Page 113 of Wife After Wife

Ana could tell Andre didn’t like her. He was certainly a misogynist, and dismissive of any views she attempted to share. He probably thought women were good for only one thing. She suspected he played around during his wife’s absences in Moscow. Was Harry strong enough to resist the temptations that surely came his way when Andre dragged him and Charles out on the town?

She turned her mind to more wholesome topics. Over the Christmas break, they’d spent enough time together to make plans for the future, and had decided Eliza should have a little brother or sister. But Ana was wary of “trying for a baby.” Harry had told her how Katie’s fertility problems had wrecked their love life, and things between Ana and Harry were shaky enough as it was. Aware of this, Ana had suggested she just came off the pill and they’d see what happened, no calendars involved.

And now, three months in to seeing what might happen, perhaps something had. She was four days late, and she’d bought a testing kit on her way to work. After this meeting, she’d be off to the ladies. If the test were positive, it would confirm what she already knew deep inside.

August 2001

I love how they get on so well,” said Megan as she and Ana watched the cousins playing in the Diana Memorial Playground. “Careful on there! Keep hold of Helena’s hand, Chess!” she called as the three little girls negotiated the gangplank to the pirate ship. “Here, pass me Po.”

She went over and held out her hand.

“Don’t drop him, Mummy!” Helena called as the red creature fell into Megan’s arms.

“What’s wrong with a good old teddy bear?” Megan said, returning to Ana. She held up the Teletubby for inspection. “I can’t fathom the appeal, can you?”

“No,” replied Ana. “At breakfast this morning, Harry was saying he needed to cut down on the bacon sandwiches. I rubbed my bump and said we were both Tubbybellies, and Eliza thought it was the funniest thing ever.”

Their laughter caught the attention of two women on a nearby bench. Noticing Megan’s headwear and Ana’s bump, one immediately said, “Here, have this seat.”

“Oh, please, you don’t have to. We’re fine,” said Megan.

“Take it, we’re going soon anyway,” said the first mum.

“You’re very kind, thank you,” said Megan.

She was wearing a stylish newsboy hat with a deep peak, but it didn’t hide the fact that there was no hair beneath it. Her golden curls had fallen out after her latest round of chemo, but it had started to grow back, and the test results, which had come in yesterday, were what they’d all been longing for: NED—no evidence of disease.

Tonight, the two families were having a barbecue to celebrate. Ana hoped Harry and Charles would manage to off-load Andre on the way home.

The three men had driven down to Southampton for the first Premier League match of the season. Harry had been looking forward to it all week, mostly because it would give him a chance to take his new Aston Martin for a run down to the coast.

Harry

It was too hot to be watching football, a game Harry associated with frozen pitches, thick gloves, and scarves, and the visible breath of spectators. He was glad when the final whistle blew and they could move back inside from their VIP seats.

“Is thirsty work!” said Andre, who’d been making the most of the corporate hospitality. “One for road, my friends.”

“Actually, Andre, Charles and I have plans—a family thing,” said Harry. “Do you mind if we make a move?”

Andre’s face clouded. “But I never see this part of England before. I think we first find somewhere to eat.”

Harry had been ready for that. He raised his eyebrows at Charles and pulled Andre to one side. “Andre, Charles doesn’t like to talk about this, but you know Megan’s been sick? Very sick?”

“I know this, yes.”

“My sister’s treatment has been hard on all of us. This week welearned she’s... well, they don’t like to say ‘cured,’ but she’s been given the all clear. So we’re having a small celebration, just our two families. I’m sure you understand, we don’t want to be late home for that.”

The cloud lifted and Andre’s eyes misted over. “Of course. Family is everything.”

Harry gave Charles a nod and he came over.

“You want to come in my Ferrari again, Andre?” said Charles. “We’ll get home a lot faster than Harry in his cranky Aston.”

“Oh, we race!”

“Sorry, Andre,” said Harry. “In England we have this inconvenient thing called a speed limit. And a police force that isn’t open to bribery. Sadly.”

“Pah. Still we can race,” said Andre.