Chapter 37
ELIZA
Eliza had caught the train into Stockport so that she could enjoy a couple of drinks at her party.
She’d get a taxi back after her shift tonight.
Jez hadn’t wanted her to work on her big day but she’d insisted, wanting to enjoy the bustling party atmosphere for as long as possible.
Shyly, she walked into The Niterie. The party was at two, with a buffet and music before the place opened to the public at six.
Jez had insisted that she wasn’t to set up.
Jules was happy to do it and her boyfriend, a chef, had offered to help in the kitchen.
Also Jez was paying a couple of the staff a few hours’ overtime. Others were coming with a plus-one.
‘We haven’t had a party here since my sixtieth,’ he said. ‘The staff could do with a get-together. You’re doing us a favour by letting us host your seventy-fifth.’
She didn’t like to take advantage, but had invited a few people and most could make it despite the late notice, like a couple of the neighbours, Douglas from the shop and his wife, and friends she’d made when starting out as a florist, and when she had taken a course at one of the local colleges.
Also some of the friends she’d kept in touch with back from when she was married to Howard.
They’d been horrified when she’d finally told them the full truth about her marriage when she’d met them for coffee a few days ago, now feeling able to open up completely.
Guilty, too, that they hadn’t seen the signs.
Disbelief as well, at first, and anger that Eliza hadn’t said anything earlier, hadn’t confided in them and reached out when she was still married.
It had taken several coffees for them to begin to understand that asking for help wasn’t that easy when you lived with someone like Howard.
Douglas’s beaming face greeted her. Oh, there was Lauren from the floristry course, and that must be the handsome new boyfriend she’d been talking about, with Greek heritage, all dark curls and Aegean-sea eyes.
Eliza’s heart lifted as she loosened the blue and white scarf around her neck that had arrived yesterday from Carrie.
She waved at the neighbours in Bramhall who had kept her posted about the building noise and reported no more strife.
They’d even apparently got a quote from Tom for a minor plumbing job.
‘Eliza!’ Jez waved across the room, and her friends from long ago looked on with interest. She’d met them for coffee on Thursday afternoon, and they’d soon picked up Eliza’s interest in her boss.
Her boss. She’d avoided those words being in her life since finally gathering the strength to leave Howard.
But somehow she didn’t mind them in reference to Jez because the job meant more to him than the label.
He came over and kissed her on the cheek, in his tight blue jeans and white jacket, before boogying off to see how the food was doing.
Douglas raised an eyebrow. ‘I’ll have some questions for you, next time you’re in,’ he said, leaning close, ‘and they won’t be about flowers.’
Jules grabbed Eliza’s arm and took her to one side. ‘Happy birthday!’ she said and gave her a small box-shaped gift, wrapped up in bright red paper.
‘You shouldn’t have, love,’ said Eliza, eyes shining.
She tore off the paper. Birthdays had been low-key over the years.
Oh, she’d meet friends for a meal, and once Douglas had found out when it was, he’d always bring cake and a balloon into the shop, but she hadn’t had a party for her sixtieth or seventieth; in fact, not since her sixteenth when her parents had organised a celebration.
The gift wrap fell away to reveal a turquoise box. Inside was a brightly coloured bracelet, made of circular and long rectangular beads.
‘It’s a Morse code bracelet that spells out “Strong Woman” in dots and dashes,’ said Jules.
‘I don’t know what to say, Jules… I love everything about it. Thanks so very much.’
‘Your story, it’s inspiring,’ she said and squeezed Eliza’s arm. ‘I’ve got one of these bracelets too, my boyfriend had it made especially for me.’
‘What does it say?’
Jules whispered in Eliza’s ear.
Eliza burst out laughing. ‘Goodness. Talk about X-rated. Nice for you to know how much he fancies you.’
Jules laughed before heading over to Jez, who was beckoning her.
Eliza stood admiring the gift. ‘Strong woman’.
It reminded her of her pledge never to tell Carrie who she was.
She took the bracelet out of the box and put it in her pocket.
Ariana and Rae hadn’t arrived. Ariana had replied to her message about the party and said the two of them would drop by, although only for an hour.
It was good of them to fit Eliza in at all, if they were busy.
The food was served in the chillout room where K-pop played.
Eliza loved the mix of retro and modern buffet bits – mini vol-au-vent, prawn cocktails, Scotch eggs and sausages on sticks, amongst plates of sushi, goat cheese tartlets and halloumi dippers.
Eliza mingled with her guests and met the staff’s plus-ones, and she insisted on handing around food and enjoyed a cocktail.
The cake had been made by Jules’s boyfriend, beautiful in its simplicity, with buttercream covered with a smattering of delicate edible flowers. Being the centre of attention wasn’t something Eliza was used to. As if Jez sensed this, he held her hand whilst she blew out the candles.
‘Thank you,’ she murmured as Jules cut slices.
‘I have one more surprise,’ he said and led Eliza to the staff room. On the table sat a tall package, wrapped like an upside-down cone and open at the top. She peeked inside and gasped.
‘What a stunning pink colour!’
‘Do you know what type of rose it is?’ he asked as she tore the gift wrap away from the plant pot.
Eliza shook her head.
‘It’s called the Eliza – it’s a hybrid tea rose, whatever that means!’
She lifted the plant up to her face and breathed in the scent. ‘That’s so very thoughtful,’ her muffled voice said.
‘Come on.’ He stretched out his arm. ‘Let’s hit the dance floor. Customers will be here soon.’
She put down the pot and he twirled her around, as if they were already under the lights.
Laughing, she slipped her arms around his waist and looked up.
Her lips on his. Heavy breathing. It felt so good, so right, so easy.
Heat pooled in her pelvis as she trailed a hand down the front of his jeans.
Eliza couldn’t remember when she’d last…
when she’d ever felt like this. It had never been hot with Howard; he’d always been in charge and kept a methodical, controlled pace that stuck to a routine.
Eliza was the first to pull away, reluctantly, aware of guests.
‘How about we stay in the storage closet all evening?’ he said. ‘No one would find us there!’
A wicked look crossed her face. ‘Good idea. Nothing to say we can’t go there after our shifts.’
A deep rumble of laugher left Jez’s chest. He kissed her on the mouth and they went back out to the bar area. He squeezed her hand. ‘Thanks for being you.’
Eliza felt as light as one of the birthday balloons.
Ariana and Rae had arrived. Both shot her small smiles that didn’t look natural. They must have been tired.
Eliza rushed over. ‘Thank you so much for coming!’ She gave each of them a hug – or tried. The two young women stood rigid, like lamp posts, and Ariana coughed as if with embarrassment.
How strange. Gah, don’t overthink it, Eliza, she told herself. Enjoy your party!
‘Happy birthday,’ said Rae politely.
‘Cocktails?’ Eliza asked and beamed.
‘Sure,’ said Ariana.
‘A quick one,’ said Rae.
Eliza waved the end of her scarf. ‘Isn’t this beautiful? Carrie sent it to me. Her friend Nana helped her find it. Carrie is such a thoughtful person. I really feel a connection with her.’
Rae’s face coloured up. She gave a small smile and left for the toilets.
‘Is Rae okay?’ Eliza asked Ariana.
‘I’m sure it’s nothing,’ said Ariana brightly. She handed over a gift bag. ‘From the two of us.’
‘Oh, you shouldn’t have.’ Eliza opened it up. Inside was a box of chocolates, unwrapped, no card. ‘I’ll enjoy those, thank you!’
Ariana blushed a little. ‘We didn’t have much time to look around.’
‘These chocolates are perfect,’ said Eliza firmly. ‘But don’t tell my doctor, who keeps talking about statins.’
‘Statins? I won’t have language like that in my club,’ said Jez, eyes crinkling at the corners.
He’d appeared behind Eliza holding a tray of mini cheesecakes.
She and Ariana ate one each. The conversation felt strained but then it was difficult with the music as they were right by the dance floor.
Rae came back from the bathroom as Jez took Eliza’s hand and everyone cheered as her favourite song ‘Dynamite’ played.
After the two of them danced alone for the first verse, she beckoned for others to join them.
Douglas and his wife were the first, then Eliza’s friends from the floristry course.
But Ariana and Rae stood resolutely by the side. As it approached half past five, Eliza insisted on helping to clear up as the guests left.
‘What a wonderful afternoon. Thank you, Jez,’ she said as he picked up empty glasses. ‘I’m so very grateful.’
He went to reply but his phone rang. Ariana and Rae were leaving. They wished her a happy birthday and disappeared into the reception area. Eliza hugged Douglas and his wife and waved to her neighbours.
She was going to help Jez when she noticed Rae’s black rucksack on one of the chairs. Eliza hurried outside, glad to have an excuse to talk to them again. She called out and increased her pace. The two of them stopped. Eliza handed over the rucksack.
‘Thank you,’ said Rae in an indifferent voice.
A knot of tension inside Eliza’s stomach that had grown since they’d arrived became even tighter.
‘Is everything okay?’ she asked as they moved to the side of the pavement.
‘Fine,’ said Ariana, and she gave a small smile. ‘We had a sleepover at my place last night. I, for one, am hung-over.’
‘Sleepover makes us sound about nine,’ said Rae. ‘Right, we’d better get going if we’re catching that movie.’
‘What are you going to see?’ asked Eliza.
‘Oh, just one we’ve wanted to see for a while,’ said Rae.
‘The film with Cillian Murphy that you invited me to?’ asked Eliza quietly.
Neither of them replied.
‘What’s going on?’ asked Eliza. ‘Have I upset you, somehow?’
‘Sorry, Eliza, but we’re going to be late,’ said Ariana and turned.
‘Please. Please don’t do that. Don’t leave me guessing, tied up in knots, tormenting myself all night. My husband used to do that.’
‘Let’s talk tomorrow,’ said Rae. ‘It’s your birthday.’
‘Tomorrow’s a long way away, with my imagination,’ said Eliza.
Rae looked at Ariana, who sighed and nodded. ‘We know, Eliza – or should I say, Queenie – that you’re Carrie’s grandmother, the one who let her and Mel down so very badly.’
Eliza’s mouth went dry. No, no, no, please, universe, this wasn’t happening.
‘How?’
‘As soon as you mentioned that name in the restaurant on Saturday, it all became clear,’ said Ariana, ‘why someone like you would move into a rental, why you in fact wanted to buy someone’s entire life, just because of a bit of building work.’
‘Granted, the situation at your bungalow must have been stressful,’ said Rae, ‘but talk about extreme action. We didn’t see it before.
Not even when you talked about having a child that did something your husband couldn’t forgive.
And… Carrie has a right to know.’ Rae pointed to the scarf. ‘She’s clearly become fond of you.’
‘No! Please! You can’t tell her! It’s obvious from her emails how much she hates her grandmother.
If she knows who I am, she won’t let me help.
I’m trying to make things better for her – to do what I can for Carrie to build a life she is happy with.
I’ve decided, hard as it is, it’s best she never know who I am.
I want to do what I can to make up for the past.’
‘We aren’t telling her,’ said Ariana in a measured voice. ‘You are. We’ll give you until midnight tomorrow. If it’s not done, then we’ll have no choice.’
‘But…’ Eliza’s eyes filled.
Rae’s face unexpectedly softened. ‘You’ve told us a bit of what it was like with your husband.
We’re sorry, Eliza, and… actually… we really like you.
We do. But this has made us aware of how much Carrie means to us.
She’d be horrified if she knew the truth and how she’d been fooled.
However good your intentions, Carrie deserves the truth. ’
‘We gave her a hard time for lying to us,’ said Ariana. ‘Lies come out eventually.’
Eliza’s face crumpled. ‘Howard’s still ruining my life, all these years on; still affecting his family.
’ A sob escaped her lips. ‘I simply accepted that Mel didn’t want to see me – instead I should have been more persistent about keeping in touch once I’d left him.
’ She dabbed her eyes with the scarf and stood up straighter. ‘Okay. I’ll do it tomorrow.’
‘We’re sorry it’s come to this,’ muttered Rae.
‘But it’s for the best,’ said Ariana.
Eliza gave a small smile. ‘It’s all right.
If, out of all this, you three friends somehow become a bit closer again, then that’s one positive that’s come out of me buying her life.
Thanks for giving me the chance to tell her myself.
You’re good women. Strong women. Carrie’s lucky to have you in her life.
’ She turned away, put on her professional receptionist’s face, and made her way back to the club, gripping the bracelet in her pocket.