Page 119 of The In-Laws

‘Okay, I’ll try. She’s a bit of a slave driver, isn’t she?’ Xina said to the twins.

‘Try having her for a mum!’ They laughed.

‘Can we get a selfie with you?’ Janis asked.

‘Sure. Let me sign first and then we can take a few.’

Xina signed her contract, then took selfies with the twins. She blew kisses to them all as she left, out of the door and back to the safety of her car.

‘Wow!’ The twins looked at the selfies on their phones.

Janis turned to her mother. ‘Best day ever, Mum.’

‘That was amazing,’ Joni added.

‘Your mum’s brilliant,’ Amanda told them.

‘Awesome,’ Katie gushed, throwing her arm around Melanie’s shoulders.

‘She is kind of cool sometimes.’ Janis grinned.

Melanie smiled at Janis and Joni, thanking God for Xina. Getting to know Xina and being able to talk about her had given her and the girls some common ground. They were still well able to throw a nasty barb Melanie’s way, but Xina had been a great distraction and something for them to focus on when they came to have dinner in her apartmentor when she saw them at home with Frank. Melanie wasn’t delusional: she knew they’d always blame her for the marriage break-up, but she could live with that if they could all get on.

If Melanie was honest, she absolutely loved her new life. The new agency office had been open officially for just a week, but it was perfect. She had bought a house near her family, then set about dividing it into an office downstairs and an apartment upstairs. It was small but ideal. For the first few weeks, she and Amanda had worked in the sitting room upstairs, surrounded by boxes, trying to ignore the sound of workmen knocking down walls to create the office space below. It had been challenging, but so exciting too.

Every time Melanie looked at the discreet brass plaque at the front door –Melanie Miller, literary agent– it made her heart sing. She had done it. She had opened her own agency. Her dream was realized, and now she got to live it.

Frank arrived with a potted plant. He hugged her warmly. ‘I was going to drop this in last week, but the twins said the paint was still wet. Well done, you, the place looks amazing.’

‘Thanks, Frank.’

‘It’s a lovely gift,’ Amanda said.

‘I bet Mum would have preferred champagne,’ Joni suggested.

‘No, I love it.’ Melanie smiled at her ex-husband.

‘It’s a Swiss cheese plant. They’re known to be good for creative inspiration.’

‘That is so thoughtful, thank you.’

‘Awww, Dad is the best,’ Joni and Janis gushed.

Yes, he was the best, but not for her. Melanie loved her single life. She had no interest in dating – not yet anyway.All she wanted to do was work and build up her list of gifted authors. She wanted to win all the awards. No goal was too high.

‘Bloody hell, Frank, that yoga class yesterday was tough.’ Amanda rubbed her thighs. ‘I never knew my body could twist into those shapes.’

‘I was the same last week. He makes it look easy, but it isn’t,’ Katie said.

Frank laughed. ‘You’re both getting really good, and thanks for spreading the word. I’m turning people away now.’

Melanie was proud of Frank. He was a new man, content and passionate about what he was doing. She realized how lost he’d been in the agency. He had obviously been completely unfulfilled for years. It was lovely to see him so happy.

‘I’m doing a class at the girls’ school next week. They want to introduce yoga to the timetable.’

‘You’re not to be embarrassing,’ Joni warned him.

‘No long speeches or quotes. Stick to the yoga,’ Janis added.

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