Page 135 of Don't Believe A Word

David rang a few minutes later.

‘I’m going to take this in the bedroom,’ she told Matthew.

‘Is it him?’

‘Mind your own business, and if you want to be a really good dad you might go in there and try talking some sense into your son.’

‘He’s doing everything right, isn’t he?’

‘Only you would think that,’ and leaving him to puzzle it out she swept off to the privacy of her room and lay down on the bed.

‘Are you OK?’ David asked when she answered. ‘You sound tired.’

‘Just a bit. There’s quite a lot happening here that’s … Well, let’s say I wasn’t prepared for it and I’m not sure how well I’m handling it.’

‘Do you want to talk about it?’

Realizing she did, she gave him a shortened version – not that there was a longer one yet – and as she waited for him to respond she found herself hoping he wasn’t laughing …Please, please, don’t you find this funny too.

If he did, he was clever enough not to let her know. ‘How’s Matthew dealing with it?’ he asked carefully.

Sighing, she said, ‘I think he’s angry, but he’s also treating it as a bit of a joke. Well, not a joke, but it’s like he doesn’t seem to realize what this could do toourlives, never mind Aiden’s.’

‘Well, maybe the time to start worrying is when you know for certain if Aiden’s the father. Meantime, is it possible you’re also trying to get over the shock of him actually having sex?’

She laughed. ‘I think I’ve known that for a while, but I assumed he was taking the proper precautions – actually that Matthew wasmaking sure of it. I should have known better and talked to him myself. As for the girl, whoever she is … Pearl Something-or-other …’ She stopped, realizing she really didn’t want to talk about it any more, that actually what she wanted was to forget about everything for a while and think only about David. ‘Why don’t you tell me what’s going on in your world?’ she suggested, feeling some of her tension unravelling simply by asking the question.

With an ironic sort of tenderness he said, ‘You mean apart from how much I’m missing you?’

Smiling she said, ‘Well, you could start with that.’

‘OK, here goes …’

‘No!’ she cried laughing. ‘I didn’t mean it … Well, I did, but if it’s as much as I’m missing you then I kind of already know.’

‘Good, I’m glad we’re both having a difficult time being apart again – a subject we’ll need to revisit, I feel. But for now, why don’t I update you on what else is happening here?’

‘I’m listening.’

‘Well, apparently Gabe, Lukas and Evie are planning to stay for at least another week, and Sadie’s going to have another go at trying to talk to Mia tomorrow. She’s sent her several messages saying she believes Lottie was behind everything in the hope it’ll make Mia more willing to see her, but so far she hasn’t heard back.’

‘Do we know if anyone’s actually been inside the house since Connor and I were there?’

‘I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. Sadie’s seen her though, looking much as you described with her hair like a nest and some sort of ghastly make-up. God knows what she’s up to, I suspect she doesn’t even know herself.’

Wondering how true that was, Cristy said, ‘We’re meeting with the lawyers in the morning to discuss what we can put into the next episode. Obviously we have the big reunion and the clifftop farewell, but we’re hoping to include at least some excerpts of Janina’s contact with the sisters without running into a lawsuit.’

Sighing, David said, ‘I guess it says quite a lot about Sadie that she still feels protective enough towards her aunt, even now, not to fight the injunction.’

‘She is remarkable, but some people are just made more forgiving than others. As Evie has put it several times, nothing any of them do will bring Janina back and seeking revenge on an old lady is no way for any of them to go forward.’

‘I suppose you have to agree with that. It’s about the future now, not the past.’

‘Which doesn’t help those of us making a podcast very much.’

‘You really do sound tired. It’s making me wish you were here – or I was there – so we could … end the day together?’

Sinking into how wonderful that sounded, she said, ‘I need to tell you how glad I am to be the sweets in your pocket and wind in your sails.’

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