The Spark - Jules Wake Page 0,97

such desperation.

When at last the woman emerged with an apologetic smile, I realised she’d clearly heard my shuffling and tapping as I’d waited.

I’d just parked myself down and enjoyed the merciful gush of relief when I heard a woman’s voice as clearly as if she were standing next to me, which, plasterboard partition notwithstanding, she might well have been.

‘Such a shame, Sally. It must be so hard for you. Do you want me to take that? Poor Victoria.’

I closed my eyes with dread, wondering whether I ought to cough loudly.

A cupboard door closed, there was the chink of china or glass and the thud of something on the melamine counter outside the loo.

‘Yes, I really do feel for her. Thank you, if you could just grab the jug. She’s been such a trooper today, insisted on coming to help me. I mean, the party’s been planned for months, there was no way she wasn’t invited, although I did say I’d understand if she didn’t want to come. Bless her, she said she wouldn’t miss it for the world and she’d be all right.’ There was a pause and I squirmed on the loo seat. This was one conversation I could do without overhearing.

‘I could strangle Sam, I really could.’ There was a vehemence to Sally’s voice that was at odds with the cool, calm woman who’d been serenity and grace embodied all day. I shrank down into the seat, as if making myself invisible in some way might also magic me away from the scene or render me deaf.

‘I don’t know what’s got into him. He’s far too young to be having a midlife crisis. Everything was fine with him and Victoria. That’s what makes it so difficult to understand. It’s also doubly difficult because this girl is the niece of Lynn and Richard, who are lovely. Great neighbours and Lynn is such good company.’

‘Is she not very nice, the new girl?’

‘I’ve no idea, she might be perfectly lovely, but it all seems so random. Why throw four years away? It’s not as if he and Victoria weren’t getting on or anything. They were fine. One minute they were booking a holiday to Turkey, the next Sam’s … well, when he called and said he had something to tell me, I honestly thought he was telling me he was going to ask Victoria to marry him. Instead he stands there and tells me he’s met someone else and decided to finish with Victoria. I just don’t understand it.’

‘Perhaps it’s just a passing fancy, you know – get it out of his system before he does settle.’

‘God, I hope so. Poor Victoria is heartbroken. Absolutely devastated. She’s putting on a brave face today, but I know the poor girl is desperate. I feel so sorry for her. She has no idea what made him change his mind so suddenly. That’s what makes it so hard. There’s just no rhyme or reason. She’s still in love with him and she can’t believe that he doesn’t love her anymore. I mean, how do you go from loving someone one day to not the next? It doesn’t make any sense.’

‘Would she have him back?’

‘Oh God, yes, in a shot. She knows Sam better than anyone. She says it’s completely out of character. Like you said, all their friends are settling down, getting married, and she’s convinced this is a bit of a panic, a knee-jerk thing.’

‘What do you think?’

‘I think he and Victoria will get back together once he’s got this girl out of his system. I mean, I’m sure she’s very nice but … well, I don’t know what’s so special about her. From what Sam says, he seems to think it’s love at first sight. I ask you. But you can’t tell them, can you? Bless him. I love my son, but seriously, it’s just an infatuation, but he’s too … infatuated to see it.’ There was a heavy sigh from Sally. ‘And I could kill him for throwing his cricketing career away. All over this girl. He’s always wanted to play Test Match cricket. But this wretched creature has messed that up. No wonder the selectors are overlooking him this season. Apparently they are not impressed that he’s missed so many matches, and I can’t nag him about it because we’ve barely been speaking. Honestly, he was so diligent about practising. Always at nets. He’d never miss a match and now … well, I get the impression he’s not interested at