Not.
I delete without opening, and for once, I don’t feel that familiar twinge of panic, especially following his last missive when he had the nerve to complain about Heather’s charity shop prank. Apparently, he’d called Oxfam’s head office. Like I give a flying flip. Anyway, I’d blocked his number so there are no more threatening calls or texts to ignore.
Bliss!
‘Where will you be this weekend?’
I look up at her question, my expression twisting. ‘Home. The agency doesn’t have anything for me.’ And summer is coming to an end, and I’m concerned for the availability of gigs as fewer and fewer people jet off on holiday, which could mean more and more time spent at home for me.
Urgh!
‘Babe, just sell the ring. I love your parental units, I really do. But separately. Like when there’s a mile between them or something.’
‘Agreed. They take the fun out of dysfunctional.’
‘They used to be so sweet. Together, I mean.’
‘Yeah, and not that long ago. But now it’s all about who can hurt the other the most. I think he’s had an affair. My dad, I mean.’ My gaze slides to the window where a singular droplet of rain splats. ‘Not now, but maybe in the past. No one’s saying anything, but something’s tearing Mum apart. Maybe she just found out?’ I turn back to Heather. ‘Whatever, it’s like she won’t let it out.’ Except in virulent bouts of explosive hate directed at my father. ‘I wish they could just sell the house and be done with it. I can’t stay with them for more than a night or two. The atmosphere is just so toxic.’
‘You know you can crash at mine. My parentals love to have you there.’
I nod, trying for a small smile because while Heather’s parents are great, I just don’t have the mental fortitude to play “happy older cousin” to her three younger siblings right now.
‘Just sell it. Be done with it. Move on. Screw him and his unfaithful penis. Actually, scratch that last part.’
‘I wouldn’t touch his unfaithful penis with rubber gloves and a hazmat suit.’
‘Are there any hot neighbour dudes in Notting Hill?’ she asks, swirling the last of her coffee in her cup.
‘If there are, I haven’t seen any.’ I’d have to be looking to see. And I haven’t. Purposely.
‘I suppose you’ll just have to look forward to meeting theLust Islandcast up close and personal.’
‘Former cast,’ I correct. ‘And what’s this “me” business? You’re working that night, too. Aren’t you looking forward to meeting them?’
‘Nah.’ Her eyes return to her plate where she presses her forefinger to the edge, collecting breadcrumbs only to sprinkle them on the other side of the plate.
‘But you love that show.’
‘Yeah, but I’ve got uni coming up soon. Lot’s to concentrate on. I haven’t got time to be thinking about boys or men. Not in that sense.’
‘Is everything okay, Heth?’ She’s not normally so reticent.
‘Yeah, fine.’ One of her shoulders lifts, then falls, and she moves her attention to tracing the grain of the wooden tabletop. But she still won’t hold my gaze.
‘That guy you went to see in Acton that night.’ Hot neighbour dude night. The night she doesn’t know about. ‘Have you not seen him again?’ I try not to wince; I’m not sure what the booty call rule book would call these kinds of meetings.Hookups?
She huffs. ‘I didn’t stay.’
‘You didn’t stay where?’
‘That night. I didn’t stay.’
‘Heth, did something happen?’ My heartrate suddenly elevates. ‘It’s been weeks—why haven’t we had this conversation?’ Because I’m a bad human. A bad cousin. Because I’ve been full of my own tales of woe. I find myself repeating, only my voice is much higher than hers as my heartrate elevates. ‘I swear, if something happened, I’ll need those rubber gloves and the hazmat suit. Along with a pair of bolt cutters.
‘No. I just changed my mind, that’s all.’
‘And you never thought to say?’ I knew I shouldn’t have let her go. I should’ve said something to stop her and ignored her protests that she’s old enough to make her own decisions. I don’t think age has the monopoly on being hurt. ‘Heth, he didn’t...’ I find I can’t bring myself to finish the question. I shouldn’t have hung up on her so quickly—I should’ve checked in on her the next day. I just got so caught up packing before the cleaner arrived, and then the weekend came, and it was awful, and then work and then—
