria, coming in to get herself a coffee, crossed with Ray on his way out.
‘How’s things?’
‘Fine,’ Victoria replied, her voice hollow.
‘When a woman says fine… even I know what that means. Have you got time for a chat?’
Vic sat opposite Ray at his desk.
‘What’s the matter, chica ?’
‘I haven’t spoken to Orla since my outburst.’
‘Oh, OK. Has she tried to contact you?’
‘No.’
‘And you her?’
‘No. Because she was the one who acted like a complete arsehole. Cleaning like a madwoman as if she thought I was contagious.’
‘Friends are the family you choose, Vic, so if she can’t take a few Fs being thrown at her then she never was your friend. But from what I’ve seen and heard about her, she’ll be back.’
‘You do make me laugh.’
‘Good.’ Ray looked at his inbox as an email pinged in.
‘I just don’t know what to say to her.’ Vic stuck out her bottom lip. ‘Funnily enough, though, it was Orla who said if you don’t know what to do, do nothing, say nothing and the answer will come to you. Maybe I should just be the bigger person here and hold out the olive branch and meet her for a drink?’ Vic paused. ‘Because as much as she’s an annoying bitch sometimes, I do miss her. And as for Mandy not picking up the phone to me, well, I’m not surprised. Orla O’Malley has always played the Pied Piper in our friendship group.’
‘There you go. Nobody likes a stubborn old mule. If you miss her, just do it.’ Ray slammed his hand on the desk, making Vic jump. ‘Right. Midday already. I’m leaving early for my weekend in the shires.’ He looked down at his mail again. ‘Jerico Flint. Poor bastard. His dog has died. He wanted to explain his delay in paying his invoice. Said he would be in contact in due course.’
‘Oh, no, poor Jerico.’ Vic put her hand to her chest. ‘I sent an email and received an amusing out of office from him. Just his way, I guess.’
‘Yes, we’re all guilty of hiding the tracks of our tears. Well, maybe not you.’ Ray laughed and then grimaced slightly, worried of Vic’s reaction .
‘You’re such a sod. But you’re right. I could fill the Thames at the touch of a button at the moment.’ Vic smiled, got up, opened Ray’s office door then turned around in the doorway.
‘Talking of Jerico, what does he do for a day job, do you know?’
‘No. I know as much, if not less, about him than you. Why?’
‘Just interested.’ Vic was casual in her reply.
‘Because she fancies the arse off him, that’s why.’ Penny strutted past on her way to the toilet.
Vic shook her head at her blonde colleague. ‘You know that’s not true.’ However, if she were honest with herself, Vic did find the eccentric author intriguing, as well as attractive, sexy and funny – very funny. But with Nate now gone, she had already resigned herself to the fact that no man would want her, and that hurt. It hurt a lot.
‘What did he get you for Christmas, then?’ Penny wasn’t going to be letting up any time soon, it seemed.
‘A Jack Vettriano book. I bloody love his work. Some of it is so tastefully raunchy it literally sizzles off the canvas.’
‘Nice,’ Ray chipped in. ‘That sounds like a gift that somebody who is pleased with two great illustrations would give. How were your clients’ gifts this year, Penny?’
The woman said nothing, just harrumphed.
‘Now, back to work, the pair of you. I’m off to get pampered with my beau.’ Ray started to clear his desk.
Once Penny was out of earshot, Vic gave her boss a grin. ‘Have an amazing weekend, and thanks for being such a stalwart in my life, Ray Glover.’
As she headed back to her computer, the door buzzer sounded. She walked over and pressed the intercom.
‘Vic, Vic, is that you?’ Vic’s soul soared at the sound of the familiar Irish tones. ‘It’s Orla… and Mand. We’ve come to take you for lunch, you moody eejit. ’
Vic poked her head around Ray’s door. By the smug look on his face, he’d clearly heard already.
‘It so annoys me when you’re right.’ But Vic couldn’t hide her elation.
Ray cocked his head to the side. ‘My dad brought me up to never to say I told you so.’ Then he winked.
‘I love you, Ray Glover.’ Vic blew him a kiss.
‘Steady on.’ Ray grinned. ‘Now get your arse downstairs. And remember: those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.’
Once Mandy had managed to stop crying and they had at last been able to put in their lunch order to one of the suave Italian waiters in Ricardo’s, Orla spoke up. ‘I am so sorry, Vic, that I reacted so badly.’
‘I won’t lie, I was surprised, and very hurt. But I get it too. I’ve had to educate myself.’ Vic took a drink of her cola.
Mandy took a slug of water. ‘I promise I haven’t told anyone, not even Steve, and I won’t unless you say I can. I realise you might not want people to know.’ She started crying again. ‘And I feel so bad about not calling you, but I didn’t actually know what to say.’
‘“Hello” would have been a start.’ Vic’s face remained stony. ‘And what’s with the bloody waterworks? I am not dying – well, not yet, anyway.’
‘Oh my God, don’t say, that,’ Mandy wailed again, making Orla and Vic laugh.
‘I’ll start on the treatment when required, and that’s it.’ Not quite believing herself how relaxed she was being – and, in this moment, feeling – about the whole situation, Vic picked up a bread stick and took a bite.
Mandy blew her nose. ‘I’m not sure this is the right time or place, but I have to tell you both something too…’ She put her ha nd to her stomach. ‘I’m pregnant.’ Orla and Vic instinctively looked to her already-large tummy.
‘Jesus. No wonder you’re a bag of water,’ Orla blurted.
‘Tell me about it. I’m even crying at reruns of The Office . I’m not sure what’s happening to me because I also lied to the school and said I was ill today so that I could come here. I’m turning into a charlatan.’ She burst into tears again.
‘Oh, Mandy, that’s the best news ever! Congratulations!’ Orla enthused. ‘And as for being a charlatan, don’t be daft. I clearly hold that title, not you.’
‘When are you due?’ Vic asked quietly.
‘July the first.’ Mandy blew her nose again. ‘I was pregnant at the hen weekend and didn’t even realise!’
‘Shit, if it’s a girl you’ll have to call her Tequila.’ Orla smiled.
‘Wow. That seems quick.’ Vic felt a tinge of sadness, which quickly passed. ‘I don’t think having a baby is an option for me now. It would be too much of a risk that the baby might contract it too.’
‘I knew I shouldn’t have told you.’ Mandy started wailing again.
‘You should have told me. I am still the same old Vic. Please don’t wrap me in cotton wool. I’ve thought about it and I’m genuinely OK about not having kids. I was never sure, anyway – you know that. And the decision has been made for me now. And that sits well with me. Another tick to my future, in a weird way. And I could always get a dog.’ Vic grinned.
‘You’re so brave.’ Mandy sniffed.
‘No, just realistic, and trying now to deal with the cards I’ve been dealt.’ Vic picked up the menu.
‘No, you are fecking brave,’ Orla insisted, taking another big slurp of her wine.
Three huge wood-fired pizzas and a fresh and appetising-looking side salad to share were put down in front of them, along with a beaming smile from the same handsome waiter, whom Orla, surprisingly, hadn’t once attempted to flirt with.
They ate in silence until Orla spoke up. ‘I went and got tested myself.’
‘OK.’ Vic nodded, her pulse picking up. ‘Because you were worried you’d caught it from me, in the flat?’
Orla looked scandalised. ‘Of course not! As you yourself said, I enjoy a one-night stand from time to time. I guessed if it could happen to you, then… I do use condoms but sometimes I get very drunk, as you know, and, well… it’s reckless of me.’
‘I mean, the law of averages does say it should be you and not me, but I was in the wrong time at the wrong place.’ Vic’s voice wobbled. ‘I’m sorry, I was such a bitch to you, Orla.’
‘Shut up, mate. My behaviour towards you was nothing short of diabolical. How dare I treat you like that? It came from a complete place of ignorance and fear. I didn’t actually know how to deal with it. How to deal with you. And for that I am truly sorry.’
‘I appreciate you saying that.’ Vic sighed. ‘I was so hurt.’
Orla rarely cried but Vic was sure she caught a glisten in her eyes. ‘And what you said to me was right, Vic. I do need to sort myself out. I float along saying I don’t want a man, or kids or commitment of any kind, but if I’m honest with myself I think I’m frightened that nobody will want me. I equate sex with love. I know I do that. But this isn’t about me today, so tell me to shut the feck up. And anyways, my woes are completely irrelevant compared to what you’re going through.’
‘No, they’re not.’ Vic sighed. ‘Everything is relative, and like I just said, I don’t want you to treat me like I’m ill, or like you have to tread on eggshells, worrying about what to say around me, as we’ve all got to just muddle on the best way we can. So, do you want to talk about how you’re feeling, Orla?’
‘Jesus, no. We’ll be here till next fecking Christmas, but I am thinking of getting some counselling, maybe. ’
‘I’m going to, as well,’ Vic added in solidarity.
Mandy welled up again. ‘I’m scared to ask this, but does Nate have it too?’
Vic shook her head. ‘I got it from Blondie. The condom split.’
‘Fuck.’ Orla took another glug of her wine.
‘Yes, fuck, indeed.’ Vic sighed. ‘And despite us sleeping together just the once after, it looks like Nate dodged the bullet, thankfully. What I am finding hard to get my head around, though, is that he’s got a job up north, and left already.’
‘Oh, mate,’ Mandy said through a mouth full of pizza. ‘What a fucker, though.’
‘He couldn’t cope with it,’ Vic stated plainly.
‘But come on, Vic, you’ve been with him six years.’ Orla shook her head.
‘I cheated on him. And he cheated on me. There was a lot going on there, and people are going to react differently. And, without knowing what I know now, I think I would initially be dubious about sleeping with someone who told me they had it, to be honest.’
‘I think he’s being weak,’ Orla said stoutly.
‘No. I think we’d run our course, to be honest. It wasn’t just him being scared of contracting it; he didn’t want to stay with me knowing I wasn’t all in. I actually think that’s quite brave.’ Victoria’s voice remained level. ‘I want to concentrate on me and my art now. I need to get my head around what having this virus means, and maybe spending some time on my own isn’t such a bad thing.’
‘I can’t believe how calm you’re being.’ Orla spooned some salad onto her plate.
‘I’m not, really. When I think about how impossible it’s going to be to find love again now I’ve got this , I feel anything but calm . I mean, who in their right mind will want me?’ She puffed out her cheeks and looked up to stop tears from falling .
‘Oh, darling.’ Mandy put her hand on hers. ‘We’re here for you. And you are beautiful inside and out, Victoria Sharpe, and don’t you ever forget that.’
‘The gorgeous Ray gave me a Christmas bonus and a pay rise so I can afford to stay at the flat, but I don’t know what I want to do anymore.’ Vic blew her nose.
‘Sit with it, Vic.’ Orla was now welling up, too. ‘No rash decisions. Your job is safe, and the flat is fine. Just stick with the familiar, for now.’
‘I think you’re right. Ray didn’t even break his stride when I told him. But we’ve agreed for me to take a couple of weeks off to work out what I really want to do.’
‘He’s so cool, that man.’ Mandy picked up another piece of pizza, and Orla looked sheepish.
‘Yes, he really is and I’m glad for that. You need that support at work too.’ Orla took a sip of her wine. ‘So what happens now, with your hospital appointments et cetera? What’s the next step?’
‘Regular check-ups with my specialist. Dr Anna, I call her. On first impressions, she’s really nice. She’ll let me know when I need to go on medication – and it could be years. It just depends how the virus takes hold.’
‘I read that’s the process,’ Orla added. ‘You’d think they’d put you on the medication right away.’
‘It does feel odd, but I have to be advised by the experts.’ Vic shrugged. ‘And if my body is doing what it should be at the moment, then I guess there’s no reason to. The medication isn’t side-effect free, either.’
‘You also have to allow us to support you,’ Orla added. ‘You’re not on your own, mate. And however small the problem may seem, pick up the phone to one of us, OK?’
‘Thank you,’ Vic said quietly, then her voice lifted slightly. ‘What was our mantra, when we went on that crazy weekend at Butlin’s in Bognor? ’
‘Oh my God, the one when Orla ended up screwing that clown and got his red nose stuck in her foo-foo, and we all had to go to A&E so someone could pull it out.’ Mandy’s tummy shook as she giggled.
‘And how handsome was the doctor who had the unenviable task of doing that?’ Orla put her hand to her mouth. They all started laughing hysterically.
Vic lifted her glass. ‘I remember what it was. One for all and all for one .’
The others raised theirs too and repeated, ‘ One for all and all for one .’
‘I always did fancy D’Artagnan,’ Orla added.
‘That’s an improvement on Coco the Clown, I guess,’ Mandy said, which set them all off again.