The Good Neighbour (23 page)

‘Really?’ Abe looked at his watch. ‘She’s fine for a bit longer.’ God, he was so fucking dense sometimes.

‘We’ve got to go, anyway,’ Liam said. He seemed stunned by their unexpected meeting. ‘I need some new clothes for my teaching course.’

‘Jackets with leather patches on the elbows?’ Abe said.

‘Yeah, that kind of thing. Well, see you.’

Josie leaned towards Minette and said, ‘Hope I’ll see a bit more of you soon.’

‘That’d be great,’ Minette said in a robotic voice.

As they walked away, Josie stumbled on the pebbles in her silly platform sandals, almost turning her ankle, and Liam took her arm, saying, ‘Careful, baby.’

When they were out of earshot, Minette began berating Abe for not taking seriously her comment about Tilly’s nap. ‘I don’t say these things lightly, Abe. I could see she was getting tired.’

‘Sorry, Dougie. Let’s get going now.’ He started putting their stuff away.

‘Do you think actually that you could stop calling me Dougie?’ She hadn’t known she was going to say that, so she was as surprised as Abe. They stared at each other for a moment.

‘Oh! Sure. You should have said you didn’t like it.’

‘It’s just. Well. Other people call their partners by more loving names.’

‘Honey-bunch? Sugar-plum? That kind of thing?’

‘Forget it.’ She rammed Tilly’s toys into the rucksack and stood up.

‘Angel face? Darling-pie? Cuddle-chops?’

‘Fuck off, Abe.’

They worked together for a few moments in silence, packing everything away. Then they climbed onto the promenade and began walking towards home. ‘That bloke’s a bit odd, isn’t he?’ Abe said. He was trying to move on from their row. ‘Went to all that trouble to get Johnny’s email address, to ask about teaching, but Johnny said he never heard from him.’

‘Yes, that’s a bit strange,’ Minette agreed.

She spent the rest of the day in a state of disconnect. What with Andy, and Cath, and Liam and Josie, the world seemed very bewildering. Who was truthful, who was lying, who knew what?

As evening approached, Minette felt like a condemned prisoner. She was dreading talking to Cath. ‘Do I have to go?’ she wailed to Abe.

‘No, of course not,’ he said, ever reasonable. ‘But it would be good to put what Andy said to her, see if we can work out what the hell’s going on.’

He was right. There was no other way forward than to ask some awkward questions.

‘If you’re not back by nine I’m coming round.’

‘Jeez, Abe, what do you think she might do?’

‘Nothing, Min.’ He looked serious. ‘It’ll be fine. But she might be unpredictable. Don’t drink too much. Have you set up the recording?’

Abe had downloaded an app onto Minette’s phone which would record the whole conversation.

‘I feel like I’m wearing a wire,’ Minette said. ‘I’m Big Pussy in
The Sopranos
.’ She clicked ‘start’ on the app and slipped the phone into her pocket.

‘Good luck, Pussy,’ Abe said. ‘Try not to get whacked.’

Minette went next door, her heart thudding, and when Cath answered her ring Minette immediately held up her peace-offering, a bottle of wine and some homemade biscuits. To her relief, Cath smiled welcomingly. ‘Ooh, I love Chardonnay. You know, I considered Chardonnay when I changed my name,’ she said as they went into the kitchen.

‘Seriously?’

‘Not really, but I did think of a lot of fancy names before I settled on Cath.’

It was encouraging that Cath was being so honest about her circumstances. ‘How did you choose it?’

Cath got out two glasses and unscrewed the bottle. ‘It was just a name without baggage. I didn’t know anyone called Cath, couldn’t think of any famous Caths.’

Minette picked up her glass. ‘Cheers.’

‘Cheers. Thanks for coming round. I didn’t like the way as how we left it yesterday.’

‘Me neither. Are the kids in bed? I brought some biscuits for Lola.’

‘Aw, that’s nice of you. She’s already asleep. Davey’s just watching telly.’ Cath put some crisps in a bowl and set it in front of Minette. ‘He had his referral yesterday, at the neurology place.’

‘Oh yes, did it go well?’

‘Really good. Once I get the diagnosis letter from them, I can use it to get benefits, educational equipment, loads of things.’

‘That sounds extremely useful.’

‘Oh, you’ve no idea. I’ve been waiting for it for ages. So, how are things with you?’

‘Fine, thanks. How’s your training going?’ Minette said. Answer a question with a question. Cath had taught her this.

‘I’ve stopped now. Haven’t you? Only a week to go, so we need to rest.’

‘One more run, then I’m all about the carb loading.’ Minette took a gulp of wine. Come on, girl. Don’t be a pussy. Be Big Pussy. ‘So. Can I ask you …’ She stopped, unsure how to start.

‘Some fairy-tale from Andy, is it?’

‘What makes you say that?’

‘I know you spoke to him the other day. I know what he’s like, he’d say anything. You can’t believe a word.’

‘He did say rather a lot.’ Minette sipped some more wine, then remembered Abe’s warning and put down her glass.

‘Well, go on, then,’ Cath smiled. ‘Tell me what he said and I’ll tell you which bits are true. If any.’

She was making this easier than Minette had expected. ‘Thanks, Cath.’

‘Hey! We’re friends, aren’t we? You were the first person to welcome us when we moved in.’

‘OK. I’ll just say what he said, then you can tell me your version.’

‘The facts, you mean?’ Cath was still smiling.

‘Andy admitted he hit you, but only because …’

‘Ha! Here it comes, the excuse.’

‘He says he hit you because he thought you were harming Lola.’

‘And how was I harming her?’ Cath’s eyes glittered, and Minette wondered if she could go through with this.

‘He – uh – he said she doesn’t really have allergies.’

‘Bullshit. You know she does. Next.’

‘But …’ Minette drank some wine for courage, ‘how do I know she does?’

‘Oh my god, Minette, what the hell? You were there that day at nursery! You called the taxi. I was so grateful you were with me. You think that wasn’t real? That I would make something like that up?’

That authoritative, convincing voice again. Minette put her hands palm down on the table, bracing herself. ‘I don’t know, Cath. Andy seemed so certain.’

‘Oh yeah, I bet he did. He’d do anything to get back at me. Anything. You don’t know jack shit about abusers, Minette, excuse my language. Jack shit.’ Cath poured herself another glass. ‘So, go on.’

‘It doesn’t matter, Cath. Let’s leave it.’ Minette felt she’d had enough.

Cath shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts. ‘Look, I’m sorry. I’m trying not to overreact. But I do feel slightly shocked that you might believe
him
, who you’ve never met, over me, your friend.’

‘I would never have even thought of believing him, Cath, if it hadn’t been that thing with Davey.’

‘You’re on Andy’s side,’ Cath said.

‘I’m not! I’m not on anyone’s side …’

‘You’re certainly not on mine.’ Cath stood up and started opening cupboards, then closing them again. ‘No one ever believes me.’

‘I am, I do, it’s just …’

‘You can’t be on both sides, Minette.’ Slam went the cupboard door. ‘You can’t sit on the fence.’ Slam. ‘If you support me, you can’t be questioning me, suspecting me, not trusting me. That’s not what friends do, is it?’ Slam.

Minette couldn’t stand it. ‘Sit down,’ she said quietly, taking Cath’s arm. ‘I didn’t mean to get you all upset.’

Cath’s breathing was very fast. She shook Minette off, and rubbed her arm where she had touched her. ‘Don’t patronise me. Just be honest. Are you for me, or against me?’

‘It’s not really that black and white …’

‘It is, to me.’ Cath’s expression made Minette alarmed. Perhaps the same alarm that caused Andy to drive through the night. There was something out of control on Cath’s usually calm face.

‘I just want to know the facts,’ Minette said.

‘Against me then,’ Cath said. ‘That’s how it is.’ She wiped her eyes with her sleeve – Minette hadn’t realised she was crying – and said, ‘Well, at least I know where I stand.’

‘Cath, it isn’t like that!’ Minette cried. How had the conversation slipped so far out of her grasp? ‘I only want to know about Davey …’

‘Talking of Davey, it’s getting late, isn’t it?’ Cath went to the door and called him. Minette heard the television go off, then he wheeled himself into the kitchen. She said, ‘Hello.’ Unusually, he didn’t look at her, but stared at the ground instead.

‘Oh, Davey, just one thing,’ Cath said. ‘Minette here thinks she saw you walking the other night.’

‘Hey, Cath, that’s not …’

‘Not just your few steps that we know you can still do, lovie, but proper walking. What do you say to that?’

Davey’s face was blank. ‘I can’t walk more than a few steps.’

Minette was horror-struck. ‘Please Cath, stop this.’

‘There you go, Minette, straight from the horse’s mouth.’ Cath stroked Davey’s hair. ‘Bed now, lovie. Say goodnight.’

Davey muttered ‘good night’ and went out, without looking at either of them.

‘That was hardly fair,’ Minette said. She picked up her glass, found she was trembling, and put it down again.

‘How so? You accused me of something, and I’ve just given you evidence that you’re wrong. Shall I bring you a copy of the letter when I get it? It’ll say “Duchenne muscular dystrophy” in black and white.’

‘I don’t mean not fair to me, I mean to Davey. He’ll say whatever you tell him to.’

Cath smiled. ‘You need to be careful, Minette. Say what you like about me, but don’t you dare suggest that my son is lying.’

Minette stood up. She was surprised to find that she felt more angry than frightened. ‘You know that’s not what I mean, Cath. I’m going home now.’

Cath said, quietly, ‘It’s so horrid, isn’t it, when a family breaks up? Nasty. I know as how you went through it yourself, as a child.’

‘When my parents split things weren’t great,’ Minette said. ‘But no one had to change their names.’

‘No. You were lucky. And you’ve been lucky to meet a nice, kind man like Abe. Though,’ Cath paused, then said in a rush, ‘it’s not all roses round the door, with you and him, is it?’

‘We’re fine.’ Minette went into the hall and picked up her jacket. Cath followed her.

‘If you was all fine, you wouldn’t need to invite certain handsome blond animuses round when you’re in my house, looking after my kids. Not exactly appropriate, is it?’

Minette looked at Cath. Were the gloves finally off, then? She wasn’t sure if she was more tired or sad. She looked at her watch: eight fifteen. ‘I’d better go.’

Cath said, ‘Sure. But before you do, there’s something I really ought to show you. And I’ve got something to tell you as well, some good gossip I found out today.’

‘It’s all right, I don’t want to know.’ She moved towards the front door.

‘You’ll like this, it’s about Liam.’

Whenever Minette looked back on this scene, this was the point at which she metaphorically slapped herself around the head. Why didn’t she just walk out the door? But some part of her felt she owed Cath the courtesy of listening. Even if this Cath didn’t seem like the person she knew, the old Cath had been amazing about her fling with Liam, had encouraged her to do the triathlon, had looked after Tilly, and helped her navigate the world of life with a small baby.

Plus, Minette’s curiosity was roused. ‘Go on, then.’

‘Josie’s pregnant.’

‘She’s not.’ Minette reacted instinctively.

‘You’ve gone white as a sheet, lovie. Come back, come and sit down.’ Cath’s voice was gentle.

Minette’s legs felt weak, as if she hadn’t had enough to eat. She allowed Cath to lead her back into the kitchen and sat, still wearing her jacket. Cath put a topped-up glass of wine in front of her and Minette mechanically took a sip.

‘Yes,’ said Cath conversationally, looking into her own glass. ‘Josie was
mucho
in evidence in the street today. Got chatting and she said as how she wasn’t supposed to tell anyone but she couldn’t keep it in any longer. She’s only a few weeks but she’s never missed a period before, apparently they’ve been at it like rabbits. She didn’t say it in quite those words, but she did a lot of cute blushing and saying things like “second honeymoon”. Isn’t it sweet? You must have given him his mojo back.’

‘I don’t believe you.’

‘Uh-huh. Because you think I’m a liar now. OK. Well, you can easily verify this, you only have to ask Liam.’ She looked at Minette. ‘Or ask Josie. She’s just busting to tell.’

Josie on the beach earlier, stumbling in her sandals. Giggling. Wanting to give up work. Her hand on Liam’s arm. Minette knew instinctively that it was true.

He said they weren’t sleeping together.

‘What’s the thing you wanted to show me?’ Minette said, keeping her voice steady.

‘Oh yes! It’s upstairs. Hang on a tick.’ Cath went out. Minette’s mind couldn’t process what she’d just heard. Liam had lied. He’d been sleeping with her and Josie at the same time. Jesus. It was disgusting. And it was breaking another feminist rule she’d just remembered: don’t fuck another woman’s husband. She drank the rest of her wine in one go and poured herself another glass. Then she thought abruptly of the phone app in her pocket, recording her conversation. For god’s sake, it had all that stuff about Liam in it. She couldn’t play that to Abe! She looked at her phone. It wasn’t immediately clear how to erase the recording, so she just deleted the whole app. Cath came in as she was doing this, carrying a cardboard folder, and said, ‘Texting your boyfriend are you?’

‘Which one?’ Minette shot back, trying to regain some ground.

‘Oh, ha ha, very good. This one,’ Cath said. She took a large black-and-white photo from the folder and put it on the table in front of Minette.

For a moment Minette couldn’t understand what she was seeing. It was a porno picture, a couple having sex, why was Cath showing her this? She’d said ‘this one’. That was a clue. Yes, the man, though his face was half-hidden between the woman’s thighs, was clearly Liam. Christ! Was Cath showing her a photo of Liam with Josie? Just to prove that Josie could be pregnant? What the hell … But slowly, Minette saw that it wasn’t Josie in the picture. Wine-flavoured bile rose in her throat and she thought she was going to be sick. She covered her mouth.