Hooked on You

by Jenn Matthews

  Friends was fine. It would have to be.

  Chapter 5

  The Scarf

  It feels like the weather has been ghastly forever. The rain pattered noisily against Anna’s kitchen window before she left for work. She reached for her scarf and found it not in its usual place on the coat rack. Looking about her, she checked everywhere she could think of. Where on earth had she put it?

  Had she left it at school? Once there, she searched the staffroom and her classroom. She hoped it wasn’t gone for good. Her heart hammered as her anxiety increased.

  I love that scarf. It’s the first thing I ever made. Oh, goodness, what is Ollie going to think when I tell her it’s gone missing?

  When Anna got home, the scarf was back on the rack, but over Bethany’s coat. Anna pouted and stomped into the living room. “Did you borrow my scarf?”

  “Yeah.” Bethany turned away from a music television-channel to look at her. “What? It’s cool.”

  “I made it for me, Beth.”

  “But I like it, Mum.”

  Anna rolled her eyes.

  “Can I have it? I already told Kathy you made it. She was really impressed.”

  With her clasped hands in front of her, Anna thought about it for a long moment. “Okay. But maybe ask next time you want to borrow my things?” She stepped round the sofa to sit next to her daughter. “I was worried I’d left it somewhere.”

  “You’re not that batty.” Bethany leaned against Anna’s side as Anna put her arm around her back. “I mean, there was that month where you kept putting your purse in the fridge, but that was menopause-related. I wasn’t too worried.”

  “Oi!”

  Bethany just laid her head against Anna’s shoulder. “And how was the evening of movies with your father?” She kept her tone kind, affectionate. An extensive list of books on the subject of divorce and its effect on kids had convinced her that being civil was the right thing to do, no matter how she felt privately about him.

  To her surprise, Bethany made a disdainful noise in her throat. Anna grinned despite herself, buried her nose in Bethany’s hair, and inhaled the hairspray and lingering hair-dye smell.

  “All right,” Bethany said. “He’s an arrogant sod, isn’t he?”

  “Well…”

  She snuggled against her mother and turned the television over to a documentary. “Honestly, Mum. Don’t know what you ever saw in him.”

  Anna pulled her feet up underneath her, grabbed the throw that now sat permanently on the back of the sofa, and pulled it around them both. Bethany buried a lot further into her side, and they watched television for a while.

  When Timothy came in from work at five, he was scowling and patting his hands over his thighs. This was not a good sign. Anna immediately got up and went to him, put her hand out to touch him, but let it hang in the air between them. She waited for his breathing to slow and his expression to drop.

  “What’s happened?” she asked.

  He sat on the chair by the door to take his shoes off, shaking his head. “Work… Don’t understand…something.”

  “What don’t you understand?” Anna squatted in front of him to get to his eye level.

  Bethany came into the hallway, frowning.

  “People. Sometimes.” He looked up at her, eyebrows furrowed. “Good evening, Anna.”

  “Good evening, Timothy.” She kept her gaze soft so as to not make him more uncomfortable than he already was. “Talk to me about what happened today.”

  He nodded and pulled her up from the floor by the hand. Hand in hand, they walked into the living room. He slumped in the armchair across from the sofa. Bethany followed them. She turned the television off.

  Good girl.

  “They wanted to talk to David and me today. They said that some things had been stored unsafely in the main stationery cupboard; you know that we don’t even go in there because we have our own supplies.” He folded his hands in his lap. “It was…” He cleared his throat. “Liam.”

  “My Liam?” Anna asked. “Health and safety Liam?”

  He nodded. “He sat David and me in one of the little rooms and asked lots of questions, but I wasn’t sure what kind of answers he wanted. So I asked him what he meant, and he shouted. Said I was trying to be difficult. David said I wasn’t. I like David. He’s kind to me.”

  Anna’s heart sank. “What happened then?”

  “He used the R word again. I didn’t know what to do. David took me outside. We hadn’t done anything wrong. We didn’t have to stay in the room.”

  “You’re right. David is nice,” Anna said, half to herself.

  “David went to get our boss, Mr Trenchard, who runs the charity we donate some of our profit to. Mr Trenchard went and spoke to Liam, and Liam left. Mr Trenchard said he would talk to me tomorrow and that I didn’t need to worry. He said Liam wouldn’t talk to me again while I was at work.”

  “That’s so not on,” Bethany said, her hand against the side of her head as she leaned her elbow against the sofa. “Mum.”

  “I’ll talk to him.” Anna patted her thighs, looking around for her phone. “I’ll phone him now and tell him he’s not to speak to you like that again. If he wants to stay in my good books—”

  “No, Mum,” Bethany interrupted. “You need to get rid. He’s obviously an arsehole.”

  Closing her mouth, Anna looked for a long time at her daughter, her stomach clenching. Then she looked at Timothy. He’s so perfect. Tears sprang to her eyes.

  Timothy’s gaze was trained on his knees, his lashes lowered. “It’s probably my fault,” he said, letting out a huge sigh. “I just don’t understand. When people shout, it confuses me. I don’t deserve to be shouted at, do I?”

  In a second, Anna was kneeling by his feet. She put her hands on his arms and squeezed. “No,” she told him, tears streaming down her face. She rubbed at them. “You are a wonderful human being, and no one should ever shout at you.”

  His eyes were round when he looked up at her.

  She smiled at him through her tears. “I’m so sorry, love.” She turned to her daughter, groaning as she stood from the floor. “I think we all need a cup of tea, don’t you?”

  Nodding, Bethany caught her mother’s eye. There was an affectionate note in her expression that made her want to cry all over again. Bethany stood too, and went to put the kettle on.

  Anna took her phone out from her handbag and walked with it into the downstairs study. She closed the door behind her, Arthur making it in just before the door shut on him. He meowed around her legs as she sat in her comfortable office chair and found Liam’s number.

  “Hello?” He sounded as he usually did, which made Anna’s strength grow. Suddenly he sounded disgustingly cocky. How dare he just say hello, like nothing has happened.

  “Liam.”

  “Anna. Nice to hear from you.”

  Of course you know it’s me, I’ve rung your mobile. She grasped the arm of the chair before speaking, gathering strength. “Listen. What happened today—”

  “With Tim?”

  Anna gritted her teeth. “Timothy. Yes.”

  “I hope you haven’t given him too hard a time.” His voice held something that sounded like humour. “I’m sure he won’t be fired, but—”

  “Actually, I was under the impression that he did nothing wrong and that…” Didn’t this Mr Trenchard talk to him? Was he that oblivious? She closed her eyes and rested her head back against the chair. “That you called him a simply inexcusable word.”

  “Did I?” Liam laughed.

  Her jaw tensed further. “Yes. Timothy told me you called him a…a retard.”

  “I may have.” She could practically hear him shrugging.

  “That’s not okay.”

  “Oh, come on, Anna.” His voice was breathy and his words drawn out, wh
ining almost. “It’s just a word.”

  Anna sat up straight, her elbow planting onto the desk. “No, it’s not. You, as an employee of the school and as an adult cannot use such language.” Bile rose in her throat. Why is he being so calm about it all? “You’ve done something seriously wrong.”

  “Is that what he said?”

  “No, it’s what I’m saying. And as a consequence, I’m afraid we can no longer see one another.”

  “Look, I know you’re annoyed at me. But you should have been there. The way he acted, anyone would have done the same—”

  “No.” Anna used the simplest term she knew to get her message across. “No more, Liam. You’ve said these things before about him, and I’m not having it.”

  “Anna—”

  “No. Timothy is sweet and wonderful and talented and gentle, and finding his way. No one I spend time with will ever use that word. It’s non-negotiable.”

  “But…” He seemed to have run out of words.

  Good. “We’re over. Or whatever the term is these days. Broken up. Dumped.”

  “Dumped?” Liam laughed, but the shock remained in his voice.

  “That’s right. Don’t call me again. I’m deleting your number from my phone.”

  Ten minutes later, she returned to the living room to find Bethany sitting next to Timothy on the sofa, both of them grinning as she swiped back and forth on her phone. They looked up when she came to sit by them. Bethany raised a single eyebrow.

  A relieved and tired sigh escaped Anna’s lips. “I’ve, as you would say, got rid.”

  Bethany beamed and shifted closer to hug her.

  She directed her gaze onto Timothy. “I am your mother, Timothy, whatever the law may say, and you’re both my children, and we don’t need anyone ruining our wonderful family.”

  The next morning, Anna went straight to the head teacher’s office and explained the situation. The Head looked gravely at her as she spoke and assured her it would be sorted by the end of the day. Suffice to say, later, Anna saw Liam heading out with a box full of his things and flames in his eyes. Her chest tightened as she thought about him going home by himself and stewing in a mess of his own creation.

  She set her jaw. My family is the most important thing to me. And what if he treats another kid with learning difficulties like that? What if the next kid is someone who doesn’t have anyone to stand up for them?

  She sat for a moment in her car, watching the rain patter on her windscreen. Then she turned the ignition and drove home. She had done the right thing, of that she was sure. From now on, family came first.

  Thursday continued to be a wet one, and Anna rushed from her car under her umbrella. She banged hard on the side door of Darn That Yarn.

  Ollie’s smiling face immediately fell as she looked Anna up and down. “Come in, come here. Let me take your coat.”

  Anna shrugged off the soaked garment and shook herself in Ollie’s hallway, her skin prickling with goosebumps as the rainwater dripped down her back. “My God, it’s cats and dogs out there.”

  “Something to be said about working in the same building in which you live.” Ollie shook out Anna’s coat and then hung it over a small radiator. “I’ve not been out at all today.”

  “Lucky you.” Anna wrapped her arms around herself.

  “Heating’s on full blast.” Ollie looked at her watch. “Come on through.”

  Anna followed her into the classroom and found a radiator to stand and shiver against.

  Ollie pouted at her, then turned to get cups ready and to fill the kettle. “How has your week been?”

  Anna looked at the floor. “It’s been…hectic. Pretty difficult, actually.”

  Before she could formulate a more detailed response, however, there was a knock at the door and Ollie went to answer it. Soggy people arrived one by one.

  Anna moved away from the radiator, going to sit with Matthew again.

  He set the little case containing his hooks on the table in front of him. “I’ve finally completed all my works in progress and have come to class today refreshed and eager to learn something new.”

  The stress of the last few days fell from her shoulders as she took in his bright blue eyes. “I’ve relinquished ownership of my scarf to my daughter.” She pushed her bottom lip out in jest

  “Begrudgingly?”

  “Somewhat.”

  “Make another,” he suggested with a shrug. When Harry entered, Matthew sat up a bit straighter and smiled. Harry smiled back.

  “That’s progress,” Anna said quietly.

  Matthew turned his smile towards her. “I know. We chatted a bit last week.”

  “I watched you. And what did you talk about?”

  “Nothing deep. Crochet, mostly. Did you know it takes him like an hour to make each square he brings in for the church hall? Insane, hmm?”

  Anna chuckled. “Maybe he’s the slow-and-steady type. ‘Harry’ sounds like a slow-and-steady sort of name, doesn’t it?”

  “Do you think so? Well, it works for Prince Harry.” Matthew seemed rather smug about the fact.

  “Ah. So you’re dating royalty?”

  “We’re not dating.” Matthew looked aghast. “We literally just said hi. And he showed me his horse on his phone.”

  Anna’s eyes nearly fell out of her head.

  Matthew frowned and then laughed. “Oh no. He has an actual horse. It’s a rescue. Sounds like he spent ages reading up on horse care. And I think he really likes it. Her. She’s a girl horse.”

  “A mare,” Anna agreed. “What colour is she?”

  “Chestnut. And she has a…” He pointed up and down his nose. “White stripy thing.”

  “She sounds lovely. Maybe he’ll ride her here one day. Whisk you away on horseback at end of class.”

  He snorted, but the redness of his cheeks suggested perhaps that was not an unappealing image.

  Everyone had gathered, and Ollie leant against the counter in her usual arms-folded pose.

  “I’ve got a pattern for a bunch of roses. Anyone interested?”

  Anna didn’t put her hand up.

  As Ollie handed out the patterns, Anna placed her hands on the table in an emphatic gesture.

  “You know,” she said to Matthew, “I think I shall make another.” She strode into the main shop with a few of the group to look at yarn.

  Ollie came up behind her and touched her arm.

  “Hey,” she said. “Have you dried off a bit?”

  “Yes, thank you.” Anna smiled at the way Ollie hid behind her fringe again. Someone could do with a haircut. “I need a new scarf. My daughter stole mine.”

  “Well, that’s no good. Maybe this time around you’d like to try something a little more…complicated?”

  “Not too complicated, please,” Anna replied, a finger raised.

  With a chuckle, Ollie went back to the classroom and returned a moment later with a pattern. “What d’you think?” Bobbing on the balls of her feet, she held it up for Anna to see.

  When Anna gripped it by its side, she came close enough that she could smell lavender, perhaps Ollie’s shampoo or perfume. It was nice, but she tried not to breathe too deeply, lest Ollie notice what she was doing. She also tried not to let her eyes wander to the long dark eyelashes resting low as Ollie looked down at the pattern.

  “Baby alpaca?”

  Ollie nodded. “It’s quite a fine yarn, but really soft. Small hook too. You’ve not used a three before, have you?”

  Anna shook her head.

  “I think you’ll be fine.”

  “Looks like a lot of counting,” Anna said.

  People milled around them, taking balls of yarn from the little cubby holes and carrying them back to the classroom. Matthew slid past them, paused, and then moved on.

  “Ar
e you telling me an accomplished secondary-school teacher such as yourself can’t count to…” Ollie checked the pattern. “Fifty-two?”

  “That’s more than my age,” Anna pouted. “Only one more, but still.”

  As her mouth opened, Ollie’s eyebrows rose. “Me too,” she said.

  Anna beamed. “Oh, well, there you go.”

  They smiled at one another for a while. Too long really, Anna thought.

  She became ultra-aware that she was practically leaning into Ollie’s personal space. Ollie let go of the pattern, so Anna stepped back.

  “The alpaca yarn is over here,” Ollie said, holding her hand out towards the left side of the shop. “Colour?”

  “Grey, I think.”

  “Not burgundy?”

  “No,” Anna replied. “I’m aware I rather like burgundy. But I wear a lot of it and…grey would go with more of my clothes.”

  “Good thinking.”

  Anna chose a light grey and sunk her fingertips into it, relishing how soft it was.

  The smell of Old Spice wafted around her as the old man she’d seen at the group every week moved beside her.

  “Hello.” Anna held out her hand.

  The old man gripped her fingers gently and shook them. “Anna, isn’t it?”

  “That’s right. How are you today?”

  “Joints are terrible.” But he smiled all the same. “Thought those flowers were a good idea.”

  “Oh yes.” She watched him look through the wool in the little cubbyholes. “I expect they’ll look lovely on your kitchen windowsill.”

  A twinkle shone in his eye. “Oh, they’re not for me, dear.”

  He chuckled to himself and chose some wool. She didn’t think it appropriate to ask any further; she suddenly got the image of this doddery old man springing into some nursing home to present a wrinkly old lady with pearls in her ears and a blue rinse with a bunch of perfectly crocheted flowers. The thought made a giggle bubble upwards, but she pressed it down so she didn’t embarrass herself.

  She felt a lot better as she sat next to Matthew, who had chosen some pink and purple DK for his roses. Anna placed the pattern onto the table in front of her and bent over it, her fingertips against her chin. After taking her three-millimetre hook from her little collection, she made a slipknot and put it onto her hook. God, it feels miniscule. She looked around the classroom.