Scarlet couldn’t deal with anger or arguments, and no wonder. He could see that now, he just hadn’t been able to then.
Today was the second time in their history that he had hung up on her.
He didn’t want to discuss the other time but knew that soon they’d have to.
Luke didn’t take the easy way out now.
He picked up the phone and called her back.
CHAPTER TEN
THE PHONE RANG again and she didn’t wait for three rings but picked it up straight away.
Had he missed her for all of these two years?
Was that what he’d just said?
The brusque tone of his voice gave her no clue.
And if he was angry, why was he calling her back?
‘Sorry about that,’ Luke said.
‘Did you just hang up on me?’ Scarlet asked.
‘Yep,’ he admitted, rather than saying they had been cut off, which was what he would normally have done. Luke had never known anyone like Scarlet, or the feelings she evoked in him. He couldn’t remember hanging up the phone on anyone before. He was so obstinate at times that it was usually the other way around. ‘I’m back now.’
Scarlet smiled. ‘I’m glad.’
‘We’ll talk properly later,’ Luke said. ‘I know we have to but not over the phone...’
‘I get it,’ Scarlet said.
He got back to the subject of her mother. The reason for his call.
‘She’s not going to be waking up today. They’re keeping her under for a day or two more at least and when she does wake up she’ll be drowsy,’ Luke rather more patiently explained. ‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.’
‘Okay,’ Scarlet said, and then she said the nicest thing, Luke thought, when there must be so much on her mind. ‘How are you?’
Fine, he was about to say. ‘A bit tired,’ Luke admitted. ‘I’m going to finish up early today.’
‘That’s good.’
‘What are you doing now?’ Luke asked.
‘I’m still in bed,’ Scarlet said. She just omitted to mention whose bed she was in! ‘What about you?’
‘I’m just about to start a clinic so I have to go. Do you need anything from the shops?’
Indeedy she did!
* * *
Luke finished at three and by four-thirty he was in the supermarket to purchase his fugitive’s supplies.
Quinoa?
He’d never even walked down the health-food aisle.
Kale?
His mother used to put that in soup! No way.
And she could have button mushrooms, like the rest of the world, Luke decided.
He threw in some eggs but he did make a small concession and got the organic, free-range ones—he’d been meaning to switch to them for a while anyway.
Luke stopped by the meat section but then looked back at the list. Did Scarlet even eat meat?
Yes! Luke remembered the breakfast they had ordered and never eaten but memories like that were too risky to have right now so he moved through to the clothes section.
There wasn’t much choice.
He tried to guess her size and guessed she’d be the smallest so he bought some leggings, a couple of baggy tops and a pair of jeans.
And, thinking of the boots she had been wearing, which weren’t really made for walking, he bought some slip-on shoes.
Then he headed over to the underwear section.
Maybe not, Luke thought as he stared at a pack of five-for-the-price-of-three knickers.
He paid and left the supermarket but instead of going to his car he walked down the main street of the village and into a small boutique, which was a first for Luke.
‘It’s my partner’s birthday...’
Trefor’s wife smiled.
Trefor was the local policeman and Luke could never remember his wife’s name. It was one of those names he should know by now but it was a bit late in the day to ask.
‘Oh, well, we’ll have to get her something nice, then.’
‘Not too nice,’ Luke said.
‘How have you been, Luke?’
‘Very well,’ Luke answered, embarrassed that she knew his name.
‘What size is your partner?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Luke said. ‘She’s very slim.’
‘Well, do you know her bust size?’
‘Small,’ Luke answered, glad that he at least he knew that!
‘Do you know, Trefor was just saying the other day that I should put the store online. Apparently men don’t like coming in.’
‘No,’ Luke agreed.
‘These are nice,’ Trefor’s wife said, ‘though not too nice, and they’ve got a bit of stretch in them.’
It was very possibly amongst the most uncomfortable twenty minutes of Luke’s life but, having made his purchases and thanking her, Luke was just about to head for home when Trefor came through the door.
‘Hi, Luke.’
‘Hi, Trefor.’ Luke was about to head out but then he thought better of it. ‘Trefor, I’ve got a friend staying with me.’ He told him who it was. ‘I’m hoping—’
‘No problem,’ Trefor said. ‘I’ll keep an eye out. Thanks for letting me know.’
Finally he was home.
The house felt nicer with Scarlet there. It wasn’t just the warmth from the heater that changed things when Luke came in, it was Scarlet coming out of the lounge, wearing one of his shirts and also a smile.
‘I missed you,’ Scarlet said.
‘Well, I’m here now.’
‘How is she?’
‘Much the same,’ Luke said, and he looked at her worried expression. ‘Do you want me to take you in to see her?’
‘I don’t know,’ Scarlet admitted. She could see that Luke was exhausted but that wasn’t the real reason she was holding back.
Here she could think.
Beside her mother’s bedside she couldn’t.
‘No rush,’ Luke said, sensing her quandary. ‘She’s stable.’
‘I should be there, though.’
He didn’t know what to say because his truth was that he didn’t want her near that woman, but he held back from saying so.
‘I’m going to go and get changed,’ Luke said.
He went upstairs and put the underwear he had bought her in his wardrobe, pulled on some jeans and a jumper and then came back downstairs, carrying a mug, and not in the best of moods.
Scarlet had gone and the shopping still stood in the hallway.
‘Scarlet!’ he called, and she came out of the lounge.
‘What?’
‘I don’t have servants and I’ve been at work all day.’ He gestured to the bags and then held up a mug. ‘What’s a half-empty mug of coffee doing by my bed?’
‘Maybe you were in a rush and didn’t finish it?’
‘I don’t drink coffee.’
‘Oh.’
‘Were you in my bed this morning?’
It annoyed him that she smiled and nodded. ‘It’s more comfortable.’
It concerned him that he was fighting not to smile back.
That’s what Scarlet did to him, though.
‘Don’t do that again!’ he warned as she picked up the bag that held the lettuce and other heavy goods and carried it through to the kitchen.
‘What did you do today?’ Luke asked.
‘Not much. I read some of your textbooks,’ she admitted.
He was putting away the shopping and he held up a bottle of wine and she nodded.
‘Do you like your job?’ Scarlet asked.
‘I love it,’ Luke told her. ‘I can’t imagine my life without it.’ He looked over at her. ‘Would you like to be a midwife?’
‘I just said it that night for something to say.’
‘You said it again when you spoke to Angie.’
‘Angie?’
‘She’s a friend.’
‘The woman in the elevator!’ Scarlet laughed as she remembered the conversation. ‘I thought s
he was about to call Security on me for being an impostor.’
‘No, that’s Angie just trying to work things out.’ He turned and gave her a smile. ‘Lucy Edwards.’
Her cheeks went pink and then she told him something. ‘I’ve seen babies being born.’
‘When?’
‘In Africa,’ Scarlet said. ‘The first time I went they gave me a private tour of the maternity ward. I didn’t want to leave.’
‘Really?’
Scarlet nodded.
‘I went back again last year.’
‘I saw,’ Luke said, but without malice. ‘Did you visit the maternity ward again?’
‘I did, and I saw some babies being born. They’d told me they needed a drug called oxytocin for the women and we brought loads with us.’
‘That’s good.’
It was good and he turned and smiled.
‘Here...’ He tossed her a bag of clothes and he started to make dinner as Scarlet went through them.
‘I’m not wearing these...’
‘I thought the intention was for you to blend in.’
‘Supermarket jeans?’ Scarlet pulled a disgusted face and then she took out the shoes. ‘These are men’s shoes.’
‘They’re not.’
‘If I wear these, people will think I’m a lesbian.’
Luke rolled his eyes and carried on chopping as Scarlet brought the subject back to the one they’d been discussing.
‘Anyway, I don’t think I’d be a very good midwife.’
‘Why not?’
‘I just don’t.’
‘Well, there are plenty of other things...’ He glanced at her. He could see she was pensive and he could feel the shift in the light-hearted mood and knew she was thinking about their baby.
He loathed it that he carried on with preparing dinner but he did.
That was him.
‘I thought you hadn’t called me,’ Scarlet said, touching on the subject that had to be faced but not yet, Luke thought, not with so much other stuff going on.
‘It was only when I tried to ring you. After...’ Scarlet sat and looked at his tense back. ‘That I realised they’d blocked your number. Till then I thought you hadn’t tried to call.’
‘Well, I did,’ Luke said. ‘Over and over and then, when I couldn’t get through, I arranged for some time off.’
‘I didn’t know.’
Luke said nothing. He didn’t know what to say so he threw the mushrooms in the wok. Then he glanced up at the kitchen window. It was already dark and he could see her strained features in her reflection.
He was so loath to discuss it, though he knew he had to at least try, and he took the less easy option for the second time that day.
‘Why didn’t you call me?’ Luke asked, and turned around. ‘Why didn’t you at least try and call to discuss things with me?’
‘Because I was being selfish to land this on you, apparently. Because you had your life planned out and it sure as hell didn’t include me.’
‘Is that what she said?’
Scarlet didn’t immediately answer. ‘I was reminded that in two months’ time I was going to Africa again. It’s my favourite place and I was reminded that I could do a lot more good there...’
‘Your mother said that?’
‘Everyone said it.’
And by everyone she meant everyone, Luke thought. Every person Scarlet came into contact with was on her mother’s payroll. He thought of his own confusion at the time. Everything that had seemed so simple in the bedroom, when it had just been the two of them, had been muddied beyond recognition.
He’d spoken to Angie about the pregnancy and had listened to her objective thoughts, then there had been a long conversation with a friend from rugby he’d gone to school with who had been through similar. He had given somewhat less than objective advice and had suggested that Scarlet was after a meal ticket.
Luke had omitted to mention Scarlet’s name and her millions but those words had rattled.
It had been a one-night stand. He’d been aware at the start that they wouldn’t last and he’d wondered if he had merely been an escape route.
Luke had looked at his parents’ crap marriage, a couple who were together for the children and appearances’ sake.
He’d had so many people and life experiences to draw on.
Scarlet had had Anya and her empire.
‘Anyway,’ Scarlet suddenly said, ‘I couldn’t do that to my child.’
‘What?’
‘Give it my life.’
‘I wouldn’t have let that happen!’ Luke responded. ‘All you had to do was pick up a phone or get on a plane...’ He was trying to keep his voice from rising. Hell, there was a reason he hadn’t wanted to discuss this now. It was too raw, and he was exhausted, not just from work but from the impact of having Scarlet back in his life.
He watched her stand.
‘Don’t walk off!’ Luke warned.
‘Oh, you can talk!’
‘Meaning?’
‘It’s a shame we’re not on the phone. You could just hang up!’
‘Scarlet...’ He didn’t get to finish—the wok was spewing black smoke and he dragged it off the hob, but Scarlet wasn’t sticking around to eat, or discuss, charred ruins.
‘I don’t want dinner,’ Scarlet said. ‘I’m going to bed.’
Yet there was no relief when she walked out of the room and up the stairs. Words needed to be said.
Dinner was stuffed so he poured a glass of wine and sat there, just staring out at the darkness, until the phone rang.
He took a call from his mother, reminding him about tomorrow and that they’d be there around four but couldn’t stay for long.
Good.
He was in no mood for happy families and pretending that thirty-two years of marriage was anything to celebrate when he knew what a sham it was.
Not when he could hear Scarlet crying upstairs.
They were different tears. In fact, he couldn’t hear them, just the pad of her feet and the turn of a loo roll and Scarlet blowing her nose once she was back in the spare room.
Luke had learnt to stay back, he’d been told to stay back, to hold in the important stuff and let people live their own lives.
This time he chose not to listen to that ingrained advice and a little while later he made a very long walk and knocked at her door.
‘What?’ Scarlet lay in bed, surrounded by balls of scrunched-up loo roll.
‘I brought you some dinner.’
‘I don’t want it.’
‘Come on,’ he said, and then waited till she sat up and put the tray down on her lap. She stared at mushrooms on toast and a glass of wine.
‘Aren’t you cross?’
‘I’m not cross,’ Luke said. ‘Even if I was, I’m not going to...’ He was about to make a joke about withholding food but stopped himself. He could remember her saying that no one won with Anya and he guessed Scarlet flouncing off to her room would have been the only protest she could make.
And he was quite sure they’d leave her there hungry.
‘Do you want to talk?’ he offered.
‘So you can hate me some more?’
‘I don’t hate you,’ Luke said.
‘It’s okay if you do.’ Scarlet gave a tight shrug. ‘I hate you too sometimes.’
‘Because?’
‘Because you’ve got it all together, because the only mistake you ever made was me.’
‘I’ve made plenty of mistakes, Scarlet, and you weren’t one of them.’ He came and sat on the bed. ‘But, yes, I should have been more careful.’
‘Yes, you should have been and so should I,’ Scarlet shouted. ‘But you’re careful now, aren’t you?’
‘Meaning?’
‘How many women since me?’
And he could fudge numbers or say, Oh, they meant nothing, or just ride it out, but he answered with the truth. ‘Too many,’ he admitted, and then he made himself ask the same when usually h
e would tell himself it was none of his business and back off. ‘How about you?’
‘Are you serious?’
Very.
He’d seen the smiling photos, the tour of Africa, the red carpet with gleaming plastic men by her side, and he’d tried, God knew, he’d tried to get past the hype, but sometimes, yes, it had felt as if she’d simply carried on without a backward glance.
‘You really think I just pulled my knickers back up and carried on...’
‘Sometimes,’ he admitted, and held his breath, not sure they were strong enough for voicing the truth.
‘Well, you’re wrong,’ Scarlet said. ‘You’re the one who carried on.’ She rose up in the bed and the tray came with her, but she just tossed it to the floor, furious. ‘I called you, Luke, and when I told you what I’d done, what did you do, what did you say? Nothing!’
‘I didn’t want to say the wrong thing.’
‘And so you said precisely nothing!’ She rose up farther and she pushed on the chest that was so strong but so immovable. ‘Believe me, Luke, there was nothing you could have said that I wasn’t thinking about myself. I was twenty-three, a woman, I should have been able to know my own mind...’
There were times Luke regretted his inability to speak up, to voice the thoughts in his head or the feelings that ate at him, and one minute ago had been one of those times. Instead, he was glad now that he had held on because the floodgates opened and she beat at him, and raged at him, except it wasn’t about him, and Luke knew that.
He had known when he’d walked in the door that her loathing was aimed at herself.
‘I listened to them and I shouldn’t have.’ She raged and raged. ‘I’d rather you’d called me a bitch than stay quiet.’
‘Really?’ Luke took her arms and then he took her chin and still she would not meet his eyes. ‘If that’s the sort of reaction you were hoping for, Scarlet, then you really are with the wrong guy.’ Now she looked at him and she saw those lovely brown eyes she had trusted so much and still did, and she saw tears in them too. ‘I didn’t know what to think, let alone say,’ Luke admitted. ‘I was on the way to the airport when you called...’
She started to cry but it was on him this time.
And Luke said nothing, not because he didn’t know what to say now but because all she wanted was to cry and be comforted without agenda. And when she’d finished, when there were many more little balls of loo roll added to her pile, it was Scarlet who admitted that she didn’t want to talk.
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