by Mel Sparke
He sounded devastated and it made Sonja feel even worse.
“I can hardly believe it myself. It’s not as though condoms are usually unreliable… maybe you didn’t put it on right.” Sonja knew she was trying to shift the blame out of defensiveness, but the suggestion only served to get Owen’s back up.
“Come on, I’m not an idiot,” he said indignantly. “Surely you trust me enough to be able to do that properly?”
“I suppose so,” replied Sonja. “But it takes two to make a baby, you know. I’d have thought you’d have realised that.”
Owen rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. “Look, bickering isn’t going to get us anywhere,” he said wearily. “I’m just trying to take this in.”
“You’ll be asking me next if I’m sure it’s yours!”
Owen tutted, rolled his eyes skywards and sighed.
“Sorry,” Sonja said, immediately regretting her last comment. She felt incredibly stressed; the conversation wasn’t going at all as she’d expected and she was taking swipes at Owen as a result. “That was unfair. Uh, look, I know this is a shock and I’ve had a few more days to take it in…”
Owen nodded.
“But the fact is, a baby changes everything,” Sonja carried on. “What about my course, and me coming to live with you? I’m not sure about any of it any more. The most important thing I need to decide right now is what to do about this…”
She looked down at her stomach, anger all over her face.
Owen sat forward in his seat. “Well, I can’t tell you what to do about it,” he shrugged.
“What do you mean? Don’t you care?”
I can’t believe I’m hearing this, thought Sonja wildly. He’s washing his hands of the whole affair, treating it like it’s my responsibility and mine alone.
“No, it’s not—”
Sonja cut off his response by pushing her seat back and standing up so that she was leaning over Owen. “Just forget it, all right?” she seethed. “You go back to your nice career and your life in Newcastle, and I’ll deal with this by myself. Like I should have done in the first place. I just wish I’d never told you.”
Grabbing her bag, she turned away from Owen and hurried out.
CHAPTER 12
TRUE CONFESSIONS
Cat staggered into the End late on Sunday morning and begged Anna for a strong black coffee. Looking around, she saw Kerry, sitting alone in the window seat, and tottered over.
“Ignore me today,” she said cheerily. “I’m not worth talking to. I just need to sit here and vegetate for an hour or so.”
“What do you mean?” giggled Kerry.
“I think I left my brain behind in bed. Or I might have left it at Matt’s party, I’m not sure which.”
“Late night?”
“Early morning, more like.”
“So what happened? I saw you getting cosy with that guy. Deke, wasn’t it?”
Cat rolled her eyes skywards. “God, I was so humiliated! I spent most of the night calling him Geek. I can’t believe it. And you know what? He didn’t even say anything. It wasn’t until Matt collared me late on in the evening to take the mick that I realised my mistake.”
Kerry burst out laughing. “Cat, only you could do something like that and get away with it. Anyone else would get the knock back from a guy, but you have them coming back for more. How do you do it?”
Cat shrugged her shoulders and took a sip of the coffee Anna has just placed in front of her.
“So how long did you stay at the party after we left?”
“Uh… not sure. Oneish… twoish. Then we went back to his place. Ooh, Kez, you should have seen it - it was gorgeous. It’s one of those warehouse apartments down by the river, really big and airy, and the decor was dead minimalist and trendy. The bedroom was the best though; there was just a massive, king-size bed in the middle of the room with floor to ceiling windows and wooden floorboards. Very macho and sexy.”
Yeah and I bet I can guess what you got up to in there, Kerry thought, her cheeks pink.
“Weren’t you worried about being on your own with him?” she asked, a little surprised at Cat’s boldness. “I mean, it’s not like you know him very well - or at least, you didn’t before last night?”
“Oh, I wasn’t on my own,” Cat replied matter-of-factly. “Viks came with me, and a couple of others.”
“But you and Deke were there… as a couple?” Kerry continued, keen to make sure she hadn’t got hold of the wrong end of the stick.
“Uh-huh.”
“So do you really like him then?” asked Kerry innocently.
“He was a good laugh, but I’m not sure if he’s my type really.”
“Will you see him again?”
“Dunno. I’ve got his number, I know where he lives. We’ll see.”
“You’re amazing,” Kerry went on. “You’re so cool about guys and relationships, so kind of laid-back and seemingly not bothered either way.”
“That’s because I’ve never met anyone I’ve been seriously into. Not really. I do believe in love at first sight but it obviously hasn’t happened to me yet, although I’ve had my fair share of lust at first sight.” Cat wiggled her eyebrows and grinned. “But when I do get hit by the big thunderbolt, believe me, I bet I’ll be just as anxious for it to work as anyone else.”
“I guess so,” sighed Kerry. “You know, it makes me realise how lucky I am to have Ollie. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe it’s for real. I never expected to fall so deeply in love with anyone so soon in my life.”
“Didn’t you?”
“No way! I mean, come on, before Ollie there was no one. Then all of a sudden I find I’m with this guy who I love with all my heart, and who I know feels the same way about me, and it’s just… so…”
“Sickeningly perfect?” suggested Cat, flashing another cheeky grin. “No, I’m joking. I think it’s great what you’ve got; you’re obviously made for each other.”
“We are,” Kerry agreed. “And the thing that makes it even more amazing is that well y’know, although nothing’s happened yet between us, I can feel that it’s getting closer and closer and it’s so exciting, like we’re about to go into unknown territory. Or, at least, that’s how it is for me because I know Ollie’s…” she broke off, searching for the right word to describe him.
“More experienced…” Cat finished for her.
“Yeah, that’s it. But even so, these days, every time I’m with him we’re finding it harder and harder to stop ourselves and it’s like…” Kerry stopped again, her face suddenly crimson with embarrassment. “Oh, God, Cat!” she blustered. “I didn’t mean to say all that. You won’t tell anyone will you…?”
“Of course I won’t. I think it’s really sweet. It proves that true love does exist. And it’s great that you’ve both waited until the time is right. So are you saving it for when you go to Ibiza together?”
“Uh, not deliberately,” Kerry answered. “But I can see it happening then.”
“Right. Well, I’ll tell you what you should do if you want it to happen then…”
“Go on…”
“Make sure you take some condoms with you and stick one under his pillow, or in his wash bag. Anywhere he’ll find them - you know? Then he’ll cotton on to where you’re coming from. Take it from me, hon,” she added mischievously, “it works every time.”
Kerry burst out laughing. “I’ll take your word for it, Cat. Actually, the only thing I’m kind of curious about now is what sex is really like… because I’ve got no idea.”
“You watch the telly, don’t you?” giggled Cat. “People are always at it on the telly. My mum cringes if we’re in the same room together; she’s so uptight about it all.”
Kerry frowned. “I know, but everyone knows that’s not for real - it’s all camera angles and fake and soft focus and… well, not real life. Is it?”
“I don’t know what you’re asking me for,” Cat said dismissively, “I don’t k
now.”
“Oh, I’ve read articles about it, Cat,” Kerry rattled on. “It takes hours for the director to shoot a sex scene, and sometimes actors wear body stockings so you can’t see their bits, and they get told what to do, down to the tiniest movement. It’s totally unreal…”
“No, hang on, Kerry, you’ve missed my point.” giggled Cat. “What I’m trying to say is that I don’t know what sex is like…”
Kerry peered into Cat’s innocent eyes and her mouth fell open. “Don’t you?” she said in a barely audible voice. “You mean you haven’t…?”
“No, I haven’t.” Cat cried. “Omigod, did you think I had?” she demanded.
Kerry fidgeted nervously in her seat. “Er, well, yes, I guess I did.”
“You’re kidding me!”
“Look, I’m really sorry, Cat,” Kerry was flustered. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I just assumed…”
Cat sat in silence for a moment, her brain working overtime, trying to take in what she’d just heard.
“Um… I suppose I can see that people might think I’m not a virgin. I mean, I do tend to give the impression sometimes that I’m a bit of a maneater. But, to be honest, it’s all just a show.”
“I guess that’s where the confusion comes from…” said Kerry gently.
“And I am a flirt,” Cat went on, “but most of the time it’s just a big act. I mean, take what happened with Zac. He dumped me because he thought I was rubbing his face in it by flirting with guys in front of him.”
“I remember,” Kerry said.
“When the reality was, I meant nothing by it. I was just showing off.”
“And you do get carried away sometimes,” added Kerry helpfully.
“Yeah, but it’s only a bit of a laugh,” Cat explained. “That’s not how I really am.”
“No, of course not.”
“Anyway, people can think what they like about me,” said Cat, suddenly defiant. “It doesn’t really matter. The only big deal is what I think about myself. It might not come across like this all the time, but I do have a lot of respect for myself and wouldn’t jump into bed with any guy unless I was really sure.”
“And you obviously haven’t met the right one yet.”
“Oh, God, no, might not until I’m forty. Who knows?” said Cat cheerily.
“But you do come across as being so… experienced,” Kerry tried to justify why she’d made such an assumption about her friend. “And the way you talk so matter-of-factly… like all that stuff about condoms… You can see why people get the wrong impression.”
“But that’s just it - I was joking!” Cat replied, a little frustrated. “It’s all a load of bluster. It goes with the image.”
“You mean it’s all part of the act.”
“Exactly. Pass the Oscar!”
“And you really haven’t ever done it in your life? Never ever?”
“Nope.”
“You know, it’s going to take me a while to get used to this huge revelation about you, Catrina Osgood,” admitted Kerry. “I think I’m going to be seeing you in a completely different light from now on.”
“You mean one with an ethereal white glow and a halo around it?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Doesn’t really go with the make-up, does it?”
Kerry shook her head and they both collapsed into fits of giggles.
CHAPTER 13
CONFRONTATION
“Hi, Maya.”
Aware that he was standing directly in front of her, and cursing the fact that he would have to be the one person she’d bump into, Maya looked straight through Billy Sanderson to Anna who was standing behind the cafe’s coffee machine during a short lull in Sunday afternoon trade. Maya sidestepped him and walked up to the counter.
“Hi, Anna,” she said in an overly cheerful voice. “Have any of the others been in?”
“Yeah, Cat and Kerry were here earlier but they left about an hour ago. Matt’s been in a few times. No one else. Except Billy,” Anna added, nodding towards him, sitting in the window seat, with a mystified look on his face. It was evident that Maya’s behaviour was puzzling him.
“Right. Sorry Alex and I left so abruptly last night,” added Maya. “But I had to go or I might have said or done something I regretted. That’s why I’d hoped to catch up with everyone. To apologise.”
“That’s OK,” Anna smiled and thought back to the scene where Maya had seen her sister snogging Billy. Anna hadn’t witnessed Maya’s reaction, but Ollie said later that he’d never seen her look so angry. Apparently, she’d stormed off the dance floor, grabbed her things and left without saying goodbye to anyone. A frazzled-looking Alex had chased after her and neither of them had been seen again.
“Anyway, I’d better get on,” continued Maya. “I’ve got the pleasure of escorting Ravi to a birthday party this afternoon. I’ll catch up with you in the week.”
“Sounds like hell on earth to me,” Anna laughed. “But have a good time. Don’t get covered in jelly, will you?”
Smiling. Maya turned back and, eyes focused strictly on the door and nothing else, strode purposefully towards it.
“Maya!” Billy called.
She blanked him completely, opening the door and escaping outside into the warm sunshine.
“Maya!” Billy leapt up from his seat and chased out of the End after her. He caught up with her charging down the road like a raging bull and began to walk beside her.
“What is it?” he pleaded. “Why are you ignoring me? Have I done something to upset you?”
Maya rounded on him, her nostrils flared.
“Are you kidding me that you don’t know?” she fumed, stopping in the middle of the pavement and thrusting her hands on to her hips.
“Sorry, I haven’t got a clue,” shrugged Billy.
“Last night, at the party. What the heck do you think you were doing?”
“Having a few beers, dancing, chatting… the usual kind of things you do at a party,” he replied, frown lines etched into his face. “What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal to me, though obviously not to you, is that you were getting off with my sister, Sunny.”
Billy’s mouth dropped open and virtually hit the floor. “Oh, God!” he wailed, slapping his hand to his forehead in horror. “Of course!”
“What d’you think you were playing at?” Maya continued, her voice tight with anger.
Billy clasped his hands behind his head in shame. “I can’t believe I was so stupid,” he said, as much to himself as to Maya. “I knew I recognised her from somewhere… but, well, I was a bit drunk…”
“But not too drunk to take advantage of my little sister.”
“Come on, Maya. Hardly,” protested Billy. “She was the one doing most of the chasing - you ask Andy, he was there too. Look, I’m really sorry, I would never have gone after your sister if I’d known who she was. But she looked so different. And anyway, she told me she was seventeen and she said she was called Sunita. I thought your sister’s name was Sunny…”
Billy’s voice trailed off and he shook his head from side to side in disbelief.
“I know it sounds ridiculous now,” he carried on, “but I just didn’t make the connection. She told me she went to college in the city. How was I to know she was lying?”
Now Maya knew Billy was telling the truth. She could just imagine Sunny spinning a yarn like that, the lies rolling out of her mouth - it came so much more easily to her than being honest.
“Did she really say that?” Maya quizzed.
“Fraid so.”
“God… you know, I’m so fed up with her,” sighed Maya, “I’ve half a mind to tell Mum and Dad. They’d be horrified if they knew what she’s been getting up to. To be honest, Billy, I think I’m more mad at the fact that she was at the party at all, than because of what happened between you two. She’s got such a cheek and last night wasn’t even half the story…”
“Has she been giving you lots of grief then?”
Billy asked, leaning against a shop window, keen to talk.
“Sure has.”
Maya found herself telling Billy about the run-ins she’d had with Sunny in recent months - of the lies she told, her constant sneaking on Maya, the smoking and, to top it all, seeing her bold as brass at Matt’s party.
“No wonder you were angry,” he said when she’d finished. “Last night sounds like the final straw.”
“Yeah, but d’you know what the worst thing about all this is?” Maya asked. “It’s that I’m dead jealous of her.”
“Huh? What on earth for?”
“Because she’s always allowed to get away with so much more than me. My parents don’t seem at all bothered that she doesn’t try at school and she always seems to get what she wants from them. I, on the other hand, have gone through my entire life having it drummed into me to be a high achiever. My parents have been so strict, pressurising me to get good grades, not letting me go out, frowning on the idea that I should ever have some fun. I tell you Billy, it’s driving me nuts and I’m getting sick of it.”
“Mmm,” Billy mused. “It does seem hugely unfair.”
“It is. But you know what?” said Maya, her eyes lighting up and a grin spreading over her face. “I’ve just thought of a way to redress the balance a bit.”
“Go on,” Billy said, a little nervous of what she was going to come out with.
“If she can getaway with it, so can I. I’m damn well going to the Dansby festival and I will sleep with you lot in tents. And to hell with what my parents think about it.”
CHAPTER 14
ROWS AND REMORSE
“Hi! I didn’t expect you to be here so early. I thought you were meeting Sonja?” Opening the door to her flat to let Owen in, Anna immediately noticed that he didn’t look his usual upbeat self.
“Hi, sis,” he said, “good to see you.” He walked into the flat, gave her a kiss on the cheek, slung his rucksack on to the floor and slumped in the nearest chair.
Owen was tempted to blurt out the news to his sister right there and then. He could do with having someone on whom to offload the worry. But it wouldn’t be right. At the moment, instinct told him to keep this bombshell to himself. It was up to Sonja if she wanted to tell people, but he wasn’t going to.