Five minutes later, Alice closed the patio door and joined Ben in the living room. ‘You’re not going to believe this! Johnny just walked out on Faye. Packed his bag and took the car. She’s distraught!’
Ben’s mouth dropped in astonishment. ‘I knew they’d been having some problems, but I never expected—’
Alice’s brow furrowed. ‘You knew they were having problems? How long for? Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘I assumed Faye would have told you. I’m sorry.’
Alice wasn’t sure what hurt most: that Ben had known and didn’t tell her, or that her good friend had kept her troubles from her.
‘They’ve been seeing a marriage guidance counsellor for a few months,’ Ben continued. ‘I honestly thought you knew. I thought that was why you’d asked her to be a bridesmaid, as an act of solidarity.’
Alice scoured the kitchen worktops for her handbag. ‘I need to go over there. She needs a friend.’
Ben reached for her hand in a calming gesture. ‘We shouldn’t get involved. Okay? I don’t mean to be cruel, but what Johnny and Faye get up to in their own time is none of our business.’
‘She made it my business when she called,’ Alice said firmly. ‘I’m not going over there to interfere, I just want to support her.’
He sighed loudly. ‘Just remember that things between them probably aren’t as rosy as they looked yesterday. Sure, on the surface they’re a lovely couple who can’t do enough for others, but behind closed doors their relationship hits highs and lows.’
She could tell Ben was holding out on her. Standing in silence, she allowed his discomfort to grow until he felt compelled to break the silence.
‘All right, all right,’ he said. ‘She gets jealous, that’s what he says. She hates that he works in a large office where there are lots of attractive women. He tells me she checks his phone constantly. He’s got one of those fingerprint readers, but she knows his PIN and unlocks the screen when she thinks he’s not looking; checking emails; text messages; private messages. She’s obsessed with who he speaks to. Of course they end up having fights about it, and when we were in Bournemouth he told me he’s not sure how much more of it he can take. I assume you saw what happened at the airport before you flew out to Paris?’
Alice remembered that Faye had been late checking in and had almost missed the flight, but had caught up with the rest of the group at the boarding gate. She’d looked upset, but had blamed it on traffic and Johnny being late home to drive her. Before Alice had been able to get Faye alone, the group were all seated and the champagne was flowing. In hindsight, Faye hadn’t been her usual bubbly self on the trip, but Alice had put that down to her missing her daughter back home.
‘What happened at the airport?’ Alice questioned.
‘You mean she didn’t tell you? From what Johnny said, she almost cried off going to Paris altogether. They were late arriving, right? That’s why! She was all packed and ready to go, but then she started to get paranoid about leaving Johnny at home. She doesn’t trust him, but he’s never given her any reason not to. He’s never cheated on her – at least, not that I know about – and I think her paranoia stems from some ex who did the dirty. She’s got serious psychological issues and needs her head examining.’ He stopped himself when he remembered who he was talking to. ‘I’m sorry, I know she’s your friend, but I’m just relaying how crazy she’s making him. All this – the phone call to you – it’s probably Faye making a mountain out of a molehill. They’ve probably just had a barney and he’s left to cool down and clear his head.’
Alice picked up her bag, uncertain whether or not to go. ‘Was she really going to cry off coming to Paris? Even though the tickets and hotel were all booked?’
‘He had to drag her to the airport, telling her how disappointed you all would be if she missed the trip. Even as they pulled up at the drop-off point, she was threatening to phone you and make up an excuse about their daughter being unwell. He had to march her through the security barrier out of fear that she would leave the airport as soon as he’d gone. Did she really not tell you any of this?’
Alice’s guilt was on overload. Had she been so caught up in organizing hers and Ben’s big day that she’d missed her friend’s unhappiness? It would be typical of Faye to bottle up her own troubles, to avoid spoiling the wedding. Now that it was over, did Faye feel it was the time to come clean?
‘I’ll phone Johnny for you if you want,’ Ben offered. ‘Check that everything’s okay and find out what’s really going on.’
Alice thought back to last night. Her own world had seemingly fallen apart when Ben had been dragged off by the police and had it not been for Tara’s support, God only knew what state she’d have been in now.
‘No,’ Alice said, pulling her handbag over her shoulder. ‘Faye’s my friend and she needs my help.’