Cathy Kelly 6-Book Collection: Someone Like You, What She Wants, Just Between Us, Best of Friends, Always and Forever, Past Secrets

‘Even though it is their transition year,’ Leonie said hesitantly, ‘the school probably won’t want them to miss the exams.’

‘You could always say it’s about parental access,’ Fliss suggested. ‘I’m not that familiar with family law cases, but I know it’s not unusual for kids to take time out to live with the other parent for a while. Even two or three months could make a difference for Abby.’

‘Two or three months!’ gasped Leonie, horrified. ‘I was thinking more of a couple of weeks. I’d be lost without them.’

‘Yeah, I guessed you’d feel that way.’ Fliss was very gentle. ‘Leonie, I’m not trying to take your girls away from you. They’re your kids, they love you. Nobody can take that away. This isn’t about that, it’s about Abby. You are the best support she could have, but right now, I believe that breaking the cycle of what she’s been doing is the best thing for her. She needs another environment. You know her father would love to have her here – and Mel, too.’

Leonie knew she had to get off the phone quickly or she’d burst into tears.

‘Let me think about it, Fliss,’ she said abruptly and hung up. Then she did burst into tears.

Doug offered to drive them to the airport. ‘You won’t be in any fit state to drive anywhere,’ he told Leonie candidly.

She knew he was right. In the three days since she’d told the girls about the trip, she hadn’t been able to do anything right. She’d taken time off work because it was quite possible she’d make an awful mistake in the surgery and be responsible for the demise of some poor animal. Angie had been wonderfully sympathetic when she heard about Abby.

‘Change of scenery is probably a good idea for both Abby and you,’ she said. ‘When the girls are gone, why don’t you and Hugh go away for a week? Drive down to Kerry or Clare and do absolutely nothing but eat, drink and go for tramps in the woods. You deserve a break, and if Hugh is boring, you can go off with that tramp from the woods!’

But Leonie wasn’t in the mood for joking or a holiday, any holiday. She wanted to crawl into her lair and hibernate to lick her wounds.

It was ten in the morning and the twins’ flight was leaving at half two. Leonie wanted to make sure they were there on time for the lengthy US immigration process. How ironic, she thought, that she was rushing to make sure they caught a flight she didn’t really want them to be on.

‘Ready, girls?’ she called with false gaiety.

Mel and Abby had been up since seven, in a frenzy of last-minute packing, hair-washing and even one final, triumphant phone call to Mel’s long-time enemy, Dervla Malone, to boast about flying to Boston while she was heading off to school for double French followed by netball practice in the rain.

‘Nearly,’ called Mel. ‘I can’t close this suitcase. Can you come in and help, Mum?’

Rolling her eyes at Doug, who was patiently reading the newspaper in the kitchen with a slavish Penny at his feet, Leonie went into the girls’ room.

‘Surprise!’ they chorused, waving an envelope and two oddly shaped presents at her.

‘Wine,’ said Mel unnecessarily, as she presented a bottle-shaped present.

‘And this is something to cuddle when you’re lonely,’ Abby said quietly, handing over the other present.

Leonie felt a lump in her throat. ‘Oh, girls,’ she said tearfully, ‘I’m going to miss you both so much.’

Abby threw herself at her mother. ‘I know it’s my fault we’re going, and I love going, but I’m sorry it’s hard for you,’ she said jerkily.

They clung together, Leonie desperately trying not to cry.

‘Aren’t you going to open your presents?’ asked a dryeyed Mel happily.

Leonie praised the bottle of wine to the heavens. It was a lovely Burgundy, expensive, she was sure of it. ‘How did you pair manage to buy alcohol?’ she asked. ‘You’re under-age.’

‘Doug helped us. He said what you’d like and helped us pick it.’

Leonie was touched. What a kind man Doug was. The kids adored him and he’d promised to give Abby painting lessons. He’d roared laughing the day before when Mel artlessly said she’d love to have her portrait painted, but not by him because in his pictures everybody looked fat and ugly.

Leonie opened the second present. It was a furry toy, a cuddly dog with big brown eyes like Penny’s and reddish fur.

‘It’s lovely,’ she cried.

‘Isn’t it?’ sniffed Abby. ‘I know you’ll be lonely, so this is to make you think of us.’

Leonie caressed Abby’s cheek lovingly. ‘As if I could forget about you two for one minute,’ she said fondly. ‘Thank you both. We better get going, Doug will go mental if we don’t leave soon.’

Abby grinned. ‘That’s the nice thing about Doug,’ she said, ‘no matter what happens, he never goes mental.’

Leonie managed to keep a firm hold on her emotions all through the car journey and while they had a cup of coffee in the cafeteria.

‘Don’t forget to study,’ she said. ‘The only reason the school is letting you go is if you work hard and have counselling, Abby.’

Ray had arranged a private tutor to give the girls lessons during their six weeks away and Abby had agreed to see an eating-disorder counsellor. It was only the promise of that, during a lengthy discussion with the headmistress about Abby’s problems and her father’s legal right of access, that had made the head agree to let both girls go.

‘If it wasn’t transition year, there is no way both girls would be able to take that much time off without having to stay back a year,’ Sister Fidelma had said. ‘They have exams coming up and I know people think transition-year exams aren’t important, but they are.’

Leonie had explained passionately that Abby’s state of mind was more important than any attendance record or summer exams.

‘The Department of Education might not agree,’ Sister Fidelma said testily. But she had nevertheless made all the arrangements. Leonie had remarked to Doug that you’d swear she was sending her daughters off as apprentices in a Thai sex-shop instead of a visit to their father in Boston.

‘And don’t leave the kitchen in a mess like you do at home,’ Leonie warned. ‘It’s not fair on Fliss. And please phone,’ she added.

‘Of course we will,’ Mel said, impatient to be off.

‘They should probably go through now,’ Doug said gently. ‘The immigration process takes a while.’

Leonie could only nod, she was incapable of speech. She and Doug walked the twins to the security barrier leading to the departure gates, where they were to meet the Aer Lingus representative helping them through immigration because they were minors.

Both girls kissed Doug goodbye.

‘Look after Mum, will you?’ asked Abby.

‘Of course,’ he replied.

Abby turned to Leonie.

‘Bye, Mum,’ she said.

‘Goodbye,’ Leonie replied, her strength disappearing. She sobbed, not able to help herself, reaching out blindly to grab Mel and Abby.

The three of them hugged each other tightly before Mel broke away.

‘Don’t panic, Mum,’ she said, ‘we’ll be back before you know it.’

She took Abby’s hand and pulled her away. ‘Let’s go. I hate goodbyes.’

They waved until they were out of sight. Doug put one strong arm around Leonie’s heaving body. ‘They’re only going for six weeks, you know,’ he said. ‘They’ll be back.