Unravelled

by Jade Winters

  ‘It’s a shame Callum cancelled tonight. It would have been nice to get to know him a little better.’

  Rae looked at her watch. ‘I know. He’s gutted he couldn’t be here, but things have been hectic for him today …’

  ‘It’s a wonder you both cope.’

  Rae looked at her curiously. ‘What d’you mean?’

  ‘Well it’s half past eight and he’s still working. You could say he’s a carbon copy of you.’

  Rae glanced at her with barbed curiosity.

  Noting her expression, Lindsay quickly added. ‘You know, with you both being workaholics. How do you ever have time to do things together?’

  ‘Funny you should ask that,’ Rae said sheepishly as she joined Lindsay at the table and sank down on one of the upholstered seats. ‘I’m gonna let you into a little secret.’

  ‘Sounds ominous,’ Lindsay said.

  ‘Well it’s just that Callum thinks the same as you …’

  ‘He does?’

  ‘Yes. You know about us not seeing each other. Either I’m working late or he is.’

  Lindsay braced herself. Rae didn’t have to complete the sentence, Lindsay already knew what she was going to say.

  ‘… So Callum has been talking about us moving in together,’ Rae confided. ‘He said he hates spending nights apart. Not that we do really anyway. He practically lives here already.’

  ‘Wow.’ Lindsay swallowed hard and forced a smile. Don’t be judgmental. They were still in the early stages of rebuilding their now fragile friendship. Even though Lindsay thought Rae was making a mistake, she decided to keep her opinion to herself.

  ‘Lindsay, when you met Kim do you remember what you said to me?’

  ‘Not everything, no.’

  ‘Well let me jog your memory. You said, “when you know, you know. Doesn’t matter if it’s a second, a month or a year. When you make that once in a lifetime connection there’s not a second to waste”.’

  ‘Yes I agree but—’

  ‘There aren’t any buts. Not now.’ Rae beamed. ‘He’s taking me away next weekend and I’m going to officially say yes to him moving in.’

  ‘Does that mean there’ll be wedding bells in the near future?’ she said with some trepidation. A cold finger of apprehension touched her. Doubt clouded her judgment about Callum and his intentions.

  ‘Maybe. If he ever gets around to asking.’ Rae’s voice was full of jest, but her eyes were deeply sincere.

  ‘Well it’s getting serious if he wants to move in. That’s a massive commitment,’ Lindsay said, gesturing to the many photos of Rae and Callum stuck on the fridge door.

  ‘I know. To be honest, I’m a bit nervous about living with a man again so soon.’

  ‘So soon?’ Lindsay asked, flabbergasted. ‘Your idea of “soon” is ridiculous, Rae. You’ve been alone for almost six years now.’

  ‘I know,’ Rae agreed, as she twirled her wine glass. ‘I’m crazy about him. I can’t stop thinking about him, even after just a few weeks of dating. But … you know … I can’t help but think, why me? Why have I been given a second chance and so much happiness when others never get a look in even once in their lifetime?’

  ‘Why you? Because you deserve it. You’re an amazing person. And any man who has one ounce of common sense will see that you’re worth your weight in gold.’

  Pity tugged at Lindsay’s heartstrings. This relationship was important to Rae. After years of hurt and loneliness, Lindsay should be happy that Rae had finally found someone, regardless of her own misgivings. It’s not like I’m the best judge of character.

  ‘Okay, all right, enough,’ Rae interrupted her quickly with a laugh. ‘Point taken. I deserve to be happy.’

  ‘And Rae … I really am sorry about the things I said in the pub.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it, it’s all forgotten. I just want to move forward now.’

  Lindsay pulled Rae in for a heartfelt hug. When she released her she held up her glass. ‘Here’s to us being friends forever and not letting anything come between us—no matter what obstacles might fall in our way.’

  Little did Lindsay realise that one day those words would come back to haunt her.

  Chapter Nineteen

  ‘Your mum was right wasn’t she? You’ve gone and got yourself a man?’ Candice walked into Rae’s kitchen brandishing Callum’s toothbrush as if it were a knife. ‘She said she had a whole conversation with you and you didn’t mention your sodding cat once. That’s a first isn’t it?’

  ‘For someone who’s meant to be my younger step-sister,’ Rae snatched the toothbrush from her hand and lay it by the sink, ‘You’re very forward aren’t you?’

  ‘Oh chill out, sis, you’re always so uptight. I hope you aren’t like that with your new man.’

  Rae rolled her eyes. ‘Can you stop calling him that? It sounds so rough. His name is Callum, if you must know.’

  Candice raised her finely shaped brows. ‘Callum, eh? So where’d you meet him?’

  It was strange talking about Callum to Candice. Over the years their conversations had centred around Candice and her life. Not once had she taken an interest in Rae’s love life. Not even when she was with Greg. In fact, her mother and Candice had both failed to attend her wedding. Their excuse? ‘What’s the point? It ain’t gonna last.’

  ‘Callum was the person who found Bourbon, he’s—’

  ‘Wow, how did I know it would have something to do with your cat? Sounds like another saddo if you ask me.’

  Rae looked at her watch and inwardly groaned. Candice’s unannounced visit had only been an hour long, yet Rae felt as if she needed a week’s holiday just to recover. Candice was so full on, which was why her sister’s visits were limited to once a month. It was a sincere hope of Rae’s that Candice would mellow as she got older—that her ‘in your face’ type of personality would temper with time.

  ‘Anyway, your mum and Aunt Pat have made a bet on how long it’s gonna take you to drive this poor bloke away,’ she said, pity evident in her hazel eyes. ‘I’ve never known anyone to have such bad luck with men.’

  ‘Being choosy about who I have as a partner has nothing to do with bad luck,’ Rae said with a cheeriness that sounded false even to her own ears.

  ‘Whatever,’ Candice said in a bored tone. ‘Hey, I keep meaning to ask. Is Lindsay still a dyke? God, imagine having dick all your life and swapping it for pussy?’ She pulled a face. ‘Yuck!’

  Rae gasped. ‘Do you have to be so vile? Lindsay happens to love her partner as a person. It’s got nothing to do with her genitals.’

  Candice tossed her long honey brown hair over her shoulder. ‘Yeah, yeah, whatever. D’you mind if I put some music on? It’s like a graveyard in here.’

  ‘If you must,’ Rae said. She would agree to anything if it meant not having to hear Candice’s voice for five minutes.

  Candice strode out of the kitchen and soon after the sounds of Kanye West rapping blared throughout the house. ‘That man is sooooo hot, he can have my booty anytime,’ Candice sang as she came back in the kitchen, gyrating her hips provocatively to the beat of the music. Candice’s short leather skirt was hitched up so high, Rae could see the hem of her knickers.

  Rae’s laughter was cut short by the sound of the front door slamming. Both women turned their heads towards the door. Within seconds Callum appeared in the doorway. A look of annoyance quickly evaporated from his face when he caught sight of Candice.

  ‘You must be Callum.’ Candice headed straight towards him without adjusting her skirt. She reached him and extended her hand. ‘I’m Candice, Rae’s younger step-sister.’

  Callum grinned.

  Rae shuddered involuntarily as Candice ran both hands through her hair in a suggestive manner. Even though Candice was a grown woman of twenty, in so many ways she was still like a child.

  Clearing her throat, Rae fixed a smile on her face and said in a clipped tone. ‘I’ll go and turn the music off, shall I?’


  Candice gave an exaggerated groan and pushed her chest out, showing Callum her best assets. ‘My sister is such a bore isn’t she? You’d think she was in her eighties the way she carries on.’

  Rae was already out the door and didn’t hear Callum’s reply but she heard them both laugh at whatever he’d said. When she returned to the kitchen, Callum and Candice were speaking in hushed tones. Rae was just about to suggest that Candice leave as they had packing to do for their trip the following day but Candice had other plans.

  ‘Sis, I’ve changed my mind about staying for dinner,’ she said with a sideward glance at Rae. ‘Callum’s offered to take us out for curry. Sure beats the tasteless concoctions you throw together.’

  Rae’s eyes widened at the put down, but Candice only covered her mouth to hide her smirk. Rae glared at Callum but he was happily smiling at Candice.

  Rae exhaled. It was going to be a long evening.

  ***

  Rae stormed into the living room, switched the light on and threw her jacket on the sofa. Callum entered behind her and she spun around in a fury. ‘Do you know how humiliating that was for me? Flirting with Candice in front of me.’

  ‘Oh don’t be so dramatic, Rae. We were just having a good time.’

  ‘A good time! You call having someone literally throw themselves at you like a cheap whore, a good time?’

  Callum threw back his head and laughed. ‘That’s not a nice way to speak about her.’

  ‘Well it’s bloody true. And why did you take her phone number?’

  Callum shrugged. ‘To be polite. I threw it away as soon as we left the restaurant.’ He caught Rae in his arms as she walked past him and drew her in by her waist. ‘Hey, I think I like this feisty jealous side of you.’

  His excitement grew as he pressed against her, but sex was the last thing on her mind. No one had ever made her feel so insignificant. Not even Greg, which was saying something.

  ‘Don’t, Callum.’

  ‘I can’t help it.’ He nuzzled her neck. ‘You’re very sexy like this.’

  Rae disentangled herself from his arms and took a step back. ‘If you like Candice so much why don’t you ask her out on a date? I’m sure she’d jump at the chance.’

  ‘Don’t project your insecurities onto the poor girl. There’s nothing wrong with a young woman being footloose and fancy free. Maybe you should invite her round more often. She certainly adds a bit of life to the place doesn’t she?’

  Rae narrowed her eyes. ‘And what do I do? Sour the mood?’

  ‘Those are your words, not mine. Is this how you used to behave with your ex-husband? Having to control everything?’

  ‘Oh, so now I’m a control freak,’ she said throwing her arms up in the air.

  Callum’s features lost all signs of humour. ‘No, you’re a fucking kill joy, that’s what you are.’ He picked up his jacket and slipped his arms into it. ‘What would you prefer, that I was rude and miserable over dinner? No doubt if I had been, you’d be having a go at me about that instead.’

  He shook his head and walked towards the door.

  ‘Where’re you going?’ There was panic in Rae’s voice.

  ‘As far away from you as possible,’ he snapped.

  Rae ran after him and grabbed hold of his jacket from behind. She tugged at it, trying to slow down his pace. ‘Come on, don’t be silly. Why does every argument end up with you wanting to leave? Can’t we ever just agree to disagree like the adults we are? We’re supposed to be going to Scotland in the morning.’

  Callum roughly shrugged off Rae’s hand. ‘I’ll be back to pick you up then.’ He continued towards the door and slammed it behind him as he left.

  Rae slumped against the wall and stared blankly at the door. Tears stung her eyes then tumbled carelessly down her cheeks.

  Chapter Twenty

  A stack of unopened letters sat on the coffee table in front of Lindsay. The kids’ toys were strewn across the living room floor, and a pile of clothes balanced on the edge of the sofa. They could all be dealt with later. For now, she had more important things on her mind.

  Lindsay opened her laptop, sipping gingerly from a hot cup of coffee. When the screen came to life she set down her mug and double-clicked the cursor on the Skype icon. Come on. As the program loaded she drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair. Her thoughts turned to Kim and how much she missed her. Does she feel the same?

  The blue window finally opened and Lindsay clicked connect.

  ‘Am I happy to see you,’ Kim said as her face appeared on the screen in front of Lindsay. ‘I’ve missed you so much.’

  Lindsay smiled and her shoulders relaxed. ‘Me too. I feel like I haven’t seen you for ages. So, tell me all about it. How’re things out there?’

  ‘Brilliant. Amazing. It’s going really well. The only thing stopping it from being perfect is that you and the kids aren’t here. How are they?’

  ‘They’re good,’ Lindsay said. ‘Though they miss you loads.’

  ‘Aww me too. Tell them not to worry. I’ll be back before they know it. Pizzas will be on me.’

  ‘They’ll be pleased to hear that.’ For a moment, mesmerised, she looked directly into Kim’s gaze. In the midst of all their troubles she had forgotten how much she truly loved her. Maybe it was because Kim seemed like her old self again. Her eyes alive with excitement. Lindsay couldn’t help but be drawn in. ‘I never got to tell you how proud I am of you, for following your dreams.’

  ‘And I’m proud of you getting that job,’ Kim said. ‘How’s it going anyway? Are you enjoying it?’

  ‘Funnily enough, I am. I love the residents. I thought washing them was going to be an issue, but it really isn’t. I just love being able to help them. I leave work every day feeling proud of myself—that I’ve made a difference in someone’s life.’

  And it was true. She never knew from one day to the next whether one of the elderly residents would pass away in the night. It made her realise how fleeting life was.

  ‘You do know once I’m on my feet with my business you can stop working. Or even better, work with me.’

  ‘We’ll see. The most important thing for now is that I’ve got a job and can help pay the bills.’

  Talking of work brought up an aspect of the job she had found quite upsetting—hospital referrals.

  Kim bit her lip. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘Come on, Linds. It’s me you’re talking to, remember.’

  ‘Okay,’ she said with the barest hesitation. ‘It’s just something that happened today …’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘This homeless man was referred to the home from the hospital. His injuries are healing but he still looks pretty messed up. Some bastard mugged him—’

  ‘Oh shit, that’s terrible.’

  ‘I know,’ Lindsay agreed. The man was still shaken to the core. The hospital had informed them that he’d been having night terrors. Lindsay hoped karma was a real phenomenon and whoever had attacked him would get their comeuppance.

  ‘Did they find the person that did it?’

  ‘Nope.’ Lindsay briefly raised her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation. ‘I just can’t believe how evil people can be.’

  ‘Let’s hope they find the bastard and he gets jail time.’

  Lindsay shook her head. ‘That’s just it though, they probably won’t even be caught. And if they are they’ll get a slap on the wrist. The legal system in this country is a joke.’

  ‘I know, but you’ve got to try and not let it get to you, otherwise you’ll burn yourself out. Just concentrate on the positives. He’s safe now and he’s being cared for,’ Kim said brightly.

  ‘Yeah, you’re right.’

  Lindsay took another sip of coffee and immediately saw a flicker of concern cross Kim’s face. Laughing, she tilted the computer at an angle over the cup. ‘Relax, Kim. It’s only coffee. I haven’t had a drink in days.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it.’


  ‘Hey, guess who I spoke to the other day.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Becky.’

  ‘Are you serious?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘How? I mean—’

  ‘I called her. I thought it was about time to sort things out. She’s the only family I have.’

  Thankfully her older sister seemed to feel the same way. After an awkward start they chatted away as if they’d seen each other only days ago, not months.

  ‘I’m so pleased. You know she only said that stuff about you drinking too much because she was worried about you.’

  That and because she was a doctor. As if the daily lectures on the units Lindsay should be adhering to wasn’t bad enough, when Becky started sending her literature for Alcoholics Anonymous, Lindsay had started to pull away. Yes she enjoyed a drink now and again, but who didn’t? The bars and pubs were always filled with customers. Did that make them alcoholics as well?

  ‘I know she meant well …’

  ‘So are you going to see her?’

  ‘Yeah, in a couple of weeks. She’s bogged down with work as usual.’

  ‘As long as you’re talking now, that’s all that matters. Look, now I’m settled and have the internet sorted we can Skype every night.’

  ‘Sounds good to me. I might even wear that kinky outfit you bought me.’

  Kim’s smile was suggestive. ‘Mmm now that would be great.’

  Lindsay laughed. ‘I thought you’d say that.’

  They spoke for another twenty minutes. Kim explained what she was learning at the vineyard and how nice and helpful the people were to her. By the end of the call Lindsay’s initial apprehension had evaporated. Things were finally going in the right direction for them both.

  Right, I’d better start cleaning this place. She pushed herself to her feet, picking up the mail as she did so. Tearing the envelope open, she took the letter out and frowned as she scanned the page.