Page 25 of You Lied First

‘R ight,’ Guy says, stretching his arms back behind his head. ‘I suppose I’d better go and hunt down some food.’

‘Yes, off you go, you hunter-gatherer,’ Celine says. She rolls her eyes at Sara. ‘He loves it, really.’

‘I’ll help,’ Sara says. ‘Margot, you prepared so much this morning. You relax.’

Guy and Sara go off to unpack the food that Margot had got ready this morning: the marinaded kebabs; the par-boiled potatoes neatly wrapped in foil; and the peppers and juicy big Portobello mushrooms ready to roast. Margot, left alone with Celine, scrabbles for something harmless to say but the problem is, all the things she really wants to say – about husband-stealing and dishonesty – won’t make good conversation.

In the end, Celine’s the first to speak.

‘So, what’s it like being back? Are you having a good time?’ she asks after a few moments have passed.

‘It’s good to be back in Oman,’ Margot says.

‘Nice. And I’m glad we’ve made it out to the desert. That’s something you can’t do in England, isn’t it?’

‘Horses for courses,’ Margot says. ‘There are other things that are good about the UK.’

‘I know! But nothing like this.’

Margot thinks about saying something about camping in the UK.

It’s not something she’s experienced, and neither is she keen to thanks to the British weather, but she imagines the joys might be similar.

Celine is quite tipsy now and Margot feels an edge to her, like the air around her is bristling, so she decides not to say anything.

‘No,’ she agrees.

Celine glances over her shoulder before she speaks. ‘So, what do you make of Sara?’ she asks quietly. ‘I gather you didn’t really know each other before this trip.’

Margot takes a moment to think before replying.

It’s a good introduction to find out if Celine knows anything more about why Liv doesn’t live with Sara, but that would mean lowering her defences against Celine, which is not something she’s prepared to do.

Margot doesn’t trust her for a minute. She doesn’t trust the way Celine is chumming up to Sara, which she knows is probably only to irk Margot.

But, on the other hand, Margot has noticed how Celine watches Guy when he smiles at Sara, and she finds Celine’s jealousy quite amusing. She chooses her words deliberately.

‘I think she’s lovely,’ she says sweetly. ‘It’s quite incredible how well she’s slotted in with Guy and me on this trip. I’m so glad we invited her.’

‘Hmm.’ Celine’s big toe circles in the sand, flexing her calf muscle. ‘There’s more to her than meets the eye, I can tell you that.’

‘Surely not,’ Margot says, turning away to hide her smile.

‘I can’t believe some of the underhand things she’s done in the past.’

Margot gives a little laugh. She’s dying to hear them, but she won’t beg Celine for information.

‘Usually to do with Liv. Buying leaked exam papers, having kids moved out of the class if Liv doesn’t like them, sleeping with admissions tutors … I could go on.’ Margot raises an eyebrow but says nothing. ‘Do you know why her daughter doesn’t live with her?’ Celine asks.

Ooh, Margot thinks. Here we go. But she feigns disinterest as she says, ‘The dad’s house is bigger, I think that’s what Flynn said.’

Celine laughs. ‘You believe that, do you? Oh, Margot. She was convicted of assault. Actual bodily harm.’ Margot’s breath catches. ‘Went to court and everything, but she’ll never tell you even if you ask her. Believe me, I tried.’

‘It must have been provoked. She’s so easy-going.’

‘If you don’t believe me, look it up. You can find it if you look hard enough.’

‘Not sure I want to,’ Margot says. ‘The main thing is she’s mended bridges with her daughter and turned things around. Now she’s a counsellor herself. So, good for her.’

‘Hmm,’ Celine says.

‘You have to go through a lot of training, as well as work on yourself, when you get a counselling qualification, I think.’

‘As I said: hmm. I’m not sure it’s possible to train out your natural instincts like that.’

‘Well … what would I know?’ Margot says. ‘I just make toy houses.’

Celine raises her glass. ‘Touché.’

And then, maybe because she’s having the longest conversation she’s ever had with Celine, or simply because the gin has fully kicked in, she decides to jump right in with a question of her own.

‘So, do you have a boyfriend, or partner, or whatever you call it these days?’ she asks.

‘Nah,’ Celine says with a sigh. ‘I’m happy just doing my own thing.’

‘But, you know, don’t you want to settle down at some point? Have kids?’

‘Don’t need to be married to have kids these days,’ Celine says.

In the darkness, Margot’s left eyebrow lifts. ‘Not in Oman,’ she says. ‘I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.’

‘So, I’d leave?’ Celine says.

‘Or just get married, I suppose,’ Margot says. ‘If you love your life here as much as you say you do.’

But Celine shakes her head. ‘Nah. Marriage isn’t for me. Why would I buy the restaurant when I can get all the food for free? From every restaurant, if you see what I mean.’ She chuckles. ‘I’m a free spirit in case you haven’t noticed.’

Margot, mid sip of her drink, tries not to choke.

‘To be honest, though,’ Celine says, ‘I’m not prepared to make the sacrifices I see married women make.’

Over the side of the deck chair, Margot’s fingertips are trailing in the cooling sand. She grasps a handful, squeezes it hard and lets it trickle back out. ‘Oh?’ she says as mildly as she can. ‘Like what?’

‘Margot,’ Celine says. ‘You know what I’m talking about. There’s no shame in it. Horses for courses, as you say. It’s just not what I want for me.’

Margot’s blood is suddenly racing in her temples. She holds herself very still, not trusting herself to speak. It’s one thing for her to criticise her own marriage, but it’s absolutely not all right for Celine to do so. Celine of all people. How dare she? But Celine carries on.

‘Forgive me – maybe it’s the alcohol. But I’m talking about you moving country because he fucked up.

I know that’s not what you tell people, that’s not the party line.

But, come on, I know about the harassment case.

Just as I know your dad’s perfectly fine in that assisted living place.

You didn’t need to go back for him. You had a good life here, and you were forced to leave because of your husband’s mistake.

Well, I’d hate ever to be in that position.

I just wouldn’t let it happen to me, to be honest.’

Squeezing that cold sand in her hand again, Margot forces her words to come out calmly.

‘It’s not always that black and white.’

Celine snorts. ‘Well, I wouldn’t have done it. That’s all I’m saying. If it were me, I’d have divorced him and stayed here.’

‘Hey, hey,’ Sara says, suddenly behind them. ‘Everything all right?’ She looks from Margot to Celine and back.

‘Everything’s super,’ Margot says. ‘Celine’s just telling me what it’s like to be married.’

Sara looks baffled for a moment, then says, ‘Well, I came to say that everything’s on the barbecue – great prep, Margot! I was just wondering if you think the kids are ever coming back or if they’ve disappeared off to Timbuktu on that thing.’

‘They’ll be back when they’re hungry,’ Margot says as she stands. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and check my husband’s not “fucking up” the food.’