Page 76 of Life After

Lyn took two plates out of the oven, dinner ready and waiting on them. “I hope it’s still your favourite anyway.”

Jen’s mouth watered as she stared at the food Lyn held in her oven-gloved hands. “Oh, my God! I haven’t had this in years.” Jen’s voice trembled as she said that, but she didn’t care if she was emotional. This had just brought a world of memories flooding back. “Ham, cabbage, and mashed potato.”

Lyn nodded with a smile. “With extra double cream in the mash.” Once she’d set them down on the table, steam rising from the cabbage with black pepper sprinkled over it, she turned to Jen. “Enjoy.”

Jen threw her arms around Lyn and squeezed her to within an inch of her life. “Thank you so much.”

“Like I said,” Lyn started as she pulled back and cupped Jen’s cheek. “You were another daughter to me. Now that you’re here and we’re okay, I plan for that to continue.”

“I wouldn’t wantanyother second mum.”

Lyn pulled out a chair. Once they were both seated and Jen was already devouring her dinner—burning the roof of her mouth—Lyn cleared her throat. “Now, tell me all about Suzanne.”

Jen grinned as she brought a hand to her mouth and mumbled around her food, “Where to begin…”

With a small glassof rose in her hand, Suzanne joined Tracy in the living room, sighing as she lowered herself to the couch. She had spent most of the day cleaning to keep herself busy while Jen was working, and now it was time to unwind. And for the first time in several weeks, Suzanne didn’t need advice or a shoulder. Everything was just…beautiful in her life.

“No Jen tonight?” Tracy twisted her wine glass where it rested on her knee. “Thought you two couldn’t get enough of one another.”

“We can’t. Trust me.” Suzanne tried to suppress a smirk, her mind cast back to last night in the shower. Had they even washed at any point during it? Suzanne couldn’t remember. But shedidremember Jen sinking to her knees and then coming in Jen’s mouth. Oh, what a fine night last night had turned out to be.

“Ahem.” Tracy kicked the bottom of the couch and shocked Suzanne out of her filthy thoughts. “Honestly, I don’t need to sit here while you reminisce.”

Suzanne scoffed, feigning offence as she splayed a hand across her chest. Tracy saw through it, though. Likely because of the smirk Suzanne hadn’t managed to hide. “I wouldnever.”

“Mmhmm.”

Suzanne waved a hand between them. “Anyway, Jen is visiting her best friend’s mum this evening. They haven’t had a relationship since Ruby died, but they bumped into one another yesterday, and Jen turned up heresohappy. God love her.”

Tracy regarded Suzanne with a genuine smile. “I know all about Ruby. She was the only person Jen spoke about when she was inside. That girl had a rough time when Ruby died.”

“I can imagine. The way she talks about Ruby, I’m surprised she recovered from it at all.” Suzanne had never met anyone who spoke so highly or so frequently about another person. That just reminded Suzanne of how amazing their friendship must have been. She always found herself wanting to know more, to learn about Ruby and what she meant to Jen, but she didn’t want to do or say anything to upset Jen. It was still very raw, even all these years on. “How do you think we would have managed if one of us died so young?”

Tracy blew out a breath. “I really don’t know. It’s one of those situations that you can’t imagine until you’re thrown into it.”

Suzanne stared down at her wine glass and nodded slowly. “You’re right. I guess we should count ourselves lucky.”

“It’s something I do every day now.” Tracy stared back at Suzanne, managing a small smile. “More so since you and I fell out.”

“Look, we don’t need to go over it again. You had my best interests at heart. Nobody is to blame. We just learn from it instead.”

Tracy’s smile grew. “I know. And I wantyouto know that Iamhappy for you, Suzanne. I really am.”

“I think I’ve reached a point in my life where I don’t particularly care if people are supportive of me or not,” Suzanne said as she crossed her legs. “But it means a lot to hear you say that.”

“Jen is…good for you.”

Suzanne’s brows rose with surprise. She didn’t know why; it was clear Tracy had no issue with Jen and Suzanne being together. But those initial weeks after Tracy had come clean often sat at the back of Suzanne’s mind. She nodded slowly. “She is.”

“You seem much happier. And I know you had your reasons for not being so happy over the last few years, John was your life for a long time, but you do. It’s written all over your face.”

Suzanne ran a hand through her dark hair. “I don’t quite know how to describe the way she makes me feel.”

“So long as you know in your heart, then you don’t have to explain to anyone. Me included.”

Suzanne appreciated that. Tracy had never been one to demand her thoughts or her feelings from her. It was one of the reasons they’d got along so well for over twenty years. But in time, Suzanne would find the words to describe what Jen meant to her. “All I can say right now is that I’m madly in love with her.”

“I know.” Tracy smiled.

---