He laughed. And well he might. ‘Not every second of my time is chargeable. I’ll be waiting on information to get back to me. Now and again, taking some downtime.’ Another of those slightly repulsive smirks.
‘Ballpark?’
‘Six weeks, maybe eight?’
Well, it was a start. The expensive contract would make a lovely birthday present for Johnny, ha-ha.
In the taxi home she rang Mary-Laine. ‘I met him.’
‘He try to lure you to a lap-dancing club with his twenty-three-year-old girlfriend? No? You got off lightly. You must really love Johnny Casey,’ Mary-Laine said. ‘Putting yourself through this for him.’
‘I really must.’
EIGHTY-SIX
Cara ducked into SpaceNK and, within seconds, was testing foundation colours on the back of her hand. This was like mitching off from school – the same sense of freedom coupled with fear of being caught.
At four o’clock she’d left work because today was Friday and that was what everyone expected her to do.
But she wasn’t going to Peggy so she had a free hour to do whatever she liked.
On Monday or Tuesday, she’d call Peggy’s assistant with an excuse for next Friday. Something, anything, it didn’t matter. She was an adult woman, a free agent: she wasn’t obliged to see Peggy. The week after, she’d write a letter, bringing the whole charade to an end.
It wasn’t an easy decision: she’d grown very fond of Peggy. More importantly, she didn’t want Ed to worry. But she knew she could do this. She would be okay. There would be no more overeating, then vomiting. It was gone, done, in the past, and she was absolutely certain she had the strength to keep things that way. All she needed was enough time to prove it.
When she got home, Ed sounded anxious. ‘How was Peggy?’
‘Mmm,’ she said, trying to sound positive, without actually saying anything. ‘Grand.’ Lying to Ed felt all wrong. But it was too soon to tell him the truth. He’d panic. He’d go straight into Follow the Instructions mode and insist that she return to Peggy quick smart.
Getting her life back to the way it used to be would require careful handling. There were a few obstacles to manoeuvre. But by patiently dismantling the unnecessary scaffolding that had been constructed around her, she’d get there.
SEVENTEEN DAYS AGO
* * *
TUESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER
EIGHTY-SEVEN
‘Nell! Nell!’ It was her dad, squeezed into his one suit, accompanied by Nell’s mum, looking blow-dried and glam.
She crossed the lobby of the Liffey Theatre to them. ‘It’s only six thirty, you pair of eejits! We don’t start for another hour.’
‘We didn’t want to be late,’ Angie said. ‘Big night for our little girl.’
‘Will I understand the play?’ Petey asked. ‘No? Grand. I won’t bother trying, so.’
‘How’re you feeling, love?’
‘Anxious. Knackered. Excited. Listen, I’ve to do some last-minute checks. I’ll meet you in the bar. Lorelei is up there with her fella.’ Nell had offered freebies to all her friends, as was the norm, but because the festival was on, Triona and Wanda were the only ones who could be there.
It was actually a relief that Garr wasn’t coming – because Ferdia was. At the end of last week, Jessie had texted:
Any tickets left for your opening night?
Nell had replied: For you, always. How many you like?
Jessie answered: Two be okay? Me and Ferd. He’s your biggest fan lol!
What the hell did that mean? She’d reread it a million times, agonizing over the meaning. Particularly the ‘lol’ – was it meant to be sarcastic?
But Jessie wasn’t like that.
In the bar, Petey said, ‘It’s twenty past, should we go in? Where’s Liam?’
‘On his way,’ Nell said. ‘You four go on in and I’ll wait in the lobby for Jessie.’
‘Are you all right?’ Petey asked. ‘You’re very nervy-seeming.’
Bloody right she was nervy-seeming. She was a total wreck. And praying that Liam didn’t turn up at the same time as Ferdia, interfering with any chance of talking to him.
Here came Jessie now! Nell’s heart was thumping in her chest.
Behind Jessie, she spotted Saoirse.
Why was she here? No one had mentioned her and there wasn’t a spare ticket. Unless … no. It couldn’t be … Had she come instead of Ferdia?
‘Nell!’ Jessie descended, and pressed a bottle of something on her. ‘Congratulations!’
Feeling crazed with disappointment, Nell submitted to an over-excited hug from Jessie, then Saoirse. ‘How many tickets do you need?’
‘Two, thanks – me and Saoirse.’
‘Just …’ she cleared her throat ‘… you’d mentioned Ferdia?’
‘Oh, I did, didn’t I?’ Her vagueness was almost unendurable. ‘No, he’s up to something with Perla so –’