‘Okay?’ Annie knew to be cautious. There’d be no premature celebrations this time. No commiserations either.
‘He’s gone for good this time, Annie. I promise.’
‘What happened?’ she tried, keeping her voice neutral.
‘Remember Becky from the juice place?’
‘The blonde one?’
‘No, the other one.Shehappened.’
‘Ah! When did you find out?’
‘A week ago. Kinda hard not to find out when he was sneaking her out the back door when I came home from work.’
‘Shit!’
‘Yup! Shit.’
‘Are you okay?’ Annie was still cautious.
‘Yeah, I’m…’ Cassidy was trying to sound blasé, but she was breaking. ‘I’m so sorry…’
‘Hey, shush now, it’s fine.’
‘It’s not. I wasn’t there when you needed me.’
‘It’s all good, honestly.’
Cassidy’s guilt wouldn’t be easily placated. ‘Dave was tough to live with, you know? It was difficult to get away and see you…’
‘I know. It’s okay. I meant what I said in my letter.I’m here for you anytime.’
‘I’m not taking him back. Dad helped me change the locks. He’s gone for good. Becky can have him.’
‘He should come with a warning,’ hazarded Annie.
‘Like a pet passport from the pound. This dog has fleas.’
‘And needs a muzzle.’ It was happening again. She was being drawn in to the break-up revenge trash-talking. It had felt so good before, but Annie couldn’t shake the fear he’d be back and she’d be the one locked out again.
‘Cass, you know I don’t want to interfere but please, please don’t even see him. If he comes back with his sad eyes wanting to explain. Don’t hear him out. Please.’
‘I won’t. Your letter was like a light coming on, reminding me how much I let him change me, how much I lost myself. I’m never going back to him. Besides, Kenny’s moved in for a few days, so there’s someone else here.’ Kenny was Cassidy’s skinny brother. He’d be no match for Dave in a fight, but at least Cassidy wasn’t alone. ‘Annie?’ Cassidy’s voice faltered. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t around to help with everything at school. I should have been.’
‘Oh, that? It’s okay. I’m just taking some time out. Why? What did you hear?’
‘That you and the senior library staff were suspended. That there was some kind of investigation going on. I should have called. Dave convinced me not to. He had this way of making me forget myself and the things I need. He knew exactly how to control me.’
‘I know.’
Annie wandered down the passageway that led to the breezy slope. The cobbles shone with slippery wetness under her feet. It didn’t stop her turning Down-along to face the harbour.
Being suspended from the job she loved had hurt all the more because Cassidy hadn’t reached out to check on her, and yet she’d already forgiven her. That’s what friends do.
She couldn’t help following her runaway thoughts. If Annie could brush Cassidy’s great big neglectful betrayal under the rug, Harri could surely forget their teeny tiny misdemeanour last night, for the sake of their friendship?
Annie tried to stick to the matter at hand. ‘It’s not your fault. Dave was a… lapse in judgement! And heck yes, hewascontrolling, and hot in a hottest-deadbeat-you-ever-saw kind of way. That’s a deadly combo.’
