Something Wonderful Read online

  “Mags, I swear to God…”

  “It’s too easy, Shell,” she said in between laughter. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Bring Valerie if you want–it’d be nice to see her again.”

  “I’ll see what she wants to do.”

  Before that I had dinner to prepare.

  Dillon did text me. Rob would love to come over.

  I suggested he stay the night. It would keep Dillon out of my hair for the night.

  Chapter Nine - Hurricane Valerie

  I settled down on the sofa.

  Dillon and Rob took themselves upstairs playing on the PlayStation which was fine by me. If they remained quiet, I didn’t care how late they stayed up.

  My phone vibrated on the counter.

  I’m on my way.

  Make sure Carol

  is dressed.

  I shook my head at her teasing.

  Piss off!

  I was looking forward to seeing her.

  Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang.

  “DAARRRLING,” she shrieked like a human foghorn as soon I opened the door. “How long has it been?”

  I’d forgotten how loud Valerie could be. “Erm?” I had lost all train of thought. What the hell has she done to her hair, I thought.

  “Years,” Maggie Jane said, ushering her through the door.

  “Yes…” I agreed. “…years.”

  Air kisses were delivered.

  “Mwah,” Valerie said, holding me at arms-length, appraising me. “It’s so good to see you, Michelle. I think Willow was a little girl the last time we saw one another.”

  “How is she?”

  “Blissfully happily,” she squawked with a wave of her hand. “But I hear cunnilingus is good for the soul…” She stopped mid-sentence.

  “Oh, my God,” I whispered, wanting the floor to swallow me whole.

  Maggie Jane howled with laughter. “You haven’t changed at all, Valerie.”

  “You know me girls. Take me as you find me.” She coiffed her hair, like it would make any difference to how it looked. I prayed my big-mouth sister hadn’t said a word about my foray into lesbianism. “So, I hear you had a little play in Carol’s lady garden last night?”

  I glowered at Maggie Jane. She looked fit to burst. “Drink, Valerie?”

  “Vodka and orange for me, sweetie pie, but go easy on the orange. In fact, leave the orange out altogether. Just a cube of ice and I should be set.”

  “Mags, take Valerie through to the conservatory, and I’ll get the supplies.”

  “Come on, Val, you old lush.”

  “Too bloody right, Margaret Jane. It’s not often I get a night off. Oh, and call me Valerie if you please. I once knew a taxi operator from Urmston called Val... she was a bit whiffy in the underarm department, if you know what I mean?” She screwed her face up to show her disgust. “If you were caught upwind of her, crikey, it was enough to put you flat on your back.”

  I knew my sister would cringe being given her full title. Only our parents ever called her Margaret Jane. To me she was Maggie Jane or simply, Mags.

  “Yes, Margaret Jane…” I mimicked. “…it’s not often us mothers get a night off.”

  She turned and flicked her middle finger up. Fuck off, she mouthed. I sniggered, knowing I’d irritated her.

  I grabbed everything I needed and carried them in on a silver tray.

  “So, what have you been up to since we last saw one another, Valerie?”

  “Oh, not much, Michelle. Nothing exciting, although I had my head bashed in with an iron by some psycho bitch that tried to murder Willow.”

  “What?” That could explain the hairstyle.

  “We spent some time in hospital together after that, but apart from that, nothing much. I still have the farm. Willow has gone travelling with her girlfriend Georgia, who also used to be our nanny and, and, let me think...” She reeled all of this off like it was an everyday occurrence. “And let me see, oh yes, the girls have gone to stay with relatives for a week, so I’m quite alone.”

  “Why didn’t you go with them?”

  “Andrew’s parents, they drive me mad, but they adore the girls and asked if they could have them for the holiday. I thought they might be too much for the old dears to handle, but they’re little angels apparently.”

  “That’s nice,” I replied. “And your husband, how is he? Is he not at home either?” I wondered if they’d divorced or perhaps separated. Maggie Jane shook her head. I didn’t know what I’d said wrong and wasn’t prepared for Valerie’s answer.

  “Oh, Andrew died, dear. Dropped dead, just like that.” She snapped her fingers. “Heart attack, kaput, nothing they could do I’m afraid. He was as stiff as a board by the time I realised he hadn’t come in for dinner. Stress, the doctors said, probably from all that business with Kristina. Apparently, his arteries were chocka block. Bad diet, the report said, but what’s life without enjoyment? Live fast, die young, be a good-looking corpse has always been my motto.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “It was quite ghastly finding him like that. Put me right off my lamb shank I can tell you. Willow went to pieces, so it hasn’t been the best of times.”

  I had no idea who this Kristina was, but didn’t want to dig any deeper. “I’m so sorry, Valerie.”

  “Took me a while to get over it. He was and is the love of my life, but I carry on. Besides I still have the girls, and good friends, so I’m luckier than most.”

  “But, still, you must miss him, especially with the girls away at school and Willow on her travels.”

  “Of course.” She slugged back the vodka. “Every single day, but he’s always with me.” She held out her hand, flashing a ring on her index finger. “I had him made into this ring, so every time I have a little fiddle with the old furry flounder, he’s right there with me.”

  I don’t know what came over me, but I was suddenly in hysterics, laughing uncontrollably.

  “Shell!” Maggie Jane looked horrified, but I could see the corners of her mouth twitching. She was dying to laugh too.

  “I’m sorry,” I replied, spluttering. “Furry flounder… I’ve never heard anything like it.”

  “Don’t be so insensitive,” Maggie Jane scolded.

  “Oh, bugger all that, Margaret Jane. I’m happy, let the girl have a laugh if she wants to.”

  The night turned into more laughs and reminiscing, but once again I drank far too much. I felt a freedom I’d never experienced and like the Gin, it was addictive, and I craved more. The thought of a hangover swept past my logic. I’d deal with that tomorrow.

  Maggie Jane and Valerie left together. Slightly pissed would be an understatement.

  I relaxed on the sofa, relishing the sound of silence.

  Dillon managed a few appearances and appeared on his best behaviour; no doubt an attempt at lulling me into a false sense of security, and with the hope of early parole from his grounding. No chance.

  I’d decided against cutting his electricity supply off, remembering he was still young, and making noise was what youngsters did.

  I revised my plan, recognising a need to bend a little, but only on the proviso he made the effort too. The no cigarettes and no weed rule not up for negotiation.

  Turning the TV on, I found an old show called Prime Suspect and made myself comfortable, but Richie suddenly popped into my mind.

  We remained silent after he left with his bag. I knew the time ticked closer, and the hard conversation hung over my head. It needed to happen, sooner rather than later.

  Chapter Ten - Who Am I?

  A week went by and I slipped effortlessly into a new routine.

  No longer tied down in a fifties-housewife manner, but who was I now? It was a strange feeling after the last sixteen years.

  I was still married but wasn’t a wife any longer.

  Yes, I was still a mother and always would be, but I didn’t know what my role in life, aside from that, was anymore.

/>   Dillon behaved as I expected him to; my house, my rules. He remained grounded. I wasn’t going to fold, or he would see me as a pushover. He would learn the hard way.

  Richie and I had communicated via text message;

  How are you?

  Fine. You?

  Great!

  It would be

  good to sit

  and talk

  at some point

  soon.

  I’ll set some time

  aside and let

  you know.

  It was very amicable, for now. I didn’t know how he would react when I told him I wanted a divorce.

  I’d spent plenty of time with Maggie Jane, and it felt good. We had always been the best of friends, but marriage, motherhood, and whatever came with that stopped me from exploring our relationship fully as grown women. We were closer than ever.

  I hadn’t seen Carol. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t know how to broach the night in question. The whole night had come back to me, and we did have sex. The more I thought about it, the more I realised it was something I enjoyed, something I wanted to explore and enjoy.

  Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t just discovering the joys of Carol’s vagina but her as a person. We were in sync, in more ways than I ever had been with Richie and it would be a shame not to see where our friendship could go.

  I just had to pluck up the courage to call her.

  It had been a nightmare getting the number from Maggie Jane. She wanted to know every little detail of my night with Carol. I’d have told her if I could remember, but details were sketchy. This amused my sister even more.

  She tutted. “I don’t know, Shell–you take a woman to bed and don’t even remember what you did.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “If I was to ever go down on a woman, I’d make damn sure I remembered it.”

  “I was pissed, Mags.”

  “That’s no excuse. If you’re going to be a rug muncher, you have to make more of an effort.”

  “I swear to God, Mags…”

  “Gotta go.” She rung off, leaving me ready to explode.

  A minute later, I received a text with Carol’s number.

  Taking a deep breath, I pressed her number into my phone. After a few rings, she answered.

  “Carol speaking.” My nerves failed me; I didn’t speak. “Hello!”

  “Hi, Carol.” My response was shaky.

  “Who is this?”

  “It’s me, Shell.”

  “Oh, hey, stranger. How are you?”

  “I’m good, but I owe you an apology.”

  “Really? What for?”

  “For that night.”

  “Don’t be daft, it was a bit of fun.”

  “Yeah, it was, but it meant something more to me, and I’ve been too much of a coward to face it head on.” Total silence on the other end. Why did I just blurt it out like that? “Are you there?”

  “Yeah, sorry.”

  “Would you like to come over for a chat? Maybe I could cook us a bite to eat?”

  “I’d like that, but only if you’re sure.”

  “Of course I am. It will be good to see you and catch up.”

  “Will Mags be there?”

  “No, just us.”

  “I like the sound of that. Do you want me to bring anything with me?”

  “Just you is more than enough.”

  “Okay, say six o’clock.”

  “Good for me.” I’d give Dillon a pass out to stay at his mate’s house. I swore I wouldn’t but needed privacy and Richie was still holed up in a hotel so wasn’t in the position to accommodate him. “See you then, and bring your swimming costume, the night is gorgeous, and I thought we could take a dip.”

  “I don’t think I own one so I might have to swim in the nude. You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Erm…”

  “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before after all.”

  Why was I blushing? She was right. I had seen it all, but I still felt shy about sleeping with her. I didn’t have to because we were grown women, but her being so forthright about it, I wondered if this wasn’t her first lesbian experience.

  “Yeah, you’re right,” I sputtered. “Six o’clock then?”

  I was all a fluster waiting for her to arrive.

  “Hiya,” was all I could think of to say.

  “Hello stranger.” Carol pulled me into a hug and planted a kiss on my cheek.

  It was good to see her, and I had to admit, I felt an immediate attraction to her, and flashes of that night came rushing back to me.

  Sweaty palms and a rapid heartbeat, mixed with the butterflies fluttering in my tummy, wasn’t something I had anticipated.

  I did my best to play it cool, but it wasn’t easy. Her face was painted beautifully, not overly so, but her flawless features stood out. “Come on in.” I took her hand and pulled her inside and into the kitchen. “Take a seat, dinner is cooking and won’t be long.”

  “Where’s Dillon?”

  “He’s gone to his friend’s for the night.”

  She arched her eyebrow. “You let him off his grounding then?”

  “Yeah,” I grinned. “First time today, but with conditions attached.”

  “That’s fair.”

  “How’s Jamie?”

  “Right now, a pain in the arse.”

  “Oh no! How come?”

  “He’s been to his dad’s again this past weekend and has been a nightmare to deal with.”

  “That’s not good.”

  “I’m not having it and have made an appointment with my solicitor to block the ex’s access.”

  “Wow, that’s a big decision. Any particular reason, apart from the usual?”

  “I think Jamie’s been smoking, and he’s allowing it in his house.”

  “He’s not related to Richie, is he?”

  She laughed. “No, but I’ll string my ex up by his balls if I find out for sure. It’s one thing after the other, and he seems to spend his life trying to make me look like a bitch. He’s not getting away with it anymore.”

  “He sounds a right piece of work.”

  “I’ve not been happy for a while. There is no parental supervision when Jamie is there, and I’ve had enough. When I try to impose rules, I get a barrage of abuse because Kevin doesn’t do rules, but no more.”

  “You know where I am if you need any help.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be moaning on about it, but I’d rather Jamie hated me for a while than think he’s allowed to behave any way he sees fit.”

  “Good luck with that. Half my problems with Dillon stem from his father letting him get away with murder. I get the kickback now because I’m trying as hard as I can to ensure he grows into a decent man, not the little shit he has been so far.”

  “You’ll get there. Something tells me you don’t give up too easily.”

  “I don’t know about that. I seem to spend my life avoiding issues.”

  “You’re not the only one, but I’m here tonight so we can talk.”

  “Have you ever been with a woman before?” I just blurted it out without thinking. I caught the look on her face. “God, I’m sorry it came out like that…”

  “Don’t be.”

  “It’s none of my business really, but I was curious because our night didn’t seem to worry you like it did me.”

  “I’ll be honest and say I have dabbled in the past, but nothing like what happened between us. I felt a connection to you that transcended sex, like I’d met my soulmate and that may sound heavy, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, or you. I didn’t want to come on heavy and scare you so stayed away.”

  “I felt the same way and thought I was just blowing it out of proportion.”

  “If it’s something we both felt, then great, we have nothing to worry about, but I’m here because I want to be. Since your call, I’ve wished the time away so I could see you again.”

  I felt warm a
nd fuzzy inside. “I-I don’t know what to say. I’m not used to this…”

  “You don’t need to say anything. Let’s just enjoy spending time together and getting to know one another. Then, if you’re lucky you might get a little bonus when we’re in the pool later.”

  “Is that right?” I felt a stirring between my legs.

  “If you play your cards right you can have anything you want.”

  It was too good an opportunity to turn down. “You know, I’m only cooking casserole and it can be re-heated later if you fancy that swim now?”

  “I found my swimming costume.”

  I took her hand and pulled her up from her chair. “You won’t be needing that.”

  She raced out of the kitchen, through the conservatory and into the garden. Her clothes were off and strewn across the garden in record time before she dived head-first into the pool.

  This was going to be fun.

  Chapter Eleven - Go Your Own Way

  Another fantastic night with Carol made me see one thing clearly. I had to tell Richie I wanted a divorce.

  I wasn’t going to tell him anything else, yet. Let him settle into the idea we weren’t going to patch our marriage up.

  He was on his way from the hotel and my nerves got the better of me.

  I raced to the kitchen and poured myself a very large Gin and Tonic.

  The doorbell chimed.

  “Coming,” I shouted, knocking back the rest of my drink and leaving the glass on the still cracked work surface.

  I spied Richie through the glass door. Looking at him as I approached, I felt nothing. It had been a few weeks, and I hadn’t seen him at all, but no part of me had missed him. The realisation sounded the death knell that was our marriage.

  “Michelle,” he grunted, as I pulled open the door and stepped aside.

  “How are you? You look well.”

  “I’m good, been busy, the usual.” He wasn’t going to do nice.

  “Come through to the living room. You know where it is.”

  I took the lead for once. He followed.

  We took a seat on opposite sofas. The coffee table acted as our referee.