The Woman Next Door

by Natasha Boydell

  ‘Where’s the get-up, Kitty Kat? I wanted to get a photo.’

  ‘I’ve packed it away, Dad, I’ll put it on when we get there.’

  ‘All right, love, let’s go, you don’t want to be late for your own graduation.’

  How have I finished university already? she thought, as she climbed into her parents’ car. It felt like five minutes ago that she was moving into her dorm room, unpacking her bags and trying to get rid of her parents. Now here she was, living with them again, albeit temporarily, having left the city that had been her home, and her heart, for three years. Her dad had come to pick her up at the end of her last semester and she had stood outside her student house, which she had shared with three of her closest friends, and felt a sorrow in the very pit of her stomach. I’m not ready for it to be over yet, she had thought, looking through the windows at the now empty rooms inside. It had been the best three years of her life.

  And now they were all returning to Oxford for one last time so that she could officially graduate. Sophie had booked rooms at a hotel and they were going out for dinner and drinks afterwards. Freddy was staying at the same hotel with his family – not all of them because Benji was in the middle of filming a new rom com and it was too far for Ellie to travel, but Indie had surprised everyone by saying that she was coming. And of course, his dad would be there. But Katie knew there would be an absence that he would feel acutely, and she yearned to be with him now, to hold his hand and tell him that she was there for him.

  As they sped down the dual carriageway, Katie looked out of the window, feeling emotional. She was looking forward to the ceremony and the party afterwards but it also marked the end of an important chapter in her life. Her mum had tried to reassure her that she had nothing to worry about, that she was simply closing the door to one adventure and opening the door to the next. ‘You have the best years of your life still ahead of you,’ she had told Katie confidently.

  Katie knew that she was probably right but the thought of leaving her old life behind and no longer living in the same city as Freddy was horrible. They had been together since the beginning of university and now they were graduating together at the end.

  They had both agreed to pursue their own paths. After getting his BA, Freddy had decided not to stay on for the clinical stage of his course and was returning to London to study for a master’s degree in sports science. Katie was going to South America in September to work as an intern on an archaeology project. She hadn’t wanted to apply when she had first seen the opportunity posted on the university noticeboard, but she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. She had mentioned it to Freddy, trying unsuccessfully to sound blasé, but of course he’d seen straight through her and had urged her to go for it.

  ‘It’s too good an opportunity to turn down, Brennan. We’ve got the rest of our lives to spend together. What’s a few months apart?’

  ‘Okay,’ she agreed. ‘I’ll do the application. I won’t get it anyway.’

  Except that she had. And now she was going to be away from Freddy for three months, perhaps longer if things went well, and she had no idea how she would cope. He had become so important to her that she now wondered how she had managed to live for so long without him. She thought back to when they were first reunited, how nervous she’d been of letting him back into her life, and was so thankful that she had taken the risk. It had been worth it and they had proven that by the fact that they were still together. And more than that, they had brought other people together too, like her mum and Angie. An unlikely friendship that had, despite all the odds, rediscovered itself again when Angie had needed it the most.

  She couldn’t say the same for her dad, who still stubbornly refused to visit Pemberton Road or socialise with the Taylors. But he was always extremely welcoming to Freddy when he came to stay and he had, she suspected, become fond of him over the years. Her dad was probably as nervous as she was about today because it would be the first time he had seen Jack. When her mum had told him the plan to stay in the same hotel and go out for dinner together afterwards, he had looked horrified. But Sophie had fixed her determined glare on him, the one she reserved for rare occasions, and said, ‘This is for the children, Alan, and you’re coming. And you’re going to make an effort. And maybe even have fun, or at least pretend to.’

  And he had sighed and nodded, knowing that there was no point in arguing with her. He would never really understand how his daughter had ended up falling in love with Angie’s son. And he would never get why Sophie had rekindled her friendship with Angie and supported her so loyally during her illness. But Katie saw it for what it was, and it made her love and respect her mother even more. Her compassion, her ability to empathise and to forgive, was incredible. She no longer saw her as her boring old mum, but as one of the strongest women she knew.

  ‘We’re here,’ Alan said, driving into a multistorey car park and looking for a space. Katie jumped out as soon as they had parked up and started grabbing bags, eager to see Freddy, who was waiting for them in the hotel bar. As they made their way towards the entrance, her dad hesitated and she gave him a reassuring smile. He nodded at her and together they made their way inside. The first person she saw was Freddy, who stood up and ran over to greet her, grabbing her bags. He led her over to the sofas where the others were sitting and she saw Indie giving her father the once over. She braced herself for what might happen next.

  Please behave, Indie, she pleaded silently. She adored Freddy’s big sister but she was unpredictable at the best of times. Sophie rushed forward to greet everyone, but Alan hung back, apprehensive. Katie briefly panicked, thinking that this had all been a terrible idea, but then she saw Indie saunter over and kiss her dad on the cheek.

  ‘Nice to see you, Mr B,’ she said.

  Katie felt the breath that she didn’t even know she’d been holding on to leave her body.

  Next Jack shook his hand. ‘Hi, Alan, fancy a beer before it all kicks off?’

  She looked at Freddy and he grinned back. Perhaps it really would be okay after all.

  She woke up the next morning, confused by being in an unfamiliar room before she remembered where she was and who she was with. She turned over to find Freddy sitting up in bed, checking his phone.

  As she tried to get up, the hangover hit her. ‘Ouch,’ she said.

  Freddy looked down and smiled. ‘Ouch indeed,’ he said. ‘Someone had fun last night!’

  ‘Oh God, was I terrible?’ She racked her brains, trying to think back over the previous day and whether she’d said or done anything silly.

  ‘Nah, you were fine,’ he said. ‘I mean, as long as you don’t count loudly informing my dad that he was incredibly generous for forgiving your dad – in front of your dad.’

  ‘Ohhh,’ Katie said, clutching her head. ‘This is why I should never drink when I’m nervous.’

  ‘Well, it was your graduation ceremony, so I think you’re allowed. And no harm was done.’

  The day had gone as well as it could, she thought, remembering it now. There had been a few awkward silences between the families, a sad moment when they had toasted to absent friends. And then, eventually, a gradual relaxation into the evening which had been made easier, sadly but truly, when her dad had gone up to bed early. After that they had all continued to get plastered in the hotel bar until the early hours and had a bit of a hoot.

  ‘Question is, are you ready for round two?’

  ‘Urgh,’ came Katie’s response as she put a pillow over her head.

  ‘Let’s go get a full English and you’ll feel better. Dad and Indie are already down there.’

  ‘Sounds horrendous.’

  ‘Come on, Brennan, a nice greasy fried egg. Sausages dripping with fat…’ he ducked for cover as she hurled her pillow at him.

  They showered, dressed and made their way downstairs for breakfast. Katie picked delicately at some dry toast while Freddy tucked into a mountain of hot food, occasionally waving some bacon under her nose,
much to her disgust. When they had finished, they checked out and made their way back to the car park.

  ‘I’ll see you soon,’ Katie said, giving Freddy a kiss and waving at the other Taylors before getting into her parents’ car.

  As they pulled away, Sophie turned round in her seat and smiled at her. ‘Have a good time, love?’

  ‘Really good,’ she said. ‘A proper send off. Sorry if I got a bit tipsy.’

  ‘Don’t be silly, you were fine.’

  ‘Sorry if I embarrassed you, Dad,’ Katie said, her face reddening.

  ‘You could never embarrass me, Kitty Kat. I’m very proud of you.’

  It had been a pretty momentous thing for her dad to put himself through what he had yesterday, and Katie felt proud of him too.

  ‘Are you sure you won’t change your mind about this evening?’ she asked him.

  ‘No thanks, love, you go on ahead and have a good time.’

  They dropped him off outside their house. Sophie jumped out of the car and climbed into the driver’s seat and Katie clambered from the back into the passenger seat next to her. Together they waved until he had let himself back into the empty house and closed the door. Then they turned to each other.

  ‘Can we grab a cheeky McDs on the way down, Mum? I’ve suddenly got my appetite back.’

  ‘Oh go on then, I could probably sink a quarter pounder with cheese.’

  Katie turned up the radio as they pulled out of their road and made their way back out of Cambridge again. She and her mum both started singing along at the same time, dancing in their seats. She laughed with a satisfyingly carefree abandon, and all of a sudden it hit her and she realised what her mum had been banging on about. Oxford had only been one part of her journey. She had her whole future in front of her and she was going to grasp it with both hands.

  They pulled into Pemberton Road. Sophie took her seat belt off and got out of the car without so much as a glance at the house next door. It was someone else’s house now, not hers. She had seen the people who lived there once, when she was visiting Angie. A young couple had come out. The woman was holding a baby while the man bumped the pram down the steps. Ahead of them a toddler had scooted off, nearly going straight into the road and the harassed looking man had abandoned the pram and ran after him, yelling at him to stop. Sophie had grabbed the runaway pram and held it until the woman could catch up and take it from her.

  ‘Thanks,’ the woman said gratefully, looking tired as she jiggled the wailing baby. She had a faint aroma of baby vomit about her. Sophie had smiled kindly at her, cooed briefly at the baby, and then moved on. Pemberton Road was housing the next generation of families now, making new memories for new people. Their babies would grow up, go to the local school that Tom and Katie had gone to. They would play on the same swings in the park. The parents would drink coffee in the same café. It was a constant cycle, forever changing, forever evolving.

  Katie bounded ahead of her now, eager to get inside and Sophie marvelled at the speed at which young people could shake off hangovers. She was still feeling a little peaky after the late night, but she was determined to rally for the next stage of the celebrations. She followed her daughter up the steps and watched as the door opened and Freddy appeared.

  ‘You made good time,’ he said, giving Katie a kiss and stepping back to let her in. He hugged Sophie as she walked past. ‘Can I get you a drink, Mrs B?’

  ‘Cup of tea?’ Sophie suggested.

  ‘I don’t bloody well think so,’ came a voice from the living room. ‘Champagne, Freddy.’

  Sophie rolled her eyes and made her way into the living room. Angie was lying on the sofa, wrapped under a blanket. She sat up when she saw Sophie.

  ‘Blimey, Angie, you could have made a bit of an effort,’ she said, leaning down to kiss her.

  ‘Oh bugger off,’ Angie replied.

  ‘How are you feeling?’

  ‘Not too bad considering. Plus I’m up to date on Neighbours and Doctors now which is a bonus.’

  ‘Bit lazy of you, Ange, to spend all day watching TV.’

  ‘Very droll.’

  Angie had been living with cancer for three years. She had outlived her doctor’s prognosis and continued to find the strength from somewhere within to keep going. Apparently, she was a medical miracle which, knowing Angie as she did, did not surprise Sophie in the slightest.

  But the cancer was just as determined, and after a much-needed respite, she was back on chemo again. When it had become clear that she wouldn’t be well enough to go to the graduation ceremony, they had decided to bring the party to her instead. In the kitchen she could hear Freddy bickering good-naturedly with Indie as they got the champagne out of the fridge and gathered glasses to bring into the living room.

  ‘Should you be drinking?’ she asked Angie.

  ‘Well, it’s hardly the thing that’s going to kill me now, is it?’

  ‘Fair point. Where’s Jack?’

  ‘He had to pop home first and check in with What’s-her-face. He’s on his way round.’

  As she heard the kids still chatting away in the kitchen, Sophie sat down on the floor next to Angie and took her hand. ‘Are you really okay?’

  ‘I am,’ Angie said. ‘Really, I am. I was disappointed that I couldn’t make the graduation, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t, but at least I’m here. I don’t take that for granted.’

  ‘How are you feeling about having someone in the house again?’

  Freddy was planning on living at home for a while. Everyone said it was because he wanted to save money while he studied for his master’s, but everyone also knew it was because he wanted to spend time with his mum while he still could.

  ‘I’m rather looking forward to it. This house was made for a crowd, for noise and chaos and laughter, not for one person rattling around in it. It needs a bit of energy in it again.’

  ‘Is Freddy worried about Katie going away?’

  ‘He says he’s not but I’m sure he’s secretly having visions of her dancing salsa under the stars with some Latino hunk.’

  ‘I don’t think you get many hunks around archaeological dig sites though.’

  ‘Have you watched Indiana Jones, Sophie?’

  ‘Well, I don’t think he has anything to worry about. The only things my Katie gets excited about are fossils and Freddy.’

  ‘They’re young though. They’ve got so much to come. So much adventure but so much heartbreak too, probably.’

  ‘Yes, true. And if that does happen, we’ll be there to hold their hands.’

  ‘Speak for yourself.’

  ‘Oh stop feeling sorry for yourself, you old party pooper.’

  Angie laughed and squeezed Sophie’s hand. Sophie knew that she appreciated the humour, that the thing she hated most was pity. She’d always been too damn proud for her own good. But at least she was finally letting people help her. She was letting them look after her for once.

  The front door slammed and Jack appeared around the corner, with Benji behind him.

  ‘Look at this reprobate who I’ve just bumped into trying unsuccessfully to park his flashy, oversized Range Rover into a massive parking space on the street,’ Jack declared in delight. ‘And it’s even got parking assist on it!’ He was roaring with laughter.

  Benji scowled at him. ‘I’ve only had the car a week, Dad, leave off.’

  ‘Better learn to drive it, mate, before you start entertaining the ladies, that’s all I’m saying.’

  ‘Benji, you made it!’ Angie said, her face lighting up.

  ‘Yeah, we finished filming earlier than planned,’ Benji said. ‘Where are the others?’

  ‘Kitchen.’

  Benji wandered off and Jack leaned in to hug Sophie.

  ‘Thanks for yesterday,’ she whispered. ‘For being so nice to Alan.’

  He squeezed her. ‘Anything for you, Brennan.’

  The doorbell went again.

  ‘Christ, it’s like Piccadilly Circus around here,
’ Angie said.

  ‘I’ll get it,’ Sophie replied, hoping it was who she thought it would be. She tentatively opened the door and shrieked with delight when she saw her son.

  ‘Tom!’ she said, ushering him in. ‘I’m so pleased you made it.’

  Tom worked as an accountant and lived with friends in Islington. He seemed to spend his time either working or partying and she rarely saw him these days, although she tried not to give him a hard time about it. Katie and Freddy had been to a couple of his house parties and said they were epic. She really didn’t want to know the details. ‘He’s young and having fun,’ she told Alan whenever he made a comment about their errant son. Every couple of months he would turn up at home for a Sunday roast or she and Alan would go to London and meet him for a drink. But he always called his dad religiously every weekend during football season to discuss the scores. It was their thing, just the two of them, and whenever Sophie saw Alan clutching onto his phone, waiting in anticipation for his call, she was glad that they had it.

  Over time, she and Alan had got used to being alone again, just the two of them. For so long their lives, their whole existence, had been centred around the children. She hadn’t known what to expect when they left home, fearing perhaps that she and Alan would have run out of things to say to each other. They had been through so much to stay together that she couldn’t bear the thought of them falling at the final hurdle. She had been relieved to discover that they enjoyed each other’s company more than ever. He still made her laugh, even after all this time.

  They were trying to be more spontaneous, even if that just meant going to the cinema at the last minute or choosing dinner out rather than a takeaway. They’d booked a four-week trip to New Zealand over the winter. Sophie had always dreamed of going there and Ellie had been sending her tips and advice. They were going to stay with her and Chrissie for a few days in Auckland. She couldn’t wait. And then after that it was straight back to intense coaching ahead of the British Swimming Trials, into which she was entering a couple of her junior swimmers. There was always something going on and that was just how she liked it.