‘Cats do get stolen,’ Marion points out.
David goes out in the garden and walks up and down, thinking about what to do. Marion starts packing her clothes.
David comes back in. ‘No,’ he says. ‘Stop. I don’t want you to miss your Beauty Day.’
‘But we have to go. We can’t leave Jo to sort it on her own.’
‘I’ll go,’ he says. ‘You can have your day, stay the night in a B&B, then get the train back.’
‘But it’ll cost a fortune!’ Marion says.
‘I don’t care,’ David says. ‘I’m not having your birthday ruined.’
‘But how could I relax?’
‘You will,’ he says. ‘I want you to have your birthday treat. I want you to be pampered.’
David rings Jo. ‘I’m coming back,’ he says. He packs the car and sets off to drive north right through the night.
CHAPTER NINE
In the morning Marion takes a taxi to the Health Spa. She feels like a film star as the taxi carries her up the long tree-lined drive. The Spa is a beautiful, old, red-brick mansion. There’s a fountain, peacocks and a lake with carp.
A receptionist in uniform opens the taxi door and greets Marion. He shows her round and gives her a lunch menu and a fluffy white robe to wear. She books herself a massage for before lunch and a facial for afterwards. She swims in the huge blue pool. She lies on the massage table feeling the warm oily hands of the masseur on her body. She eats a crab salad for her lunch, but she doesn’t enjoy it. She feels sick. She’s worried about the burglary and what’s been taken. She’s worried that David might be angry with Jo. She’s worried about Jo.
After lunch she gets dressed. She goes to reception. ‘I’ve been called away,’ she says. ‘Could you get me a taxi to the station please?’
‘That’s a shame, Madam,’ the receptionist says.
She doesn’t ring David. He wants her to stay and he might try to talk her out of leaving. She stands outside in the sunshine waiting for the taxi. It is so peaceful. She can hear the fountain and a peacock squawking in the distance, but they are the only sounds.
The train gets in at midnight. She takes a taxi and it’s nearly 1 o’clock when she arrives home. She’s exhausted. The light is still on in the kitchen. Instead of going straight in, she stands on tiptoes in the flower bed to look through the kitchen window. She sees David sitting at the table with a glass of wine. And she sees Jo pouring herself a glass. Jo’s wearing the tiny white dress. Marion watches Jo’s mouth moving but she can’t hear what she says. She sees her laughing, and David laughing.
Marion’s hand shakes as she opens the door.
‘Hello,’ she says.
Jo goes white and the smile drops from her face.
David gets up. ‘Marion!’ he says. ‘What are you doing back?’
‘I was worried,’ Marion says. ‘I had to come home.’
She looks around at her new kitchen. The doorframe and windowframe are dusted with fingerprint powder. It looks dirty now.
‘A glass of wine?’ Jo asks.
‘No thanks.’
‘Maybe I should go,’ Jo says.
‘Maybe you should,’ Marion says. ‘Where’s Luke?’
‘At home in bed,’ Jo says. ‘I only just popped in.’
One o’clock in the morning is a funny time to be popping in, Marion thinks.
‘Oh, happy birthday,’ Jo says.
‘It was yesterday.’ Marion looks at the clock.
‘See you later,’ Jo says and she goes home.
David hugs Marion. ‘You must have cut your Beauty Day short.’
‘I left after lunch.’
‘But I paid for a whole day. And what about the B&B?’
‘How could I stay?’
‘Well anyway, I’m glad you’re back.’
‘Are you?’ Marion says.
‘Of course I am!’
David tells her about going to the police station and listing everything that has been taken.
‘What has been taken?’ Marion says.
‘It’s not too bad,’ David says. ‘The DVD recorder. My computer. Some CDs. Some of your jewellery but I’m not sure what.’
‘Oh my God.’
‘We’ll get it all on insurance. The police say we got off lightly. Jo disturbed them.’
‘Jo disturbed them?’
‘She heard a noise and came round.’
‘Did she see them?’
‘Just the back of someone running. A kid.’
Marion goes upstairs. The lock is broken on her jewellery box and the thief has taken a gold chain, a frog-shaped brooch and a ruby and pearl ring. The ring was her granny’s. She won’t get that back on insurance. She sits on the bed and cries. She’s tired. She feels sick. She hates the feeling that a thief has been in her bedroom. Her underwear is all over the floor and all the drawers hang open.
David comes upstairs. ‘Don’t cry,’ he says. ‘I was going to tidy up before you got back.’
‘They took my granny’s ring,’ she says.
‘Bastards,’ says David. He puts his arm round her.
She sniffs. ‘What was Jo doing here?’
‘She saw the light on,’ he says.
‘So?’
‘She couldn’t sleep. She’s scared the burglars might come back to hers.’
‘So? That’s not your problem is it?’
‘We should be grateful to her,’ David says.
‘I don’t like her being round so late when I’m not here.’
David shrugs. ‘Come on,’ he says. ‘You look shattered. Time for bed.’
CHAPTER TEN
In the morning Luke is round to wake them up. Marion gets out of bed to let him in. She’s still half asleep. He gives her a tight hug.
‘I’m glad you’re back,’ he says. ‘Mum was cross while you were away.’
‘I’m glad I’m back too,’ she says.
She puts the kettle on.
‘You looked after Tigger very well,’ she says. ‘Thank you.’
Marion gives Luke a stick of rock and a book about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. He sits at the table and sucks the rock while he looks at the pictures.
‘Mum was like a hero,’ he says. He’s all pink round his mouth from the rock.
‘Yes,’ Marion says. ‘I will say thank you to her.’
Later Marion rings the police and describes the jewellery that has been stolen.
‘Do you think I’ll get it back?’ she asks.
‘Doubt it, darling,’ the policewoman says.
Marion puts on her rubber gloves and scrubs away the fingerprint powder. She puts all her clothes in the washing machine. She rings up and orders a burglar alarm.
‘Just been burgled?’ asks the man.
‘Yes,’ she says.
He sighs. ‘Shutting the door after the horse has bolted,’ he says. ‘Everyone does that.’
Jo comes round for Luke.
‘We have to go shopping for shoes,’ she says. ‘School on Monday.’
‘I’m glad you disturbed the burglars,’ Marion says. ‘They would have taken more. Thank you.’
‘It’s nothing,’ Jo says.
‘Time for a coffee?’
‘Where’s David?’ Jo says.
‘Why?’
‘Doesn’t matter.’
‘He’s gone to the garden centre to buy a new fence,’ Marion says. ‘Do you want a coffee?’
‘OK.’ Jo sits down.
She’s more tanned than Marion, even though Marion’s the one who’s been on holiday.
‘Been on a sunbed?’ Marion says.
‘No,’ Jo says. ‘I just tan easily.’ She’s dyed her hair an even brighter red and is wearing too much lipstick.
Marion puts the coffee on the table. She shuts the door to the other room where Luke’s watching TV.
‘What were you doing here last night?’ she says.
‘Nothing.’
‘It was late,’ Marion sa
ys.
‘We didn’t expect you,’ Jo says.
‘We?’
There’s a long silence.
‘We?’ Marion says again. Her hands are shaking.
‘If you must know, David asked me round,’ Jo says.
Marion sits down.
‘Why?’ she says.
‘How should I know?’ Jo says.
‘He’s my husband,’ Marion says quietly.
‘I know,’ Jo says. ‘That’s what I told him.’
‘What?’
‘Nothing.’ Jo stood up. ‘Luke,’ she calls. ‘Time to go.’
Luke comes through.
‘Bye Marion,’ he says. He hugs her round her waist. He’s all sticky from the rock. ‘Can I come back later?’
‘We’ll see,’ Marion says.
David comes back from the garden centre and starts fixing up the new fence. Marion sits on a deck chair and watches him. The sun is hot and he takes his shirt off. He looks brown and fit. When he’s finished he drops his hammer on the grass and sits down.
‘What’s up?’ he says.
‘Nothing.’
‘You’re too quiet!’ He smiles at her.
Marion doesn’t smile back. She takes a deep breath. ‘Jo told me you asked her round last night,’ she says. She watches his face.
‘That’s rubbish,’ he says. ‘Why would I?’
‘Why would she lie?’
He shades his eyes against the sun. ‘I don’t know,’ he says.
‘What if I hadn’t come back?’ she says.
‘I don’t know. Nothing.’
‘She was wearing that short dress.’
‘I didn’t notice what she was wearing.’
‘Liar,’ Marion says.
David laughs. ‘OK,’ he says. ‘So I did notice the dress. But I didn’t ask her round. I was shattered. I just wanted to go to bed. Alone.’
He looks at her for a long time. ‘Do you believe me?’ he says.
‘If I do,’ Marion says at last, ‘it means Jo is lying.’
David nods.
‘But why?’
‘She’s a lass with problems,’ David says.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Lonely,’ he says, ‘insecure. But don’t you be insecure. There’s no need to be.’
‘Really?’
‘Really.’ David gets up from the grass. He bends over to kiss her. He smells of sweat.
‘You need a shower,’ she says.
David grins, ‘Join me?’ he says. He pulls her up from the deck chair and into the house.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Marion feels guilty for doubting David. On Sunday she decides to do his favourite meal – roast chicken with all the trimmings. While it’s cooking Luke plays with Tigger. He comes through into the kitchen and sniffs.
‘That smells yummy,’ he says. ‘Can I stay for tea?’
Marion thinks about it. She hasn’t spoken to Jo since yesterday morning and doesn’t want to. But it’s a big chicken. And it would be good for Luke to have a proper meal. Jo usually gets Luke’s tea from the chippie or microwaves a ready meal. It would be good to show David that she trusts him, and to show Jo that she isn’t threatened.
And then she has another good idea. David’s friend Ken is just divorced. Maybe he’ll fancy Jo. And, even better, maybe she’ll fancy him.
‘OK,’ she says to Luke. ‘Run along now and ask your mum to come too.’
She phones Ken and invites him.
‘That sounds great,’ he says. ‘I’ll be there.’
Marion makes a trifle and puts it in the fridge. She feels nervous. She goes upstairs and changes into a sun dress. She puts her make up on. But when she looks in the mirror her heart sinks. She can’t begin to compete with Jo. She’s five years older for a start and, with all the Cornish pasties and ice cream on holiday, has put on pounds. Her hair is flat and her arms are fat. She takes the dress off and puts on a skirt and a long sleeved shirt. She wipes off her lipstick. She wishes she hadn’t asked Jo or Ken. She wants it to be just her and David, like it always used to be.
Ken turns up early with two bottles of wine.
‘What’s this in aid of?’ he asks.
‘Just thought it would be nice to see you,’ Marion says.
‘You look well,’ he says.
Marion thinks she knows what he means by well. He means fat.
David opens the wine. Marion takes the chicken out of the oven. It’s huge and crispy and golden.
‘Wow,’ Ken says. ‘Home cooking. You can’t beat it.’
Jo comes through the back door. She’s wearing the white dress again. Her arms look slim and brown. She’s spiked up her hair and smells of perfume.
‘Who’s this?’ she says, surprised to see Ken there.
‘This is Ken,’ Marion says, ‘and Ken, this is Jo from next door.’
‘And I’m Luke,’ Luke says, ‘and I’m nearly nine.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Luke,’ Ken says, looking at Jo’s legs.
They all drink wine and talk about the football and the hot weather. Marion sits Ken next to Jo at the table. She sees Jo trying to catch David’s eye and she sees David ignoring her. Ken looks at her plenty though, from the hem of her short dress to her bright red hair. Jo drinks too much wine and flirts with Ken. Marion relaxes and smiles at David.
‘Delicious meal,’ he says.
‘Too right,’ Ken agrees.
‘I’ve got the wishbone,’ Jo says. ‘Who wants to pull it with me?’
‘I will!’ Luke and Ken say together.
‘Don’t you want to, David?’ Jo asks.
He shakes his head.
‘Come on Ken,’ Jo says. She holds it out to him.
‘That’s not fair,’ Luke says.
Ken and Jo pull the wishbone. Jo gets the big half.
‘What did you wish for?’ Ken asks.
‘That would be telling,’ Jo says. She gives David a sly smile.
Both the men ask for more chicken and roast potatoes.
‘Leave room for the trifle,’ Marion says.
‘I love trifle,’ Luke says. ‘It’s my second favourite pudding.’
‘I love trifle,’ Jo says. She licks her lips and smiles at Ken. ‘All that cream.’
Ken goes red in the face.
After the meal Marion shows Ken and Jo their holiday photos.
‘There’s David in front of our cottage,’ she says, ‘and there’s me in front of our cottage.’
‘Don’t you have any of you together?’ Jo says.
‘No, because one of us was always taking the picture,’ David explains.
‘Shame,’ says Jo.
Marion makes coffee. Ken sits next to Jo on the sofa and he tells her about his plumbing business.
‘There’s something funny about my toilet,’ she says, and giggles.
‘Want me to come and look?’ Ken says.
‘Yes,’ Jo says. ‘How about right now? We can have a night-cap.’ She looks at David, but he just gets up and starts clearing the cups away.
‘Thanks for the meal,’ Ken says.
‘No problem,’ Marion says. ‘I’m glad you came. Any time.’
Jo, Ken and Luke go off next door. Marion shuts the back door and leans against it.
‘Problem solved,’ she says.
But David frowns. ‘I don’t want to see Ken messed around,’ he says. ‘He’s not over Susan yet.’
‘Jo might not mess him around,’ Marion points out. ‘They might fall madly in love and live happily after.’
David snorts. ‘And elephants might land on Mars,’ he says.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jo and Ken do soon become an item, which means that Marion and David do a lot more babysitting.
One hot Saturday, David takes Luke to the park to play football. Marion goes shopping. On her way home, she decides to stop off at the park to see them. The park is packed and at first she can’t find them. The she hears David’s voice. They’re over by
the fence. Marion goes to the Mr Whippy van, buys three ice creams and goes over to surprise them.
‘Yey!’ Luke says when he sees the ice cream. ‘Hi Marion!’
‘I thought you might be hot,’ Marion says.
David kisses her cheek and takes his. ‘Ta for this,’ he says. ‘We weren’t expecting you.’
‘No we weren’t,’ Jo says.
Marion jumps. ‘And I didn’t expect to see you,’ she says. Her melting ice cream drips down her hand. Suddenly she can’t eat it.
‘I’ll have it if you don’t want it,’ Jo says.
Marion hands it over and watches Jo lick it with her sharp pink tongue.
‘I thought you were out with Ken,’ she says.
‘Later.’
‘But I thought that’s why we’re babysitting today.’
‘David likes to spend time with Luke. Don’t you David?’ Jo says.
But David is talking to Luke and doesn’t answer.
‘And I like to watch them together,’ Jo says. ‘No harm in that, is there?’
‘I’m getting good,’ Luke says. He has a blob of ice cream on his nose. ‘Football’s my second favourite sport.’
‘What’s the first?’ David asks.
‘Sky diving,’ Luke says. He crunches his cone.
David laughs and pats his head.
‘See. They get on like a house on fire,’ Jo says.
‘Come on,’ David says, ‘let’s get back to training.’
Marion stands beside Jo while David and Luke kick about a bit. David teaches Luke to do a header.
‘He’s a natural!’ David shouts to them.
‘It’s good for Luke to have a man about,’ Jo says.
Marion tries to be friendly. ‘Yes. And David’s good with kids,’ she says.
‘Shame,’ Jo says.
Later Jo does go out with Ken. Marion gives Luke his tea in front of the TV while she and David have an Indian takeaway in the kitchen. Marion is just plucking up courage to ask David how often Jo has joined him in the park with Luke, when the door opens and Jo walks in.
Marion waits for Ken to appear behind her, but he doesn’t. ‘Where’s Ken?’ she asks.
‘It’s over.’ Jo sits down and helps herself to a glass of wine.
‘Why?’ Marion says.
‘Don’t know.’ Jo shrugs. She picks a bit of popadom off David’s plate and dips it into the chutney. ‘He just didn’t do it for me,’ she says.
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