The good news is, things are looking up a tad for Luke. And the best bit of all is that Iain Wheeler lost his job! Luke didn’t hang around — the day after we had Minnie, he paid a visit to Iain’s bosses, along with his lawyer, and they had a “short conversation,” as Luke put it. The next thing we heard was that Iain Wheeler was announcing his decision to move from Arcodas. It’s nearly a month later and Gary, who knows these things, says he hasn’t had any job offers yet. Which is apparently because everyone has heard the rumor of some incriminating dossier on him. Ha.
Luke won’t work with Arcodas, though, even with Iain gone. He says their attitude is just as obnoxious as ever. And he still hasn’t got any money out of them. He’s just closed down another three European offices and things are still pretty tense. But he’s OK. He’s thinking positive, already planning new pitches, new strategies. We sometimes talk about them at night, and I tell him everything I think. And then somehow the conversation always drifts to Minnie and how amazing and beautiful and gorgeous she is.
And now I’m standing in Mum’s driveway, joggling her in my arms, watching the delivery men unload all our things. Most of our stuff has gone into storage, but obviously there were a few essentials we had to bring with us.
“Becky…” Mum approaches me from across the drive, holding a teetering pile of old magazines. “Where shall I put these, love? In the rubbish?”
“They’re not rubbish!” I protest. “I might want to read them! Can’t they go in our bedroom?”
“It’s getting a little full….” Mum looks at the magazines and seems to make a snap decision. “I think we’ll have to give you the blue bedroom as well.”
“OK.” I nod. “Thanks, Mum.”
We didn’t give up the house without a fight. Luke phoned Fabia to plead with her, and so did I and so did the real estate agent. But they exchanged contracts with the other couple two days after Minnie was born. The only tiny silver lining was that I got my Archie Swann boot back, after I sent Fabia about five threatening e-mails. Otherwise there really would have been trouble.
“More shoes.” A delivery guy comes by, carrying a cardboard packing box. “That fitted wardrobe’s full, you know.”
“It’s all right!” says Mum briskly. “Start filling up the blue bedroom. I’ll show you….”
“How are you doing?” Luke comes by in his shirtsleeves, carrying my Pilates ball and two hatboxes.
“Fine.” I nod, watching a delivery guy carry in my vanity case. “This is weird, isn’t it?”
“It’s pretty weird.” He puts his arm round me and I nestle into his shoulder. Last night was even weirder, with all the furniture packed up in the van and just a big empty flat filled with boxes. At about four A.M., Minnie just wouldn’t sleep, so I wound up her mobile with the Brahms Lullaby and put her in the baby sling. Luke wrapped his arms round us both and we kind of danced around the room in the moonlight.
I never realized that song was a waltz before.
“Luke!” Dad approaches us, holding a pile of post. “You’ve got a letter.”
“Someone’s very efficient,” says Luke in surprise. “I haven’t given this address to many people….” He glances at the logo on the back. “Ah. It’s from Kenneth.”
“Great!” I feign enthusiasm and make a face at Minnie.
Luke rips open the envelope and scans the text. After a second he peers harder. “I don’t believe it,” he says slowly. At last he raises his head and stares at me in disbelief. “It’s about you.”
“Me?”
“There’s a duplicate letter in the post for you too. As Kenneth says, it’s quite a big matter, so he wanted to contact both of us.”
Oh, this is all I need. Letters of complaint from Kenneth.
“He hates me!” I say defensively. “It’s not my fault. All I said was that he was narrow-minded—”
“It’s not that.” Luke’s mouth twitches into a smile. “Becky…it looks like you beat me.”
“What?” I say in astonishment.
“One of your investments has done exceedingly well. I’m not sure Kenneth can quite cope with the news, to be honest.”
I knew it. I knew I’d win.
“What is it?” I demand in excitement. “What did well? It’s the Barbies, isn’t it? No, the Dior coat.”
“The Web site fabbesthandbags.com is going to be floated. You’ll make a stack.”
I seize the letter and run my eyes down it, taking in words here and there. Three thousand percent profit…extraordinary…unforeseen…
Ha-di-ha! I beat Luke!
“So, am I the most financially astute and clever person in this family?” I look up in triumph.
“Your Antiques of the Future are still a worthless pile of crap,” Luke says, but he’s grinning.
“So what? I still beat you! You’ve got lots of lovely money, darling!” I kiss Minnie on the forehead.
“When she’s twenty-one,” Luke puts in.
Honestly. Luke’s so boring. Who wants to wait till they’re twenty-one?
“We’ll see about that,” I murmur into her ear, pulling the blanket over her head so Luke doesn’t hear.
“Right!” Mum appears in the front door, holding a cup of tea. “That’s your bedroom pretty much full. But it’ll take an awful lot of sorting out and tidying, I’m afraid. It’s quite a mess.”