by Matt Shaw
“We have time to move it yet. Besides - he seems happy to share rooms.”
Josh may have been happy but Emily wasn’t happy - not that she showed it as she knew she couldn’t. She needed to be seen as to coming to terms with it.
“Okay.”
Jason pointed to the chair, “I thought you’d want somewhere to sit whilst breastfeeding late at night,” he said thoughtfully.
“Oh - I’m breastfeeding am I?” she queried. “Surely I can make some up and you can sit there during the night whilst I catch up on sleep!” she laughed. “I’m not doing all the night feeds!”
Jason laughed, “I didn’t mean it like that. What I meant was - at least we have somewhere to sit whilst we look after our baby on equal shifts...Better?”
Emily nodded, still trying to ignore the car zooming around to her side.
“You seem confident I’ll be okay to live here,” she said after another look around the room - specifically at the fresh paint.
Jason shrugged, “I told you - my story isn’t going anywhere and it gave me something to do. Just happy to get busy, you know?”
Emily pointed to the corner of the room, “Missed a bit, though.”
“You weren’t supposed to see that,” Jason mentioned. “Besides, it’s only the first coat. The second coat will find its way there I’m sure...”
Emily hugged Jason, “You’ve done well,” she said. “And your reward?”
“Oh yeah?”
She tip-toed so she could whisper into his ear, “You get to accompany me on a nice romantic walk,” she teased.
“It’s starting to rain out there,” he pointed out as he checked out of the window. It was no surprise it was starting to rain - it had been threatening to all day.
“I like walking in the rain,” she lied. She didn’t even want to go for a walk. She just wanted to get out of the house and away from where ever Josh was lurking.
Jason, taking her lead, leant down to whisper in her ear, “Wouldn’t you rather stay in and get a really early night?” he purred as much as a man could.
“Erm - no!” she laughed. “Let me get changed and then we’ll make a move,” she finished. She stepped out of the room with a spring in her step.
Jason sighed and lowered himself into the rocking chair, “Not how I envisioned my day ending,” he said out loud.
* * * * *
“Did you make arrangements to go out with Travis?” Emily asked as they retraced their footsteps from the previous days walk.
“I saw him today, it’s cool!” said Jason as he took in the scenery from underneath the umbrella he clutched.
“No - that won’t do! You should take him out for a few drinks,” Emily pushed. “A reward to you both for doing such a good job today.”
“Well - I did most of the work and I was thinking of another kind of reward.”
“And what about Travis?”
“I can ask him but I’m not sure how I’d feel about that,” Jason joked.
“I meant - if you have the other kind of reward - what does he get?”
“He’s a mate. My thanks should be enough.”
“I mean it - call him up later and arrange to go out with him. Have a few drinks. Let your hair down. You haven’t seen him for ages. You used to practically live with each other,” Emily said - desperate to get an evening alone in the house on the off chance the father returned her telephone call.
“My priorities changed.”
“Quite right too but that doesn’t mean you ignore your friends. That’s unhealthy...Besides - I’m going out with the girls next month. They asked today and I agreed,” she lied. They hadn’t spoken about going out. She just hoped Jason would take a leaf out of her book and venture out too.
“You really want me to go out? What are you up to?” He asked - a distinct amount of suspicion in his tone.
“Nothing - Jesus! I just thought you might like it!” she said in an annoyed tone of voice which was put on for dramatic purposes in the hope it would encourage Jason to take the night out that was offered.
“Well he did mention the fact we hadn’t been out for a while,” Jason mused. “Were you thinking any time in particular? And what will you do?”
“Relax in the tub with a good book and bottle of wine, watch television, early night - does it matter? I just want you to go out and have some fun. You haven’t been out of the house for ages.”
“I’m out now.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Okay well - if you’re sure - I’ll call him tomorrow.”
“You should. Just try and give me a couple of days notice,” she said. She could picture him arranging it with such short notice that she wouldn’t have time to arrange a visit from the father - not on purpose...Just because that was the sort of luck she seemed to have - like the time she was arranging a surprise birthday party for Jason. He had popped out, with his agent to discuss a project, and wasn’t due home for hours. As it turned out, his ‘hours’ was more like one hour and he arrived before most of the guests. He even saw the lady delivering the birthday cake arrive. Emily knew, for the sake of her sanity and their marriage, this potential meeting with the father could not be discovered under any circumstances.
“You could always come with us,” Jason suggested.
“Thanks but I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine,” she said. She could think of nothing worse than an evening out watching Travis and Jason drinking. Especially if she couldn’t get drunk too. She had seen the pair drunk on so many occasions now she vowed never to subject herself to it again. Jason always got stupid and Travis always tried to stick his tongue down her throat and a hand down her pants only to get aggressive if he didn’t get his end away - and then of course there was the following morning when all he’d do was apologise to both Jason, who hadn’t noticed his antics the previous night, and Emily for his drunken antics.
“I’m sorry - I shouldn’t drink whisky,” Emily could hear Travis’ voice in her head as she cast her mind back to the many unfortunate evenings she had been with them on a drunken night out. It was always the same.
“Which way now?” asked Jason as they stood at a fork in the road.
Emily knew he meant whether they should go left or right but, in her mind, she was thinking about the fork being a metaphor. She could turn this way and come clean about what she was planning or she could let him have his night out, with Travis, and hopefully clear the house of any unwanted company.
Her mind was set. She just needed the phone call to come through.
23.
The following morning passed without an argument. Emily kissed Jason, who barely opened his eyes to acknowledge her, goodbye whilst he laid in bed half asleep and went to work.
The whole journey there she wondered whether there’d be a phone call from Ian. She wondered what he’d say and whether he’d believe her. Her mind played through the various potential conversations and what would happen with Jason, and their living arrangements, if he didn’t believe her. She needed him to believe. There was no happy outcome if he didn’t. At least, none that she could see.
Once in the comfort, and privacy, of her office - she instructed Annie that she wasn’t to be disturbed and closed the door. She sat at her desk, in her leather office chair, and stared at her mobile phone - which she placed on the table next to the keyboard and everlasting mountain of paperwork she had been neglecting the past few days.
“Come on, come on...Where are you?” she pressed a random button on the phone which caused the screen to light up. With the screen lit she was able to see the signal strength. Full. In a way - a relief. But then, it meant he hadn’t called. She sighed and pushed the phone to the side of the desk and turned to her computer screen. She flicked it on and sighed once more. A quick shake of her head, to wake herself up and snap her out of her mood, and she rested her fingers on the keyboard as though she were about to start typing. She stopped and reached for the phone. A quick button press later and she was in the previous outgoing c
alls section. A couple more button presses and Ian’s office number was highlighted. All she had to do now, to call, was press the green picture of the telephone. She flapped her hand, out of frustration, and made a funny noise from her throat as she slapped the phone back down on the table. “Don’t be impatient,” she told herself. “It’s early, he might have only just got into the office. Could be listening to his messages now...Could be about to call...” she turned back to the computer, “...Just get on with your work. Simple. Ignore it. It’s like waiting for the postman...All the time you’re looking out for him - he doesn’t come. As soon as you turn your back - hey presto, there he is...Same principle...”
She felt her eyes drift back to the phone.
“Stop it!” she told herself sternly. “Just being stupid. Give him a chance.”
She turned back to her computer and loaded up a spreadsheet which was needed for some accountancy figures she had to work on. She managed to input four numbers before she pushed the keyboard to once side and picked up her mobile phone again, “Fuck it,” she said as she navigated her way back to previously called numbers. Once again she highlighted the necessary number and her finger hovered over the green button. She nearly dropped the phone when it suddenly started ringing in her hand before she even had a chance to press the button - or, more accurately, back out of pressing it at least. Instantly she recognised the number as the one she was about to call. “Oh shit!” she said. “Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!”
She raised the phone to her ear and pressed ‘call accept’ on the screen.
“Hello?” her voice was shaking.
“Is that Emily?”
“Speaking. Who may I ask is this?” she said despite knowing exactly who it was.
“My name is Ian Tomsett. You called me yesterday?”
“Oh, hi,” she tried to make her voice sound more friendly - and casual. “I did. Thank you for returning my call.”
On the other end of the phone, Ian sounded quiet - as though he was merely going through the motions of living his life and, in actual fact, had long since given up on it, “What can I do for you?” he asked.
“Thank you for returning my call,” she said again as though stalling whilst desperately trying to find the right words to say to him. “Erm - I’m not really sure that doing this over the phone is a good idea. I was wondering whether you’d be willing to meet me?”
There was a long pause as he looked for the right words to use in order to decline her offer.
“Please,” she continued before he had a chance to say no, “it’s important.”
“I’m just not sure...”
“It’s about your son...Josh...” she blurted out before he finished what he had to say.
There was silence.
“Are you still there?” she asked.
“Look - I don’t know what kind of sick joke this is but my son’s dead.”
“Please...Just meet me,” she begged. A desperation in her tone she’d never heard in herself before now and one she wasn’t particularly proud of. “Please.”
“Where are you?” he asked after another long pause.
“I’m at my work. You can come here, I can come to you or we can meet somewhere...”
“Where do you work?” he asked.
“A small office in Hythe,” she said. “Near the New Forest...”
“I know where Hythe is,” he pointed out abruptly. “What office?”
“Robinson and Co. It’s on the high street.”
Ian snorted, “I know it. I’ve used you before.”
“You’ll meet me?” Emily asked carefully. It was clear from his tone that, although he’d given up on everything, he wasn’t about to be mucked around either.
“I can be there in about half an hour. If this is some kind of sick joke, though...”
“It’s not,” Emily cut him off. “I promise.”
The phone clicked as the caller ended the conversation. Emily sat there, for a moment, with the phone still pressed to her ear taking in what had just happened. As soon as she had finished processing it, which didn’t take more than a couple of seconds, she lowered the phone to her desk.
This is it, she thought, he’s on his way.
“Oh shit!” she said as it suddenly dawned on her just how unbelievable the story was that she had to explain to the dead boy’s father - a man who already sounded as though he had had enough of her.
* * * * *
Emily spent her time waiting for Ian by pacing up and down the office muttering nervously to herself. She wondered whether she should get Annie in the room when the time came to tell Ian about his son’s ghost. Back up on the off chance he kicked off and became aggressive.
A knock on the door told her it was too late. The time had already slipped away from her.
“Come in,” she said - her voice shaking.
The door opened and Annie’s head peered around it, “There’s a Mr Tomsett here to see you?”
For a split second Emily considered telling Annie to lie for her and say she wasn’t in the office. An excuse saying she had to pop out for a bit. A split second only. She knew she had to see him to hopefully put an end to everything and have the chance to move on with her life with no one getting hurt. Sure the father might hurt briefly when he gets the chance to talk to his dead son but - ultimately - Emily was sure he’d be happy to know the boy lives on and that he’s happy in the afterlife. Wouldn’t he?
She nodded, “Thank you. Please show him through.”
Annie nodded and disappeared. Emily took a couple of deep breaths to calm her nerves.
I can do this, she thought. Have to.
Another knock on the door and Annie entered with Ian close behind her. He looked bedraggled. His hair looked as though it hadn’t been washed, his clothes creased and his facial hair was a mess of a beard. He looked as though he simply didn’t care anymore. Even his eyes were bloodshot. Emily couldn’t tell if he was just really tired or whether he had been crying. She remembered his wife was in the hospital, getting help. Chances are he was tired and had been crying. Life had hardly been good to him.
Emily held her hand out to shake his, “Pleased to meet you,” she said. The few deep breaths she took, before he entered the room, had help steady her nerves. She nearly sounded normal. Nearly.
Ian didn’t speak but did offer her the courtesy of shaking her hand.
Annie was just standing there.
“That’ll be all, thank you...” Emily dismissed Annie who immediately left the room, closing the door behind her.
Both Emily and Ian stood there for a moment. The two of them looking at each other, both lost for words.
“Please...” Emily pointed to the chair opposite her own at the desk, “...Take a seat,” she offered. She walked round to her own chair and sat down as Ian did the same with the chair he had been offered.
There was another awkward pause before Ian broke the deafening silence, “You mentioned my son,” he said. “You wanted to talk about him?” Emily nodded and went to speak but Ian didn’t give her the chance to get her words out. “You know he’s dead then. Good number of months ago now. Accident involving a lorry,” he continued. “I’m just wondering though, what you - in your fancy office - could possibly want to talk about my dead son for?” He paused for a moment, “You realise his mother, my wife...She’s in a hospital now under observation. Ever since we moved house she just sank further and further into a depression. I knew she was struggling. I was too but on a different level. Had to keep it together for her sake. And my sake. I thought moving house would help her to move on but it just made things worse. She said she couldn’t feel his presence anymore. Not like she could in the house we lived in, as a family...”
“I live in that house,” Emily butted in. Ian froze. His eyes fixed on her. “My husband and I bought the house. Our first proper home together...”
“Congratulations,” Ian said sarcastically, “I hope you have as many happy memories as I have.”
“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call my work again. This is a very sensitive time for what’s left of my family and we don’t have time for...”
Emily stood up too, “Things move...Things move in the house by themselves. Doors were banging, things were getting stacked up by themselves...My husband, his name is Jason...He set up a Ouija board in the kitchen and tried to communicate with whatever was moving the things around. The board spelt out the name Josh. Please - you have to believe me - I’m not making this up. I think he is stuck here, from what I’ve read online...He didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to either of you. He’s lost between this world and the next...I just thought, if he got to talk to you...If he got to say goodbye at least...He might be able to move on...”
