Page 45 of A Class Act

‘Hmm. Liz Truss with a spectacular chest.’ Mum actually began to laugh at that. ‘So, you managed to persuade that headmistress to keep Sorrel?’ Mum’s beautiful almond-shaped brown eyes began to close and I could see she was drifting off once more.

‘All will be well, Mum. Really. You just rest and get yourself better. Jess and I will sort everything.’

‘Don’t make my mistake,’ she murmured. ‘Don’t ruin your life by falling in love with someone who doesn’t love you back,like I did. And Jess did. That dreadful Dean…’ Mum’s eyes closed under the sedation, but she smiled, her facing lighting up with pleasure. ‘This lovely new man of yours, though, Robyn, sounds perfect… I’m so pleased for you…’

I dropped a kiss on Mum’s cheek, standing as Samantha popped her head around the door. ‘Let her rest, Robyn,’ she advised as I followed her out of the room. ‘Anyway, I hear you’ve a wonderful new chap in your life?’ She nudged me somewhat suggestively in the ribs. ‘Jess was telling me all about him. Some posh barrister in London?’

‘Yes.’ I smiled, suddenly knowing Ihadto speak to Fabian. Had to tell him what was happening. ‘Just off to ring him now.’

‘You do right.’ She laughed. ‘Ooh, to be in your twenties, living in London and in love.’ She patted my arm. ‘Don’t you worry about Lisa. She’s in the best place here. You go and talk to your man. Get him to come up to Yorkshire to be with you.’

I limped my way back to the car, settling myself and breathing deeply to steady my nerves. Then, realising it wasn’t yet midday and Fabian would more than likely be in court, I took the coward’s way out and messaged him rather than ringing.

Fabian, I am so very very sorry that we appear to have fallen out again. Probably all my fault! As you say, me and my pride! I’m back in Yorkshire – afraid I had a bit of an accident and damaged my knee good and proper this time. My mum’s not well and I’m trying to sort out my little sister. I can’t tell you how much I love and miss you. Please, give me a ring as soon as you are able.

Robyn.

Knowing Fabian would more than likely be either with clients in his office or in court, I didn’t anticipate an immediate response from him. I sat back in the driving seat, closed my eyes and endeavoured to get my racing pulse back to normal before turning the key in the ignition ready to make my way back to Beddingfield.

My heart did a somersault as my phone sprang to life with a message.

I think everything that needed to be said has been said, Robyn. I also think it best for both our sakes that we formally terminate our relationship and have no further contact with each other.

Fabian

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‘“Formally terminate our relationship!”Is that barrister wanker-speak forbugger off, I’m throwing you out of my bed and my life?’ Jess was absolutely livid. ‘Give me your phone, Robyn, I’ll message him back. How dare he?’ She reached for my mobile, which I’d left on the kitchen table, unable to bear the thought of its pernicious presence carrying that ghastly text in my pocket or my bag. I didn’t want it anywhere near me.

‘Leave it, Jess,’ I snapped. ‘Don’t you dare.’

‘Well, let me at least delete that last message. Otherwise, you’ll read it again and again. Andagain, in the middle of the night and then?—’

‘OK, OK, deletethe lot.’ I started to cry. ‘Exceptthat last message. It’ll remind me if I’m tempted to message him again. Yes, go on, all his messages except this one. All his contact details…’ I put my head down on the table and sobbed.

‘Probably the best way,’ Jess agreed, picking up the offending object. ‘You know, a bit like ripping off an Elastoplast in one swift final act. Hurts like hell to begin with, but then it’s over and done with and no going back, no picking at it…’

‘OK. OK, spare me the analogy.’

‘Bastard,’ she hissed as she reread Fabian’s final text once more. ‘Blimey, there’s a hell of a lot of them here… oh, some really lovely things… oh… listen to this one… oh, Robyn…’

‘Don’tread them,’ I pleaded. ‘They’re personal. Justdo it, Jess. Get him out of my life, as I appear to be out of his.’

‘Done!’ Jess gave a final flick of her wrist and Fabian Mansfield Carrington was out of my life.

As though he’d not been in it for the past four months. And, apart from that last message to remind me there was no hope, he was gone. Utterly gone.

‘Right,’ she said, throwing the phone back down onto the table, well out of my reach, before making a great show of metaphorically washing her hands of the man I’d adored. ‘I’m going to head off to the Co-op before I have to pick up Lola from school. I’m so stressed, Robyn, I need to cook and to bake. I’ll make something wonderful for tea, we’ll open a bottle of wine and then when – if – Sorrel gets back, we’ll sit her down and tell her we mean business…’ She broke off as a loud knocking came at Mum’s front door and both our heads shot up in unison.

‘The police?’ Jess whispered, biting her lip. ‘Mum said Sorrel was in trouble with them.’

‘Fabian?’ I whispered in turn, my heart racing as I ran down the tiny narrow passageway to open the door, conveniently forgetting he’d neatly and expertlyterminatedour relationship only an hour earlier.

‘Oh.’ I stared at the man standing on Mum’s doorstep, for a split second trying to work out who he was, so out of context was his appearance there. ‘How did you know where we lived?’

‘Easy. I spoke to the head at Beddingfield High.’

‘I didn’t think our personal details were supposed to be bandied around like this. Data protection and all that?’ Utter disappointment that the man standing there wasn’t Fabian cometo rescue me made me caustic in my response. ‘Sorrel’s not home,’ I added.

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