lifesaver.’
‘You’re not a terrible mother.’ Ginny knew the routine. ‘You’re flying solo nearly all the time, you have two small children and no family other than one friend from your old, hedonistic life who, thankfully, is able to bring you wine and relief on the odd occasion she’s not working.’ She smiled at Madeleine. ‘You stay out here and flagellate yourself a bit more while I get your delicious children ready for bed.’
Her brand-new suit wasn’t the best for bathing kids, nevertheless Ginny removed the jacket and waded in. Afterwards, she led the pyjamaed children to their considerably more relaxed mother.
‘Mummy!’ George launched himself onto Madeleine. Molly followed, using every ounce of strength and will to wriggle up after her brother.
Laughing, Madeleine stood up, a child on each hip. ‘Bed, you two. Kiss for Ginny.’
As they headed down the hallway, Ginny poured herself a glass of wine and took the chair next to Mads’, enjoying the immediate calm and quiet.
Twenty minutes later, Madeleine sat back down and plonked the open bottle between them. ‘Done,’ she sighed.
‘That was quick.’
‘Yep — neither of them had much of a sleep today. They’re knackered.’
‘Right. Paul back tomorrow?’
‘No, Friday, he says.’
‘Right,’ Ginny sipped at her wine.
‘I know we’re lucky, really lucky, that he has the job. After the redundancy …’ Mads shuddered. ‘Well, you know how scary it was. I just wish the friggin’ thing wasn’t in Sydney.’
Ginny put her hand on her friend’s arm as Mads closed her eyes and lay her head back.
‘Still worth it?’ Ginny asked, meaning the house, the nice new car in the driveway.
‘I don’t know — I’m less and less sure, but there aren’t many options for him. And the mortgage on this place is horrific.’
‘Thought any more about moving over? To Sydney?’
‘Not really. We talk about it but I just can’t face it. We want the kids to grow up here, at home, and it feels just a bit … I don’t know, final or something. It would be hard to get back once we had a house there, mortgage, kids at school … All that crap.’ Mads took another drink. ‘It’s okay, really it is. Just a long day. Thanks for coming over.’
‘No worries. Have you eaten? Pizza?’
‘No, and yes, please. I can’t for the life of me work out why you haven’t been snapped up. You’d make a great wife.’
‘No, thank you!’ Ginny laughed and went inside to order food.
Later, they sat in the lounge, finishing off the wine and picking at the last piece of pizza.
‘How’s work?’ Madeleine asked.
Ginny wrinkled her nose. ‘Okay. Busy, but good. I saw Miles today.’
‘How revolting for you. Did you kick him?’
‘No, tempting — as it always is.’ Ginny briefly explained the pitch, and how she had bumped into her ex on the way out.
‘God, I hope you win it from him!’
‘Yeah, me too. Regardless of getting it over Miles, it would be great to get the account, you know? For the business.’
‘Yeah, I do.’ Madeleine smiled, and they drank their wine in an easy, companionable silence.
‘How did the date go?’ Madeleine asked, and when Ginny frowned in confusion: ‘You know, Telco-man. Wasn’t that last Friday?’
‘Ha! Two weeks ago. Didn’t I tell you?’
‘No, but tell me now. You know I live vicariously through you, and anyway, as the self-appointed strategist on your love life it’s my duty to hear all the details. Gory or otherwise.’
‘Nothing to tell. He was a tool. I left after one drink.’
‘Oh. Really? How disappointing. What was wrong with him?’
‘Just the usual. Full of himself. Didn’t stop going on about how fabulously successful he was. Far too obvious that he thought a shag was a given.’
‘Sounds exactly like what you would have gone for once.’
Ginny shot her a look.
‘Oh, come on,’ Mads continued, reaching to give Ginny a friendly nudge. ‘You know it’s true
‘You’re not a terrible mother.’ Ginny knew the routine. ‘You’re flying solo nearly all the time, you have two small children and no family other than one friend from your old, hedonistic life who, thankfully, is able to bring you wine and relief on the odd occasion she’s not working.’ She smiled at Madeleine. ‘You stay out here and flagellate yourself a bit more while I get your delicious children ready for bed.’
Her brand-new suit wasn’t the best for bathing kids, nevertheless Ginny removed the jacket and waded in. Afterwards, she led the pyjamaed children to their considerably more relaxed mother.
‘Mummy!’ George launched himself onto Madeleine. Molly followed, using every ounce of strength and will to wriggle up after her brother.
Laughing, Madeleine stood up, a child on each hip. ‘Bed, you two. Kiss for Ginny.’
As they headed down the hallway, Ginny poured herself a glass of wine and took the chair next to Mads’, enjoying the immediate calm and quiet.
Twenty minutes later, Madeleine sat back down and plonked the open bottle between them. ‘Done,’ she sighed.
‘That was quick.’
‘Yep — neither of them had much of a sleep today. They’re knackered.’
‘Right. Paul back tomorrow?’
‘No, Friday, he says.’
‘Right,’ Ginny sipped at her wine.
‘I know we’re lucky, really lucky, that he has the job. After the redundancy …’ Mads shuddered. ‘Well, you know how scary it was. I just wish the friggin’ thing wasn’t in Sydney.’
Ginny put her hand on her friend’s arm as Mads closed her eyes and lay her head back.
‘Still worth it?’ Ginny asked, meaning the house, the nice new car in the driveway.
‘I don’t know — I’m less and less sure, but there aren’t many options for him. And the mortgage on this place is horrific.’
‘Thought any more about moving over? To Sydney?’
‘Not really. We talk about it but I just can’t face it. We want the kids to grow up here, at home, and it feels just a bit … I don’t know, final or something. It would be hard to get back once we had a house there, mortgage, kids at school … All that crap.’ Mads took another drink. ‘It’s okay, really it is. Just a long day. Thanks for coming over.’
‘No worries. Have you eaten? Pizza?’
‘No, and yes, please. I can’t for the life of me work out why you haven’t been snapped up. You’d make a great wife.’
‘No, thank you!’ Ginny laughed and went inside to order food.
Later, they sat in the lounge, finishing off the wine and picking at the last piece of pizza.
‘How’s work?’ Madeleine asked.
Ginny wrinkled her nose. ‘Okay. Busy, but good. I saw Miles today.’
‘How revolting for you. Did you kick him?’
‘No, tempting — as it always is.’ Ginny briefly explained the pitch, and how she had bumped into her ex on the way out.
‘God, I hope you win it from him!’
‘Yeah, me too. Regardless of getting it over Miles, it would be great to get the account, you know? For the business.’
‘Yeah, I do.’ Madeleine smiled, and they drank their wine in an easy, companionable silence.
‘How did the date go?’ Madeleine asked, and when Ginny frowned in confusion: ‘You know, Telco-man. Wasn’t that last Friday?’
‘Ha! Two weeks ago. Didn’t I tell you?’
‘No, but tell me now. You know I live vicariously through you, and anyway, as the self-appointed strategist on your love life it’s my duty to hear all the details. Gory or otherwise.’
‘Nothing to tell. He was a tool. I left after one drink.’
‘Oh. Really? How disappointing. What was wrong with him?’
‘Just the usual. Full of himself. Didn’t stop going on about how fabulously successful he was. Far too obvious that he thought a shag was a given.’
‘Sounds exactly like what you would have gone for once.’
Ginny shot her a look.
‘Oh, come on,’ Mads continued, reaching to give Ginny a friendly nudge. ‘You know it’s true
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