Girl on the Run (44 page)

Geraldine has instigated a romance with a handsome orthodontist who does not go to the running club, despises exercise and absolutely adores her. It’s early days, something she reiterates constantly, though I did catch her flicking through a Mamas & Papas brochure a few weeks ago.

Adam returned home the day of the race. Jess will torture herself for the rest of her life about what she did, and it’s safe to say she’ll never have to be reminded how lucky she is again. Which is probably why she says three little words to her husband every morning; words that cost nothing but mean everything – and provide a constant reminder to Adam that he really has got his wife back.

Mum has given Egor a job. Which has annoyed the hell out of me, because he was the best accountant I’ve ever worked with. Okay, he was the only accountant I’ve ever worked with, but that’s not the point. He was mine. I can’t be bitter though, because I know she’s paying him significantly better than I could and he’s now wearing the swankiest footwear I’ve seen outside a Louboutin catalogue.

Mum and Dad are dating. Of course, they would deny that statement completely if they heard me saying it – but they can’t, so tough.

These are the facts and you can judge for yourself: they go out to dinner every couple of weeks and are constantly talking about each other – to everyone but me, that is. I suppose they fear that I’ll get my hopes up. Jess even saw them
snogging
! It was in a dark corner of a city-centre bar, late on a Saturday night, after she and Adam had popped in for a drink after the theatre. There they were, by the bar – unequivocally
smooching
.

The other big news is that Mum will be over in Sydney on business next month – and she’s arranged to go to lunch with Aunt Steph. She’s playing down its significance, of course, but I’m not – not least because it illustrates beautifully my mum’s incredible strength of character. Even if she is a pain in the bum. I’ve become even more familiar with both of these qualities since she became a non-executive board member of River Web Design.

I finally realised that a little help from the right places is nothing to be ashamed of – though, as the boss, I do have to rein her in sometimes. Which I can’t deny has been the source of some sport in the last four weeks: dismissing her suggestion about the colour of the office blinds proved more satisfying than I’d have imagined possible.

We’re going great guns at the moment. The overdraft is paid off and we’re well on the way to world domination. Sort of. We’re doing really well, anyway, with a flurry of new clients on board and another new staff member.

Which is particularly satisfying given that, when it came to it, I couldn’t give up my training schedule as I’d wanted to. As predicted, everyone honoured their donations, even though I didn’t complete the half-marathon. However, it still felt like unfinished business to me, so I was thrilled when I completed my first ever half-marathon, one in the Yorkshire Dales, a month after I almost completed it the first time.

It nearly killed me. And I’ve sworn I’ll never do it again, not least because I refuse to turn into one of those horrendous fitness fanatics, God help me. Though there is a nice, gentle Ten K coming up in June – and of course the Great North Run in September. Jess is training for the New York Marathon next year but, clearly, that’s ridiculous. Though I have always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty . . .

My travel plans for the foreseeable future, however, are already accounted for, since Mum is not the only one who’ll be in Australia soon.

Having spent months teasing Tom about him callously draining my Australia Fund just to fix that bike – which I still hate – I was overjoyed by last night’s events.

My boyfriend of four months turned up at the house on an average Wednesday night and presented me with an envelope containing two tickets – to Sydney.

Which is just one of the reasons why I love him more than I ever imagined possible. Even if I’m determined that my trip to the airport will be significantly more sedate than last time.