by Mel Sparke
Cat looked at her mother’s cool expression and couldn’t take in what she was hearing.
“But, Mum! He’s come back for me! How dare you say stuff like that!” she shouted.
“Catrina darling, trust me. He hasn’t come back for you,” said her mother calmly. “He’s come back for himself-I just haven’t figured out exactly what it is he wants yet.”
“He’s right about you, you know!” Cat spat out from the bedroom as she heard her mother’s heels clicking along the hall towards the front door. “He calls you—”
“I know what he calls me,” her mother’s voice shouted firmly. “And I’ll tell you now, I’m right about him. Which you’ll find out sooner or later…”
At the sound of the front door slamming, Cat grabbed her mother’s favourite bottle of perfume off the dressing table and flung it at the wall with all her might.
CHAPTER 11
SONJA AND THE SOFT SELL
“Anna’s so smart, y’know. I really admire her!”
Sonja looked pointedly at her brother, whose attention was currently focused on her CD collection. He was sprawled on her bedroom floor, picking albums he was vaguely interested in out of the rack and studying the running order on the back.
Now, faced with his silence, she wondered if he’d heard a single word of the soft sell she’d been doing on Anna.
“Are you listening, Peter?”
He glanced up at his sister, who was sitting cross-legged on her padded window-seat and nodded, “yeah, yeah… Anna,” he mumbled, staring back down at the Ibiza compilation album in his hand. “Which one of your mates is she again?”
“I told you,” Sonja replied, trying not to let a note of irritation creep into her voice. “Anna’s the pretty one with the long, straight brown hair and the cute little beauty spot.”
“The Indian girl?”
“No-the one who works at the End…”
“Oh, yeah, the waitress,” Peter replied, with what sounded suspiciously like a slightly dismissive tone.
Sonja was sure she’d imagined it. Peter wasn’t such a snob as to be scornful about someone being a waitress. Was he?
“‘Course, she’s only waitressing to fill in time,” Sonja babbled, trying to up her friend’s credentials in her brother’s eyes. “I think she wants to train to be a homeopath or something. She’s really into alternative therapies.”
It was a wild guess on Sonja’s part. She’d no idea if Anna had ever considered turning any of her New Age interests into a profession at any point in the future, but she thought it sounded good.
But Peter’s expression told a different story. “Alternative therapies? That’s all a rip-off, that stuff. Just mumbo-jumbo.”
“Not all of it!” said Sonja, backpedalling furiously. “And hey-you can ask her yourself tonight when we go and see the band. All my mates go to the Railway Tavern on Thursdays to see The Loud-you’ll have a great time!”
“Hmm, well, if it’s the best Winstead can offer…”
“Stop joking, Peter!” she laughed.
“Who’s joking?” he replied, tossing the CD aside.
Sonja nibbled at a nail and stared at Peter’s blond head as he rummaged among the CDs.
Growing up, she always been in awe of her confident, handsome big brother, who knew so much and was considered so cool by all her school friends (Kerry hadn’t been the only one with a childhood crush on him). But now she was reminded of another of his traits; Peter was so serious.
The only time he ever lost his temper with his sisters was when they were larking about too much, teasing him and each other with giggles and shrieks. Peter would happily help them with their homework, watch movies with them, play Monopoly and Scrabble with them, plus a hundred other things most big brothers couldn’t be bothered doing. But when they got giggly, he’d tell them not to be so stupid and head off to his room-Sonja’s room now-and resolutely shut the door.
So he’s got that serious side, Sonja thought, still nibbling her nail. That probably makes him and Anna even more perfect together. She’s pretty earnest and sensible too. Well, compared to the rest of us anyway…
“Urn, so you’ve not left any heartbroken girlfriend behind in your old place, have you?” Sonja tried, hoping she wasn’t being too transparent. It was important, she suddenly realised, to check he didn’t have anyone major in his life before she went any further with her matchmaking.
“Nope,” said Peter casually. “Well, there might be a couple of broken hearts around, but that’s their problem, not mine.”
Sonja smiled. Attracting girlfriends was all pretty effortless for Peter; occasionally, Sonja would see him turn on the charm, but most of the time all he needed to do was stroll along the street, looking as handsome as he always did, and dozens of female eyes would follow him.
“Hi, you two!”
Helena Harvey stood in the bedroom doorway, smiling down at her eldest and youngest children.
“Hi, Mum!” replied Sonja. “Is tea ready? Or do you need a hand?”
“No, it’s fine-and it’ll be a while yet. I just thought I’d tell you that your dad’s on the phone with your Aunt Sylvia just now. I caught the gist of it so far and it sounds like you were right, Sonja-Cat’s father is back on the scene.”
Sonja felt faint stirrings of alarm; she’d told her mum and dad about Zac’s brief phone call with Cat’s mother a couple of days before and the fact that Cat was out with someone called Eddie. Sylvia was fiercely private and independent, so neither Tom nor Helena Harvey had felt they could pry. All the family could do was wait till she got round to telling them, if it was indeed true. Now, it had been confirmed.
“Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait till your dad’s off the phone to find out what on earth’s going on,” shrugged Sonja’s mum. “You haven’t seen Cat lately then?”
“Nope,” her daughter said, shaking her head. “But she should be at the gig tonight, so I’ll see if she’s OK.”
“Mmm, well I wouldn’t bet on her being there, Sonja-having your father walk back in your life after such a long time might just mean that normal service is suspended, if you see what I mean.”
“Right…”
Sonja wrinkled her nose in irritation when she saw that she had accidentally bitten a rag nail till it bled. The last few days had been a real rollercoaster of events and emotions: Owen’s surprise suggestion that they live together; the worry now about being offered the university place; Peter’s visit; what had happened to Anna, and now the upheaval in her cousin’s life. And all of it was taking a toll on her normally immaculately filed short and neat nails.
“What’s this-a gathering of the clan?” asked Lottie, joining her mother in the doorway.
“I was just telling Sonja and Peter that your Aunt Sylvia’s on the phone.”
“Oh, God, yeah. So Uncle Eddie has turned up then?”
Despite Sylvia Osgood’s aloofness, her ties were still strong with her brother’s family. While she’d struggled to sort out her life as a single parent, Cat had spent large chunks of her childhood with Sonja, Karin, Lottie and Peter.
“Yes. So we’ll find out more about that shortly,” said Helena with a look of concern on her face. “Anyway, what’s that? The postman must be doing a very late round now…”
She pointed to the unopened envelope in Lottie’s hand.
“Oh, yeah, this!” Lottie said in surprise, having completely forgotten why she’d come to Sonja’s door in the first place. “Sorry, Son-I must have picked this up with my Next catalogue this morning. Here you go!”
The letter flew across the room and Sonja had to quickly untangle her crossed legs and leap forward to catch it.
Helena Harvey began to chat to her son about the details of his upcoming new job and Lottie drifted off from the doorway. But Sonja didn’t notice; she was too busy focusing on the envelope she was tearing open with shaking hands.
On the top of the sheet of paper, she saw the university logo.
&nbs
p; One way or another, she knew, this simple piece of A4 paper was about to change her life. She could hardly bear to read the typed words.
Dear Ms Harvey, it began. We are…
CHAPTER 12
UNDERCURRENTS
“…pleased to offer you a place! Omigod, omigod!” squealed Kerry, throwing her arms around her friend, still clutching Sonja’s letter.
“I know!” giggled Sonja, hugging her back.
Sonja and Kerry were at the bar in the Railway Tavern, a little way away from the rest of the crowd, who were too busy chatting in the busy pub to see the two girls” excitement.
“I wanted to tell you first, Kez-well, after my folks, of course. I could hardly hide it from them since I started screaming as soon as I saw what the letter said!”
Kerry fixed her friend with a look.
“Have you told Owen yet?” she asked.
“Not yet. I tried to phone him, but his flatmate says he’s out. I’ll try him at his work tomorrow.”
“And your mum and dad-do they know about you and Owen? Did you tell them that part?”
“Not yet,” said Sonja, pulling a nervous face. “I know they’re pretty cool and everything, but I think I’ll leave that one for a bit. I mean, it’s not like I’m starting till September and who knows-I might screw up my exams in the meantime!”
‘“Course you won’t!” grinned Kerry. Unlike her, Sonja had always found school and coursework fairly easy. It would take some doing for Sonja to botch her A levels.
“Still, the one person I might try and talk to about it tonight is Anna. I’m sure Owen will have told her by now.”
Both girls looked over in the direction of their friend. Anna was looking particularly lovely tonight, Sonja was pleased to see, which should help with Sonja’s secondary interest in her-setting Anna up with Peter.
“They’re on opposite sides of the table,” grinned Kerry, reading her mind. “How are you going to wangle getting them together?”
At that moment, Peter was sitting chatting to Maya’s boyfriend, Alex.
S’pose they’re closest in age, Sonja realised. Peter’s twenty-four now, so I guess he’s got more in common with Alex than he has with any of the other boys. Of the other lads sitting round the table, Ollie, Joe, Andy and Billy were all seventeen, while Matt-currently doing some stupid trick with a matchbox and a pint glass-was eighteen, for another three days, anyway.
“Don’t worry, Kez,” smiled Sonja wickedly. “I’m in love and I’m on a mission to get everyone, everywhere, to fall in love too!”
As the band played their set, a curious atmosphere had descended on their friends listening in the audience.
On the one hand, everyone had been thrilled at the news of Sonja’s conditional place at university but, on the other, everyone was concerned to know how Cat (who, as Sonja’s mum had predicted, hadn’t shown up) was getting on.
Only Joe and, to some extent, Sonja, knew the true extent of Cat’s parents’ marriage breakdown. The others only knew that Eddie Osgood had deserted his family, not that his alcoholism was behind it. Even if things were going well now, it couldn’t have been an easy reunion for Cat, her mother and her long-lost father.
But one definitely good sign, in Sonja’s book anyway, was that Peter and Anna were not only sitting next to one another, but chatting too. She leant forward, past Maya and Alex, and sneaked another peek at her brother, who was saying something in Anna’s ear. Anna was nodding and smiling.
“Looks like it’s working!” said Sonja, leaning back and talking directly into Kerry’s ear.
“Yeah-and I was going to say, why don’t you ask Peter to come to the theme park with us on Sunday?” Kerry suggested above the music, unaware that Anna intended not to go. “It would be another excuse to get him and Anna together and I’m sure Matt wouldn’t mind.”
Kerry had no idea how wrong she was on that point. Matt was currently standing at the mixing desk, but his attention wasn’t on the band. Instead, his eyes were glued to Peter and Anna as they talked together. But Kerry did have a fairly good idea that someone else might mind. When she and Sonja had wandered over to the table to join the others earlier, Peter had been mouthing off again about how much she’d changed, and the more praise he’d given her, the more straight-faced Ollie had become.
I don’t think Ollie’s going to like Peter coming with us, but he is Sonja’s brother and she has a right to bring him out with her if she wants, Kerry thought, trying to justify her suggestion.
“Get him to come to Bushmeade? Brilliant idea!” enthused Sonja. “I’ll ask him later.”
“What are you two gossiping about?” asked Maya, leaning over to her two friends.
“Matt’s birthday do on Sunday,” Sonja yelled above the track the lads were thundering through. “Are you looking forward to it?”
“Of course! An extra day with Alex? You bet I’m looking forward to it,” replied Maya with a smile.
“How do you mean, extra day?” asked Kerry, confused.
“Well, remember-one of the conditions my parents set down was that me and Alex are only allowed to see each other twice a week,” said Maya, gazing at her two friends. “So, this week, our official nights were last night after photography club, and Saturday night coming up. Sunday doesn’t count. They just see it as me going out with all of you lot for Matt’s birthday.”
“Maya!” gasped Sonja in mock horror. “Since when did you start to tell porky-pies?!”
“Since I fell in love…” shrugged Maya apologetically.
“And, wait a minute, Alex comes along every Thursday to see the band now,” Kerry pointed out. “Do they think—”
”—that this is my night out just with my friends? They don’t realise Alex is here too?” Maya finished her sentence. “Guilty, I’m afraid!”
All three girls took a look at Alex, who-unaware he was being discussed-was happily watching the band and nodding his head in time to the music.
“I hope Cat can come on Sunday,” said Kerry, changing the subject. “Matt said he left her a message on the answerphone.”
“But whether her dad’s here or not, she wouldn’t have been able to come,” Maya pointed out. “She’s got some big rehearsal for her play that day, remember?”
“Oh, right!” Kerry frowned, vaguely recalling a distant conversation. “Hey, I just thought of something else…”
“What?” asked Sonja, while Maya looked quizzical.
“Poor Zac-he went storming off on Tuesday, thinking Cat was out on a date with some other lad!”
“The poor guy might still think that; he might be breaking his heart over nothing!” Sonja pointed out. “But then again, Cat’s bound to have phoned him by now and explained that Eddie is her dad… isn’t she?”
The girls all exchanged uncertain glances. Cat had a tendency to fixate on one thing, to the exclusion of everything. And while Zac had been her main focus recently, now her dad was back in her life, they all had a funny feeling that Zac might have been temporarily left out in the cold.
Suddenly, the track the boys were playing came to an end. Sonja, Maya and Kerry straightened up from their huddle and clapped along with the other punters in the pub. With their attention directed towards Ollie-while he said his thank yous and introduced the next song-the three girls all noticed him wave at someone.
Kerry was the first to turn round, out of curiosity.
“Look!” she yelped.
Cat was grinning and waggling her fingers back up at Ollie on the small stage. She was standing at the bar-and not on her own.
“Who’s she with?” asked Maya, squinting through the packed bodies that were partially blocking her view.
Kerry and Sonja stared at each other wide-eyed, then turned to Maya.
“Her dad…” they said in unison.
CHAPTER 13
SLEEPLESS NIGHT
Matt padded barefoot into the darkened kitchen, yawning. He’d tossed and turned for the last hour, his mind flitting back
to the night’s events at the Railway Tavern. Feeling no nearer sleep as the clock edged towards two, he’d finally decided to get up, get a drink and flick through a magazine in the hope that that might do the trick.
Yanking open the door of the huge fridge, Matt stood bathed in the yellow glow of the tiny bulb that illuminated the shelves, which were unusually well stocked.
Dad was having Cat’s mum round for dinner, he remembered, finding an explanation for all the delicious-looking leftovers. Not that Matt felt hungry. Something had made him lose his appetite…
Funny, Sylvia seeing so much of Dad this week, when her husband’s reappeared, he thought, shaking a carton of milk to see how much was in it.
With a little shiver, he closed the fridge door and pulled out a chair at the kitchen table. He should have pulled on a T-shirt, he knew, instead of mooching around the silent house in just his boxer shorts.
Immediately, he thought of something else he should have done-put on the light-but he couldn’t be bothered to move again. Anyway, there was a chink of light coming from the living room across the hall. Matt could make out the faint murmur of dialogue. His dad must have nodded off in front of some late-night movie.
Sitting in his own twilight world, Matt took a slug of milk straight out of the carton and thought about how strange it had been to meet Cat’s father. She definitely looked more like Eddie than her mother—
Apart from the specks of grey hair, he grinned to himself.
—especially when they both smiled.
But then it’s hard to compare Cat’s smile to her mother’s since Sylvia hardly ever does it.
Cat and her dad had only stayed long enough to meet the lads after they’d come off stage and for Cat to proudly show off her father. It had been time enough, though, for Matt to spot the tell-tale sign that Eddie Osgood was a heavy drinker-the noticeable tremor in his hands as he went to clasp his glass. Matt had clocked the way Joe was staring at exactly the same thing. He wondered if Joe had also come to the conclusion that Cat’s dad was a little over-fond of the booze.