The woman raised her eyebrows at that. ‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Notherhusband then?’
Cassie’s tolerance evaporated. What on earth was the old fool talking about?
‘Then there’s that woman parking her car outside my house,’ she prattled on. ‘I’m not one to cause trouble, and I’ve no objection to babies – Lord knows I’ve had enough of my own – but I’m wondering whether the housing association knows about her running—’
‘You’re a nosy old cow,’ Kim cut in, having swung her own front door open. ‘Go back inside and mind your own business, why don’t you?’ she added rudely. Stepping back, she rolled her eyes skywards and gestured Cassie inside.
‘Ignore her,’ she said, as Cassie pulled her gaze away from the shocked woman and stepped in. ‘She’s the mind-everybody-else’s-business sort and obviously gaga.’
‘I gathered,’ Cassie said, feeling immensely irritated herself. Nosy neighbours had been the bane of her existence as a child. The whispered gossip after her father’s affair with a sixteen-year-old pupil at the school he taught at had ruined her mother’s life. She had never lived down the shame, retreating into herself, turning to religion, endlessly going on about how cleanliness was next to godliness. It had ruined Cassie’s life, too. She’d lived in fear of being struck down if she were ever to be slovenly.
‘She accused me of blaring my records the other day,’ Kim went on tetchily. ‘I could have clocked her one, I swear. I’d just got Samuel to sleep, so I was hardly likely to be blaring music, was I?’
‘Oh dear. You’ll have to turn a deaf ear, I suspect.’ Cassie smiled sympathetically and followed Kim through to the kitchen.
‘I’m trying.’ Kim sighed. ‘She’s hard work, though.’
‘You don’t get to choose your neighbours, unfortunately,’ Cassie said.
‘No. More’s the pity. Tea?’
‘That would be lovely.’ Cassie smiled. ‘I had to go into Worcester this morning for a meeting with some colleagues regarding future articles. It went on for ages. I’m absolutely parched.’
Glancing around the kitchen, which really could do with more of a clean than the lick Kim had given it, she seated herself at the table. ‘I ran into Jemma on the way here. She asked after you,’ she twisted the truth a little, making sure to sound casual. ‘I hadn’t realised you two had got to know each other.’
‘Who?’ Kim said, her back to Cassie as she poured hot water into mugs.
‘Jemma Anderson. I mentioned that she and her husband were at Josh’s funeral. I thought you might have met her at the doctor’s surgery.’
Kim glanced back at her, her forehead creased as if trying to recall. ‘Yeah,’ she said vaguely. ‘I don’t really remember.’
Cassie tugged in a tight breath. Held it.
‘To be honest, I try to avoid getting too heavily into conversation with other mums. I find it difficult explaining about Josh and what happened to him, as I’m sure you understand.’ Walking across with the tea, Kim looked into Cassie’s eyes, her own tearful.
‘I do. Completely,’ Cassie said, her heart pumping as she lowered her gaze.
‘I’ll just go and fetch Samuel.’ Placing a mug in front of Cassie, Kim turned away from the table. ‘He fell asleep after his feed, bless him, so I thought I’d leave him a while. There’s bickies in the barrel if you fancy one.’ Nodding over her shoulder to the work surface, she headed through the dining room to the stairs, leaving Cassie bewildered.
Kim wastelling lies. Why would she? Her stomach knotting, she got to her feet, instinctively fishing the dishcloth from the sink to wipe up the puddle of tea Kim had left on the work surface. Running some water into the bowl, she fetched the antibacterial spray she’d bought from under the sink and channelled her energies into wiping the cooker top while she tried to think. It was possible that Jemma had been lost and had just paused in the lane. She’d seemed to be fiddling with her sat nav when she’d driven past.
Possible, but not likely. Trying to still the panic in her chest, Cassie glanced around. The skirting boards were filthy. Crouching down, she applied herself to the task of cleaning those too. Her efforts would barely scratch the surface without scouring cream, though – after years’ worth of dirt collecting on them, the grime was ingrained – but at least they would be free of dust, which might be bad for the baby’s health.
She was applying herself to a particularly stubborn section when she heard Kim return with Samuel. Straightening up, Cassie smiled as her eyes lighted on him. He was such a little angel. Just like his father. Her heart hitched painfully.
‘Cassie… you don’t have to do that.’
‘Oh, I don’t mind.’ Cassie went across to wash her hands at the sink. ‘I thought I’d make myself useful while I was here, and it keeps me out of mischief,’ she said, grabbing some paper towels to dry them as she walked across to her grandson. ‘Doesn’t it, my gorgeous little one? Do you want to come for a walk with Nana and Mummy, darling?’ she asked him. ‘See all the colourful boats bobbing on the water?’
Kim passed him across to her, and she nestled him in her arms, kissing his forehead softly and breathing in the special baby smell of him. Immediately she was transported back to this time with Josh, when she’d promised to love and protect him. She’d let him down.I won’t let your son down, Josh, she told him now.
‘Actually, I was wondering…’ Kim looked at her hesitantly. ‘Do you mind if we postpone?’
Glancing back at her, Cassie noticed that she looked pale. ‘No, no problem. Are you all right? You’re not poorly, are you?’
‘I’m fine.’ Kim assured her. ‘Just a bit tired,’ she added, stifling a yawn. ‘I was up a lot with Samuel last night.’
Cassie nodded understandingly. ‘You’re bound to be. I was looking forward to taking him out, but of course we can postpone if you’re not up to it.’
