Page 65 of Storm in a D Cup

Huh?

‘If you were here, you would ruin the magic.’

I wondered whether it was the same for Julian and me?

*

‘How’s your column going?’ Renata asked me the next day as we were having a drink on her terrace.

‘Umph…’

‘I read it – it’s funny.’

‘Really? It’s crazy. People are crazy. And now Terry wants a book.’

‘A book? Wow, that’s amazing, Erica!’

‘I don’t know if I have one in me, but I said I’d try. At least it’ll keep my mind off—’

I swallowed as I imagined a ‘fill in the blanks’. Writing kept my mind off Genie Stacie’s wedding plans, the widening gap between me and Julian, the baby that just wasn’t happening, my narrowly escaped grandmother-hood and Maddy who was constantly changing before my very eyes. And that was only on this side of the ocean. My calls with Dad told me that things weren’t any better on his side of the pond. God knew when Marcy would stop aggravating him after that three-day disaster of a trip. I wondered if Judy and Steve were OK after Marcy’s revelations, and how my sister-in-law Sandra was taking the fact that everyone in the family knew about Vince’s infidelity. My family was so screwed up and even if Julian had told me that I couldn’t take the weight of the world on my shoulders, most of the times it felt like I should.

Renata filled my glass with some more white wine. ‘Keep your mind off what?’

I took a sip and looked at my flip-flops. ‘Oh, lots of stuff…’

‘Julian?’

‘Among other things. He and I… have grown distant lately…’

‘How is that even possible? You two are like… is it the stress of IVF, then?’

I shrugged. ‘We said we’d try again, but it sort of sounded like a dare rather than a promise. I just don’t know what’s happening to us. After his allergic reaction, it’s like he’s completely changed. He’s not the same old Julian. And—’ I bit my lip. I had to tell someone. It wasn’t right for me to keep this burden in my heart all to myself.

‘What is it, Erica? Yourface…’

I look up from my chalice. ‘Paul asked me not to tell anyone, so please keep this to yourself…’

‘Of course…’

‘Genie Stacie has hired him to plan her wedding.’

‘But that’s great! You see, you were all worried about her. Who’s the guy?’

‘That’s the thing. It’s a huge secret because the groom hasn’t actually left his own wife yet. Not even Paul knows who he is.’

‘What?’

‘And… Paul asked me for Julian’s measurements…’

‘Oh, come on, Erica, really? Is that what you’re thinking? It’s absurd!’

‘Is it? The groom is a celebrity sports star who lives between Boston and Italy. Does that sound so absurd to you?’

‘Of course it does! It’s just a coincidence. Julian would never in a million years do that to you!’

‘Yeah, that’s what I keep telling myself, but things have changed, and not in a good way.’

Renata looked at me as it finally sank in. ‘So what are you going to do? Surely you’re not going to give him up that easily, are you?’