good sight more common sense. The man just can’t seem to learn how to look after himself – anything domestic goes in one ear and comes out the other. I’ve done what I can, though, while I’ve been here, and he’s coming along. The other day I saw him pairing his socks after doing a wash.
I hail down a black cab to take me to the Selmount offices for my goodbye coffee with Bee. As we crawl through the streets, I remember how frightening this place felt when I first arrived. Now it’s a second home. I’ll miss the man in the market who gives me a discount on crêpes because he’s from Yorkshire, too, and the Big Issue seller with the Alsatian who wears a pink bow.
We pull up outside the Selmount offices; it takes me a while to get out of the car, and I’m just getting my legs around to climb out of the door when I look up and freeze.
‘Are you OK there, ma’am?’ says the taxi driver.
‘Shh !’ I say, eyes fixed. I start swivelling, pulling my legs back inside the car again. ‘Close your door! Follow that car!’
‘Sorry?’ he says, nonplussed.
‘That cab there! The one two in front, with the lingerie lady on the side!’
‘The one with the gent and the blonde girl getting in?’ he asks, looking at me rather warily in the mirror.
‘That is my granddaughter’s boyfriend, and I’ll bet you any money that’s his bit-on-the-side,’ I say. ‘She fits the description down pat.’
The driver turns the key in the ignition. ‘Right you are, ma’am. I’ll stick to them like glue.’ He cuts into the traffic smoothly enough that nobody honks. ‘Can’t stand cheaters,’ he says.
‘Nor me,’ I say with fervour, as we pull in behind them. With difficulty – I don’t want to take my eyes off that cab – I send Bee a quick message.
On to Ethan. So sorry to miss you. Lots of love, Eileen xx
She replies instantly.
I AM INTRIGUED.
I don’t have time to fill Bee in. She’ll have to wait. Ethan’s cab is pulling in; my taxi driver stops behind them at a bus stop, looking rather nervously over his shoulder.
‘I’ll hop out,’ I say, though it’s more of a clamber than a hop, really. ‘You’ve been wonderful. As soon as I’ve worked out how, I’ll give you five stars.’
He looks bemused, but helps me climb out and gives me a friendly enough wave as I set off after Ethan, dragging my suitcase behind me.
I’m convinced that’s Ceci. She’s got straight blonde hair and long legs, which ticks off two of the things I know about the woman, and besides, there’s just something about her that says, I might steal your granddaughter’s boyfriend.
But I do lose my nerve a tad when they pause outside an office building. It occurs to me now that Ethan and Ceci could just be off to a meeting, in which case I have wasted a lot of money on a cab fare to … where exactly am I?
Then Ethan’s hand brushes Ceci’s arm, and I know I’m on to something. He ducks his head to speak to her. Then, quick as a flash, blink and you miss it … he kisses her on the lips.
For a moment I hesitate. I baulk. But then I remind myself of what I said when I first suspected Ethan was running around on Leena: Carla would never have baulked, and I shouldn’t, either. So I hitch my handbag up my arm and me and my wheeled suitcase set off at a march.
Ethan and Ceci don’t even look up as I approach. I tap Ethan on the shoulder. He spins.
‘Eileen! Hi,’ he says, taking a step back. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Ceci, I presume?’ I say to the woman.
She just raises her eyebrows. ‘Excuse me?’
‘Off you trot, lass.’ I gesture her towards the building. ‘My quarrel isn’t with you. Though you ought to know that there’s a special place in hell for women who set their sights on somebody else’s man.’
‘Now, hang on, Eileen,’ Ethan says.
‘I saw you kiss her.’
‘What on earth has that got to do with …’ Ceci begins.
‘Are you still here?’ I ask her.
Ceci looks at me with distaste. ‘Ethan?’ she says.
‘I’ll see you in the meeting,’ he says. ‘Stall them, would you?’
‘Let’s just go, Ethan. Who even is this woman?’
‘I’m Leena’s grandmother,’ I say.
Her eyes widen.
‘Oh.’
‘Yes. Oh.’
‘I’ll … I’ll see you inside,’ she says to Ethan, and scuttles away on her high heels. She