‘Like what?’
‘Someone said something about her in her old job. Being one of those killer-nurse types, harming kids in their care.’
Carol was shocked. ‘Good God, that’s an awful thing to say.’
‘I think they meant it as a joke.’
‘A joke?’
‘You know, nothing serious.’
‘Lorna, there is no scenario where that sort of statement is not serious. Private chat groups are dangerous viper nests where things can quickly spiral out of control.’
Lorna gave her mother a dark, sidelong glance. She was irritated by the unspoken criticism, the notion that her mother disapproved of her, thought she was a gossip. Blunted by the snub, and sensing an atmosphere growing that she didn’t have the energy for, Lorna decided to tone it down. ‘It was mostly venting. No harm done.’
Her phone pinged – the announcement of a new email. She tapped on the screen and her eyes widened.
It was from Kingsgate School. She opened it and quickly read, her heart thudding in her chest.
‘Is everything all right?’ asked Carol.
Lorna frowned, her eyes skimming the email for the magic words, the key to the chest. She looked up in disbelief.
‘Phoenix has got a scholarship!’
Carol’s face broke into a smile. ‘That’s wonderful!’
He’d done it! Her amazing, clever, football-mad boy had got a 20 per cent reduction in fees. She had never felt so proud. She had never felt sovindicated. She clutched her phone and felt a mist form in her eyes.
The doorbell rang. Lorna sat up, surprised. Still on a high, she had a sense it was more good news. Another gift from the universe, just for her. She went into the hallway, opened the door to the visitor, then returned to the kitchen clutching a brown cardboard box.
‘Amazon,’ she said, placing the box casually on the table.
‘Anything nice?’
Lorna didn’t want to open it in front of her mother. ‘Something for Pepper.’
Carol nodded. ‘You’re going to have to be more careful with money if you’re going to have school fees to pay.’
Lorna said nothing.
Later, when Simon came back from work, she braced herself for the interrogation. He came into the kitchen, gave her a kiss and went over to where Pepper was playing at the kitchen table. He ruffled her hair, then saw what she was playing with and his face clouded over.
‘Look, Daddy!’ she cried in delight and held up the toy dog.
‘Wow,’ he said, but Lorna felt him look up to her.
‘It’s amazing, Dad. Look, you press this button and the bones come out of its bum.’
‘I thought we said we weren’t going to buy the pooing dog?’ Simon said in Lorna’s ear as he went to get a glass of water.
‘We didn’t,’ she said lightly. ‘Mum bought it.’
She looked up at him and smiled then picked up the empty can of tomatoes that she’d just poured onto the bolognaise sauce, rinsed it then took it outside to the recycling bin. As she placed it inside, she made sure the Amazon box was well and truly buried. He wouldn’t ever know. No one would know. And Pepper had got her toy and wouldn’t feel as if she was the poor kid, left out and shunned by her friends.
FORTY-TWO
Friday 20 November
