Page 111 of Such a Good Couple
Clara: Are you awake?
Annie: Of course, night-time is Beanie’s favourite time to kick the shit out of me. I’m starting to slightly dread meeting this child. She’s so … abrasive.
Clara smiled.
Annie: So are you guys going to go with Fionn?
Clara: How did you know?
Annie: Ollie told Conor who told me at today’s check-up.
Clara: I love us. We can keep quiet about nothing.
Annie: So? Thoughts?
Clara: I was looking at our group chat pic. That was over ten years ago. Imagine Maggie’d known she was on the clock? She would’ve kept making theatre, I think.
Annie: We’re all on a clock.
Clara: I know. I was already years into customer service when we took that picture. Haven’t done anything since.
Annie: Well, everyone has to work.
Clara: I know, but I could’ve been braver. I’ve always been such a martyr about Ollie doing what he loves and me taking the hit with the steady gig. But the truth is I think I was too afraid. I never wanted to try anything because I didn’t want to fail at it.
Annie: Clara! You did a reality show this year!
Clara: That’s not brave, it’s psychotic. Though at least I put the ‘hot’ in psychotic, I guess.
Annie: You do. So, plan?
Clara: I guess we’re going to Spain so that Edwin Ensel can finish his precious movie.
Annie: It’s a good call. I think Maggie would appreciate it. Also mad but on the theatre thing, Brody emailed me really randomly. The Medea producer wants our contact details. Apparently he wants to still stage the show and, I suspect, he wants us to sweet-talk Fionn into letting it go ahead.
Clara: God, what is WITH showbiz people? It’s been like a second since the funeral.
Annie: I’m up for trying. Maggie’s work should be seen and if the producer thinks he can still make it happen then we should be a part of that.
Clara: Okay, deal. How was the check-up, by the way?
Annie: Actually, so special. Obviously Conor and Rachel came and, for the first time, Conor let Rachel be the one to come into the examination room with me, so she got to see Beanie moving around finally!
Clara: Ah that’s gorgeous.
Annie: We’ve also decided on a name. It’s a pretty obvious move but we’re going for Margaret. We’ll call her Marni instead of Maggie so that it’s not confusing.
Clara placed her phone face down on her chest for a minute and allowed the tears to come. At this stage, she’d all but given up trying to stop them. She resumed typing.
Clara: That’s beautiful.
Ollie came in and started to undress, discarding his boxers on top of Clara’s make-up, while the socks landed on her pile of books. Then he noticed her crying and came over to give her a hug.
‘Did Annie tell you about the baby’s name?’ he asked.
Clara giggled into his shoulder. ‘Lol, yes. I was only just saying to Annie … What are we like? Nobody can do a thingwithout everyone immediately knowing.’ At the same time, they both stiffened slightly and then Ollie held her even tighter. Clara knew that they were thinking the exact same thought.
Nobody can do a thing without everyone immediately knowing.
