Apoplexy is a good word. It’s also a perfect description of how Melody looks right now. She looks strangled and yet fit to burst—veins popping out on her head—right before she charges for Nat. Which is a mistake, in my opinion, because Nat has at least eight inches on her.
‘I’ll have ye!’ she yells. Like a berserker. A total berserker.
‘Go for it,’ Nat responds laughing and throwing out her hands. ‘Come on—cut a bitch!’ In the split second it takes her to throw back her head, Malady’s gaze shifts, eyes alighting on the knife next to June’s scones.
‘No!’ I yell, as Malady’s arm stretches out. Suddenly, cups, teabags, bottles of tint and tubes of hair colouring scatter to the floor as Rory reaches for the mad woman, hauling her from her feet.
‘Enough. That’s enough!’ he yells, dangling her a little higher and out of reach of the knife.
‘I’ll have her!’ she yells again, struggling against him. ‘She’ll no’ speak about me like that!’
‘Why not? It’s true,’ Nat taunts.
‘You.’ Rory points a finger at Nat. ‘Not helping. And you,’ he says, his gaze flashing to mine. ‘I can’t do—not here. I’ll sort this,’ he says giving mental Melody a small shake. ‘And you come and find me. You know where. And, Fin? Be prepared to stay a while, because it seems to me you’ve a lot to tell.’
And with that, he manoeuvres his manic cargo through the open door.
‘Hey, Malady. TripAdvisor called!’ yells Nat and her parting shot. ‘They want you to know your vag won first place as the most visited place in Scotland award!’
‘I’ll fuck you up!’ she yells, her voice moving away down the hall.
‘And I’m gonna tell everyone you’ve got ginger pubes!’
‘Not helpful,’ I say, the distant protests of Melody still calling out.
‘It’s making me feel better,’ Nat retorts. ‘She gets on my tits. She’s a real cock pocket—a fucking cunt canoe.’
‘A what?’
‘And what did tall, dark and fuck me mean byfind him?’
‘He’s not dark.’ Not terribly.
‘His fucking mood was,’ she says, carrying on. ‘So does he mean find him now, or when he’s sorted his head out?’
Oh, hell. ‘He means find him—over at the house.’
