‘Sophie’s locked herself in and won’t talk to anyone. Does she do this sort of thing often?’ asked Roberta, with a frown that made her forehead look like a Klingon’s.
‘No, never,’ said Anna. ‘Has someone upset her?’ she asked, looking from Roberta to Hudson and back again. They both shook their heads.
‘She said she was going to the loo about ten minutes ago and we’ve not seen her since,’ said Hudson, his tone a lot softer than Roberta’s.
Anna knocked tentatively on the door. ‘Hi hun, it’s me, are you okay?’
‘You won’t get a reply,’ said Roberta and Anna gave her a withering look.
‘There’s a window, isn’t there?’ asked Anna.
Sim took a sharp intake of breath. ‘Do you think she’s escaped?’
Hudson ignored Sim’s dramatics. ‘There is a window but it’s too small to climb through,’ said Hudson. ‘Especially …’ He made a baby bump motion.
‘But we could look in and check she’s okay,’ suggested Anna. Hudson didn’t answer but went straight into action mode. He strode over to the bench seat, ordered the snogging lions off it and headed for the balcony with Roberta, Sim and Anna all trailing behind him. The window was open a fraction, which was enough for Hudson to push his fingers through and carefully open it wider and see inside. Hudson froze for a moment and then turned to Anna.
‘I think you need to handle this,’ he said, offering a hand to help her up onto the bench. A million things rushed through Anna’s head but none of them matched the sight she saw through the window.
Sophie was curled in a ball, with her black cat outfit and pants around her ankles as if she had slumped off the toilet – but she was sound asleep.
‘Is she all right?’ asked Roberta, trying to get onto the bench.
‘She’s completely fine. No emergency. She’s just um … asleep. Sim, could you get Roberta another drink please,’ said Hudson, indicating the need for speed with his twitching eyebrows. Sim steered a reluctant Roberta away.
‘Bloody hell, Sophie,’ said Anna, through the window but she didn’t respond.
‘I’ll unlock the door with a screwdriver,’ said Hudson, pulling the window closed. ‘Then I’m handing over to you.’
‘I get all the good jobs,’ said Anna and a little of their rapport seemed to have returned.
Anna opened one eye. It was very early on a Sunday morning after a rather late night and she was about to drift back to sleep when she heard someone open her bedroom door. Half expecting to see a mad axe murderer she sat bolt upright.
‘Now aren’t you a pretty picture?’ said Sophie, shuffling in with two mugs of coffee.
Anna squinted. ‘What? Why?’
‘I have a key remember?’ Sophie swapped the mugs to one hand to pull the key from her pocket as evidence.
‘Yes, but it’s …’ Anna checked the clock. ‘Eight o’clock on a Sunday morning.’
‘I wanted to say thanks for sorting me out last night and to check a few things.’ Sophie sat on the end of Anna’s bed and bit her lip. Anna reached for one of the coffee mugs but Sophie was staring at her expecting something first.
‘Ah,’ said Anna, realising what she was asking. ‘You want to know more about the whole falling asleep in the loo thing. You’re okay, I covered up your dignity. Well, I pulled your pants back up.’
Sophie straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. ‘Thank goodness nobody saw my fairy.’
Anna winced. ‘Why do you call it that?’ She waved a hand and pointed at the coffee mug – she definitely needed it now.
‘Sorry, it’s the kids. You forget.’ Sophie finally handed her a mug.
‘But of all the things to call it.’ Anna took a swig of coffee and savoured the rich flavour. Sophie had put the machine on – her friend knew her well.
‘Vagina is too medical and you can’t say Lady Garden or muff with the kids or they’ll repeat it,’ mused Sophie, concentrating hard.
‘What’s wrong with bottom?’
‘Then it all gets confusing – front bottom, back bottom?’
Anna instantly wished she hadn’t started the discussion. ‘And calling it a fairy is less confusing?’
‘Yes. Apart from Christmas time when it’s a bit weird. Dave is always like a child when it’s time to put the fairy on the top of the tree. And don’t get us started with fairy lights.’
They giggled together and sipped their coffees.
‘So, I have nothing to worry about at the office tomorrow then? Nothing to think up an elaborate explanation for?’ asked Sophie, obviously seeking reassurance.
Anna stopped with the mug at her lips. ‘We think you fell asleep on the loo after having a wee and then sort of slumped to the floor.’
‘We?’ said Sophie in a very small voice as Maurice landed on the bed with a thump.
‘Me, Sim, Hudson and Roberta.’ Anna didn’t look up as she rushed the names out.
‘OhMyGod! How on earth do I show my face at work?’
‘Don’t worry, it’ll be fine … it wasn’t your face they were looking at.’
Sophie put down her coffee and slumped back on the bed. ‘Kill me now.’ She sighed heavily. ‘I could actually go back to sleep right now. I am so tired I might fall asleep walking home.’
Anna threw a pillow at her face and laughed. ‘Don’t be dramatic.’ Maurice walked over Sophie as if she weren’t there and flopped down next to her, lifted a leg and proceeded to wash his bum.
‘If you dare make a comparison between me and him, I’ll thump you,’ said Sophie, pointing at the cat.
‘My lips are sealed,’ said Anna and she tried hard to hide her grin.
Anna’s phone beeped with a message from Connor.
Hi, Anna, I love the texting thing we have going on and I wondered if you fancy meeting sometime? C.
Anna blinked at the screen. A frisson of excitement rippled through her at the thought of meeting her mystery man. She passed the phone to Sophie and she sat up. ‘Are you going to meet him?’ Sophie’s eyes were wide.
‘I don’t think I should. He could be a nutter.’
‘Or he could be totally gorgeous. What is this? Is it destiny knocking and you can’t be bothered to open the door?’
‘I would like to know who he is. He seems nice from his texts.’
‘This could be the best fairy tale ever. A texting error leads to your HEA.’
‘HEA?’ queried Anna, taking back her phone.
‘Happily Ever After,’ explained Sophie. ‘You read this sort of thing in magazines. It does happen you know. People meet the love of their life by pure chance. I think you should at least check it out.’
‘I don’t know.’ Anna ran her bottom lip through her teeth. She’d reply later when she’d made a firm decision and thought up a suitable response.
‘I would. Don’t have any regrets, Anna. There’s loads I wish I’d done before I settled down. Don’t be like me.’ Anna wanted to question her further. ‘Anyway, hark at me going on. I need to get back to the rabble. I’ll leave you in peace. Are you still on for a pub lunch?’
Anna had almost forgotten. ‘Yes, I’ll take my car because I’ll pop over to see Mum and Dad afterwards.’ As if on cue her phone sprang to life. ‘It’s them,’ she said, pointing at the screen.
‘Okay. See you later,’ said Sophie and she disappeared.
‘Hi Anna,’ said her mother. ‘How are things?’
‘Good, thanks. How about you and Dad?’
‘We’re fine. Your father has finished boarding the loft. How’s it going with Liam?’
Anna pushed herself up straight. ‘How do you mean?’ She could tell there was something in her mother’s voice.
‘I just wondered, what with you working together …’
‘Mum?’ said Anna. She knew there was more to the conversation than a casual enquiry.
Her mother sighed. ‘I had a coffee with Liam’s mother this week and she said he’s split up with his girlfriend and
…’
‘Tabitha?’
‘Yes, I think that was her name. And she said he was loving working with you.’
Anna screwed up her face. ‘I’ve barely seen him.’
‘Oh.’ She sounded genuinely surprised. ‘She seemed to think you and Liam might be …’ She left the sentence open.
‘She’s got it wrong. There’s no me and Liam on any level.’ Anna was shaking her head. Maurice opened one eye as if to question her actions and she stopped.
‘I’m glad I checked.’ Her mother’s tone had changed to perfunctory but Anna sensed some disappointment hidden there. Anna wondered how she, herself, was feeling. Did this change things? Liam was single again and she couldn’t help wonder if it had anything to do with her, then she gave herself a shake for being immodest.
The conversation drifted off to general updates and talk of her mother’s plans for their pearl wedding anniversary, which was in December. As they had gone on a holiday for their twenty-fifth anniversary they’d decided they wanted a big party for their thirtieth. When Anna ended the call she felt a bit wrong-footed by what her mother had said. She knew she meant well and that she worried about her being on her own. So Anna picked up her phone and replied to Connor.
Yes. Let’s meet.
She typed and pressed send before she started to think too much about it.
Sophie was mulling over the previous night as she walked up her front steps. She’d really enjoyed herself, and it had felt like a lifetime since she’d been to a party that didn’t involve a ball-pit. It had been fun and it almost saddened her to think she had no idea how long it would be before she felt like that again. She rubbed her bump and sighed as she turned her key in the door. The house was eerily quiet.
‘Hiya,’ she called.
‘Hi,’ said Dave, from the living room. ‘Did you find out what you wanted to know?’
Sophie went through and flopped onto the sofa. ‘My bum will be headline gossip in the office tomorrow, for sure.’
Dave tittered. ‘Oh well.’ Something exploded on the screen and Dave jerked his head back in frustration.
Sophie wasn’t sure whether to be pleased that he wasn’t bothered about her exposing herself or offended. She glanced about and listened. ‘Dave, where are the kids?’
‘Huh? Playing upstairs I expect.’
‘You expect?’ Sophie was already on her feet. ‘Arlo,’ she called as she took the stairs two at a time and then her body reminded her she was pregnant and she went back to one at a time, as fast as she could. ‘Arlo!’ She scanned each bedroom and the bathroom but there was no sign of them. ‘Wholly crab.’
‘Dave! The kids aren’t upstairs.’ She wished she could move quicker. She was already panting as she reached the bottom of the stairs. ‘Dave!’ It came out as a screech.
‘Okay,’ he said, sounding frustrated. ‘I’ll help you find them. They’re probably playing hide-and-seek.’
Sophie was close to whacking him but she couldn’t spare the moment’s delay. She had to find her children right this second. Dave set about checking cupboards and Sophie ran out into the garden. ‘Ar-looooooo!’
She waited and listened. Nothing. Only the sounds of people in the park behind. She ran down the garden, struggled with the bolt on the gate in her haste and when it finally opened she flung herself into the park beyond. She tried to remember what the children were wearing. She came to a halt and scanned the park. It had never looked this huge before and she couldn’t see all of it from her vantage point, not to mention all the nooks and crannies it had. The wildflower meadows were in full swing and offered heaps of hiding places. She stared at the lake and a sick sensation washed over her. She couldn’t see them but began running again anyway. Her mind was like a pinball. Arlo liked climbing trees; maybe he was in one of the many large oaks. Petal loved chasing the ducks; perhaps she had gone towards the pond. A sob caught in her throat and she realised she was crying. She blinked the tears away and tried to focus.
‘Sophie!’ shouted Dave. Sophie turned around so fast she almost fell over. He was standing at their gate waving. A big smile on his face and Petal in his arms. He beckoned her back but she no longer had the energy. Her legs crumpled and she flopped onto the spongy grass and cried with relief.
When things were a little calmer and the children were occupied with Play-Doh Sophie took Dave by the arm and marched him into the utility room. ‘What the fuzz did you think you were doing leaving our kids on their own?’
‘Calm down, Sophe. They were playing in a wardrobe, that’s all.’
‘But you didn’t know that, Dave. They could have been anywhere.’
‘I knew they were in the house.’ His tone was chilled and it irritated her beyond reason.
‘Don’t lie. You had no idea where they were!’ She knew she was shouting but she wanted a reaction from Dave. Something other than his easy-going, no worries approach.
He straightened his back. ‘I knew they couldn’t get out of the garden. You are blowing this up out of proportion like you always do.’
Sophie’s eyes pinged wide. ‘Because I’m always stunned by how plugging useless you are.’
‘If I’m so useless, find someone else who’ll put up with your shit!’
Sophie was shocked. Dave rarely lost his cool. ‘Don’t swear, the kids might hear you. And what sh …’ She couldn’t bring herself to say it. ‘What do you mean exactly?’ She was boiling mad that he’d turned this back on her when he was so clearly in the wrong.
‘Nothing’s ever good enough. You’re out all the time—’
‘What?’ Sophie could barely believe her ears. ‘Last night is the first time in months I’ve been out.’
‘Err, what about the team jolly? It’s fine to leave the kids with me then isn’t it?’
‘You need the practice.’
Dave’s expression changed. ‘Have you got someone else?’
You could have knocked Sophie over with a paperclip. ‘What?’ She couldn’t stop a squeak of a laugh escaping. As if she had time for someone else.
Dave was frowning hard, his eyes boring into hers. ‘You heard. Have you got someone else? Is that what this is all about? Are you building up to leaving me and want an excuse to take the kids?’
Sophie shook her head. She wasn’t going to have this stupid conversation. ‘You are an idiot, Dave.’ She opened the utility room door and stormed out.
Chapter Nineteen
It was rare for Anna to not be at home for Sunday lunch. Anna wasn’t even sure how she had slipped into the Sunday lunch at her parents’ routine. However, this week she had arranged to meet up with Dave and Sophie at a local pub to celebrate Dave’s upcoming birthday.
It was a beautiful summer’s day: the sun high in the sky, not a cloud to be seen and hot enough to anticipate the headlines of the next day’s newspapers. Anna parked up, made her way through the crowded bar and into the sunshine-filled garden at the back where she spotted Arlo digging a hole in a flower bed with his hands. Dave and Sophie appeared to be deep in conversation and shut up as soon as she approached.
‘Happy birthday eve, eve,’ she said, handing over a card, Dave gave her a kiss in return and she joined them at a picnic table.
A mud-covered Arlo appeared. ‘Daddy can’t open any cards or presents until his birthday,’ said Arlo before running off towards the children’s play area. Petal jabbed her stumpy fingers at her father’s iPhone.
‘How was last night?’ asked Dave, looking at Anna.
‘I enjoyed myself,’ said Anna, almost surprised by her admission.
‘I told you, the party was fabulous. They’ve got a very trendy place, and they know how to enjoy themselves. Anyway, happy birthday, Dave,’ said Sophie, clinking glasses. Arlo promptly knocked over his orange juice.
After a nice meal Dave went to get another round of drinks, whilst Sophie settled Petal down for a nap in her buggy. Arlo was playing Vikings in the play area, which seemed to consist of him running around w
ildly shouting at other children and declaring a victory if he made any of them cry.
‘Dave got cross earlier. I’ve not seen him like it before.’
‘It’s school holidays – they’re always stressful.’
‘It’s more than that. He accused me of having an affair.’ She chewed on the inside of her mouth.
Arlo charged over brandishing Petal’s teddy, which he’d pillaged, and Anna had to raise her voice to be heard. ‘Do you not think you should explain to Dave why you have feelings for another man?’
‘But I don’t know why I have them.’ Sophie’s eyes brimmed with tears. Sophie turned to Arlo. ‘Give it back to her!’
‘But I’m a Viking!’
‘Then swap it for your sword,’ suggested Sophie, her jaw tense. Arlo thrust the teddy back at Petal and proceeded to run around the picnic bench squealing.
Sophie turned back to Anna. ‘I think about Hudson all the time.’ She was almost at shouting volume to be heard over the kids. ‘It’s messing with my head.’
Anna took her hand. ‘I know it is. But I think you need to be honest with Dave.’
‘How can I? He’ll never understand. I don’t even understand it myself. How do I tell him I’m obsessed with Hudson? It’s such a mess.’
Anna squeezed Sophie’s hand. ‘It’ll be okay.’ She wasn’t sure if that was true but she really hoped it was. They watched Arlo herd the other children around the play area for a bit. Sophie’s phone pinged a message and she glanced at the screen.
Sophie frowned as she read the message, then her expression changed. ‘Wholly crab!’ said Sophie, fumbling with her phone. She spun around and frantically scanned the pub garden. She pointed at a tray with drinks appearing to match their order on the table behind them. ‘Dave must have overheard us.’
‘What?’ Anna took the phone from Sophie and read the message – I knew there was someone else. I’m going to sort this out man to man. You stay with the kids. I love you. D x.
‘We need to warn Hudson,’ said Anna, pulling out her own phone. Hudson’s phone went straight to voicemail. ‘Okay. Plan B. Let’s go to Hudson’s apartment.’
A Walk in Wildflower Park Page 15
