Page 53 of Cuts Like An Angel: Part 3

She only scowled at him under dark lidded eyes. One gnarly hand rested on her lap, the other clutched the remote like it was a weapon.

He put the hot water bottle inside her bed. Warming it up for her for when she came to sleep, and then he went to the television and reached behind it for the control panel and turned the volume to more acceptable levels.

“Your bed will be warm by the time you get in it. Don’t wait up for us. I’m not sure what time we’ll be back. I’ve left a pot of tea on the side for you and I have my phone if you need anything.”

“But will you answer it?”

“I’ll answer it if you ring with an actual reason.”

“And how will you know if you don’t pick up?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. To anyone, she looked frail, all puffed up and weighted through years of abusing her body. She looked older than she was—aged beyond her years. She almost didn’t resemble the woman he had called mum so many years ago. “I always pick up on the first ring, but it’s never anything serious.”

“Do I have to die for it to be serious?”

“No. Of course not. But it has to be important.”

“Well, it’s important to me. You don’t know what it’s like being stuck in this house all the time. Being stuck here while you take your whore out. Why does she get to go out and I don’t?”

“Do you want me to take you out?”

“Now?”

“No. Not now. We already have plans. But another evening, when Rosie is at work. I can …”

“Oh, I know it’s her. You can’t even take your mother out. We have to sneak around while she’s at work.”

William blew out a breath and glanced towards the television. She’d been watching some gameshow and it did enough to give him something to stare at as she rattled off more insults, more of her unfounded complaints towards Rosie.

“I’ll see you later,” he said.

She pinched her lips together, creating grooves all around the edges of her mouth. He shot her one last look before leaving the room. And when he left, he didn’t turn the volume back up and neither did she. It wasn’t the first time it occurred to him that perhaps she only had the volume that loud when they were home. Or more importantly, Rosie.

“Ready to go?” William asked Rosie as he left his mother’s room and offered his arm for Rosie to slip hers into.

“Ready,” she said, and she slipped her arm into his and let him lead her out of the house.

There were two parts to the town where they lived. One part was in the same direction as where Rosie worked and not too far from the hospital. It was nice enough. Near the river and the zoo, there was a large park at the other side of the small boating lake. Near to that was a golf course, and even at this time of year, it attracted a good few members—those willing to brave the cold to get their games in.

The other part of town—in the complete opposite direction, was different in so many ways. It was a little farther out too, but the place had received some investment over the years, and it showed. It was like a small city encapsulated within a town. Overhead beams decorated the walkways and pretend skyline covers protected them from the outside world.

As William pulled the car into the main carpark of the restaurant where they were meeting Mark, he could already hear the strum of music and his heartbeat seemed to fall in line with it automatically.

Rosie had her face almost pressed to the glass of the passenger seat door as she watched outside. People stood huddled around garden burners, holding glasses of wine and beer. Couples lazed on the lounging sofas lined up. “I never knew this place existed.”

William turned off the engine and peered out with her. “There’s a lot you’ve to see yet. I used to work over there when I was a teenager.” He pointed to an eatery across from them. “It was a nightclub back then.”

“You worked in a nightclub?”

“I worked in a few. It got me out of the house when my mother … well, when she was working.” He was going to say when she had clients visiting, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say it, which was crazy really. They all knew what she did. He’d told Rosie. Hell, Maria had all but bragged about it enough. “We’re meeting Mark in there. The Hole in the Wall.”

“The hole? I don’t see any hole. I …”

William chuckled and leant closer to her. A little closer than needed, but he liked the feel of her beside him. “That’s the name of the place. The Hole in the Wall.”

She narrowed her gaze, and disappointingly to William, leant closer to her window for a better view. “Oh,” she said, laughing. “I thought …”

“It’s okay. Come on. I’m starving.”

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