Page 24 of Summer at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

‘O-kay. And that’s a problem, I take it … so, what do you want?’

‘I just thought we’d all be at Primrose Farm, that he’d move in there with us.’

‘And you haven’t discussed this till now?’ Eve sounded surprised.

‘No … I suppose we both just imagined … Ah, shit, we were both thinking we’d stay. It’s a farming thing … you stay on your farm. But how the hell do two married farmers both stay on their own farms?’

‘Hmm, well one of you’s going to have to compromise. I assume you actually want to live together, sleep together … be a couple.’ Eve raised an eyebrow, ironically.

‘Of course.’

‘Hmm.’

‘And there’s Maisy to think of in all of this,’ added Rachel. ‘Surely, she’d be better off staying in her own home? It’ll be a big change for her as it is, what with getting used to Tom being around all the time.’

‘Yes, I can see that. But, what about for your mum …?’

‘Well, that was Tom’s point,’ Rachel conceded.

‘Might be a bit crowded at yours … and what about when you want to have mad passionate sex in the living room or something? I can see Tom’s point …’

Great, now even Eve was siding with him.

‘Well, when was the last time you and Ben had mad passionate sex in the living room?’ Rachel couldn’t stop her mounting frustration.

Eve’s face dropped.

‘Sorry hun, that was a bit tactless. I’d actually come to ask how you were doing too, you and Ben? Since you got back …’ Since the confession.

‘Ah, it’s been okay, I suppose. What’s weird is that nothing’s really changed here. Me and Ben, we’re just ticking along … same old, same old. It’s me, Rach … it’s me that’s changed.’

Rachel sat listening, allowing Eve to open up, whilst studying her friend’s face that suddenly looked so sad.

‘Oh Rachel, I wish I could stop thinking about this guy, but I can’t. There’s no simple on–off switch with the way I’m feeling … and I don’t know what it all means. Have I fallen out of love with Ben, Rach? Is that it?’ Eve paused, taking a slow sip of coffee. ‘I don’t know what to think any more … and I just feel so damned sad … sad that it might really be over between us. Jeez, I’m all mixed up.’

‘Give it time, you’ll find a way back. I know Granny Ruth always says “marriages have to be worked at”. I had the lecture when we got engaged.’ Rachel raised a supportive smile.

‘Maybe you’re right,’ Eve sighed. ‘But is that it? Are me and Ben just going to shuffle along for the rest of our lives? We’re more like friends than lovers just now.’

‘Well, at least you’re friends, honey. That’s a real good place to come back from. You two have always been good together up till now.’

‘Really? Maybe from the outside looking in, but I feel we’ve been drifting apart for ages. I just didn’t see it happening. Too busy … with Amelia, with my craft business. How did it all change? And, why don’t we have bloody rampant sex on the living-room floor anymore?’

‘Probably ’cos it’s covered in your craft materials …’ Rachel tried to lighten the mood. ‘Now you wouldn’t want a pin cushion getting anywhere it shouldn’t.’

Eve just shook her head, conceding a wry smile. ‘Oh, Rach, what happened to the time when Ben and I couldn’t keep our hands off each other?’

‘Oh petal, relationships change, life changes, but you can still work this out, you and Ben,’ Rachel reassured, though little alarm bells were ringing in her mind. Is this what happened … four, five, six years down the line? But no, up until Dad’s hidden depression, up until the end in fact, her parents had had a good marriage. It didn’t have to be that way. Rachel remembered so many happy times as she grew up. There was always a lot of love in that farmhouse.

She took Eve’s hand in her own. ‘It’ll be okay, hun. We’ll work this out. I’m here for you too. Just don’t do anything stupid, hey? And try and keep some distance from this artist guy.’

‘That’s not so easy; there’s a craft event we’ll both be at in two weeks’ time.’

‘Ah, right … well just be polite, but that’s it. Keep yourself to yourself.’

‘Yeah, I suppose.’ Eve didn’t sound convinced.

Another of Granny Ruth’s phrases filled Rachel’s mind: ‘Love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage’. But unfortunately, it looked as though the wheel had fallen off this particular carriage for Ben and Eve right now. Rachel was determined to help them fix it.