There was a missed call from her mum’s mobile ten minutes ago, the first time in six years she’d actually rung it as opposed to texting, and a voicemail sent late last night. She already knew who it’d be from before she hit play.
‘Joy? I’m sorry,’ the message began. ‘I thought I should tell you. When I popped round to Mum and Dad’s place last night I checked my messages like I usually do, only my phone had connected to that new Bluetooth speaker thing Dad’s got in the kitchen… and they heard the whole thing. You saying you were at the borrowing bookshop in Devon. And I tried but I couldn’t get it to switch off, and then Mum grilled me about where in Devon you might be, and I told her I had no clue, but she was already googling the place and… I’m so sorry. She said since you were in the country she was going to try to see you both, and I just… I’m sorry. You know how she gets, she’s worried about you and Rads, and, look, I don’t want this to spoil things between us, not when we were getting better at talking…’ Her voice shook. ‘And you never know, she might have had time to chill about it all. Only she did say she was going to ring you, so…’
Joy heard the resignation in her sister’s voice. Sure enough her mum had been that missed call.
‘Everything OK?’ asked Monty from the bedroom doorway. Joy jumped and hung up on her sister’s apologising.
‘No, not really. You shouldn’t have spoken with her. You can’t just involve yourself in my family stuff.’
‘I, uh, I’m sorry, I had no idea who was calling. I thought it was a customer or a supplier or something, and you were in the shower, and Rads was asleep.’
‘Radia.’
‘Huh?’
‘Her name isn’t Rads, it’s Radia.’
‘OK, sorry.’
‘What did you tell her?’
The abruptness jolted him. ‘Just that you were staying here for a few more days, then Lisbon, then home again to London.’
‘You didn’t!’ Joy felt her blood still.
‘Shouldn’t I have?’
‘No, you shouldn’t! She could have been anybody and you’re just telling them our address?’
‘But it wasn’t anybody, it was your mum. She sounded nice, really happy that you were in the country. What… what have I done wrong?’
‘Nobody knows where we are. Nobody. Not ever. Especially not Mum and Dad. We’re not like that. Not in each other’s business. Not anymore. Radia doesn’t evenknowher grandma, not really.’
‘Grandma?’ a little voice said from behind Monty and his eyes widened as he turned to reveal Radia on the landing, Charley fox dragging beside her. ‘Is Grandma here?’
‘No,’ Joy insisted. ‘No, she’s not.’
‘Did Grandma call? Was that her on the phone? What did she say?’
Joy glared at Monty. ‘We keep ourselves to ourselves. I told you that.’
‘I said I’m sorry. What can I do to fix it?’
Joy didn’t answer. Her mind was racing. Maybe if she ignored the calls, simply didn’t reply, that’d be the end of it?
Radia pushed past Monty. ‘Can I call her back? FaceTime her? Please!’ Radia was pleading, and the panic continued to work its way through Joy’s system.
Monty took another step closer towards the stairs. ‘I’d better leave you two to sort this out, I reckon. I’ll be down at the Siren, OK?’
‘You’re leaving? You’re just going to turn my life upside down and now you’re leaving?’
She knew she should stop talking right now, but the fear, shame and squirming embarrassment over not having a functioning relationship with her own parents whipped her up into anger – a much easier emotion to process.
The words spilled out. ‘Or are you on your way to sky-write it? Joyce Foley is hiding out in Devon.’ She cast the words in the air with her hands. ‘Come and get her!’
Monty shook his head, exasperated, no idea what to do other than apologise.
‘Let’s call her, Mummy,’ Radia pestered, pulling at Joy’s fingers. ‘Give me your phone, we’ll do it now.’
