Read Online Three’s a Crowd by Dianne Blacklock - Free Book Online Page B

asked.
    â€˜Oh, they did, repeatedly.’
    â€˜You’re still young –’
    â€˜I have my whole life ahead of me,’ said Tom, raising his glass and taking a drink.
    â€˜Think of all you have to be thankful for,’ Rachel added.
    â€˜At least she didn’t suffer.’
    â€˜She was too good for this world.’
    â€˜Life goes on.’
    â€˜Life is short.’
    â€˜Ah, best one I heard,’ said Tom, sitting forwards, ‘was from this woman, I’d never met her before, I think she said she worked ina health-food shop, or an organic co-op, some place. You know how Annie made friends with everyone, the further off beam the better.’ He gave a wry smile. ‘Anyway, what was her name? Skye . . . or Summer, something like that. Do you know her?’
    Rachel shrugged. ‘I don’t think so.’
    â€˜Anyhow, she got me aside and she launched into this whole extended analogy about grief being like an anchor that will keep me in the same place, while I need to rest and take stock, which is okay for a time, but that when I’m ready I shouldn’t be afraid to bring it up to the surface and take it on board, because then it will free me, and I can move on, and go where the tide takes me, or steer my own course, maybe into another safe harbour . . .’
    They looked at each other, and then Rachel couldn’t help it, her inappropriate-reaction button activated, and though she tried to suppress it, laughter gurgled up through her chest and escaped, unfortunately via her nose first, in the form of a kind of convulsive snort. She tried to cup her mouth and nose with her hand, as if that would stop the deluge. But it was no use. And then Tom started to laugh, openly and loudly, and Rachel gave up, laughing along with him. And the laughter kept coming, in great rolling waves. And every time it subsided they caught one another’s eye and burst into peals of fresh laughter all over again. Rachel laughed until her sides ached and her face was wet with tears.
    Finally Tom let out a loud sigh, wiping his eyes with the heels of his hands. ‘I haven’t laughed like that in ages.’ He paused and looked across at her. ‘Thanks, Rach.’
    â€˜Any time,’ she said. Then she had a thought. ‘In fact,’ she added, leaning forwards on the table, ‘really, any time you want to have a laugh . . .’
    â€˜What are you saying?’
    â€˜I’m not good for much,’ said Rachel. ‘I can’t organise things like Catherine does, and I can’t cook, or whatever Lexie’s doing for you.’
    â€˜Cooking,’ he confirmed. ‘Casseroles and cakes. Coming out of our ears.’
    â€˜Okay, I’ll make you a deal,’ she said. ‘When it’s all getting toomuch and you want to have a break from being the grieving widower, call me, or come over, whatever. I’ll be at your disposal.’
    Tom was listening intently.
    â€˜You can laugh, tell stupid jokes, get drunk, be totally inappropriate. Whatever you want. I won’t tell anyone.’
    A smile slowly formed on his face. ‘I’m going to hold you to this, young lady,’ he said.
    â€˜That’s the idea.’
    Rachel paced herself much better than Tom, and after he had consumed the best part of half the bottle of Scotch, he stopped making any sense at all and his eyes were struggling to stay open. It took some convincing, but she finally talked him into calling it a night. Getting him inside and into bed was a little more challenging. Just getting him upright was a feat in itself, and he had no hope of walking in anything like a straight line. He leaned heavily on Rachel, and he was not a slight man; lucky for her she wasn’t a slight woman.
    When they got to his room, he fell forwards onto the bed before she could stop him.
    â€˜Tom, roll over,’ she said. ‘You can’t sleep like that.’
    He