Unravelled

by Jade Winters

  ‘Come on, Linds, that’s not true. It’s just, I really need to do this, any other night and I would jump at it.’

  Well it wasn’t a lie, not really. She really wanted to spend more time with Callum, whatever conclusion Lindsay drew from her words could be considered as her own interpretation.

  ‘Okay, well call me if you change your mind.’

  Rae stared vacantly out the window as Lindsay’s voice became background noise. What shall I wear tonight? Something modest and middle aged, or slutty?

  ‘Did you hear me?’ Lindsay demanded. ‘I said call me if you change your mind.’

  ‘I will do,’ Rae said as she disconnected the call.

  Maybe I could get away with wearing something in the middle.

  ***

  Several hours later, Rae finally finished her preening. She had opted for a subtle yet classy look: A black chiffon dress that rarely saw the light of day, and killer high heels that strangled the life out of her poor toes. She smoothed and straightened her hair, until not a single strand tried to escape her hair style. With a skilled touch of makeup, the only things giving indication as to her age were the faint crow lines around her eyes.

  At first glance she actually appeared younger, a fact that made her feel attractive in a way she never had before. She deserved to be loved, to find and claim love if it came her way. An outlook vastly different from the one she’d clung on to in the past.

  The soft chime of her doorbell signalled Callum’s arrival and, just as the evening before, he was dead on time. Rae gathered up her coat and hurried down the stairs as fast as she could in her heels. With a smile pasted on her face she opened the door for him.

  Her words of greeting lodged themselves in her throat, her eyes incapable of processing the sight before her. He was handsomely dressed in perfectly cut black trousers and a white opened necked shirt. She thought it impossible that he could look even more handsome than he had the evening before. He grinned and she felt her heart flip.

  ‘You look stunning, Rae. Breath-taking even.’ He bowed his head slightly and gestured with his hand in a fashion long forgotten. ‘A true English rose I dare say.’

  His assessment left her further speechless. What would be considered a proper response, something not dated or cheesy? Unable to think of one she simply said, ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Are we set to go?’ He held out his hand for her coat and then helped her into it.

  Rae pulled the door shut behind her and looped her arm through his, ready for whatever the evening brought.

  They walked the short distance to Callum’s Mercedes in a comfortable silence, where Callum reached past her to open the door for her. Rae smiled.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said as she lowered herself onto the seat, allowing the luxuriously soft leather to cushion her.

  ‘How’s trouble behaving himself?’ Callum asked as he got in beside her, then reached for his seatbelt.

  The citrus scent of his aftershave filled the enclosed space and Rae inhaled contently. When Callum cleared his throat, Rae suddenly realised he was waiting for her to respond.

  ‘Oh Bourbon.’ She let out a nervous giggle. ‘He’s not a happy boy because he can’t go out.’

  ‘Maybe that will teach him not to think he can do what he wants when he wants,’ Callum said as he started the car. He turned to look at the road before skilfully manoeuvring the sleek black car out into traffic.

  Rae glanced at him, expecting to see a smile on his face. Instead his dark expression gave her pause. Her mind worked through the dense fog clouding it as she tried to recall if she had said anything to upset him. But they had barely spoken.

  Callum gently applied the brakes, cutting their speed slightly until they came to a standstill at a red light. He turned to her as if seeing her for the first time that evening and said cheerily, ‘So, how was your day?’

  Callum’s sudden shift in mood confused her. Maybe she was imagining things. It was dark in the car after all. Maybe he was just concentrating. Rae pushed any thoughts of doubt to the back of her mind. ‘Really good actually. My boss seems to think I might be up for partnership soon.’

  Callum’s brow rose as if confused by her answer. ‘Really?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘Hmmm, interesting,’ he said distractedly as he overtook a cyclist.

  Rae felt a twinge of disappointment at his obvious indifference. She had expected him to sound slightly more interested, even out of politeness. After all it wasn’t as if she’d made a mundane comment about the weather. This was her career she was talking about.

  Callum glanced at her for a few seconds. Suddenly his face broke out in a bright smile. ‘I’m sure you’ll get it. You deserve it.’

  ‘Thank you, Callum. Your belief in me means a lot.’ She didn’t know why but it really did. ‘And how about you? Did you have a good day?’

  The smile never left Callum’s face. There was excitement in his voice when he spoke. ‘You could say my day has been life changing.’

  Rae was intrigued. ‘Really? How so?’

  Callum reached across and squeezed her knee. ‘Why don’t we wait until we get to the bar and I’ll tell you all about it?’

  Rae could still feel the heat from Callum’s touch as she snuggled contently back in her seat. ‘I can’t wait.’

  Chapter Twelve

  Jealousy gnawed at her insides. And this is why you should never stalk people on Facebook, even if they are your partner. Somebody called Simone had tagged Kim in a picture. Her arms were locked around Kim’s neck and Kim wasn’t exactly pulling her off. The photo was taken at ‘Catch’, a lesbian bar in south London. It made no difference to Lindsay where the bar was situated. It could be in hell for all I care. I don’t know how much more I can take of this.

  ‘Mum, can we watch a DVD?’ Jake asked, slipping from his seat at the kitchen table.

  ‘Of course we can, sweetheart.’ She closed the lid on the laptop and picked up the glass filled with vodka. ‘What do you fancy watching?’

  ‘Finding Dory,’ Katie chimed in.

  ‘That’s for babies. I wanna watch BFG.’

  ‘I know what. How about I make us a big bowl of buttery popcorn and we watch both? We can toss a coin to choose which one we’ll watch first.’

  Katie jumped up and down on the spot. ‘Can I have a hot chocolate with marshmallows as well? Please. The way Kimmy makes it.’

  ‘Course you can, sweetheart,’ Lindsay said, swallowing the lump that had risen in her throat at the mention of Kim’s name. After their little spat earlier that day, she’d heard nothing from her, despite trying to call her several times. Looking back with a clear head she realised that she’d jumped the gun a little too soon.

  That was until she’d seen the picture on Facebook and her suspicions had been confirmed.

  ‘When’s Kimmy coming home, Mum?’ Katie asked.

  ‘Yeah, she said she’d come and watch me play football,’ Jake added.

  Lindsay looked into their innocent enquiring eyes. She knelt down and opened her arms, gesturing for them to join her. ‘Kimmy is really busy at the moment working hard so she can start a new business and we can move somewhere nice. Wouldn’t you like that?’

  They nodded.

  ‘Until then, you’ll just have to put up with me.’ She kissed each of them on the nose then pushed her hand into her pocket and withdrew a coin. Ten pence. That’ll be right. I haven’t even got a bloody pound.

  She flicked the coin in the air.

  ‘Tails,’ Jake called out as it landed on the back of Lindsay’s hand.

  Katie let out a yelp of laughter. ‘Ha ha, it’s heads! We’re watching Dory first.’

  Jake scrunched his face in disappointment.

  ‘Come on, Jake. Katie won fair and square.’ She pushed herself to her feet. ‘Go on, set the DVD up. I’ll be through in a min.’

  Lindsay opened the cupboard door and tried to look past the fact it was nearly empty and pulled out a bag of popcorn ker
nels. This was what she was reduced to. Making the popcorn instead of buying the luxury brand from Waitrose. The funny thing was the kids didn’t mind, they hadn’t said a word about the drop in their standard of living. It was Lindsay who was struggling. The money Kim had transferred was now a distant memory after paying their bills.

  Getting the job at the care home was her last hope. If that fell through she didn’t know what she was going to do. For a split second she wondered if she should return to the marital home. But she shot that thought down as soon as it popped into her mind. No way. They might be poor but the kids loved Kim. She loved Kim. They were just going through a rough patch, that was all. Once they sorted out their finances everything would go back to how it was.

  At least she hoped they would.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The wine bar Callum had chosen was a trendy, heavily mirrored establishment, overflowing with some of the most attractive, glamorous people Rae had ever seen. She felt intimidated by almost all of the women present, dressed in their chic designer clothes. Not only did they look half her age, they oozed a confidence that she could never hope to have. Callum obviously fit into the scenery like a missing piece of the puzzle.

  ‘So, what do you think? Nice place huh?’ Callum asked as he held her chair out for her.

  Rae lowered herself onto the seat. ‘Yes, it’s nice.’ She tried her best to sound convincing. Rae couldn’t fail to notice the admiring glances bestowed upon Callum by several of the women who were sitting in their vicinity. They would first stare, then they would display those little physical signs of desire—the moistening of lips with the tip of the tongue, shifting in their chairs, heaving chests, flicking of hair and so on.

  Rae could feel her face burning with jealousy as she watched Callum glancing round the room, obviously in his element. She picked up a menu and pretended to be absorbed in its offerings.

  Callum cast a shadow over her and she looked up.

  ‘Come on, let’s go.’

  Oh no, he’s taking me home because he knows I’m jealous. He thinks I’m some sort of saddo. ‘What’s the matter? Have I done something wrong?’ she asked fretfully.

  He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. ‘I shouldn’t have brought you here. You’re obviously not comfortable.’

  Rae opened her mouth to protest, but Callum shook his head. ‘You’re not a very good actress, Rae. I should have known you’re far too classy for a pretentious place like this.’

  Rae stood and squared her shoulders. ‘But, Callum, I don’t want to spoil it for you if you like it here.’

  Callum stared at her with a warmth that nearly melted her heart. ‘I couldn’t care less if we were in a dustbin as long as we’re together.’

  He pulled her closer to his side and they walked towards the exit. Rae knew it was shallow, but she couldn’t help but revel in the fact that everyone could see that she was with him. She loved owning his attention fully while the younger women watched, wishing.

  Twenty minutes later they were sat in the familiar surroundings of Raphael’s. A bar Lindsay and herself frequented quite often. Being a weeknight, the place was nearly empty, which was just how Rae liked it. Zero competition.

  Rae looked at Callum in astonishment as he took a seat opposite her. ‘This is one of my favourite bars. How did you know?’

  ‘I know you better than you know yourself,’ he replied, deadpan.

  Rae dropped her eyes. She suddenly felt embarrassed and ashamed of her insecurities, more so that Callum had managed to see right through her.

  Callum put down the drinks menu he was reading, leant over the table and tilted Rae’s chin up with his finger. ‘Right, Ms Webber, I believe we shall be having something a bit more Gothic, more Bohemian tonight,’ he replied in a typically overdone upper class accent.

  Rae laughed, relieved that Callum seemed to have no intention of bringing the incident in the other bar up. ‘Whatever you think.’

  Callum caught the attention of the waiter and ordered their drinks. Within minutes the young man was back. Callum paid and Rae notice he gave him a £10 tip. She smiled as the waiter’s face lit up with gratitude. And add generosity to the long list of positives.

  Rae had never had Absinthe and was fascinated with the whole rite that went along with its preparation—the spoon, the ice water over the sugar cube.

  ‘So are you going to tell me the big news?’ she asked, as she sipped the devilish green elixir.

  Callum’s eyes suddenly narrowed, the playfulness that had been there only seconds ago evaporated. ‘You know that website I told you about?’

  Rae nodded. She felt a stab of guilt for her unknown disloyalty. What would Callum say if she told him she had contacted his ex? She quickly pushed the thought to the back of her mind. Bev hadn’t replied and somehow Rae doubted she would, so it wasn’t really a big deal. It was certainly not something to spoil their night over.

  Callum took a mouthful of his drink before continuing, ‘Well, somehow my work place got wind of it today and pulled me up about it.’

  Rae felt genuine sorrow for him. ‘Oh no, that’s awful.’

  Callum snorted. ‘It gets worse. My manager said my conduct outside of work reflected badly on their reputation as an equal opportunities employer. They didn’t believe me when I said the website was the rantings of a lunatic, so I quit,’ he finished, matter-of-factly.

  Rae’s eyes widened. ‘You did?’

  ‘Yes, I did. Just like that.’ He snapped his fingers.

  Rae frowned. ‘Don’t you think that was a bit hasty?’

  ‘Not at all. I would have quit sooner or later anyway.’

  ‘Why?’

  He took her hands in his and held her gaze captive. ‘Because of you.’

  ‘Me?’ Rae’s pulse accelerated.

  ‘Yes, you. I think we’ve got the potential for something real, Rae. I want to nurture the seeds of our relationship. I can’t do that and work in the city at the same time. The hours are brutal. So is the social aspect of it. Before I met you I didn’t care. But you’ve changed the way I think about my life.’ He looked at her intensely. ‘No one, and I mean no one, has ever touched me the way you have. As soon as I met you I knew you were the one.’

  Rae’s mind was scrambling for a suitable reply. ‘Callum, I’m flattered, but you can’t leave your job for me.’

  ‘Don’t you think you’re worthy?’

  ‘What? Yes of course,’ she said hesitantly.

  His voice was barely a whisper. ‘So do I.’

  ‘But what will you do? For work I mean?’

  Callum shrugged carelessly. ‘Work from home. I have enough money to support myself for years. All I need to set myself up are three monitors, an internet connection and I’m set to go. I can set my own hours and we can spend as much time as we like together. Sounds great, doesn’t it?’

  Rae went numb with a strange sensation, somewhere between lust and docility. ‘Um, yes.’

  She couldn’t believe a man like Callum would give up so much for her. He must have thought she was an ungrateful cow by her lukewarm response. Grateful that Callum couldn’t read her thoughts, she couldn’t help but wonder, in a swirling maelstrom of emotion, why he had chosen her out of all the young, stunning women that she knew threw themselves at him. What made her so special? As her mum always loved to point out, nothing!

  Callum leant on his elbows, chin upon locked fingers, and fixed his pristine glare deeply into her eyes. ‘It’s been such a waste.’

  Rae gave him a puzzled smile. ‘What has?’

  His face tightened with intensity. ‘That in all the years of you being single, not one man thought you were worthy enough to knock down your barriers. To want to win your heart.’

  Rae remained silent. She didn’t know if it was meant as a compliment or not.

  Callum leant back in his chair. ‘And please don’t tell me you didn’t want a man in your life, that Bourbon was enough to fill the void. Both you and I know t
hat’s not the truth, don’t we?’ he pressed.

  Her mind was in a whirlwind. ‘I just hadn’t met the right person, I didn’t think I ever would,’ Rae said in a daze, intoxicated not only by the Absinthe, but also by the way Callum was looking at her. ‘How could I have known you would show up in my life? That I could feel like this?’

  Callum’s lips curved into a smile that had no doubt been instrumental in seducing many women. ‘Haven’t you ever heard of love at first sight? Who’s to say there is no such thing as instant …’ he sought the right word, ‘… instant … kismet?’ he asked, his words pronounced romantically and his eyes beckoning.

  Rae looked at him dreamily, losing herself in his gaze. ‘I’ve heard of it, but until now I just didn’t believe it.’

  ***

  It was gone midnight by the time they reluctantly left Raphael’s. The change in the dynamics of their relationship was a noticeable one. They were more touchy-feely with one another as they walked back to the car. It shocked her to realise that their friendship or whatever it had been only hours earlier that evening had moved on in leaps and bounds so quickly.

  Callum thrust his hands in his pockets as they stood on Rae’s doorstep whilst she fished around in her bag for her keys. ‘It’s bloody cold tonight,’ Callum remarked as his coat flapped wildly in the brewing storm.

  To Rae it made him look like a beautiful villain from a graphic novel, his longish tresses whipping at his strong features.

  ‘Can I come in for a quick coffee?’ he asked outright.

  Rae didn’t hesitate. ‘Of course.’ She finally located her key and inserted it into the lock. She pushed the door open and Callum followed her inside, bending down to pet Bourbon for a few seconds as he circled his ankles.

  ‘I just need to use the toilet,’ Callum called out after Rae as she walked on ahead.

  ‘Okay, I’m in the kitchen down at the end of the hall,’ she called back.

  Rae entered the kitchen and switched the kettle on. She placed two mugs in front of it and heaped a spoonful of coffee in each cup. Glancing down on the floor she noticed a letter that had fallen off the table. As she bent over to pick it up she was aware that the hem of her dress had lifted and was revealing her thighs. She angled her head towards the door and was shocked to see Callum leaning against the doorway, watching her quietly.