Page 101 of Good Sisters

‘Oh, that’s desperate,’ Dad said softly. ‘I’m very sorry,’ he said to Anna.

She smiled sadly at him, then touched the screen with her hand. ‘Maria.’

She turned to me and there was so much pain mixed with joy in her eyes that it floored me. ‘Grazie,’ she said, holding my hand.

‘You’re welcome,’ I croaked, as tears welled in my eyes.

Anna stroked my cheek and patted my hand. I sobbed with relief, fear of the future, happiness that Clara had a lovely dad and grandmother, worry about how it would all work out, sadness that Mum was missing it, and also from pure emotional exhaustion.

My sisters and father gathered around me and we watched as Clara finished her song and her beautiful crooked smile lit up the screen.

24. Sophie

I lay on the couch sipping a glass of cold white wine and wriggling my sore toes. I knew I should give up wearing high heels every day to work, but I felt better when I had them on. I felt empowered and they elongated my legs. Still, my toes were throbbing so I’d have to wear trainers tomorrow.

Italy had been amazing but also exhausting. Julie and I had barely slept and poor Louise had come home completely shattered. She’d been keeping a low profile, getting Clara used to the idea of Marco and Anna, and keeping things as calm as possible. She really was amazing, a single parent who had a huge kick-ass job and a daughter who needed a lot of care. I could barely manage my own life and I had Jack to help with Jess and a job I could do in my sleep.

Jack came in and threw his phone onto the chair opposite me. He sat beside me on the couch and put his arms around me.

‘What happened?’

‘Can I not hug my wife for no reason?’

‘Technically, I’m still your ex-wife. Go on, spill the beans.’

‘I just feel so lucky that I have you in my life. You are kind, reliable, considerate and sane.’

‘Bad call with Pippa?’

He sighed. ‘Is there ever a good one? She’s such a selfish bitch. She’s not coming to Robert’s school play. She’s going on a last-minute trip to Paris. Obviously her married shag has snapped his fingers and she’s letting Robert down – again.’

‘Oh, poor Robert.’ He was so excited about the play. He hadthe lead role: he was the Gruffalo. He’d been practising his lines for ages. Pippa, who was supposed to get him a costume, had failed to do so, so I’d got one of my contacts in the fashion industry to make him one. He looked utterly adorable in it.

‘I’m just so hurt for the little man. You want your parents to cheer you on. You remember them being there. I still remember my dad not coming to my rugby final because he had some medical conference. It hurt like hell. At least he had an excuse – he was actually working. Pippa is too busy being someone’s mistress to witness her son’s big moment.’

I stroked Jack’s hair. ‘Hey, I know it’s awful, but at least Robert has a great dad. You make up for Pippa.’

‘And a brilliant stepmother.’ He kissed me. ‘I really hope this Marco guy is a good man. I hope Louise has him tied up in an airtight custody agreement because it’s not easy.’

Louise had made Marco sign lots of documents when we were in Pico. Julie thought it was a bit cold to do it the day after he’d discovered he was a dad, but I understood Louise’s reasoning. I’d seen the reality of co-parenting first-hand. She was dead right.

‘I think Marco is going to be a great addition to Clara’s life. I always think you can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his mother and he’s so lovely to her.’

‘Maybe he’ll rekindle his love with Louise, like you and I did.’ Jack chuckled.

‘I somehow doubt it. I didn’t see any spark there. Not even a teeny tiny hint of one, on either side.’

‘And definitely no girlfriend hiding in the wings?’

Julie and I had wondered that too, but when Louise had asked Marco, in her direct way, if there was anyone in his life, he had said he got divorced five years ago and had been so badly burned that he never wanted to be with another woman. They had no children. Louise was delighted. Shedidn’t want another woman or children complicating things. Marco’s broken heart and lack of offspring was a win for her.

‘Nope.’

‘Do you think Clara will take to him?’

‘I do. He’s really calm and gentle. I think he’ll be very careful with her and, to be fair, Louise has drilled him on what to do and what not to do. You know, though, when we were over there, I looked at Marco’s life, simple, quiet and peaceful, and found myself thinking that maybe we should move to the country.’

‘And do what exactly?’

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