‘Sorry, Tia, I really can’t stay and chat any longer, I’ve got lots to get on with today. It’s a busy time, you know.’
I can’t help thinking it’s a bit rich that he’s acting like I’m the one keeping him here when it’s actuallyhimwho’s been keeping me talking. ‘Yes, you must be rushed off your feet with it being nearly the end of term. Well, enjoy the rest of your day.’
‘I’ll do my best.’ He nods and walks off, whistling.
Who on earth whistles these days?I always thought I liked Rosie’s teacher, but I can’t help feeling just a little creeped out by our encounter. I shiver and tell myself not to be so sensitive. I’m probably still a bit on edge after last night’s episode, when I thought someone was following me home.
I hoist up the shopping bag and carry it in my arms. That feels much more comfortable, even if I am still hot and bothered. Finally I reach home, and put the bag of groceries down on the doorstep while I reach into my handbag for my keys. As I pull them out, they catch on a scrunched-up piece of paper. It tumbles onto the ground and I pick it up, thinking it must be a receipt. But it feels more weighty, like a crumpled sheet of copier paper. Curious, I straighten it out and try to make sense of what I’m looking at.
It’s a poor-quality copy of a photograph. I recognise it – it’s a picture from my old photo album of me, Kelly and Fiona back when we were teenagers, our arms around one another. But, troublingly, someone has used a red marker pen to scribble out our faces.
My body goes cold and then hot when I realise this must be from the same person who sent the photos.
I was only this minute with Mr Jeffries! Could it have been him? But he wasn’t anywhere near my bag. Also, my keys were sitting on top of the crumpled photo, so it must have been put in my bag some time before today. Who had access to my bag? Fiona. She would also have a copy of the photograph. But why would she scribble out her own face? Perhaps to throw me off the scent?
‘There you are!’ I shove the photocopy back into my bag as Ed opens the front door, barefoot in shorts and a T-shirt. ‘I was worried about you, Tee. You’ve been gone ages. I thought you were only nipping out for milk.’ He picks up the bag of shopping and kisses me as he stands back up, his blonde stubble grazing my chin.
As he does so, I’m suddenly struck by how much I love this man. By how lucky I am to have him in my life. He loves me and I love him, and I realise that I can’t keep this terrible secret from him any longer. I need to show him the disturbing photocopy as well as the other photos, and make him understand that they’re fakes. That I have no recollection of kissing anyone or sleeping with anyone. That I would never do that to him. Tous. I need to tell him that someone is messing with me. Trying to come between us, to break up our relationship.
Ed frowns. ‘What’s wrong?’
I follow him into the hall, trying not to let my emotions get the best of me. I need to do this quickly, before I chicken out and change my mind. ‘Where are the kids?’
‘In the garden. Rosie’s making Leo have a tea party with her and her cuddly toys.’
Normally this would melt my heart and we’d both talk about how cute our kids are, but I can’t focus on them right now. ‘Can we talk?’
‘Sounds serious.’ Ed takes the shopping through to the kitchen and dumps the bag on the counter. He puts the milk away in the fridge.
Through the window I spy Rosie and Leo sitting cross-legged on a picnic rug on the grass in the shade of the neighbour’s overhanging tree. All Rosie’s toys have been arranged in a circle with a plate and cup in front of them. Miraculously, Leo is sitting fairly still and seems to be enjoying himself – probably because each plate contains a tiny piece of cake and Leo will get to eat some of it if he goes along with Rosie’s game.
Ed sits at the kitchen table. I should probably join him, but I’m far too wound up to sit down. A trickle of sweat runs down my back and my guts twist at the thought of what I’m about to say.
‘Tee?’ Ed gives me a worried stare. ‘You’re starting to freak me out.’
‘Sorry, sorry.’ I push an imaginary strand of hair out of my eyes and take a breath.
My phone buzzes in my bag, but I ignore it.
‘So?’ Ed prompts.
My phone buzzes again.
‘Do you want to get that?’ he asks.
I sigh. ‘Maybe I should check, just in case it’s Kelly.’ I pull my phone from my bag and see that there are two new text messages. I stop breathing for a moment. They’re both from the same unknown number.
Hello Tia.
…
I’ll destroy the photos if you’ll agree to meet me.
I take a breath and try to decide what I should do. Should I show the texts to Ed? Or is there now a way I can resolve this without involving my husband?
‘Everything okay?’ Ed asks.
‘It’s just Kelly.’ The lie trips off my tongue easily and I feel ashamed. ‘Can you hang on a minute while I text her back?’
