Page 35 of The House Guest

‘It’s just after three,’ Eden said.

‘What? Oh Jesus, I’m missing it. Sally’s going to go crazy. She’ll fire me.’

She pushed the covers aside and tried to get out of bed. This time the pain made her gasp. It was in her thighs, her ribs, even around her collarbone. Eden jumped to her feet and gently helped her lie down again, pulling the sheets back over her. Sweat had broken out on Ruth’s forehead.

Eden dabbed at it with a tissue. ‘I told you, you need to rest.’

‘But my rehearsal—’

‘I think you misunderstood. It’s three on Sunday. Your rehearsal was yesterday.’

Ruth stared at her. Sunday? She’d lost an entire day and a half? This couldn’t be happening.

‘It’s okay, Ruth. It’s all been taken care of.’

She turned her face towards Eden. She was too weak, in too much pain, to fight. ‘I don’t understand.’

Eden lay a warm hand on her arm. ‘Try not to worry, Ruth. It will all become clear. From this point on, everything’s going to be all right.’

Chapter 16

‘What do you mean?’ Ruth struggled to sit up again, but couldn’t manage it.

Eden stroked her forehead. ‘You don’t remember?’

‘No.’ Ruth’s voice was hoarse; barely more than a whisper. ‘I can’t remember anything, just you and me and Adam drinking. We went out in the rain. I was wet. I remember talking. Listening to you. Everything else is ... blank.’

She had never been a big drinker, had never experienced the blackouts her friends boasted of after a big night. Ruth had always hated being out of control, found the very notion terrifying.

‘What happened?’

‘I think we should talk about it when you feel better. When you’re stronger.’

Eden’s eyes shone with kindness and Ruth felt a rush of gratitude that she was here, looking after her. She reached out from beneath the covers, found Eden’s hand and squeezed it.

‘I’m scared,’ Ruth said.

‘It’s okay. There’s no need to be.’ She squeezed Ruth’s hand back. ‘Are you hungry? Do you think you could eat some soup?’

The very mention of food made Ruth’s stomach clench. ‘No. I couldn’t.’

‘Okay. A little later. In the meantime, you rest. If you need anything, I’ll be right here.’

Ruth wanted to ask questions. If she’d missed the rehearsal, she needed to call Sally. Speak to her agent. Find out where Adam was and why he wasn’t here with her. She had to get out of here. But exhaustion overwhelmed her. She closed her eyes.

When she woke again, Eden wasn’t there, and Ruth badly needed to pee. She sat up, gingerly, tentatively, aware of her bones and skin. She felt weak and helpless, cowed by the fear of pain. She told herself to relax and took deep breaths, practising the technique she sometimes used before going onstage.

When she was as calm as she was going to get, she pushed the sheets aside, wondering where the white pyjamas she was wearing had come from and, again, where the hell she was. But the urgency in her bladder prevented her from thinking about it for too long. She stood up, wobbling for a moment, tiny pinpricks of light swimming before her eyes. The carpet was plush against her bare feet, and though it hurt, she forced herself to walk to the bathroom. She had vague dream-like memories of someone helping her into a bathroom – this one, presumably – during the night. Or nights. It was all too blurry for her to make sense of.

She used the toilet, then reached over to the bathtub and turned on the taps. While she waited for the tub to fill, she removed her pyjamas and inspected her flesh, shocked by what she saw: the dark purple bruises on her shins and the outsides of her thighs; another bruise on her forearm. Her face, thankfully, was unmarked, and there was no visible sign of damage to her ribs. Breathing hurt, though, and when she pressed a hand against her side she let out a gasp.

What happened to me?

She still couldn’t remember any of it.

She ran the bath as hot as she could bear, then climbed in, struggling to breathe at first as the water pressed against her ribs. After a minute or two she felt better but she couldn’t relax. Wherever this was, she needed to get out. She had to talk to Sally.

There was a rap on the bathroom door.

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