Perfect on Paper by Gillian Harvey (top 20 books to read txt) 📕

Going back home that evening had been almost like stepping back in time. Toby had had a haircut and suddenly looked much more like his old self. ‘I’m going to trade in the Merc,’ he’d told her. ‘We can’t afford to run two expensive cars at the moment.’

‘Why don’t we trade in both our cars and get a couple of little run-arounds instead?’ she’d suggested. He’d hugged her fiercely then, as if she’d told him they’d won the lottery or discovered a cure for middle-aged spread or something.

‘Thank you,’ he’d said. ‘I know how much you love that car.’

‘To be honest, I think I’d prefer something more eco-friendly.’

‘Yes, and maybe less noticeable?’

‘Yeah, after all, we need to be ready for the next protest or scandal.’

‘Exactly,’ he’d laughed, giving her a squeeze.

Even Alfie and Katie had seemed slightly more attentive than usual once Clare had outed herself. Katie had even asked Clare to pose for a selfie with her, and asked her to actually step through the forbidden school gates when she came to collect her. ‘You know,’ Katie’d said, in a way she’d probably thought was subtle, but which was anything but, ‘I don’t mind if you want to say hello – meet my friends. You don’t have to wait in the car.’

Clearly, her mother’s sudden fame – however bizarre – was scoring Katie a few social points.

‘Don’t wear the wig though, will you?’

Alfie had been less impressed to find out his mum was a talent show rapper. ‘It’s great,’ he’d said, begrudgingly. ‘But you know, Sam’s mum has a second job as a copywriter. Might be an idea.’

‘Sorry, Alfie. Martha … well, Clare B. is here to stay for a bit at least.’

He’d nodded. ‘OK. I mean, it’s good. It’s just … kids at school.’

‘Maybe I should see if your head teacher wants me to come and do a performance in assembly,’ she’d teased, and watched his skin turn grey with horror.

Footsteps on the stairs of the new office reminded Clare now that it must be nearly lunchtime. The door opened cautiously and Steph stepped into their ramshackle space. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘Bailey and Associates, eh!’

‘Hey, gotta start somewhere!’ smiled Clare. ‘No Wilbur today?’

‘No, John’s taken him for a bit.’

Clare nodded. ‘Good. You need a break. And … how are things?’

‘A bit better,’ Steph smiled, wryly. ‘You know.’

‘Good,’ she said, leaning forward to give her sister a hug.

Once they were in the café, attempting to twirl tagliatelle around their forks, Clare worked up the courage to say what she’d planned.

‘Steph,’ she said.

‘Yes?’ her sister replied, shoving a forkful of pasta into her mouth.

‘I wanted to ask you something …’

‘OK?’

Clare took a deep breath. ‘Look, I need to take on a few more members of staff – not many at first, we’re seeing how it goes. But enough so that I can actually run a firm fairly smoothly.’

‘Right?’ Steph’s voice sounded guarded, sensing that something was coming.

‘Well, I wondered … Would you like to come on board as a legal PA? You don’t need to know anything about the law yet. Ann can help you, and there’s a course. If you get on with it you could eventually qualify …’

‘Thanks, sis,’ Steph smiled.

‘That’s OK. It’ll be great, won’t it, working together?’ she said.

‘Hang on,’ Steph replied. ‘What I was trying to say was: “thanks, sis, but no, I’d rather not”.’

‘Oh.’

‘Hey, it’s not you. Or even the idea of working with you – although I can see that being an absolute disaster in the long run, can’t you?’

‘Well, I suppose …’

‘There’s no suppose about it! We’d be arguing over who made the tea, or whether it was your or my turn to have Mum for Christmas within the first month!’

‘I’m sure we could—’

‘Anyway, it’s not that.’

‘It’s not?’

‘No. It’s just – I mean, it’s really kind of you. But it’s not something that I want to do. Law stuff, I mean.’

‘Oh.’

‘Yeah. I know I complain about looking after Wilbur … and things haven’t been great. But my therapist, she’s really helping me to see some possibilities in my future. And I’m hoping, maybe when Wilbur’s a bit bigger and I hopefully feel better, that I might get back to the tap dancing.’

‘Tap dancing?’

‘Yes. Oh, don’t worry, I’m not going to start performing, or asking to perform with some young back-up dancers. I mean, that would be embarrassing, right?’ Steph grinned, looking more like herself than she had in a while.

‘Touché!’

‘Well, anyway. I thought I might start running classes. Maybe,’ Steph took a deep breath, ‘maybe in the long term start a little dancing school.’

‘Oh, wow!’

‘Yep! And I suppose, not entirely, but a bit of it’s down to you.’

‘What the Martha B. thing?’

‘No, you. You starting your own firm. Being frustrated and doing something brave about it.’

‘Thank you!’ Clare said, feeling her cheeks go red.

‘It’s true though. Taking a risk, that sort of thing.’

They looked at each other with genuine affection. ‘I’m proud of you, sis,’ Steph said.

‘Right back at ya.’

When Clare got home from her first day, a day full of form-filling and admin, and not at all as glamorous as she might have imagined, Toby was slumped in front of the TV in his habitual pose. Flies undone, shoes kicked off, glass of wine in his hand.

‘Hi,’ she said.

‘Hi. Come and see this,’ he said, gesturing to the TV.

She picked up a small glass of wine he’d already poured for her and sat down next to him.

On the TV, Dan from Eezee Troupe was being interviewed. ‘Yeah, we’re looking forward to it,’ he was saying.

‘What’s he talking about?’ she asked.

‘Oh, they’ve been booked to support that other dance act, Street Boyz, on their tour apparently.’

‘That’s great.’

‘Yeah – well done.’

‘Oh, I think they did that all by themselves. Pretty talented, those boys.’

‘What about you? Or should I say Martha B.?’

‘Oh, she’s got plans, believe me. I’m still working on the new rap – and I’m hoping the boys will support me. But I think it’s important they have their own path,