Flings and Arrows

by Debbie Viggiano

  Steph nodded. She took a tentative sip of tea. Her toast remained untouched.

  ‘And you?’ he asked. ‘Did you have a good evening?’

  Steph opened her eyes wide and made a funny gasping noise. ‘It was...different,’ she concluded.

  Si nodded. ‘That’s how my evening was too.’

  A small pause. ‘Not sure if I’ll repeat it though.’

  ‘No. Me neither,’ Si agreed. ‘Oh. These are for you.’ He picked up the massive box of chocolates and put them on the duvet next to Steph.

  ‘My favourite,’ Steph observed. She hesitated a moment. ‘Why did you buy them?’

  ‘Does there have to be a reason?’

  ‘I’m surprised that’s all. You know. After me going to Barry’s,’ she trailed off.

  ‘I bought them because I love you.’

  There was a lengthy silence. Si was disappointed that Steph didn’t say the magic words back. Still, at least she wasn’t saying that she didn’t love him.

  ‘Are you going out again today?’ Steph asked.

  ‘Yes.’

  Steph’s shoulders sagged. ‘That’s nice. Anyone I know?’

  Si finished the last of his toast. ‘Yes. You know her very well as it happens.’

  Si watched Steph’s body stiffen. Her body language told him that she didn’t like the idea of him going out with somebody else. That was heartening. Now she was trying to look nonchalant.

  ‘Can I ask who she is?’

  ‘You can indeed. I’m going out with you.’

  ‘Me?’ Steph frowned.

  ‘Yes. I seem to remember you talking about Sunday lunch. Ring any bells?’

  Steph looked blank.

  ‘With June and Harry? Because he apparently likes us so much?’

  Steph’s expression cleared and her mouth dropped open. ‘Oh no.’

  ‘Oh yes.’

  But before Steph could respond any further, the doorbell rang.

  ‘I’ll bet that’s June bright and early,’ said Si. ‘Come to check we’re still available. Tell you what love, would you mind answering the door. I don’t have a dressing gown and you do. I don’t really want to greet her in my boxers.’

  ‘Oh I don’t know. Half of Blackfen have seen you in your boxers. Why should June mind,’ Steph sniped. ‘Sorry.’ She hung her head. ‘I didn’t mean to say that. It just–’

  ‘Popped out.’ Si finished the sentence for her.

  Steph bit her lip. ‘I’ll go and answer the door.’

  Si watched his wife wrap herself in her dressing gown and pad off across the landing. It was going to take a damn sight more than breakfast in bed and a box of chocolates before things were resolved between them.

  Chapter Sixty Two

  Tom lay in bed. Melody was tucked into his armpit. Her mouth was open and she was snoring like a pig. Tom mused how somebody so beautiful could make such an unattractive noise. He couldn’t sleep any more listening to her racket. He thought about getting up. Maybe in another five minutes. Despite Melody’s loud grunts, Tom could hear movement next door. His parents were up. And now the doorbell was ringing. There was a footstep on the landing. The doorbell rang again. Melody smacked her lips, farted and turned over. Good God. Tom flapped the duvet cover. That was incentive to get out of bed. And actually, out of the room too.

  Tom slipped out onto the landing. The bathroom was occupied. Bugger. That was the trouble with this house. Only one bathroom. Only one loo. He peered over the banister. Downstairs his mother was opening the front door to the bell ringer. Tom was just about to go back to his bedroom when his mother’s audible gasp had him stopping in his tracks.

  ‘What the hell do you want?’ she was shrilly asking somebody.

  ‘I’ve had enough,’ said a female.

  Tom froze. He recognised that voice. Amanda.

  ‘You’ve had enough?’ Steph snapped. ‘How do you think I feel?’

  ‘I’ve had enough of being dumped without any sort of explanation,’ Amanda was saying, ‘although frankly I don’t give a toss how you feel. You’re way too old for Si anyway.’

  ‘How dare you speak to me like that!’ His mother sounded apoplectic with rage.

  Tom stood welded to the landing. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to rescue his mother but he was also anxious Melody might wake up. What if Melody got wind of what was happening? The last thing he wanted was his girlfriend thumping Amanda. He wouldn’t put it past Mel either. She was one tough cookie. And if Mel thumped Amanda, then no doubt Muscles Mark would show up to thump Melody right back. Tom jumped out of his skin as a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

  ‘Morning son. Bathroom’s all yours. Although I’d leave it five minutes before going in there,’ Si gave Tom a meaningful look.

  ‘I want to see Si,’ Amanda screeched. ‘NOW!’

  ‘Do you indeed?’ Steph asked coldly.

  ‘What’s going on down there?’ Si looked at Tom.

  ‘Er, I think you’re about to find out.’ Tom said.

  ‘Si – is that you?’ Amanda called.

  Tom leant over the banisters and watched in horror as Amanda shoved his mother roughly to one side.

  ‘Now you look here–’ Steph objected as Amanda flew up the staircase.

  ‘Si? Oh Si!’ Amanda stood on the landing and burst into tears. ‘Please say you love me. Please. I can’t bear it. Mark’s chucked me out. I’ve lost everything. My husband. My home. My lovely sports car.’

  Steph was hot on Amanda’s heels. She squashed herself between Amanda and Si and waggled a finger in Amanda’s face. ‘You should have thought about what you were throwing away before you bonked my husband.’

  ‘But I fell in love,’ wailed Amanda. ‘Please say you still love me Si.’

  ‘What’s all the racket about?’ Melody appeared in Tom’s bedroom doorway. She was wearing one of his shirts undone to the naval. It left little to the imagination. Tom watched his mother spin round. She stared at Melody’s dishevelled hair and gaping cleavage. Several expressions flickered across his mother’s face. Puzzlement. Astonishment. Recognition.

  ‘I thought you looked familiar,’ Steph spat.

  Tom watched in alarm as his mother stared at Melody contemptuously.

  ‘Eh?’ Melody blinked at Steph through mascara smudged eyes.

  Tom noted his father was suddenly looking very shifty. Why?

  ‘I know your mother,’ Steph said triumphantly.

  ‘Poor you,’ Melody joked.

  ‘Oh yes. Your mother should join forces with Amanda here,’ Steph nodded. Tom was alarmed to see his mother looking very manic around the eyes. ‘The pair of them should start up a petition. Or, even better, a club. Name it the We Want Si Club.’

  ‘What are you on about?’ Melody asked rudely.

  ‘Your mother is a cow. She tried to take my husband off me. And she took my boy–’ Steph appeared to recover herself and shut up.

  ‘Don’t you label my mother a husband snatcher,’ Melody growled. ‘It seems to me Mrs Garvey that your husband is a bit of a naughty boy when all is said and done. Or have you forgotten about Miss Pretty Pants standing behind you?’ Melody nodded at Amanda.

  ‘Um Melody. Why don’t you go and get dressed. Or something,’ Tom suggested.

  ‘Who are you?’ Amanda asked Melody.

  ‘I’m Tom’s girlfriend.’

  ‘Whose Tom?’ asked Amanda.

  Si put up his hands. ‘Sorry to interrupt here. But,’ Si turned to Amanda, ‘I think the question here is who are you?’

  Steph jabbed a finger in Si’s chest. ‘You really are something else! My God,’ she ranted, ‘the evidence is right here, staring you in the face and still you have the audacity to pretend you don’t know this woman. Well let me remind you eh? This...is...Amanda,’ Steph enunciated, hands on hips. ‘Ring any bells? She’s the girl whose husband blacked your eye. This is the woman you’ve been unfaithful with.’

  Tom watched in horror as his mother then turned to
Amanda and gave her a resounding slap across the face.

  Amanda gasped. ‘You bitch!’ She slapped Steph back.

  Si immediately stood between the two women. ‘Both of you keep your hands to yourselves.’

  Amanda promptly slapped Si around the face. ‘Get out of my way.’ She shoved Si to one side and pounced on Tom. ‘I love you,’ she clung to him, ‘but I hate you too.’ And with that she slapped Tom.

  ‘Don’t you slap my boyfriend,’ snarled Melody and immediately slapped Amanda.

  ‘He’s my boyfriend.’ Amanda slapped Melody back.

  Melody stared at Tom. ‘Have you cheated on me?’ And with that she slapped Tom.

  ‘Enough!’ bawled Si.

  Tom felt like he was in the middle of madness. Everybody was squashed on the landing with pink handprint impressions on their cheeks. He pushed Amanda away from him and looked at the assembled throng.

  ‘If you could all just listen for one minute,’ he gulped, ‘I will explain.’

  Chapter Sixty Three

  Steph couldn’t believe the events unfolding around her. Her son was standing on the landing with two women ready to tear each other’s eyes out. Tom was burbling on about his brief fling with Amanda that regrettably had meant a lot less to him than it had to her. Si was looking slack jawed as realisation dawned that his own son had not only swiped his identity but had him beaten up for the trouble.

  Steph wanted to press the palms of her hands against her ears to block out Tom’s words. Her husband was innocent. As Si had insisted – repeatedly – all along. And she, Steph, had ignored Tom’s confession and instead berated her son for covering up for his father. What sort of mother was she? Although Tom wasn’t exactly whiter than white here. He had, after all, lied about his name and messed about with a married woman. But perhaps a more pressing question was: what sort of wife was she? Steph was appalled at the answer. Unsupportive. And vengeful. Dawn had offered herself on a plate to Si. And he’d spurned her. Which was a damn sight more than Barry Hastings had done.

  At the thought of Barry Hastings, Steph’s hand fluttered to her mouth. She had been on the verge of committing adultery with Barry out of revenge and spite. An eye for an eye and all that. What if Dawn hadn’t been there and Barry had taken Steph to his bed? Steph recoiled in horror at the thought. If that had happened then Steph would now be standing on this landing knowing that the only person who’d been unfaithful and couldn’t be trusted – was her. It was too much. Steph burst into tears.

  ‘I’m so sorry Mum,’ Tom said. ‘I did tell you what I’d done but you wouldn’t listen.’

  Steph cried even harder.

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me the truth son?’ Si was looking thunderstruck.

  Tom hung his head. ‘I should have done Dad. I’m sorry. You took my beating and I felt too ashamed to own up to you. So I told Mum but she didn’t believe me.’

  ‘Well it’s a pity you didn’t discuss it with me and your mother together. All of this could have been avoided.’

  ‘So you lied to your parents as well as me,’ said Amanda bitterly. ‘You creep.’

  ‘I think,’ said Si to Amanda, ‘you’d best leave. At the end of the day you’re a married woman. You should have stayed loyal to your husband. A marriage isn’t about sports cars and wealth. It’s about loyalty and love.’

  ‘Oh I don’t know,’ Melody’s eyes lit up. ‘If your husband’s given you the sack, there’s a vacancy to fill. What’s his name?’

  Amanda’s eyes narrowed. ‘I thought you were with lover boy here.’

  ‘We have an arrangement,’ Melody sniffed. ‘Tom knows I’m after a wealthy hubby. Preferably one with not too much mileage left on his ticker.’

  Steph wiped her eyes and gave Melody a look of distaste. On the other hand, if that was the girl’s aim in life, at least Steph wasn’t sharing the landing with her future daughter-in-law. A ripple of alarm ran through Steph at the very thought. Good heavens. What if Tom and Melody married? She and Si would have to get along with Dawn and Barry. Go to each other’s houses at Christmas time. Be polite and make small talk. Either that or they’d be lobbing mince pies at dawn.

  ‘Actually,’ Steph said to Melody, ‘I think you’re a very sensible girl. That’s a first class idea. Old husband. Wealthy. Go for it.’

  ‘Well she’s not having my husband,’ Amanda snapped. ‘I’ll get him back. One way or another. And as for you,’ she poked Tom hard in the chest, ‘you can go to hell.’

  Steph watched as Amanda clattered down the stairs. The front door banged so hard the floorboards shook.

  For a moment nobody spoke. Steph was the first to break the silence.

  ‘Well now. I think I’m going to put the kettle on. And take an aspirin.’

  Tom pushed Melody towards his bedroom. ‘Come on. Let’s get dressed. You can take me to lunch.’

  Steph moved around the kitchen like a zombie. Her mind was still reeling. She’d had a narrow escape. She felt a familiar heat flood her body. Was it a hot flush or a wave of shame? Si came into the kitchen and sat down heavily at the table. He looked a bit shaken. Steph set a mug of tea before him.

  ‘Thanks love.’

  Steph pulled out a chair and sat down opposite.

  ‘Si?’

  ‘Yes?’

  Steph gazed at her husband. His eyes met hers. They were still black and blue, but they were kind eyes. Eyes that spoke the truth.

  ‘I’m so sorry for doubting you,’ she whispered.

  Si nodded. ‘That’s okay.’

  ‘But it’s not okay with me,’ Steph’s voice wobbled. ‘I didn’t believe you. In the last week I’ve berated you. Blacked your eye. Stood back while you’ve been set up by your own son. Seen you get another black eye. Berated you again. And finally,’ she almost gagged over the words, ‘I went out with another man.’

  Si nodded. ‘Yes. I wanted to kill Barry Hastings.’

  ‘But instead you behaved honourably.’

  An expression flickered over Si’s face. Steph couldn’t read it.

  ‘Well, I don’t know if honourable is quite the correct word. Let’s just say that I fought for my marriage.’

  Steph reached tentatively across the table. Her fingers trembled. She offered her hand to Si. He looked at her outstretched palm. But didn’t take it. Steph felt unhappiness and apprehension knot in her stomach. Had she lost him? Was her apology too little, too late?

  ‘I love you,’ she whispered.

  Si looked up at her. ‘Do you?’

  Steph could feel her eyes brimming. ‘Yes. With all my heart and soul. Please say you love me too.’

  And then Si stretched across the table and clasped both his wife’s hands. ‘But I’ve always loved you Steph.’ His fingers curled around hers. ‘And I always will.’

  Chapter Sixty Four

  Si gave Steph’s hand a squeeze.

  ‘Come on love. No more tears. I think we’ve had enough drama for one morning. Let’s get ready for our lunch with June and Flash Harry. If he’s treating us, we might as well make the most of it and enjoy ourselves.’

  Steph blew her nose and nodded. ‘By the way. As well as losing my mobile phone, I can’t find my laptop. Have you seen it?’

  ‘I’m sure it can’t be far away.’

  ‘I seem to be very absent-minded at the moment.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it love,’ Si stood up. He walked round to Steph and pulled her into his arms. She hugged him back fiercely. Si was so relieved he felt almost giddy. Even though things had gone tits up for Steph with Barry Hastings, he didn’t want his wife pining for the bastard. He kissed the top of her head. ‘I’ll go and run a bath. Shall I leave my water in?’

  ‘Please.’

  As Si relaxed back in the foaming water, he closed his eyes and listened to the bubbles popping. This last week had been utter hell. A couple of months ago he’d been aware of his marriage entering a phase of staleness. Both he and Steph were guilty of neglecting each other. The eve
nts of the last week had sent their relationship into free fall. Between Dawn, Amanda and Barry Hastings, this marriage had landed heavily upon the rocks. The pair of them had been left battered.

  Si rubbed some shower gel onto a sponge and lathered himself. One thing he’d learnt out of all this was to never take Steph for granted again. He was going to tell her he loved her every single day. He would take her out once a week. He would surprise her randomly with flowers. He would stop watching footie and chat to his wife instead. Si paused mid-rub. Well, perhaps he’d chat to her at half time. His wife was important, but so were the boys in blue. Si rinsed the suds off him. And finally, he would kick start their love life again. Starting tonight. Si hauled himself out of the bath. In fact, he seemed to remember Steph being the owner of some very racy underwear. Purple satin with black lace if his memory served him right. Si grinned. He had a feeling that his wife would be more than happy to oblige him by wearing it.

  Si wrapped a towel around his torso and stepped out onto the landing. Suddenly Tom’s bedroom door opened. Melody and Tom squeezed past.

  ‘See you later Dad. We’re going out to lunch. I might sleep over at Mel’s so don’t expect me home tonight.’

  ‘Okay. Bye.’ Si automatically sucked his stomach in as Melody walked past. She gave Si the once over as he stood there in his low slung towel. Cheeky madam. Still, the girl had made her intentions plain in front of an audience. She wasn’t planning on sticking around Tom for long. She wanted a rich hubby. Si hoped she found one soon and left Tom alone. He also hoped that Tom achieved the grades he wanted for Uni. Much as he loved the boy, Tom’s chaotic love life had impacted too much on him and Steph. It would be good to know he was safely tucked up in the residence halls of a university at night and that Steph and he would have the house totally to themselves. Peace and quiet would reign.

  ‘Bathroom’s all yours love,’ Si called down the stairs. He walked into the bedroom and slung the wet towel across the bed. And then he remembered that Steph hated him doing that. From now on he was going to be a reformed husband in every sense of the word. He picked the towel up and dropped it on the floor instead. He put on some boxers and then selected a pair of jeans from the wardrobe. He heard a footstep behind him and turned. Steph was standing in the doorway. She was holding her handbag. Her face wore an expression of puzzlement.