The Husband's Secret(37)

            Liam held the stick up to his mouth, blew on it and grinned, delighted.

            “How long do you think you’ll be in Sydney for?” Cecilia locked eyes with Tess. She was one of those people who held eye contact for too long. The polar opposite of Tess. “Just until you’ve got Lucy back on her feet? You run a business in Melbourne, don’t you? I guess you can’t be away for too long! And Liam must be in school?”

            Tess found herself unable to speak.

            “Tess is actually enrolling Liam in St. Angela’s for a . . . short time,” spoke up Lucy.

            “Oh, that’s wonderful!” said Cecilia. Her eyes were still fixed on Tess. Good Lord, did the woman ever blink? “So let’s see now, how old is Liam?”

            “Six,” said Tess. She dropped her eyes, unable to bear it any longer.

            “Well, then he’ll be in Polly’s class. We had a little girl leave earlier in the year, so you’ll be in with us. One-J. Mrs. Jeffers. Mary Jeffers. She’s wonderful, by the way. Very sociable too, which is nice!”

            “Great,” said Tess weakly. Fabulous.

            “Liam! Now you’ve shot me, come and say hello! I hear you’re coming to St. Angela’s!” Cecilia beckoned to Liam, and he wandered over, dragging his stick behind him.

            Cecilia bent at the knees so she was at Liam’s eye level. “I have a little girl who will be in your class. Her name is Polly. She’s having her seventh birthday party the week after Easter. Would you like to come?” Liam’s face instantly got that blank look that always made Tess worry that people might think he had some kind of disability.

            “It’s going to be a pirate party.” Cecilia straightened and turned to Tess. “I hope you can come. It will be a good way for you to meet all the mums. We’ll have a private little oasis for the grown-ups. Guzzle champagne while the little pirates rampage about.”

            Tess felt her own face fold up. Liam had probably inherited his catatonic look from her. She could not meet another brand-new group of mothers. She’d found socializing with the school mums difficult enough when her life was in perfect order. The chat, chat, chat, the swirls of laughter, the warmth, the friendliness (most mums were so very nice) and the gentle hint of bitchiness than ran beneath it all. She’d done it in Melbourne. She’d made a few friends on the outskirts of the inner social circle, but she couldn’t do it again. Not now. She didn’t have the strength. It was like someone had cheerfully suggested she run a marathon when she’d just dragged herself out of bed after suffering from the flu.

            “Great,” she said. She would make up an excuse later.

            “I’ll make Liam a pirate costume,” said Tess’s mother. “An eye patch, a red-and-white-striped top, ooh, and a sword! You’d love a sword, wouldn’t you, Liam?”

            She looked around for Liam, but he’d run off and was using his stick like a drill against the back fence.

            “Of course, we’d love to have you at the party too, Lucy,” said Cecilia. She was highly irritating, but her social skills were impeccable. For Tess, it was like watching someone play the violin beautifully. You couldn’t conceive how they did it.

            “Oh, well, thank you, Cecilia!” Tess’s mother was delighted. She loved parties. Especially the food. “Let’s see now, a red-and-white-striped top for a pirate costume. Has he already got one, Tess?”

            If Cecilia was a violinist, Tess’s mother was a folksy, well-meaning guitarist trying her best to play the same tune.

            “I mustn’t keep you. I guess you’re off to see Rachel now in the office?” asked Cecilia.