Page 13 of The Do-Over

‘I chat to people,’ she says enigmatically.

It’s weird, being outside during the day. I keep glancing around me guiltily, as if one of the senior partners is going to pop up at any moment and demand to know why the hell I’m not in the office. Martin was quite clear in his latest missive, though. As a mark of respect to John, anyone attending the service and reception had to keep their phones turned off and invisible until the proceedings were officially over.

‘Perhaps she was a family nanny or au pair,’ Alasdair suggests after a while. We consider it before I dismiss the idea.

‘Too young. She can’t be more than ten years older than the sons. Babysitter, maybe?’

‘Why would you include a babysitter in the family pew?’ he counters.

‘You’ll be able to ask her yourself in a minute,’ Janice advises us. ‘We’re here.’

There’s obviously some sort of receiving line because, although the buses have long since dumped their passengers and departed, there’s still a long queue outside the entrance to Skinners’ Hall. I’m grateful for the fine weather as we shuffle slowly towards the door; queuing in the rain would have turned my hair into an untameable frizz.

Eventually, we inch our way inside to be greeted by John’s widow and two sons. ‘I’m so sorry for your loss,’ I tell her as I shake her proffered hand before moving on and repeating the process with each of the boys. Up close, I can see that they’ve both inherited John’s light blue eyes but, where his were cold and calculating, theirs sparkle with life. If I didn’t know better, it would almost look like amusement.

There are two waiters standing at the end of the reception line, each holding a silver tray with an assortment of drinks. I grab a glass of champagne and scan the room, which is humming with muted conversation. I spot her on the second sweep. She’s standing all alone, sipping a glass of champagne, with Rollo beside her holding a glass of orange juice. She looks lost and, despite our enmity, I find myself feeling a little sorry for her, even as my curiosity about who she is grows. I’m still staring at her when she looks up suddenly and meets my gaze. I can see her eyes narrow briefly before she grabs Rollo’s hand and begins to cross the room towards me. I glance behind to summon Janice and Alasdair as my wingmen, only to find that they’re already engrossed in conversation with other people. Shit. I’m going to have to front this out on my own, as best I can.

‘I’m sorry,’ she says once she reaches me. ‘You look familiar, but I can’t place you. Do I know you from somewhere?’

‘I live in your road,’ I tell her.

‘She’s the lady you shouted at about the parking space,’ Rollo adds, unhelpfully in my opinion.

I can practically see the penny dropping and brace myself for the inevitable onslaught. What happens catches me by surprise. She smiles.

‘You got me clamped,’ she says, but there’s no malice in her tone.

‘Only after you reported my car as abandoned,’ I reply.

‘It’s a fair cop,’ she admits. ‘For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I’ve been dealing with a truckload of shit over the last year, and I think I’ve taken it out unfairly on lots of people, including you. I’m Rebecca, by the way.’

‘Thea. Nice to meet you, I think.’

‘Don’t worry, I don’t bite. I take it you worked with him?’

‘Yes. I’m one of the partners at Morton Lansdowne.’

‘Did you like him?’

‘I respected him.’

‘Nicely sidestepped.’

‘Do you mind me asking how you knew him?’

‘Not at all. This is Rollo, my son. John is – sorry, was – I must get used to saying that. Johnwashis father.’

For a moment, it seems as if time freezes while I try to digest that information.

‘You weren’t expecting that, were you?’ Rebecca says with a grin. ‘It’s all right. Nobody does.’

‘How?’ is all I manage, before I run out of words.

‘Oh, the usual way. I’m sure you don’t need diagrams, do you? Wealthy married lawyer seduces stupid woman who really ought to have known better. It’s a classic tale; I think Disney are working on a film version of it. It’s a bit likeBeauty and the Beastexcept she falls pregnant and the beast gets even more beastly.’ She glances down at Rollo, who looks unfazed, as if he’s heard this story many times before.

‘Darling,’ she says to him. ‘I think there are some snacks over there. Why don’t you put some on a plate and bring them back for Thea and Mummy?’

‘Can I have some too?’ he asks.

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