‘He must have seen something,’ Katie insisted, swallowing a couple of painkillers with a mouthful of coffee and putting on her sunglasses.
‘We’re inside and it’s not even sunny outside,’ Jess pointed out of the café window at the grey sky. Despite her misery she couldn’t help smirking at her friend’s sorry state. She was glad she’d had the foresight to drink so much water last night.
‘It’s bright,’ Katie complained, ‘and my head hurts. Did Louis kiss you in the doorway? Cal must have seen you together.’
‘All Cal could have seen was Louis leaving after I threw him out.’
‘Oh, well done you! I was going to give out to you for seeing him alone.’
‘Believe me, that wasn’t the plan. I told him to meet me here but he came to the flat instead and attacked me.’
‘Again?’ Katie paused, her mug halfway to her mouth.
Jess shook her head. ‘He dragged me upstairs and pushed me into the flat and I fell. I was sure that he was going to rape me.’
‘Fuck’s sake! How has he been getting away with this? What did you do?’
‘I stood up to him, Katie, just like Maria said,’ Jess told her, feeling really proud of herself. ‘I told him if he came near me again, I’d report him and I’d be the first in a long line of women doing the same.’
Katie pushed her glasses up onto her forehead and looked at her in surprised admiration. ‘Good for you. What did he say?’
Jess shrugged. ‘What I expected. No one would heed me, blah, blah, blah. But, I scared him, Katie. It was obvious. He won’t be bothering me again.’
Katie frowned, taking off the glasses and resting her chin in her hands. ‘How do you know that he won’t try to shut you up?’
Jess had to laugh. ‘He’s the editor of a small newspaper, not the head of the Mafia.’
Katie shook her head. ‘I don’t know, Jess. He could stalk you or lie in wait and rape or beat you up.’
Jess looked at her, bewildered. ‘Last night you were the one encouraging me to stand up to him.’
‘Yeah, I know.’ Katie sighed. ‘But in the cold light of day, without wine, it doesn’t seem that easy.’
‘It really is,’ Jess said, feeling more confident since hearing what Eve and the very sharp and impressive Maria had to say. These women had worked in the company for years. Eve was a respected journalist, having previously worked for a tabloid that had gone out of business. Maria, a political commentator, gave up her job to raise her young family and, now that her children were at school, had accepted the less demanding position with the small local paper. The two women were respected by all their colleagues and, with them behind her, Jess felt sure that Louis would leave her alone; he’d be stupid not to. And, whatever else he was, Louis wasn’t stupid. She looked over at her friend, who, hangover forgotten, was looking concerned. Jess squeezed her hand. ‘I can’t begin to tell you how great it felt standing up to him.’
‘Good for you.’ Katie took refuge again behind her glasses. ‘Now, what about Cal?’
‘What about him? If he could be put off that easily, he’s obviously not that interested in me.’ Jess had looked forward to telling Cal of her confrontation with Louis, but he’d got the wrong end of the stick and, without even talking to her, decided she was guilty. Of exactly what, she wasn’t sure. It took the good out of her victory and made her wistful about what might have been.
‘Not interested?’ Katie snorted. Are you kidding me? He couldn’t take his eyes off you last night.’
‘Maybe, but this morning he seemed to have a change of heart.’
‘It’s a misunderstanding. Phone him or send him a text, explaining.’
Jess thought of the look of disgust on Cal’s handsome face and shook her head. ‘I tried to explain and he walked away. I’m not going to crawl, Katie. I’ve just rid myself of one man who treated me like dirt. I’m not going on to another.’
Katie groaned. ‘Oh, come on, Cal is nothing like Louis. He’s a lovely guy.’
‘He is.’ Jess relented. ‘But he made his mind up without giving me a chance to explain. I deserve better than that.’ Katie grinned, making Jess frown. ‘What?’
‘It’s just nice to hear you valuing yourself.’
‘Was I that pathetic?’ Jess sighed, fed up of this weak image she seemed to have. Why hadn’t she inherited some of Mum’s spirit?
Katie took off the glasses and gave her a stern look. ‘Listen to me. You are not and never have been pathetic and, if Cal doesn’t realise what a great person you are, then it’s his loss.’
‘Thanks, Katie.’ Jess smiled.
‘You’re welcome. Now, as I feel worse than death, I think food is in order.’
‘Curry?’ Jess smiled.
‘Perfect.’
‘Then, let’s go.’ Jess put her arm through Katie’s and led her out onto the street.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Suzie walked into the kitchen and gasped in horror at the sight of lines and shapes in black marker all over the floor. Her head started to throb and she didn’t know whether she wanted to scream or cry. She’d had a lousy night, then trekked off to the supermarket this morning and staggered back with her bags, in the rain. And now, this.
Steeling herself not to go into the lounge and ask Bobby what the hell he thought he was doing, Suzie fetched the scrubbing brush and a basin of soapy water and set about cleaning her tiles. Once it was done, she would have a cup of tea, calm down, then make the child his snack and explain, calmly, that he wasn’t allowed to draw on anything other than paper.
A low whimper made her close her eyes. Fuck it. With all the fuss, she’d forgotten to let the dog out, something she always did just before Bobby arrived. Mindful of the child’s temper, she still kept Percy penned in while he was there. The poor animal didn’t seem to mind. This was the first time he’d made a sound. She abandoned her cleaning, and went in to the dog, smiling when he wagged his tail in delight and rubbed against her legs.
‘Ah, you’re gorgeous, Percy. Come on, boy, let’s go outside.’ The rain clouds had dispersed and the sun was out. Suzie sat on the step and held her face up to the warmth. The light breeze was refreshing and she took a minute to ground herself and enjoy this rare moment of peace. ‘What am I going to do with this little fella?’ she asked Percy. He looked up at her with sympathetic eyes and licked her hand, making her smile. ‘You don’t have the answers either, huh?’ A bloodcurdling scream came from the house and, jumping to her feet, Suzie charged inside, the dog hot on her heels. Bobby was on his knees on the kitchen floor, wailing.
‘What is it, darling? Did you hurt yourself?’
‘You broke my house!’
Suzie shook her head in confusion. ‘What house?’ He hadn’t brought any new toys with him, and there certainly wasn’t a house here.
He flung a hand out at his marks on the floor. ‘My house.’
Ah, so that was it, although how the lines and shapes on the floor were meant to be a house she had no clue. ‘I’ve told you before, Bobby, we only write and draw on paper. Now go back inside while I clean this up.’
‘No, my house!’ he yelled.
Percy came to stand in front of her. ‘It’s okay, Percy.’ But she was relieved to hear the front door. ‘In here, Noel,’ she called, although she knew he’d follow the noise.
His head came round the door and he took in the state of the floor and his nephew crying. He took one look at her face and crouched down beside Bobby. ‘Let’s go and play a game upstairs, mate.’
‘She broke my house,’ Bobby told him.
‘I’m sure she didn’t mean to.’
‘She did!’
‘Well, you can build another one later—’
‘At home with his daddy,’ Suzie cut in. Honestly. There was only so much she could take.
As Suzie went to sit down with a mug of tea, her mobile rang. ‘Ah, for feck’s sake, can’t I have any peace?’ she muttered irritably, scanning the room for the
phone. She spotted it on top of the fridge and cheered up when she saw her caller was Doug. ‘Hello? Connors madhouse?’
Doug gave a rich chuckle. ‘Having a good day?’
‘No, having a shite day. Oh, sorry but it has been really—’
‘Shite? Does that mean you don’t fancy dinner this evening?’
‘I’d love it, Doug, but I’m too tired to doll myself up and go out.’
‘Then why don’t I pick up some food and come over?’
Suzie thought about that. Noel was going out and it would be nice to have some company, especially his. She and Doug were such an unlikely pair, yet their shared memories and experiences had created an unexpectedly tight bond. She found it laughable that her family believed he would date someone like her, and yet Doug had changed, just as she had. While she still saw the dapper, immaculate charmer with a twinkle in his eye, she could understand Mandy seeing a sad old man. But a rich one, damn it, and she wouldn’t let her sister anywhere near him.
‘Have you nodded off?’
‘Sorry, I’m distracted. Sounds like a great idea, Doug. Is about seven okay?’
‘Perfect,’ he agreed, sounding really pleased.
‘Grand, see you then.’
By the time Keith arrived to collect Bobby, the kitchen was sparkling clean again, but Noel still told him what had happened as soon as his brother-in-law walked through the door.
‘What?’ Noel said when his mother glared at him. ‘Didn’t we agree we’d be open from now on?’
She looked at Keith. ‘Honestly, love, I didn’t give out to the lad and he’s fine again now.’
Keith sank into a kitchen chair, looking despondent. ‘I wonder why he did it.’
‘I called Cal,’ Noel said, ‘and he has a theory. Bobby had been restless and Mam told him to draw a picture.’
‘That’s right. And he was grumpy and said he didn’t know what to draw—’
‘And you told him to make a house, right?’ Noel finished for her.
‘Yeah, a house.’
Noel smiled. ‘And he did.’
Suzie looked from one to the other and pointed at the blank sheets of paper. ‘No, he didn’t.’
‘Cal told me that autistic children tend to take things literally.’
Keith’s eyes widened as understanding dawned. ‘He didn’t draw one, he made one.’
‘Yes and it was brilliant,’ Noel told him. ‘It was like the floor plan an architect would come up with.’
Suzie thought back to the lines and shapes covering her floor and gasped as she looked from one man to the other. ‘Holy shit, you’re right. It was fucking amazing.’ Keith shot a nervous look at the door and she clapped a hand over her mouth and grinned. ‘Oops, sorry.’
‘He’s a smart little guy.’ Keith’s eyes were full of pride. ‘Where is he?’
‘He got bored playing games and came down to watch Thomas.’
Suzie looked at her son in surprise. ‘I haven’t seen him, and the television hasn’t been on since he got here.’ She felt sick. Where the hell was Bobby? Had he gone outside? Had he run away because she was cross with him?
‘I’m sure he’s sitting in a corner with a book,’ Keith said calmly and started going from room to room, calling for his son.
Noel shot her a guilty look. ‘I’ll check upstairs.’
Seconds later they both returned, without Bobby. ‘Maybe he made his own way home,’ Suzie said, trying not to think of the three main roads between their two houses.
Keith prowled between the kitchen and lounge and returned with a small, dog-eared cushion in his hand. ‘He wouldn’t have left this behind. He never goes anywhere without it.’
Suzie thought about how Bobby often sat out on the front step. Could someone have taken him?
‘The back garden,’ Noel said, going into the utility room to open the back door.
‘The dog’s gone,’ Suzie said, surprised as she followed them outside and collided with Noel as he pulled up short. ‘What? What is it?’
‘Shush,’ he whispered, and stepped aside to let her see.
Bobby was hunkered in against the shed, wrapped around Percy and fast asleep. It was hard to know where the boy ended and the dog began. Percy looked up at her with an expression that seemed to say, ‘I’ve got this.’ Keith moved towards them but Suzie put her hand out to stop him. ‘Leave him. That tantrum must have taken a lot out of him. He’s quite safe,’ she assured Keith when he hesitated. ‘Let’s go inside and have a coffee. You can watch him from the window.’
‘I’ve never known him to nod off like that before.’ Keith said, looking out at his sleeping son.
‘Me neither.’ Suzie sat down, tired. ‘Make the coffee, Noel, will you? I’m done in.’
As her son got to work, Suzie looked through the window but neither dog nor boy had moved. She looked up at her son-in-law’s nervous expression. ‘Really, Keith, Percy is an assistance dog. He’ll look after Bobby. It’s strange, though. I’ve kept the dog in his bed while Bobby was here, just until they got used to each other. And yet today, when he was upset, Bobby went to him.’
‘Or Percy went to Bobby,’ Noel said, setting down three steaming mugs. ‘Aren’t dogs supposed to be intuitive? He always goes to sit beside you when you’re fed up, Mum.’
‘That’s true.’
‘I just can’t understand it. Bobby’s never been around dogs. You’d think he’d be terrified, especially given Percy’s size.’
‘Perhaps Percy understands Bobby more than we do,’ Suzie murmured. ‘Bobby looks more comfortable with him than he is with me.’
‘That’s because you’re a pain in the arse, who’s always screaming and shouting,’ Noel teased.
She took a swipe at him. ‘Have more respect for your mother. Keith, sit down, for feck’s sake.’
Reluctantly, her son-in-law took the seat nearest the window and Suzie told him all about the dog’s history and how, in the short time he’d been with her, he’d already become protective and seemed to know what she needed, often before she did.
‘He’s awake!’ Keith hopped up again and Suzie and Noel joined him. They stared in wonder as the little boy put his arms around the dog and buried his face in his coat, giggling. Then Percy stood up and turned towards the door, looking back at Bobby and waiting patiently for the little boy to stand up and follow him.
‘Bloody hell,’ Keith muttered at the happy grin on his son’s face. ‘We’re buying a dog.’
‘You’ve had quite a day,’ Doug said, pouring the wine as Suzie opened the cartons of aromatic Thai food.
‘You could say that. Aw, chicken in green curry, my favourite. You remembered.’
‘Extra spicy, although I wasn’t sure if that was just something you were into when you were pregnant.’ He grinned.
She laughed. ‘I did have some cravings, right enough, but I love this dish any time.’
He wandered round the room as she set out the plates and cutlery looking at the family photos. ‘This is Jess?’ He held up the photo.
Suzie looked over and smiled. ‘Yes. That was taken at Sharon’s wedding.’
‘She’s stunning. So is your other daughter,’ he added hurriedly. ‘There’s just something special about Jess – it’s hard to pinpoint.’
‘Whatever it is, she must get it from her dad,’ Suzie said with a wry smile. ‘She looks nothing like Sharon or Noel.’
Doug leaned closer to study it. ‘But she has your nose and the same dimple in her chin.’
Suzie smiled. ‘Yeah, that’s all Clarke.’
He moved on to another photo of Suzie with her husband. ‘John?’ he asked.
She nodded.
‘You looked happy.’
‘We were. Well, most of the time.’
Doug crossed to the mantelpiece crammed with family photos. ‘There aren’t any photos of Jess with her dad.’
‘Aren’t there?’ Suzie pretended surprise.
Doug glanced at her, his eyebrows raised. ‘
You know there aren’t.’
‘Come and eat before the food goes cold.’
He joined her on the sofa. ‘Hasn’t she ever asked questions? She must have noticed that she looks nothing like John or her brother and sister.’
‘If she has suspicions she’s never mentioned them to me,’ Suzie said, curtly.
‘But don’t you think it would help to tell her? Then she would understand John’s feelings towards her.’
‘We’ve been through this, Doug,’ Suzie said, rapidly losing patience with him.
‘Maybe she’d like to track down her real dad,’ Doug continued, not at all deterred by her clipped reply.
‘And how in hell could she do that? Put an ad in the Spanish newspapers saying, “If you fucked a drunken, blonde punk in Dublin, June 1988, you could be my dad”?’
Doug smiled. ‘I’m sure it could be worded a little better than that. What was his name?’
‘No idea,’ Suzie admitted. ‘He was gorgeous and, yeah, apart from the colour of her eyes, Jess is the spitting image of him. But trying to find him would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Anyway, I’m sure he’s married with his own kids. The last thing he’d want is a skeleton like this coming out of the cupboard.’
‘If that was the case he wouldn’t come forward, would he? I’d be chuffed if I found out I was a dad, especially of someone as wonderful as Jess,’ he said, sounding wistful.
Suzie sighed. It was hard to stay mad at the man. ‘You haven’t met her since she was three.’
‘So? She was a great kid then and I’ve no doubt she’s turned into a wonderful young woman. Smart, too.’
‘Not always.’ Susie scowled as thoughts of Louis Healy came to mind. ‘She hasn’t dated a decent guy yet, and as for her latest . . .’ Suzie shook her head in disgust.
Doug stopped eating and took a sip of his drink. ‘An unfaithful lying bastard like me, eh?’
Suzie looked at him, curious now. There had been so much speculation about her boss and what he got up to. She’d always wondered how much was truth and how much was fiction. ‘Why did you do it, Doug?’
‘What?’
‘Why did you cheat on Pamela?’ She wondered, had Pamela suspected him of being unfaithful and, if so, had it bothered her? Back in her early days at CML, Suzie had thought that Pamela was a frigid woman, interested only in material things. But, after Jess was born, she discovered that Pam was as vulnerable as the rest of them.
Second Time Around Page 26
