The Cherry Tree Cafe Read Free Page A

was Jemma, and I knew I couldn’t put off talking to her any longer. It
wasn’t fair. I took a deep breath, braced myself for the impending storm and answered.
    ‘Finally!’ she laughed. ‘I was beginning to think you’d left the country! Now, don’t tell me, Giles whisked you away to some boutique hotel for the weekend, spoilt
you rotten and now you’re wearing a princess cut diamond as big as your hand!’
    ‘Not exactly,’ I murmured.
    ‘Oh, it’s a Lady Di sapphire, is it?’
    ‘Look Jemma, if you’d just shut up for two seconds.’
    ‘What is it? Oh god, don’t tell me you eloped! Ella will never forgive you if she’s missed the chance to be a bridesmaid! Give me all the details, quick!’
    ‘Well,’ I winced, ‘the day began with a trip to a country house spa.’
    ‘A country house spa!’ Jemma scoffed. ‘What was he thinking? You hate that kind of thing! Then what?’
    ‘Then back to the city for dinner.’
    ‘Yes,’ she snapped impatiently, ‘I guessed there would be food at some point. Jesus, Lizzie, just cut to the good stuff, will you?’
    I took a deep breath and forced the three little words I’d been dreading saying aloud out of my mouth and into the world.
    ‘And then . . . he dumped me.’
    ‘
What
?’
    ‘He moved out while I was at the spa and he’s gone back to Natasha. They’re getting married.’
    Silence, then quiet sobbing filled the space that had only seconds before been occupied by my best mate crooning about my future prospects.
    ‘Oh god, don’t cry!’ I begged. ‘I haven’t got the energy to try and make you feel better.’
    ‘I’m not. I’m sorry. It’s just so horrible.’
    ‘I know. I almost threw up all over the table when he told me.’
    I don’t know why I was trying to make it sound funny. It certainly didn’t lessen the pain or the embarrassment. For weeks Jemma and I had been fantasising about the moment Giles
would propose and now I had to explain that what I assumed were nerves about popping the question were actually mass desertion tactics.
    ‘You’re not seriously telling me the bastard told you over dinner?’ Jemma seethed.
    ‘Yep,’ I nodded, unable to stop now I was on a roll, ‘but in his defence, it was a very nice dinner even though I did almost end up seeing it in reverse!’
    ‘How can you be making jokes, Lizzie? This is awful!’
    ‘Because if I don’t, I think I’ll go under completely,’ I admitted, ‘and I can’t do that. I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much
I’m hurting.’
    ‘What are you going to do?’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Well, you can’t stay there, can you? Have you any idea how excruciating work is going to be?’
    ‘Yes, it had crossed my mind.’
    ‘And what about the rent? You can’t possibly manage it on your own.’
    ‘Yes, OK thanks, Jemma,’ I grumbled.
    Ever since I’d planned to phone in sick, my thoughts had been of little else but I didn’t need someone, especially someone I loved, telling me what a struggle my life was going to be
from now on. I needed Jemma’s support as well as her sympathy.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ she sniffed, sounding more like her practical old self. ‘It’s just such a shock, that’s all. Maybe you should come home to Wynbridge for a
bit.’
    ‘
What
?’
    ‘Just for a break, until you get your head straight. Come to us if you can’t face your mum . . . oh . . .’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Nothing.’
    ‘Don’t lie to me, Jemma. What is it?’
    ‘Well, I kind of ran into your mum in town last Friday.’
    I slumped down on the sofa, the last of my spirit heading for the door.
    ‘So?’ I asked, trying to sound unconcerned.
    More silence.
    ‘Jemma, you didn’t mention anything about Friday night, did you?’ I already knew the answer, courtesy of the answerphone messages.
    ‘I might have mentioned that you were having a birthday treat and that Giles had something special up his sleeve.’
    ‘Oh god,’ I groaned.
    ‘I’m so