“What’ve they said about it all?” I asked, pushing my hands deep into the pockets of my hoody.
She chewed on her lip for a few seconds and then sighed. “I haven’t told them yet. I don’t want to have to listen to the ‘we told you so’ lectures.”
“Your dad didn’t like him then?”
For some reason that gave me a sense of happiness because I’d been proved right; Josh was a wanker who drove an Audi prick wagon.
“Not really, none of my family did.” She let out an empty laugh. “Not even Frankie did.”
“Talking of, how’s he been?” I asked around a cough, feeling self-conscious at talking about him.
“He’s fine. In fact he’s been happier today than I’ve seen him for a long time.” Maisie sounded wistful and heaved out a heavy breath. “I should have realised before.”
Her eyes were shining and I knew she was close to tears. Frankie may well have bounced back quickly from the previous night’s nightmare, but Maisie was obviously struggling.
“Listen, can I come in for a bit?” The words were out of my mouth before I had chance to talk myself out of it. “I can see you’re upset and I don’t really want to leave you feeling like that.”
Maisie leaned the top half of her body back and gaped at me. “Since when do you care, Sam?” she hissed.
“I’m not a total knob, and you were the one who said you understood that I couldn’t offer you more.”
“And I did, so why the hell are you suddenly worried about me?” She put her hands to her hips and I couldn’t help but notice the way her tits pushed against her t-shirt.
“Because of what your dick head of an ex-boyfriend did last night. It must have been fucking scary as shit for you, and I can see you’re still worried now, so just let me come in.”
“And if I do,” she said, glancing behind her, “what the hell do I tell Frankie, hey?”
I rubbed a hand down my face and groaned. “I don’t know – I came to check up on him after missing swimming lessons. Does it matter?”
“Yes it matters. Oh my god,” she cried. “You have no idea do you. He’s a little boy who saw the man who was supposed to protect him like a father throw something at his mum and then raise a hand to him, so he’s emotional and delicate. If you keep coming in for hot chocolate and bloody Northern Soul sessions, he’ll grow attached Sam, and that’s not fair on him.”
I took a mental step back and thought about what Maisie had said and she was right. It wouldn’t be fair to Frankie if I went in again. He was a little boy without a dad, as far as he was concerned, and if I stepped over that threshold again it was likely he’d think there was more to it. I’d scared the bad man away and it wouldn’t take much for him to become attached to me.
“Okay,” I said, now taking a physical step back. “You’re right, but if Josh comes back make sure you call me.” I watched Maisie’s face morph into that of a stroppy teenager. “Or at least call the coppers,” I added. “Don’t try and deal with him on your own. Okay?”
“Fine,” she said, moving further behind the door. “But he won’t be back.”
“If you say so, but if he does, I mean it Maisie, I want you to call me.”
She nodded. “Is that all?”
“Yeah,” I sighed out. “You’ve got my number.”
“I do, but I won’t be needing you. Thanks for calling, Sam,” she said, her voice softening, “and for what you did last night and with my car, but I swear we’ll be fine.”
I nodded and turned down the drive to leave, thinking she was probably right – famous last words.
Maisie
the present
Frankie had been asleep for about an hour when the banging on the door started.
Boom, boom, boom.
“Maisie, open this fucking door now.”
I heard the flap of the letterbox as Josh’s voice bellowed, loud and harsh, making my heart thump in time with his fist on the door. I flicked off the lamp next to my armchair and lifted up my feet, praying that he’d get bored and go away.
