‘Poppy?’ Glancing at her through the mirror as she gave her new copper locks a last rub with the towel, Mel guessed she must have fallen asleep – not surprisingly, after the evening’s events. She knew, in her heart, that Mark would never hurt their daughter. And she’d done it herself, dashed out of the bathroom for a towel or a toy, she thought guiltily. She hadn’t admitted that to Mark, of course. She didn’t want to give him any more ammunition to use against her.
Why was he doing this? Mel paused, gulping back the heartache, the horror and disbelief that she could have been so terrifyingly wrong about him. Why didn’t he just go? Be with Lisa, if that’s what he wanted? Accept that, in destroying his marriage, he’d be giving up his children? He was crushing her, little by little. Killing her. She hated him for it. Hated herself for allowing him to.
‘Poppy, come on, my lovely,’ she whispered to her daughter, who was well and truly asleep. Mel walked across to her, bending to ease her around. And she stopped dead, her heart lurching violently in her chest.
‘Poppy!’
Her lips were swollen. She wasn’t breathing properly.
‘Poppy!’ Mel screamed, hoisting her into her arms. ‘Mark!’
Hearing a distinct wheeze in her chest – Please, God, no, not my baby! – Mel turned, nausea sweeping through her, her heart beating as though trying to burst from her body.
Mark banged through the door before she’d reached it.
‘Jesus Christ! What’s happened?’ He reached immediately for Poppy.
Mel didn’t protest, but fed her into his arms. ‘I don’t know. I thought she was asleep. I… She…’ She gulped back a sob. ‘She must have eaten something. I don’t know.’
‘She has a rash.’ Mark’s eyes flicked quickly over Poppy. ‘Fetch her auto-injector.’
Shocked, Mel was frozen to the spot.
‘Mel. Go!’ Mark shouted urgently, bending to lower Poppy quickly to the floor.
Mel turned, and flew. They had several. Emergency supplies. Where? She tried to fit her disjointed thoughts together in her head. Bathroom. Poppy’s schoolbag. Handbag! Her gaze falling on her bag hanging from the en suite door, she seized on it, fumbling with it until finally turning it over and spewing the contents on to the floor.
Clutching two EpiPens, she raced back to where Mark was putting Poppy in the recovery position. Her throat hard and tight, Mel watched him. His face was pale, but his movements were precise and calm. Her own hands shaking, her legs feeling as if they might fail to support her, Mel passed him the pen. Mark injected it, straight through Poppy’s pyjamas and into her thigh.
‘Mark?’ Jade appeared, hovering uncertainly behind him on the landing. ‘Oh my God, what’s happened?’
‘Dial 999,’ Mark instructed, his gaze still on Poppy as he held the EpiPen in place for the required ten seconds. Would Mel have remembered to do that?
‘Just say anaphylaxis. A child,’ Mark added, as Jade punched the number into her mobile. His tone was quiet but authoritative, his expression taut with worry as he pulled the injector pen out, concentrating his efforts now on massaging Poppy’s small thigh.
‘Baby?’ Mel dropped to her knees, stroking Poppy’s sweat-dampened hair back from her face.
‘Come on, baby. You can do this,’ Mark said, his voice cracking as he gently took their daughter’s tiny hand in his own.
He closed his eyes briefly, massaged her back, checked his watch, trying to stay composed, Mel knew. ‘We need to know what’s caused it,’ he said, checking his watch again. ‘The ice cream?’
Mel shook her head. ‘No. It’s safe.’ She could barely get the words out. But what? Searching frantically through her sluggish mind, Mel tried to think. She hadn’t had anything that might cause… ‘Oh no.’ Poppy had chocolate stains around her mouth.
Mel scrambled to her feet and stumbled to the bedside table, and her insides turned over. But… Poppy wouldn’t. ‘The drinking chocolate,’ she said shakily, cold fear running the length of her spine as she turned back to her unconscious child. ‘She’s—’
‘Oh, sweet fucking Jesus.’ Mark heaved in a breath and snapped his gaze to Jade, who’d come quietly in to take Melissa’s place, softly caressing Poppy’s cheek with the back of her hand. ‘Did you…?’
‘No.’ Jade shook her head adamantly.
‘Mark?’ Melissa moved falteringly towards them. This was her fault. Hers. She needed to know what to do. She needed to do something.
‘We need to get her to the hospital. Now!’ Mark said tersely, gathering Poppy into his arms. ‘Jade, go and start my car. Mel, make sure you have another EpiPen. You might need to use it on the way.’
Mel focused through her guilt and confusion. The paramedics would have oxygen, but Mark, who’d grown a shade paler, must be thinking they might be too late.
Fifty-Six
JADE
‘Hush, little baby, don’t say a word…’ Pressing a kiss to Evie’s forehead, Jade lowered her gently into her cot. ‘Mummy will be back soon, my sweet Angel,’ she said, caressing her peachy cheek as she smiled down at her.
She really was a content little baby, Jade thought, which was thanks to her calming influence in a sea of madness, obviously. She really did despair. If she phoned social services herself, she’d bet they’d whisk the children away from their demented mother in a flash. But she couldn’t do that, of course. The vicious cow would no doubt hurl accusations at Mark, making him out to be anything but the good, loving, patient father that he was, and he would be denied access to them too. But not to worry: Melissa was almost at breaking point. Jade almost felt sorry for her.
Humming, she made her way downstairs, reaching into her pocket for the credit card she’d slipped from Mark’s jacket during the pandemonium. Now then… which sites to browse, she wondered. Nothing extreme, she’d decided. She didn’t want Mark to get into serious trouble. They would have to be sites with sexually graphic images though, where she would purchase certain goods used in the pursuit of certain pleasures – or rather Mark would, before saving the sites to his bookmarks. Melissa would be bound to go apoplectic, undoubtedly leave or demand that Mark did. Undoubtedly also, Mark would refuse to leave without his children. At which point, Jade would step valiantly but reluctantly in to help him remove them to a safe place. Or one of them, at least, depending on the evening’s outcome.
Mark could save himself all the hassle if only he’d intervene and have his mental wife sectioned. In time he would see it was the only kind thing to do, for her own and everyone else’s safety. Meanwhile, though, Jade had no choice but to ramp up her efforts, even if she did have to manufacture the proof that Mark found his needy wife about as exciting as cold tapioca.
Collecting Mark’s laptop from the hall, Jade extracted the luxury bar of chocolate from her handbag, peeling back the enticingly shiny wrapper and settling down at the kitchen island to browse at leisure. Mark and Melissa would be ages at the hospital, which gave her plenty of time.
Popping a chunk of chocolate in her mouth, Jade sucked slowly. Mmm. It really was as delicious as she’d mentioned to Poppy. Hopefully, after the trauma of her collapse and hospitalisation, the brat wouldn’t remember eating it, but if it came out, then Jade would just play her part – innocent and apologetic. And of course, it had never occurred to her to imagine the thieving little brat would sneak into her bag and help herself to it.
* * *
Up bright and early the next morning, Jade hovered at the kitchen window, intending to catch the postman before Mark or Melissa came down. They weren’t likely to surface early after the dreadful night they’d had at the hospital, opting to stay by Poppy’s side.
She’d survived, probably due to Mark’s quick thinking in getting her there. Mark had rung her, as he would, to let her know they were keeping her in for observation for at least eight hours. He really was so thoughtful, assuming she’d be worried. Her blood tests had been clear, he’d also told her, which had perturbed Jade a bit. Having given h
is consent to Jade spiking needy Melissa’s bedtime drink once, he’d perhaps suspected Jade might have thought he was condoning it on an ongoing basis, therefore inadvertently feeding Poppy a sleeping tablet. As if she would. It was tempting. Very. But it would have been monumentally stupid, when he plainly loved Poppy, as a father should love a daughter.
Quashing a pang of jealousy twisting inside her, Jade spooned coffee into the mugs and popped a pill into Melissa’s.
She’d been hoping the chocolate might do the job. But… c’est la vie. Jade had been disappointed, naturally, but pleased for Mark, who, despite being exhausted to the point of dropping when they’d arrived home, had look so heartbreakingly relieved, Jade could have cried.
Aha, at last. Noting the postman heading for the front door, Jade took the eggs she was scrambling off the heat. She was going to feed them a hearty breakfast – and Melissa another pill – after their traumatic experience.
‘Good morning,’ she said brightly, beaming the postman a smile. He smiled delightedly back, his eyes trailing lustfully over her – as men’s eyes did – and handed her the post.
Moron, Jade thought, her smile widening nevertheless as she closed the door and looked at the envelopes, one of which contained a green document, which, if she wasn’t mistaken, was a certain speeding ticket.
Glancing quickly up the stairs, as she heard someone rising, Jade tore the envelope open, quickly scanning the contents. Oh, well done, Dylan. The man had excelled himself. Clearly, he did have a brain cell rattling around inside that dense skull of his. Jade noted the perfect location and timing of the speeding offence, which was well after she’d arrived home – courtesy of a lift to the end of the lane from ‘Call-me-Pete’ Cummings – and everyone had been tucked up in bed, apart from Mark.
Fifty-Seven
MARK
‘Morning,’ Mark said, tugging his shirt on as he came into the kitchen.
Jade, fixing them up a late breakfast, turned to smile tremulously at him. ‘Morning,’ she said quietly, and then turned sadly back to her task.
Narrowing his eyes, Mark looked her over as he walked across to the fridge for orange. ‘Something smells good.’ He nodded towards the bacon cooking under the grill.
Jade didn’t look back at him. ‘I thought something a bit more substantial might help, after spending the night at…’ She broke off, looking close to tears. I’m so sorry, Mark. I had no idea there was dairy in the hot chocolate powder. I—’
‘No… It wasn’t your fault.’
Mark ran a hand wearily through his hair as he noted a tear slide down her cheek. He’d thought… As he’d watched Mel with Poppy, not letting go of her tiny hand, not moving from her side for a second, he’d wondered just how accidental the shit that kept piling on top of them really was. His imagination had run riot. He’d got it wrong, looking for someone to blame, he guessed. There wasn’t anyone. Not even God.
Sighing, he pulled his beeping phone from his pocket to mute it, wondering only briefly why Lisa would be texting him to ‘chat’ when they’d agreed to send no texts unless it was urgent.
Jade was chopping at the mushrooms. Chopping blindly, if the now steady flow of tears was anything to judge by. ‘I prefer less salt with mine,’ he joked, attempting to lighten things.
Clearly not appreciating his efforts, Jade just cried harder, dabbing at her cheeks, before going back to the mushrooms with a vengeance.
‘I’m not into fried fingers much either,’ Mark tried.
Jade stopped chopping. ‘I’m so sorry, Mark,’ she said again, looking utterly miserable. ‘I’ll go if you want me to. I’d understand. I…’
Mark hesitated as she heaved in a breath and pressed the back of her hand to her nose, and then he reached out to tentatively wrap an arm around her shoulders. ‘I’d be in one hell of a mess if you did,’ he said truthfully.
Jade turned and buried her face in his shoulder. ‘I’m sorry,’ she repeated, with heart-wrenching anguish.
‘I think I got that.’ Awkward though he felt, Mark gave her a squeeze, and then carefully moved to put a little distance between them. ‘Poppy’s home safe now. Let’s just put it behind us, shall we?’
Jade nodded and smiled up at him. It wasn’t her usual radiant smile, but at least she didn’t look consumed with guilt any more. ‘How’s Mel?’ she asked.
‘I think she’s feeling as guilty as you seem to be, to be honest.’
Mel hadn’t actually said much while they’d waited at the hospital, but Mark had read the body language, the arms wrapped tightly around herself, seen the torment in her eyes. She didn’t need him to drive it home. ‘Stuff happens.’ He shrugged. ‘At least she’s relented a bit on the accident in the bath. I think we’ve both realised we could lose her.’
Jade looked up at him. ‘You’re a nice person, Mark Cain. Do you know that?’
‘Yeah.’ Mark smiled ruefully. ‘I only wish my wife thought I was.’ Mel hadn’t looked at him much either, apart from with sheer relief when they’d realised Poppy was going to pull through. She hadn’t come to him, ruling out any body contact between them, if only to offer each other comfort. But at least she had finally looked at him. Maybe there was hope, he thought wearily.
Reminded of his close proximity to Jade, which might be misconstrued, given Mel’s current suspicions, he moved quickly away from her.
Jade looked at him confusedly.
‘It’s probably not a great idea for Mel to see us… Well, you know,’ Mark explained, finishing clumsily. Offering Jade a reassuring smile, he prayed that they could all put this behind them, that the small improvement he’d noticed in Mel’s physical symptoms might mean they could move forwards and somehow find their way out of this nightmare.
‘I’ll take Mel’s breakfast up,’ Jade said, her smile definitely brighter as she turned back to the chopping board.
Fifty-Eight
JADE
So, they’d had a little bonding session at the hospital, had they? Well, she’d soon nip that in the bud. Jade restrained herself from banging things into the dishwasher, placing them just so, lingering over the extremely sharp knife she felt like chopping certain little fingers off with.
Spoiled, that’s what she was. A wilful, overindulged little…
‘Do we need anything?’ Mark said behind her, pulling his jacket on as he came back into the kitchen.
‘Meds,’ Jade said, quickly stuffing the knife in the cutlery basket and turning to retrieve Mel’s prescription from the notice board. ‘I thought as you were going to the chemist…’
‘Cheers,’ Mark said, smiling a little more easily than he had earlier that morning. Jade doubted he’d be doing that for long. ‘I’ll only be half an hour or so. The kids are in with Mel.’
Where else, thought Jade, suppressing her growing urge to tiptoe in and suffocate that woman with the pillow, take her baby and be done with. But that wasn’t a good idea. Being a detective, Mark was bound to cotton on to something.
‘See you soon,’ he said, heading towards the front door, obviously feeling safe to go out for five minutes now he didn’t think he was in danger of being thrown out.
Closing the dishwasher with a bang, Jade went to the window, making sure Mark had pulled out of the drive before retrieving the speeding ticket from behind the toaster.
Now to do the deed, while Melissa was disorientated, which she would be by now, and still shell-shocked after almost losing her precious Poppy.
Collecting up the rest of the post – plenty for Melissa about her arty-farty crap – Jade went upstairs, tapped on the bedroom door and went on in to find Melissa sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands pressed to her forehead and plainly feeling woozy. Evie was fretting, Jade noticed despairingly. The woman really was a useless cow.
‘Hi, Mel,’ she said, making sure not to sound too cheerful in light of last night’s events. Placing the post on the bed, she went across to lift Evie from her cot. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘A
bit queasy, to be honest.’ Mel smiled feebly in her direction. So she wasn’t about to start pointing fingers for a tragedy which was clearly her own fault, which was a relief. Jade needed Melissa on side if she was going to pull this off.
‘Would you like some tea?’ she asked her. ‘You haven’t eaten much.’ She’d picked at her toast earlier, but had eaten a good portion of the egg, thank goodness.
‘I’m not very hungry, Jade.’ Mel offered her another weak smile.
‘I’m not surprised after last night.’ Jade pressed Evie close to her shoulder; she’d stopped fretting the second she had picked her up. Clearly, she knew whose shoulder she preferred. ‘I’m really sorry about what happened, Mel.’
‘Not your fault. Poppy’s curiosity obviously got the better of her. I still can’t believe it…’ She brushed Poppy’s hair lovingly back from her face, causing the little brat to stir in her sleep. ‘She’s all right, that’s the main thing.’
‘I’ll go and change Evie,’ Jade offered, heading towards the door. ‘Give you time to get yourself together.’ She’d only had half the day already. God help the woman’s family if they had to rely on her for sustenance. ‘Oh… I brought your post up.’
Melissa glanced at the envelopes on the bed half-interestedly, noting the one on top was from her Garden & Homes store and emitting a soulful sigh, which possibly had something to do with the orders she hadn’t managed to fill. Aspirations beyond her dubious talents, that was Melissa’s trouble, Jade thought with a satisfied smirk. Perhaps she should have channelled more of her energies into looking after her husband, rather than ensuring he looked elsewhere.
‘I, um, opened one of the envelopes in error,’ she said, looking apologetic as she nodded towards them. ‘I thought I’d better let you know in case you wondered.’
The Babysitter: A gripping psychological thriller with edge-of-your-seat suspense Page 24