Maddie’s whole face lit up in a way that made tears rush to my eyes. I had not seen her this happy in a long time.
‘Josh is amazing, and I love him, Rachel. He’s going to make a wonderful dad.’ She smiled. ‘He’s not a millionaire like Frank, he doesn’t have a villa in Tenerife for Mum to rent and he doesn’t have eye-watering investments, a chauffeur, and a beautiful lifestyle. Josh is kind, he makes me laugh and he’s normal. You don’t know how long I have craved normality. Frank’s world is not for me. Mum will have a breakdown when she hears all this, but I don’t care. All I have ever wanted is to be free and live my life the way I want to live it.’
I pulled her into a hug. ‘I love you, Maddie, and I can’t wait to meet my niece or nephew.’
‘You will need to teach them to cook as both Josh and I are dreadful.’ We both laughed.
‘So, you came home two days early?’
She nodded. ‘I rang you, but I was too emotional to say everything. I have been with Josh on the farm. Bob and his wife Marjorie are adorable. Josh told me about The Duck House. I didn’t want to make an appearance as I wanted some time with Josh to make sense of everything. Malibu was awful. Not the place, I mean. It’s stunning but everything with Frank fell apart. He was so angry at me when I told him I was pregnant. I was alone and scared in a strange place. In the end I managed to buy a plane ticket and I ran away.’
‘You ran away from Frank?’
She nodded. ‘He’s got a lot of issues.’
‘I would never have guessed,’ I said, with a wry smile.
Maddie stroked Humphrey underneath the table. ‘His mother didn’t show him any affection when he was growing up. He had a negative image of himself when he was a child and that’s why he has always wanted to feel superior and special as an adult. He’s not proud of his past when he was an actor and is desperate to show everyone he’s different.’
We both went silent. My brain was frantically trying to process everything. For years our mother had painted Maddie in an angelic, almost perfect light. Maddie would have the idyllic life with her ex-film star and business tycoon husband while the rest of us mere mortals spent our time squabbling on WhatsApp, gossiping about Aunty Bev, and doing whatever the family wanted us to do.
She turned to me. ‘I love the short hair, Rachel. It suits you. I know this is a huge shock, but I was with Frank for all the wrong reasons. It’s weird to say but with Josh I feel more like myself than I have ever done.’
CHAPTERFORTY-ONE
Ben was waiting for me outside the kitchen as I told Grandpa and Aunty Bev to go into the kitchen. I remembered what Denise had said. ‘Please leave me alone, Ben.’
‘What did she say?’
I batted his hand away. ‘Nothing, I need to be on my own.’
‘Rachel,’ Ben said softly, ‘talk to me.’
‘I believed Olivia,’ I said, with a voice thick with emotion. ‘Why did Denise tell me a mum from school is messaging you? And she’s not the only one apparently.’ Tears rolled down my face. ‘I should have stayed away.’
He placed his arms around me and took out his phone. ‘Okay, look at this. One of the year six mothers – Zoe – texted me to ask which child grief counsellor I used with Rosie when she was struggling a year ago. Do you want to see her text? I also text Sonia about Olivia because I want to stay in touch, and she keeps asking how we are doing. The other texts I have are from my mother and Tom. Rachel, I am not a woman magnet. I told Denise I didn’t want to date her because Olivia had introduced me to her amazing and beautiful friend and even though this friend had ghosted me I had this strange feeling I would one day meet her again.’
‘Really?’
He smiled. ‘Before she died Olivia texted me to say to not give up hope on Rachel. I wished I’d kept that text.’
I looked up into his eyes and he cupped my cheeks with his warm hands. ‘Rachel, I only have eyes for you.’
He held me close and pressed his lips against mine. I ran my hands through his hair as our kiss got more passionate. We both broke away after we heard voices in the kitchen. Grandpa let out a cheer and Aunty Bev exclaimed, ‘You’re pregnant and Frank’s not the father? Oh God, I need a stiff drink.’
Ben smiled. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow. It sounds like you’re needed in there.’
‘See you tomorrow, Ben.’
As I sat down next to Grandpa, Aunty Bev put her hands together in a prayer-like pose and prayed out loud. ‘Thanks, God, for this wonderful news. I am looking forward to seeing the faces of my sisters when they hear this, especially Janice. If only Maddie could record the moment she tells Janice. I would treasure that recording for years to come.’
We all smiled. Grandpa was sat next to Maddie holding her hand. ‘I am delighted for you, my lovely girl.’
I grabbed four glasses, a bottle of wine from the rack and an elderflower soft drink for Maddie.
Aunty Bev took her glass, threw her head back and drained it. ‘I needed that. Pour me another one.’ Then, after taking a mouthful from her second glass, she said, ‘So, when do we meet Josh?’
Maddie grinned. ‘Josh? Are you still there?’
