Page 58 of An Island in the Sun

‘It sounds as if it was a cathartic experience as well as a fun night.’ Julie handed her a glass of wine and led her outside to the patio. They sat facing the garden. Cupping her wine glass, Julie looked at Tabitha. ‘So, what did you want to ask me?’

‘Oh yes, I nearly forgot.’ Tabitha laughed nervously. She was about to bend the truth to Julie again. ‘I’m, um, going to be out all day Saturday and overnight – back on Sunday afternoon, so I just wondered if you’d be able to pop in to feed Misty and the dogs?’

‘Of course, I’d love to. I can take Bailey and Fudge out for a walk as well if you’d like?’

‘Only if it’s no trouble.’

‘Not at all, they’re a joy to look after.’ Julie sipped her wine. ‘Are you going anywhere nice?’

‘Oh, um, only to Funchal again…’ She hated lying to Julie, but there was no point unravelling the truth now. ‘Although I’m a bit worried about leaving the dogs. Cordelia did say to ask you to look after them if I was out, but I hadn’t planned on being away overnight.’

‘It will be fine,’ Julie said firmly. ‘I’d be delighted to look after them, so go and have a great time. No one needs to know.’ She paused. ‘And how about when you’re back on Sunday you come over here for dinner – only if you fancy it and aren’t too tired. Anton and I would love to have you over. It would be nice for him to meet you. He’s a wonderful cook – I got very lucky marrying him.’

‘That’s really kind of you; I’d love to, thank you.’

‘You can bring Raff with you,’ Julie said.

Tabitha looked at her sharply. ‘Raff… um…’ she mumbled.

‘I know he’s back.’ Julie’s gentle voice was filled with amusement. She placed a cool hand on Tabitha’s arm. ‘I told you I thought I saw him in the garden and also hearing what sounded like a party the other week, I assumed you weren’t on your own. And then I saw Raff in the garden again this week. Is everything okay, you know, with him being there?’ she said with a more serious tone. ‘I don’t want to interfere, but I can’t ignore the fact that he’s at the house with you when presumably he’s not supposed to be.’

‘No, he’s not, but it’s fine.’ Tabitha laughed. ‘It’s been a strange couple of weeks. I would have told you, but to begin with I didn’t really understand the whole situation with Raff and his parents. Although I’m still not sure I fully understand where it went wrong.’

Julie nodded. ‘It’s certainly a minefield. But don’t worry, I won’t say anything – I presume he doesn’t want them to know. I’m, um, just surprised you’re okay with him being there…’

Tabitha noticed Julie’s cheeks flush a little as if she didn’t want to ask a more pertinent question. Tabitha could certainly see how it must look from Julie’s point of view.

Tabitha took a gulp of wine. ‘I wasn’t to begin with – it was a bit of a shock him turning up in the middle of the night, but we’ve kinda got to know each other. It’s a long story really… He was staying out in the garden office, but I invited him in. To sleep in one of the spare rooms,’ she added, not wanting Julie to get the wrong idea. She decided it was about time she was completely truthful; Julie deserved that much as she’d shown her nothing but kindness. ‘And this weekend, I’m going to a wedding with Raff. He invited me. And he came with me to Ollie’s party last night. I’m sorry I lied to you, I really didn’t want to, it’s just been an odd situation.’

‘Oh please,’ Julie said, batting her hand. ‘You’ve not intentionally lied; I know full well it’s Raff who’s told you not to say anything. I know he sneaked into the house the last time his parents were away. In Cordelia’s eyes, I’m a nosy neighbour,’ she looked at Tabitha with a gleam in her eye, ‘so I might as well live up to it. Not much gets past me. I should have gone over and said something – not to get rid of him or anything like that, no.’ She sighed. ‘I wished I’d had the courage to speak to him and invited him to stay here. I, um, I try not to interfere with Cordelia and Rufus and their relationship with Raff. It makes me too angry and just so sad. So I didn’t get involved.’ She paused. ‘Anton and I were never blessed with children, so Raff has always been special to us. You should tell him that I’d love to see him. Well, hopefully I will on Sunday, see you both.’

‘You will, yes. Raff’s said nothing but lovely things about you.’

Julie flushed, quietly accepting the compliment and the situation. She moved the conversation on to the more comfortable topic of Fudge and Bailey and which levada trail she was going to take them on for a walk while Tabitha was away at the wedding with Raff.

26

It was really rather easy and comfortable living and working with Raff. The drama of the last couple of weeks was in the past and they slotted together, both of them working for a good chunk of the day with Raff only returning to the villa in the evening.

Tabitha was incredibly relieved that Julie now knew the truth about Raff being here and she didn’t have to continue lying to her. Raff’s reaction had been surprisingly calm: ‘not much gets past Julie’, followed by, ‘she’s really invited us over for dinner?’

He didn’t say no, though. Tabitha sensed he had as soft a spot for Julie as she had for him. She also noticed the way he said ‘us’. The last time she’d been referred to as an ‘us’ was with Lewis. She’d felt stifled by their relationship and trapped by commitment, but here with Raff she was free and she very much liked the idea of them being ‘together’. It felt exciting rather than scary, but then she had swapped the fringes of London for the subtropical beauty of Madeira; it was completely different.

Much like the day before, Friday whizzed by, Tabitha getting more done and written than in the whole of the previous week now her attention could be solely focused on work. It crossed her mind again that she’d been inspired by the events that had unfolded. Perhaps Raff was her muse.

They were eating dinner together that evening when a surprise delivery of flowers arrived from Ollie with a note attached.

For your kindness and your forgiveness, which I’m not sure I deserve. You’re the best, Tabitha. Beautiful inside and out. Love, Ollie x

‘Yeah right, just friends.’ Raff smirked.

Despite brushing the comment off, it did leave her with the niggling thought that her relationship with Ollie had changed beyond all recognition. What were they to each other now?

Raff motioned to the note. ‘So why doesn’t he deserve your forgiveness? What happened to make you two fall out?’

Tabitha sighed, finished the last bite of the soy-poached chicken and chickpea salad that Raff had made, and told him the whole sorry story.

‘I didn’t like his music anyway,’ Raff said firmly once she’d finished, ‘but I like him even less for how he treated you. No wonder you’ve had nothing to do with him for so long. But hey, with your songwriting success, it turned out you didn’t need him anyway.’

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