Page 72 of The Wife
‘Not here to see Dad either.’
‘So why exactly are you here?’ I throw my hands up in despair and disappointment.
‘Where’s Toby?’
‘Dina, no! You can’t tell him!’ My hands have started shaking uncontrollably.
Her smile is mean and my heart sinks as I realise the reason she’s come. For some kind of twisted revenge, even though I already helped her out once before. My mind races and I try to think of a way out of this. ‘Look, I’m sorry I couldn’t give you all the money, but I needed it.’
On our twenty-first birthdays we each received a lump sum from our mum’s trust. It wasn’t a huge amount, but I’ve since put my share towards buying a house with Toby. It made me feel good that I could chip in fifty per cent of the deposit.
Dina burned through her inheritance within a few months of receiving it, and then called to ask if I could lend her some of mine, as she had an opportunity to invest in a beach bar. I’d told her I was saving my share, but she kept on and on, saying I was standing in the way of her future.
Eventually she seemed to accept my decision, but I should have realised that was wishful thinking on my part. She asked me if Toby knew about my drug habit. I said that trying a spliff one time didn’t exactly count as a drug habit. And anyway, I’d been pressured into it by friends – or one particular friend actually. But while I bluffed to Dina that Toby wouldn’t care, I knew very well that he wouldn’t have been happy with the news. He likes the fact I’m a goody-two-shoes.
Dina went on to say that, the way she remembered it, back when we were teenagers, is that I was an addict and a dealer. I laughed aloud at that, until I realised she was deadly serious. The penny dropped. She was actually attempting to blackmail me. Given Toby’s ambition to run for town council, having a fiancée who had dealt drugs wouldn’t have gone down too well with him or his family – even though it was a complete fabrication. I worried he might even have gone so far as to break off our engagement. So I ended up giving Dina some of the money. But I lied and said I’d spent the rest. That seemed to satisfy her at the time. But now here she is, back again. This time on my wedding day, wanting to speak to Toby!
‘Dina, you swore you wouldn’t say anything about all that. Why would you lie about me? What good will it do? If you need some more cash, I’m sure I can scrape some together…’
But she turns her back and leaves the room. I trail after her, pleading for her to reconsider, knowing that this kind of revelation could ruin everything. I’d like to think that once I explain to Toby that my sister is lying, he’ll eventually understand, but it will take time and it will mean that today won’t be the magical day I was dreaming of. In fact, it’s already tainted. I’m trembling with anger and shock, terrified about what my husband-to-be will do when he hears Dina’s exaggerated version of my past. And what about Celia and Malcolm? They’ll be horrified.
‘Dina, come back! You’re drunk! Please… you don’t know what you’re saying. Why are you doing this?’
She knocks on the door next to mine and then moves on to the next. ‘Toby, are you in there?’ She glances back at me, a vindictive expression on her face.
Last night, Toby stayed in a room next to his parents’, just along the corridor from me. Dina is almost outside his door now. Thankfully, no one else has answered Dina’s knocks – I’m hoping those rooms are unoccupied and I’m praying that by some miracle Toby doesn’t answer.
‘He’s on the next floor up,’ I bluff, hoping she buys it.
‘Why would you tell me that?’ she scoffs, now knocking on Toby’s door.
I pray for Toby to be anywhere but in his room, but a moment later, he opens the door, his mouth falling open at the sight of my dishevelled, drunken sister. He’s already in his suit, the top button of his shirt open, his black tie hanging loose around his neck. My husband-to-be – unless my sister ruins everything. ‘Dina? Uh…’ And then he spies me behind her and his face blanches. ‘Zoe, what’s going on? You shouldn’t be here. I’m not supposed to see you until later.’
Dina pushes past him into his room. ‘Hello, Toby.’
Toby makes to close the door before I can follow her inside. ‘You go back to your room, Zoe. I’ll pretend I didn’t see you. Isn’t it bad luck to see the bride before we’re married?’
‘My sister’s drunk.’ I force my way past him, into his room, closing the door behind me. We’re all standing in the centre of the room now, equidistant from one another.
Toby glances from me to Dina. He looks panicked and I don’t blame him. But even faced with my deranged sister, he’s still looking out for me. ‘Honestly, go back to your room. I’ll sort this out.’
But I can’t leave my sister alone with Toby. I’m terrified she’s going to lie to him and try to ruin our wedding. ‘Toby, I’m so sorry I couldn’t stop her coming to see you. She’s had too much to drink and she’s talking absolute rubbish. Let me call my dad. Can I use your phone?’
‘I can’t believe you’re actually marrying her!’ Dina spits at Toby. ‘How could you go through with it? How could you think I would let you!’
And now it’s my turn to glance from one to the other. Dina is angry at him, and Toby appears to be terrified. But what is he terrified of? I’m suddenly very hot and my dress feels too tight. Something’s going on here, and I don’t think it’s anything to do with my schooldays.
‘Shall I tell her, or will you?’ Dina asks my fiancé, who is currently several shades whiter than his shirt.
‘Tell me what?’ My voice is little more than a whisper. The room has fallen silent. All I can hear is my heart beating.
‘Zoe… I’m…’ Toby’s voice trails off.
‘Toby?’ I suddenly realise that Dina’s visit is nothing to do with blackmailing me. It’s to do with Toby.Herand Toby.
I grit my teeth and feel something akin to anger building, but it’s not like any anger I’ve experienced before. It boils up from the depths of my core. A dark realisation that I’ve been made an absolute fool of by the two people I’m closest to in the world. The horror that my life as I thought it would be, is over. That nothing will ever be the same again. The love of my life is a fraud. A cheater. A bastard. But I can’t lose it yet. First, I need to hear him say it.
‘Zoe,’ he says more firmly this time. ‘You have to believe that I love you. It meant nothing.’
