Page 2 of The Plan
Chapter One
“My brother’s an arsehole.”
“I’ll drink to that,” I say, tapping the glass containing my dirty martini against my best friend’s.
Juliette and I met at university. We were both studying law and started off in the same halls. We clicked instantly. Looking back on it now, I think it may have been because we were both doing something that wasn’t our choice. I’d never voiced the fact that I didn’t want to be a lawyer, and neither had she, but I think we both knew.
“I feel totally responsible for all this. I pushed the two of you together.”
“Don’t,” I warn. “It’s not your fault he can’t keep his dick to himself, and it’s also not your fault that we haven’t really been working for a while,” I add, because I’m not sure I can really blame him for what he did, knowing what our marriage has been like.
“When was the last time you two…” she trails off, choosing to use hand gestures instead of words.
“No idea.”
“NO IDE—”
“Mummy, can I have some juice?” Sophia shouts, interrupting Juliette’s shock.
Unlike me, since graduating with a first, Juliette’s never worked a day in law. Actually, she’s never worked a day full stop, but that’s beside the point. She met Hugo during our second year and, not long after graduation, discovered she was pregnant. She’s been a stay at home mum since. They now have three terrors who run her ragged most days and are polite little angels when their dad appears after long hours crunching numbers. It’s pretty amusing to watch.
“Sorry, what were we saying…Oh yeah. You can’t remember the last time?”
“No. I told you things weren’t great.”
“I know, but there’s not great and thenreallynot great.”
I just shrug at her. What does it matter now, anyway? The damage is done and I get to start over.
“Do you really have to leave?”
“I do.”
Juliette’s face drops. I’m gutted to leave her. We’ve practically lived in each other’s pockets since university. Shit, we’ve been sisters for the past three years, but I can’t stay for her. It’s time I did something for myself for once.
“I’m going to miss you so much.”
“I’m going to miss you, too. But I’ll be back to visit, and you can come out to me. The kids will love it with the beach and the countryside. You might actually wear them out for once,” I say with a laugh.
“Have you spoken to him?”
“Only on the phone briefly to tell him I was leaving. He begged for me to stay, told me he was sorry, that we could work it out, but it’s too late. He needs to face up to the fact that his cheating was the final nail in a practically sealed coffin already. We were never going to work, and him begging is just embarrassing, really.”
Juliette gives me a sad face but doesn’t say anything. I think she knows what I’m saying is true. She must have been able to see that we weren’t working together.
I’ve just finished my drink when my phone rings, alerting me the taxi’s outside.
“Time to go,” I announce, getting up from Juliette’s sofa.
“You really have to?” she asks again.
“Yes. I’ll ring you when I’m there to let you know I’m safe.”
“Okay,” she says as she pulls me into a tight hug. “KIDS, come and say goodbye to Aunt Addy,” she hollers in my ear.
* * *
Once my luggage is in the boot of the taxi, I settle myself in the back seat and wave at Juliette and the kids as the driver pulls away. I blink back the tears stinging my eyes at the thought of leaving them and focus on where I’m going.
