FIONA
By the time I turn into Kelly’s road there are blisters forming on my heel and toes, and I’m cursing my choice of footwear. The street itself is empty and quiet, but there are still sounds from the regatta floating around on the wind. Cries and laughter from the funfair, and the whine of jet skis bombing around the lake now that the sailing is over.
Aside from the shock of Kelly being arrested, I’m still shaken up by the texts I received earlier. I can’t bring myself to re-read them yet. The thought makes me feel physically sick. In fact, just knowing they’re sitting there in my inbox makes me want to throw the damn phone into the lake. I guess I could erase them. But that would mean looking at them again. I give myself a shake. I can’t think about that now. I have to pull myself together for the sake of my friend and her boys.
When I reach Kelly’s front door, I’m shocked to see that it’s been boarded up. What on earth has gone on here? Kelly forgot to mention that fact on the phone. Or maybe she doesn’t know. I ring the doorbell. If the boys don’t answer, I’ll go around the back.
Kelly said she’d been arrested, but she didn’t mention anything about her house being damaged. Maybe there was a break-in. But why on earth would they arrest Kelly if someone broke in? A female voice startles me.
‘Hello?’ A young uniformed police officer appears around the side of the house. I’m a little taken aback to see a police officer, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised – neither Kelly nor Ash would have wanted to leave the boys on their own.
‘Hello, my name’s Fiona Salinger. Kelly asked me to come and pick up Ryan and Sonny.’
‘Hi.’ She gives me a smile. ‘I’m PC Lynette Shales.’ She walks over and we shake hands.
‘What happened here?’ I point at the front door.
‘Afraid I can’t say.’
‘But you know, right?’
She gives me an apologetic, businesslike smile. ‘So, you’re here to pick up the Taylor boys?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you have any ID on you?’
‘Uh, yes, hang on a minute.’ I root through my bag, pull out my wallet and show her my driving licence and some credit cards. I hope she can’t smell the champagne on my breath. I’m not driving, but still, it doesn’t look great to pick up someone else’s kids when you’ve been drinking.
‘Okay, that’s fine.’ She hands me back my ID. ‘Shall I bring the boys out to you?’
‘Actually, can I come in? I’m dying for the loo and a glass of water. And if they’re staying over, I’ll need to pack some spare clothes, toothbrushes and pjs, that sort of thing.
‘Okay. I’ll come back inside with you.’
‘There’s no need. I can lock up when I leave.’
‘That’s okay,’ she replies, letting me know that there’s no way she’s leaving me here on my own.
We go in via the back door. If PC Shales wasn’t here I’d have a snoop to see if I could spot any clues as to what’s gone on. But the policewoman is following me around, watching my every move, so I guess a nose around is off the cards. The boys aren’t in the kitchen, so I nip to the downstairs cloakroom, have a pee and splash my face. Noticing a shoe rack on the floor, I reach down and undo the straps on my sandals, kicking both of them off with a sigh of relief. I slip on a pair of Kelly’s trainers to walk home in, hoping PC Shales doesn’t notice or say anything. But there’s no way I could walk another step in those instruments of torture.
When I return to the kitchen, the boys are standing next to the policewoman like a couple of lost puppies. I want to hug both of them tightly but decide that now isn’t the time to get emotional. Instead, I clap my hands. ‘Hey, guys. Lucky me, I get to see you twice in one day.’ It sounds forced and patronising even to my ears.
‘What happened to Mum?’ Ryan grunts.
‘Tell you what, let’s get your stuff together, and we can talk about all that back at my place.’
‘Ourstuff?’ Ryan frowns. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Where’s Mum?’ Sonny’s face is pale, and he looks like he’s about to cry. I notice that Ryan is holding his hand, and my heart melts. I take a breath.
‘Your mum called and asked if you could stay with me and Nathan, just until she gets home. So let’s go and pack an overnight bag, okay?’
For a moment, I think they’re going to protest and refuse, but after a couple of seconds’ hesitation, Ryan nods and I follow them both upstairs. PC Shales watches as they throw a few things into some bags. It doesn’t take too long and eventually we’re ready to go. The policewoman gives me a card with a number to call if there are any problems with the boys, and we leave her to lock up Kelly’s house.
The walk back to my place is quiet and a little sad. The boys must be utterly confused and more than a little scared, so I decide not to add to their anxieties with more questions. Despite Kelly being one of my best friends, I realise the boys haven’t visited my house much. She and Michael used to come around for dinner quite regularly, and Kelly pops over for coffee now and then, but it’s not really a kid-friendly house. It’s not warm and cosy – it’s sleek, with hard expensive surfaces in marble and glass, black and gold. When Kelly and I meet up, it’s usually me who goes to Kelly’s place. I guess it’s more relaxed there. More homely.
I hope I’m up to the job of looking after her boys. I’ve never had them to stay before. Does that make me a terrible person? I mean, Kelly lost her husband last year, she’s a single parent, and I’m supposed to be her best friend. I remember offering a few times, but never anything concrete. It was always vague statements where I would say,If you need anything, just ask. But she’s never asked. I should have been more specific. I should have said,Hey, Kelly, how about I have the kids next weekend so you can relax?That’s what I should have said.
