The Birthday Girls Read online

  “Thanks, Maria. That looks great. You can go now and we’ll take care of it ourselves.”

  “Gracias, señora,” Maria smiled as she left. “Buen provecho!”

  Brenda looked around the studio in awe. “This is great, so bright and spacious.”

  “Yes, I had it designed to let in as much light as possible.”

  Brenda looked at the painting Lexi had just finished. “It’s lovely, so lifelike. What a beautiful girl!”

  “It’s a young girl I met in Guatemala. She’s an indigenous Indian I found on the shores of Lake Atitlan. The Mayans are the most fantastic people you could imagine, Brenda. I fell in love with them instantly.”

  “They’re certainly beautiful,” Brenda said, as she looked around at all the other paintings propped up against the walls.

  “Gosh, these are fantastic, Lexi. They’re so vibrant and colourful.”

  “I’m glad you like them. They’re for an exhibition in New York next summer. Guatemala is a wonderful country. I did hope to take the four of us there for our fortieth but, well . . .”

  “Maybe Angel will have changed her mind by our fiftieth and we can go then?”

  “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

  They both erupted with laughter.

  * * *

  After lunch Lexi locked up her studio and they headed back to the house to get ready to drive to the airport to collect the girls. She gave a last check to their bedrooms and bathrooms. All perfect.

  Brenda hummed quietly as they headed into Tampa. They parked the car and headed down to the airport arrivals hall, eager to see Angel who was arriving thirty minutes before Mel.

  Chapter 8

  Angel was relieved to see the buildings of downtown Tampa come into view at last. She had hoped to sleep on the flight down but even after two whiskies, she still couldn’t manage it. She popped a polo mint into her mouth so that Lexi wouldn’t smell the whisky on her breath. Lexi was a mother-hen and had expressed concern at Angel’s drinking the last time she’d visited her in LA but Angel had assured her that she was only a social drinker. That wasn’t strictly true of course but Angel felt that life was so difficult these days that she needed all the help she could get.

  As the plane came in to land she checked her reflection in her compact mirror and was horrified at the dark circles under her eyes. Damn! More Touche Éclat needed. She swore she went through this concealer quicker than a smoker through a packet of fags. Luckily, that was one bad habit she’d never acquired. Smoking was far too damaging to the skin and ageing.

  She made her way through to the arrivals hall, aware of the admiring glances she was getting from women as well as men. She was hard to miss in a yellow figure-hugging dress, vertiginous nude platforms and a huge yellow Hermes bag draped over her arm. Her long blonde hair was swishing behind her as she walked and although she was wearing huge Jackie O sunglasses some people recognised her and asked for her autograph. She smiled graciously as she gave it to them before striding into the arrivals hall.

  She spotted the girls immediately.

  “Lexi! Brenda!” she squealed as she ran towards their smiling figures.

  “Angel, it’s so good to see you!” Brenda cried, throwing her arms around her.

  Angel could hardly believe her eyes. Was that Brenda? My God, she looked fabulous! Cute honey-blonde crop cut, tanned glowing skin – what had she done to herself? She looked hot and sassy and very young. Angel felt quite jealous.

  “Welcome to Tampa. It’s great to see you again.” Lexi gave her a hug.

  “Hey, girl, what diet have you been on? You’ve lost a ton of weight. You’ll have to give it to me,” Angel exclaimed, hugging her back. “What have you done to yourself, Brenda? You look fabulous. You seem to be getting younger instead of older. I want your secret too.”

  They linked arms as they went down the escalator to collect her luggage.

  “Three cases, for just a week!” Lexi exclaimed as they took Angel’s Louis Vuitton luggage off the carousel.

  “Well, you know me. In California we change five times a day!”

  “Yeah, well, you’re in Florida now. Not much call for designer gear here. Bikinis and shorts, that’s about it.”

  “Oh, go on!” Angel cried, punching her playfully in the arm. “You never know who I might meet. I might find my handsome prince here and if so I certainly want to be dressed to impress.”

  “What happened to your toy-boy?” Lexi asked as they made their way to the car.

  “Oh, he’s still there but there are lots of other fish in the sea,” Angel responded brightly. “How is everything back in good old Dublin then, Brenda?”

  “Oh, same old, same old,” Brenda grimaced. “Nothing very exciting ever happens there.”

  Angel heard the despondent note in her voice and caught the look Lexi threw her. She wondered what was up. She never did think that marriage would last although it had survived over twenty years now. Angel wondered how Brenda could have stuck with one man for that length of time. Three years had been the longest relationship she’d ever had.

  “And how’s Megan? She’s such a good goddaughter. I’ve had several cards from her, from places I can’t even pronounce. Quite the little adventuress, isn’t she?”

  Brenda laughed and gave her the latest news from Megan. They deposited Angel’s luggage in the car and as they had thirty minutes to wait till Mel would get in, Lexi suggested they go for a coffee. Angel would have much preferred a drink but was afraid of Lexi’s disapproval if she suggested it. Lexi was a ‘six o’clock, time for a drink’ kind of person whereas she was more of an ‘it’s five o’clock somewhere’ kind of gal. Well, variety was the spice of life. If they were all alike, life would be very dull.

  Angel had never noticed how green Brenda’s eyes were before. They were like emeralds now, glowing and bright. Her tan and newly blonde hair had accentuated them and she had really fine cheekbones which Angel had never noticed before either.

  They chatted away – well, Angel did most of the chatting. She was aware of it and wished she didn’t talk so much. She would love to have been the quiet mysterious type and envied women like that. Sadly, she was born a talker and couldn’t change no matter how hard she tried.

  Before they knew it, it was time to go and collect Mel.

  * * *

  Mel was exhausted as the plane touched down at Tampa Airport. She hadn’t been to bed the previous night, instead finishing off a report that was overdue and tying up loose ends for her PA. Luckily she’d got a few hours’ kip on the flight down. One of the joys of flying business class was that there were no kids screaming or kicking the back of her seat. She could not wait to land as she was simply gasping for a cigarette.

  * * *

  Mel looked every inch the businesswoman as she strode purposefully to the arrivals hall. She was pulling a monogrammed black Tumi cabin bag and had a matching computer bag slung over her shoulder. She wore a beautifully-cut black trouser suit over a white shirt and her shiny black hair was cut in a severe bob. She looked intimidating and was reading a text as she entered the arrivals hall. She looked up from her iPhone to find her three friends standing, grinning broadly. Amid hugs and kisses all round she noticed how great Brenda was looking.

  “Wow! You look amazing,” she exclaimed, as she held her hands and took a step back to look her up and down. “I love the hair. You look so healthy.”

  “More than I can say for you,” Angel piped up. “You look a wreck!”

  “Thanks, sister.” Mel punched her in the arm playfully. “Actually, I am wrecked. I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

  “Well, you can sleep as much as you like while you’re here,” Lexi told her, reaching for her pull-along bag. “Do you have any other luggage?”

  “No, that’s it.”

  “See?” Lexi grinned at Angel. “It is possible to travel light.”

  Angel groaned. “I don’t know how you do it. It must be genetic.”

 
“C’mon, I’ll expire if I don’t have a cigarette soon.” Mel ignored Lexi’s shake of the head and linked her arm as they headed for the car park. “You’ve lost weight, Lexi. Have you been dieting? You don’t need to, you know. You’re slim enough.”

  “No, of course I haven’t been dieting,” Lexi replied irritably. “When did you ever know me to diet? I just don’t seem to have much of an appetite lately.”

  “Have you been to the doctor?”

  “Lord, no. You know how much I hate doctors. I don’t feel sick, just tired.”

  “Join the club!” Mel commented as they reached the car.

  While Lexi paid for the parking Mel lit up and the others waited patiently while she sucked in the nicotine as fast as she could.

  “Will Mel’s case fit in the boot?” Brenda wondered.

  “The boot?” Angel asked, puzzled.

  “She means the trunk,” Lexi explained grinning.

  “God, even the Irish here don’t understand me!” Brenda cried, shaking her head.

  They all laughed. Angel had become so American that she’d forgotten what they used to call it in Ireland.

  Mel stubbed out her cigarette and they all piled into the Escalade and suddenly it felt like old times. Within minutes they were laughing and teasing each other as they’d always done. Lexi thought how amazing it was the way you could reconnect with true friends so easily, even when you hadn’t met for years.

  They chattered all the way home each of them fighting to be heard. It was always difficult to get a word in when Angel was around but they gave it a damn good try.

  As they crossed the Clearwater causeway Mel could feel the stress melt away. To hell with work, she thought. It didn’t seem quite so important now as the beautiful Gulf of Mexico came into view. She’d earned this break and she was damn well going to enjoy it.

  * * *

  They arrived at Lexi’s house and both Mel and Angel made a dash for the bedrooms.

  As they ran up the stairs they could hear Brenda ask Lexi, “What’s going on?”

  “They both want to bag the best bedroom,” she replied laughing. “That pair have done that everywhere for as long as I can remember. They’re like two kids.”

  Brenda couldn’t believe it and laughed aloud with her.

  Mel in her sensible loafers got there first with Angel teetering behind on those ridiculous platform stilettos.

  “Tough luck!” Mel turned to Angel who had finally made it up the stairs. “Brenda bagged it before us.” They collapsed laughing. The incongruity of two grown women behaving like that wasn’t lost on them.

  “Outfoxed this time, girls. Brenda’s got the best room!” Lexi called out as they came back downstairs.

  “Oh, I don’t mind moving,” Brenda offered and Angel’s eyes lit up hopefully.

  “Nonsense, you were here first. That was always the rule. First in gets the best room,” Lexi insisted.

  “Absolutely!” Angel acceded, realising it was a no-go. When Brenda and Lexi turned away she gave Mel the fingers. Mel stuck her tongue out at her and then they both collapsed laughing again. Things hadn’t changed much since they’d been in first grade. It was great being back together again.

  Chapter 9

  Brenda had forgotten just how much fun they’d always had when they were together. Fun was something that had been missing from her life for a while and she revelled in the laughter and exuberance that they generated as a group. She felt a little shy at first but after two margaritas she relaxed and found herself joining in the banter.

  Angel and Mel both wanted to know what the kids were doing and Brenda felt very proud as she told of their achievements.

  “Well, I have to hand it to you. You’ve done a fantastic job with them. I daresay Bob had very little to do with it,” Mel commented bluntly.

  “Oh, he’s very good with them,” Brenda replied gallantly, not wanting to be disloyal to her husband.

  “You know, we never thought your marriage would last,” Angel remarked, warranting a frown from Lexi. “But I have to say you’ve surprised us.”

  “So says the thrice-divorced expert!” Lexi noted drily.

  Angel burst out laughing. “You have me there.”

  “And now that you’re a cougar, how is your new toy-boy?” Mel asked coyly.

  “I do so hate those labels,” Angel exclaimed. “I’m an independent, sexy woman and he’s my younger lover.”

  “Okay, independent, sexy woman, c’mon and dish the dirt on your hot younger lover then!” Mel demanded.

  Brenda was relieved that the attention had been deflected from her marriage as Angel and Mel sparred with each other, the way they’d always done.

  “Oh, he’s fine, fine – exhausting, to be honest with you.”

  “I can well imagine it,” Mel commented. “A twenty-three-year-old stud would exhaust any woman!”

  They all laughed. “Yeah, well, it’s obviously not long-term,” Angel admitted. “In fact I’m hoping I might meet a nice guy down here.”

  “Someone less exhausting, I presume,” Mel teased.

  “Well someone with his own income preferably,” Angel retorted, tossing her head so that her long blonde hair swished from side to side.

  “Oh, God! Watch out, men! Go hide!” Mel cried as Angel swatted her, grinning.

  Angel kept them all entertained with gossip of Hollywood and listening to her talk Brenda thought how exciting her life had been in comparison to her own dull, boring one. Had she been crazy giving up her life for Bob? She’d never have had the kids of course, and she wouldn’t change that for the world, but if she was honest she and Bob weren’t happy now. She’d changed and she’d outgrown him. However, she was too scared to think about it too much as then she would have to face the problem so she blocked it from her mind.

  She’d expected Bob to ring her to apologise for his rudeness on the phone the night she’d arrived but she hadn’t heard a word from him since.

  * * *

  They had dinner out on the terrace where Pablo and Maria cooked up a fantastic barbecue. Brenda could see her hard-lost pounds piling on before her very eyes but it was all so delicious that she couldn’t resist it.

  Angel kept up a monologue throughout the meal, which was easy as she barely touched her food. Brenda noticed that her forehead wasn’t moving when she talked or laughed. She understood why when Angel started telling stories about her Botox doctor.

  “You’ve had Botox?” she asked her.

  Mel hooted with laughter. “Botox and the rest!” she cried. “Brenda, you’re such an innocent. Everyone gets Botox nowadays and fillers and plumpers. We get them done during our lunch break.”

  Brenda was shocked and turned to Lexi. “You don’t do that, do you?”

  “Not in a million years would I allow them to stick a needle in my face,” Lexi stated. “I’m happy as I am.”

  “Our Lexi doesn’t need it,” Mel observed fondly. “She’s a natural beauty.”

  “It’s different here in Florida,” Angel explained to Brenda. “Everyone in LA gets it done. It’s the Botox capital of the world!”

  “So sad!” Lexi declared.

  Brenda was inclined to agree with her. Mel was constantly puffing on one cigarette after another and it was obvious to the others that she was as tense as a tightly coiled spring. However, after a couple of glasses of wine she did appear to relax and Lexi was relieved to see it. Although Angel had eaten practically nothing she made up for it with her alcohol consumption. Brenda began to understand Lexi’s concerns for the two of them now.

  Nothing was ever as it seemed, was it?

  * * *

  After dinner they moved inside and Lexi revealed her plans for the week which sounded very exciting. She proposed a relaxing day on the beach or by the pool the following day so Angel and Mel could chill out and adjust to the Florida lifestyle.

  “I’ve booked a table in Shephard’s for tomorrow night. It’s a buffet restaurant overlooking the beach. It’
s relaxed and casual and I think you’ll enjoy it.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Brenda said.

  “Is that the place with the music outdoors overlooking the beach?” Angel asked.

  “Yes, that’s the one,” Lexi replied. “You’ve been there with me before, haven’t you?”

  “Yeah, the music was great and the cocktails divine.” She threw her eyes to heaven.

  “Count me in so,” Mel laughed.

  Lexi then told them that she had also booked them into the local spa salon on Monday for some pampering in preparation for their combined birthday party that evening.

  “It’s my treat,” she announced.

  “Gosh, I’ve never been to a spa salon before,” Brenda admitted.

  “You’re joking!” Angel exclaimed in a shocked voice.

  “’Fraid not.” Brenda shook her head.

  “I don’t believe it! Where have you been hiding yourself?” Angel cried, her words slurring.

  “You’ll enjoy it,” Lexi assured her, frowning at Angel for being insensitive. “They do a great massage there. It’s very relaxing.”

  “That’s exactly what I need right now,” said Mel.

  Lexi looked at her sympathetically. “It will do us all good and it will be fun. Get us in the mood for our birthday party. After that we’ll play it by ear. Troy has invited us out on his yacht one day and I thought we’d take a trip down to the Dalí museum another day.”

  “Great! I hear the new museum is fabulous,” Mel interjected.

  “It is. Thursday of course is Thanksgiving and we’ll celebrate here with turkey and all the trimmings.”

  “You’re doing a good job of tempting me to stay till then,” Mel commented ruefully.

  “But of course,” Lexi grinned at her. “And finally, I think we can’t let Brenda go home without experiencing Black Friday.”