Plunging the pan under a rush of cold water, and standing back as a cloud of steam hissed out from it, she said, ‘Are you hungry? Shall I make you something to eat?’
‘I have to take Mummy her breakfast,’ he told her.
Lainey looked at him sadly. It was three o’clock in the afternoon, they’d not long finished lunch and she couldn’t be sure whether he was meaning his own mother, or hers. Yesterday she’d found him searching for his mother’s tap shoes – she’d been a championship dancer in her time, as had his father. ‘Why don’t you come and sit down?’ she said, taking his arm. ‘I’ll bring you a nice cup of tea . . .’
‘I have to take Mummy’s breakfast,’ he repeated. ‘She’ll be upset if I don’t.’
‘Then let me see to it, OK? I know what she likes and you’ve done enough for today.’
Offering no more resistance, he allowed her to lead him to his chair, where Sherman settled next to him and earned himself an extra chew for raising the alarm. ‘You’re such a good boy,’ Lainey murmured, stooping to fuss him. ‘I don’t know what we’d do without you, I really don’t.’
By way of answer Sherman thumped his tail on the floor and carried on gnawing his chew.
‘We have to take Mummy’s breakfast,’ Peter said, as Lainey went to put the kettle on.
‘Yes, I’m going to make it now,’ she assured him, glancing out of the window to see Nadia, Tom’s agent, pulling into Tom’s empty space. She was only passing, she’d said on the phone, but she wanted to drop a present off for Tierney’s sixteenth.
‘Can’t let such an important date pass without marking it, can we?’ she declared as she came in the door. ‘So where is she? No, don’t tell me, still sleeping off the effects of last night’s party. Did she have it here? You’re looking very up together if she did.’
‘She’s with her friend in London,’ Lainey replied with an ironic smile.
‘I see, spreading her wings. Well, it happens, I guess, and you’re looking a little like you wish it wouldn’t.’
Lainey shook her head. ‘I’m fine,’ she assured her. ‘Probably had one too many myself last night.’
Nadia rolled her eyes. ‘You and me both. Anyway, I think she’ll like what I’ve got her. I did a bit of research to find out what girls her age are into these days, so hopefully I’ve scored a hit.’ Putting the beautifully wrapped gift on the counter top, she looked around the room. ‘Tom not here?’
Feeling the words like a pain, Lainey said, ‘No, he’s away this weekend.’
Though Nadia’s eyebrows rose in surprise she didn’t ask where he was, which made Lainey wonder if she knew about Kirsten. As friends as well as agent and client she and Tom had come through a lot together over the years, including the break-up of both their marriages, Tom’s in the earlier days, then Nadia’s about ten years ago. There wasn’t much they didn’t tell each other, so it was likely Nadia did know about Kirsten.
‘Oh, it’s Guy,’ Nadia announced as her mobile rang. ‘Another husband who’s away for the weekend. Time we girls gave ourselves a bit of a treat, if you ask me,’ and clicking on she wandered outside to answer the call.
Taking her father some tea, Lainey perched on the arm of his chair and rested her cheek on the top of his head as she gazed at nothing. Where was Tom now? With Kirsten, of course. Was he thinking about his wife? Would she see him again before she went to Italy?
Where the heck was all this going to end?
‘Is that Lainey?’ Peter asked, patting her hand.
‘Yes, it’s me,’ Lainey smiled, straightening up.
Peter nodded and leaned forward to pick up his tea. ‘You’re a good girl,’ he told her.
Pressing a kiss to his forehead, she went to fetch her own tea and sat down at the table to try Tierney’s mobile again. Still no answer. Nor had Tierney so much as texted or emailed today.
Please don’t let her have drunk so much that she’s still in bed at this late hour.
‘Max? It’s Lainey,’ she said into her mobile.
‘Yeah, I got that. What can I do for you?’
‘Have you heard from Tierney today?’
‘Not so far. I expect she tied one on with Skye and her mates last night.’
‘I’m sure you’re right. Where are you?’
‘In Bristol, about to go and see a movie.’
‘OK. Well, if you hear from her first, please tell her to ring me.’
‘Will do,’ and he was gone.
‘Does Mummy have some tea?’ Peter asked.
‘Yes, I took it up just now,’ Lainey replied.
Glancing down as her phone beeped with a text, she saw it was from Zav and opened it.
Going to watch cricket with Alfie and his dad. Back about teatime. Is that OK?
Texting a quick yes back, she dialled Stacy’s number and left a message for her to call when she got home. Though they’d spent hours talking about the situation with Tom and Kirsten last night, drinking far too much in the process, she was still in sore need of her friend’s support.
Glancing up as Nadia came back in, she started to get up. ‘Tea?’ she offered. ‘I’ve just made some.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll pour,’ Nadia insisted. ‘What about you?’
Lainey held up her mug. ‘So, what are you doing in this neck of the woods?’ she asked. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve been to see Trimalchio again.’
Nadia twinkled. ‘As a matter of fact I was at a school reunion last night, over at Westonbirt.’ She shuddered. ‘I knew there was a reason I hadn’t stayed in touch with most of them.’
Lainey laughed, and looked down as her mobile rang. Her heart jolted to see it was Tom, and she quickly clicked on.
‘Hi, have you spoken to Tierney today?’ he asked.
Frowning as their concerns fused, she said, ‘No, but I’ve left a couple of messages. I wondered if she’d forgotten to take her charger, except she could always use Skye’s.’
‘Maybe you should try calling Skye to make sure everything’s all right.’
‘I would if I had a number.’
‘You mean you don’t?’
Stung, Lainey snapped, ‘OK, I’m the world’s worst mother for not having a number for my daughter’s best friend . . .’
‘What about Skye’s parents? Can you contact them?’
‘No, and before you start having a go at me . . .’
‘How the hell could you let her go off without knowing exactly where she was going?’ he demanded.
‘She was going to Skye’s, and if you hadn’t given me so much else to think about maybe I’d have remembered to get a number. As it was . . .’
‘We need to get hold of the school,’ he interrupted. ‘They’ll know how to contact Skye’s parents.’
‘It’s Sunday, and the end of term,’ she reminded him. ‘There won’t be anyone there.’
‘So we don’t try? We just give up? Is that what you’re saying?’
‘No! I’m saying I’ll call Maudie. She’s sure to have a number for Skye, and if she doesn’t she’ll know someone who does.’
‘Thanks,’ Tierney said, taking her phone from him as she sat into the Audi, barely closing the passenger door behind her. ‘I hope you didn’t mind having to bring it.’
‘Why would I mind when it’s given me the chance to see you again?’ he replied with a smile.
Did he think she’d left it at the apartment on purpose? She hadn’t, she’d thought it was in her bag until she’d got back to Skye’s around eleven this morning. It was gone five now, and had taken all this time for her to make contact with him, then for him to go back to the flat to collect it.
‘Are you OK?’ he asked, seeming genuinely concerned.
She gave a nonchalant flick of her hair. ‘Yeah, yeah, I’m cool,’ she assured him with the ghost of a smile.
Touching his fingers to her chin, he turned her to face him. ‘You were sensational last night, do you know that?’ he murmured.
His eyes were amazing, gazing into hers like he could see everything she was thinking. She hoped he couldn’t, because she hadn’t felt sensational, or not all of the time. It made her feel a bit better to think he hadn’t gone off her, though.
He put a hand on her leg and she found it kind of weird the way her body could do one thing, while her mind did another. It was like she wanted it, but didn’t.
‘So how’s it feeling to be a woman?’ he said softly.
He’d asked her that last night, and this morning, and she still didn’t know how to answer. The truth was, no different really, apart from the bruising feeling where she’d never had bruises before, and the memories of everything he’d done to her. Some were amazing, while others . . . Well, she didn’t really want to think about them, because she definitely hadn’t liked it as much as she was probably supposed to.
‘The apartment’s still free if you don’t have to rush back,’ he whispered.
Her eyes were fixed to the gates outside Skye’s house. She wanted to go with him, but didn’t. It was all so confusing. ‘They’re waiting for me,’ she said hoarsely. ‘Skye’s mum and stepdad are taking us out for dinner tonight.’
‘I see. Then you mustn’t let them down.’
She lowered her head so her hair was masking her face.
‘I’ll call you, OK?’ he said gently.
She nodded awkwardly.
‘Off you go now,’ and leaning across her he opened the door for her to get out.
Certain he could see her bottom as she stepped up on to the pavement, she clasped the hem of her dress and half walked, half ran back to Skye’s. When she reached the gates she turned to see if he was still there. He was, and when he waved she smiled. She really loved him, and definitely wanted to see him again, but she couldn’t help thinking it was easier on Skype.
‘How did it go?’ Skye pressed urgently, as Tierney rushed into the bedroom they were sharing.
‘OK,’ Tierney replied, quickly closing the door.
‘So when are you seeing him again?’
Tierney’s heart twisted strangely. ‘I’m not sure. He’s going to call me. I suppose it’ll depend on when he can get away.’ Feeling suddenly miserable, she slumped down on a chair
‘What’s wrong?’ Skye asked. ‘I thought you’d feel better once you’d seen him again.’
Tierney shrugged. ‘I do. I mean, I kind of do, but at the same time . . .’ She took a breath as she tried to sort out her mind. ‘It’s like I said earlier,’ she attempted to explain, ‘part of it’s fantastic, and I don’t regret what happened, or anything, but . . .’ She shrugged awkwardly, not quite knowing how to put her feelings into words.
Sitting up to give this her full attention, Skye said, ‘Listen, the first time’s always a bit weird, you feel like kind of empty after, but it’s not as though he doesn’t want to know you. He said he’d call, and I bet anything he does.’
Though Tierney liked the sound of that, it still wasn’t cheering her up much.
‘I reckon we should read more of the book,’ Skye suggested. ‘It’s a total turn-on, and with all the stuff you said he was into last night . . .’
‘You know what’s weird,’ Tierney said, watching Skye rummaging for the book, ‘when you read about it it’s dead hot and all that, but when it happens to you for real . . .’ She broke off as the sense of helplessness and fear she’d experienced last night staged a shaky return. ‘He kept saying I’d get to like it,’ she said, ‘I just had to give it time.’
‘I expect he’s right,’ Skye responded wisely. ‘Remember, you’d never done
anything
until last night, so maybe it was a bit full on for your first time. I know it would blow my mind if Max were to get into all that. I wonder if I can talk him into reading the book?’
Feeling very doubtful about that, Tierney suddenly remembered her phone, and grabbing it from the dressing table where she’d dropped it she turned it on. ‘Oh my God,’ she murmured, as it began bleeping like mad. ‘I have to ring the rents, looks like they’re doing their nuts trying to get hold of me,’ and going to her mother’s number she pressed to connect.
‘Tierney, thank goodness,’ Lainey cried, answering on the first ring. ‘We’ve been really worried. Why didn’t you call sooner?’
Glancing at Skye, Tierney said, ‘Sorry, I left my phone at one of Skye’s friend’s last night, and I’ve only just got it back.’
‘Well, at least you’re all right. Where are you now?’
‘At Skye’s. So what’s all the fuss about? Why are you trying to get hold of me?’
Sounding exasperated, Lainey said, ‘It isn’t like you not to call when you’re away, and when you weren’t answering your phone . . .’
‘Yeah, well, I’m OK, and you don’t have to keep checking up on me.’
Her mother fell silent, and Tierney immediately felt horrible for snapping at her. ‘So how is everyone?’ she asked, trying to sound a bit friendlier.
‘We’re fine, thank you,’ Lainey responded. ‘Nadia’s just called in. She brought you a present.’
‘Oh God,’ Tierney muttered.
In a tone that told Tierney Nadia was close by, Lainey said, ‘Yes, isn’t that lovely? Would you like to speak to her?’
No! She definitely wouldn’t.
‘I’d really love to,’ she replied hastily, ‘but Skye’s parents are taking us out for dinner and they’re already in the car.’
With a sigh, Lainey said, ‘OK. Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to invite Skye to Italy with us? Or perhaps you’d rather ask Maudie?’
Tierney hesitated. She didn’t want to go to Italy at all, or she hadn’t before, but now, actually, she was thinking maybe she did, especially if Skye could come too.
But what about Maudie? It was going to seem a bit mean choosing Skye over her.
‘Zav’s taking Alfie,’ her mother told her.
Great, two idiot boys splashing about the pool getting on everyone’s nerves. ‘I’ll let you know,’ she said, deciding she had to think about it.
‘OK. So when are you coming home?’
Tierney shrugged as she glanced at Skye. ‘I’m not sure. Tomorrow, I expect. Is Dad back yet?’
‘He was, but he’s had to go away again. He’s been trying to get hold of you.’
‘Where’s he gone?’
‘To Hereford.’
‘Why? What’s there? Is he researching or something? Please tell me you’ve made up by now.’
‘Yes, we’re speaking,’ Lainey confirmed. ‘Now, what time should we expect you tomorrow?’
‘I don’t know. I’ll text when I’m on the train.’
They both fell silent then, until Lainey said, ‘Are you all right?’
‘Yeah, I’m cool,’ Tierney replied weakly. ‘I’d better go.’
‘OK. I’ll give your love to Nadia.’
Tierney’s eyes closed as images of what she’d allowed Nadia’s husband to do to her last night came flooding back, and she felt seriously sick. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ she said, and before her mother could ask again if she was all right, she quickly rang off.