'Til I Kissed You

by Pam Howes

  Sammy nodded slowly. ‘He definitely said John and Margaret. The lying bastard! I knew he’d been up to something by the way he avoided eye contact on Monday morning. What time is it now?’ She looked at her watch. ‘Five-fifteen - right, Jane, come back inside with me.’

  ‘What for?’ Jane followed Sammy back into Molly’s office.

  ‘Just wait and see.’ Sammy reached into her bag and pulled out a small address book. ‘Accountant,’ she muttered, running her finger down the first page. ‘Here it is.’ She snatched up the phone and dialled a number.

  ‘Ah, yes, this is Sammy Cantello. Could you tell me if my husband left a set of house keys on your premises when he came in to see Mr Atkinson on Monday? Thank you, I’ll hold.’ She waited patiently, shaking her head at Jane who was staring at her with a look of bewilderment on her face. ‘I see. I must have been mistaken then. I’m sorry to have troubled you. Goodbye.’ She slammed down the phone, her eyes wide in her pale face.

  ‘What is it? Sam, what’s going on?’ Jane demanded.

  ‘The lying bastard! I’ll bloody kill him.’

  ‘Who? Why?’ Jane shook her head.

  ‘Roy, of course. He’s lied to me. He wasn’t at the accountant’s on Monday at all. Nor could he have been at John and Margaret’s on Sunday night. He wasn’t home until the early hours and slept in the spare room. He deliberately hid that postcard from me. He disappeared soon after I left for work, dressed up to the nines. Then those phone calls this morning and the caller hanging up every time I answered. What do you make of it, Jane? If that was a list of things Ed had done, what would you think?’

  ‘To be honest, I’d suspect he was having an affair. Oh, but Roy can’t be, Sammy. That’s a ridiculous notion. He’s been all over you the last couple of days and you’ve both been so happy.’

  ‘Well I’ve been very happy, but you can bet your life that for Roy it’s guilt. God, I feel so bloody angry. I’ve had my suspicions for a while. I didn’t mention it to you because I thought I was being paranoid. There’s been the odd thing. Like, he’s not really listening when I’m speaking to him and there’s a faraway look in his eyes. I thought it was because he’d got lyrics going through his head. You know how temperamental he and Ed can be when they’re working on new songs. So I dismissed it. But now I’m wondering if I was right to be concerned.’

  Jane chewed her lower lip. ‘Go home and talk to him before you jump in with both feet and accuse him of anything,’ she advised. ‘You’re probably barking up the wrong tree entirely. I’ll ask Ed if he knows what Roy’s been up to, discreetly, of course.’

  Sammy snorted. ‘They’re as thick as bloody thieves. I bet Ed’s covering for him.’

  ‘He’d better not be,’ Jane said. ‘Or I’ll have a thing or two to say about that.’

  ‘I tell you, Jane, if Roy is having an affair, I’ll castrate the bastard. He’ll never perform again. Not with me, her, whoever she is, or anyone else for that matter.’

  ***

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Roy stretched his arms above his head. ‘Those tracks are fucking brilliant, Ed. Let’s just hope that Perry’s Dream bunch can do ’em justice. Got any dope? I could murder a spliff before I face the wrath of Sammy.’

  ‘On the shelf above the mixing desk. You roll up; you’re neater than me.’

  ‘It’ll give me Dutch courage,’ Roy said, expertly rolling a fat joint. He lit up and inhaled deeply. ‘Ah, bloody hell, that’s lovely. Here you go, Ed.’

  They sat back in their respective chairs, sharing the joint and chatting amiably.

  ‘If even one of those tracks is a hit, it’ll keep us going for a while longer,’ Roy said. ‘When Tim gets back I fancy going straight into the studio. Do a Raiders hits album or something.’

  ‘That reminds me, I spoke to Tim earlier and he’s really excited about reforming the band,’ Eddie said. ‘We need to contact Phil and Carl, see what their thoughts are. I’ll call them when we get back from London.’

  ‘Count me in,’ Roy grinned. ‘How’s Pat?’

  ‘Doing great apparently and looking forward to coming home.’

  They sat in companionable silence for a while. Eddie stubbed the joint end out and stood up. Hearing car tyres on gravel he looked out of the window.

  ‘Shit, Jane’s home. Is it that time already? Jess and Nick are coming to eat with us and I haven’t even started dinner. A man’s work, and all that crap.’

  ***

  Jane was standing by the Welsh dresser as Eddie and Roy strolled into the kitchen. Mellow from the joint, Eddie caught her in his arms, whirled her round and kissed her. ‘You look tired, sweetheart. Had a busy day?’

  ‘So so,’ she replied, looking at Roy. ‘I think you’d better go straight home.’

  ‘Oh!’ Roy raised an innocent eyebrow. ‘Why is that, Jane?’

  ‘I’m not at liberty to say. Just go, Roy, please.’

  ‘Okay. See you tomorrow, Ed. See you, Jane.’

  Eddie closed the door after Roy and turned to Jane as she muttered, ‘He’ll be lucky,’

  ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  ‘If he sees you tomorrow, he’ll be lucky,’ she repeated.

  ‘Why? What’s wrong?’

  ‘As if you didn’t know.’

  Eddie shrugged. ‘Haven’t a clue what you’re on about.’

  ‘What’s he been up to, Ed? I want the truth, don’t you dare lie to me.’

  He shook his head in mock bewilderment. ‘He’s not been up to anything. He just picked the kids up from school and we’ve been working. He was home with Sammy all morning.’

  ‘Where was he yesterday morning, and Sunday night until the early hours?’

  ‘He was with the accountant yesterday and then he came over here. I don’t really know where he went on Sunday night after he left me. He might have gone into town for supplies.’ Eddie wasn’t going to perjure himself by saying that Roy was with Mac, in case he’d thought up a better excuse on his way home.

  ‘He’d have told you if he was meeting Mac. You’re lying, Ed, so is Roy. He wasn’t with the accountant at all, Sammy checked. Have you been up to something, too? Are you covering for one another?’

  She was getting really angry and Eddie put his hands on her shaking shoulders and pushed her gently down onto a chair.

  ‘If I find out that you’ve been cheating on me, Eddie Mellor, I’ll never forgive you as long as I live.’

  ‘Jane, for fuck’s sake, love, I haven’t and I never will. You know that.’ Damn Roy he thought, now I’m getting accused of something I would never dream of doing. ‘I love you. Didn’t we have enough problems at the beginning of our relationship? Do you honestly think I would jeopardise what we have now for a cheap fling?’

  ‘I hope not, Ed,’ she sniffed. ‘But Sammy’s certain Roy’s having an affair.’

  ‘What reasons does she have for thinking that?’

  Jane told him what Sammy had deduced and he shook his head.

  ‘Admittedly it sounds a bit dodgy. But don’t you think Roy would tell me if he was having a bit on the side? He usually tells me everything.’ Shit, he hated lying to her, but he and Roy went back even further than he and Jane. There was a certain amount of loyalty they owed one another. But if this mess jeopardised his marriage, Eddie would find it very hard to forgive Roy.

  ‘There must be a simple explanation,’ Jane sighed. ‘Anyway, no doubt we’ll hear from Sammy later. We’d better get dinner ready. Jess and Nick are expecting your Spag Bol and they’ll be here soon.’

  ***

  Roy let himself into the house and strolled through to the lounge. He casually flung his leather jacket onto a chair.

  Sammy was sitting on one of the cream sofas in front of the marble fireplace, clutching a brandy glass, her face, pale and tear-streaked.

  ‘Hi, Sam, everything all right?’ He ducked as the glass sailed past his left ear and smashed against the wall.

  ‘You tell me!’ she yelled. �
�You waltz in here without a care in the world and ask me if everything’s all right, when you know full well you’ve been screwing around.’

  ‘Sorry?’ he replied. ‘What the fuck are you on about? I haven’t been screwing around. Where’s that notion come from?’

  ‘You fucking, lying bastard!’ She launched herself at him and slapped him soundly across the face, sending him flying backwards onto the other sofa.

  Roy protected his face with his hands as the blows rained down on his head. He grabbed Sammy’s wrists and wrestled her to the floor, pinning her down with his body whilst trying to dodge her feet as she lashed out in a vain attempt to kick his nether regions.

  ‘Stop it, Sam; stop it. Stop it right now!’ he yelled, shocked by her extremely out of character hysteria. Her body went limp beneath him as she sobbed.

  ‘Who is she, Roy? Some tart you picked up in the pub?’ She wriggled into an upright position and pushed him away.

  ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

  ‘Yes you do. You’re having an affair.’

  ‘I’m not. What on earth makes you think that?’

  Between sobs, Sammy presented him with her evidence. Roy was ready with his excuse for Sunday night, but for Monday morning he had none. Christ, he was well and truly up Shit Creek without a paddle. Should he just get it over with? It couldn’t get any worse, could it? He decided to go for it and tell her the truth.

  ‘It’s Livvy Grant,’ he muttered quietly, putting his head in his hands.

  ‘What?’ Sammy gasped.

  ‘It’s Livvy,’ he repeated, looking at her.

  ‘You must be joking?’ Sammy got up off the floor and sat back on the sofa, eyes wide with horror. ‘How could you, Roy? She’s only a kid. For God’s sake, you’re old enough to be her father.’ She looked at him, his eyes holding her gaze. ‘Do you love her?’

  ‘I do,’ he replied truthfully. ‘But not in the same way that I love you.’

  ‘How long?’

  He shrugged. ‘Since May.’

  ‘Is she better in bed than me?’ she choked. ‘Is that it, Roy?’

  ‘No, of course she’s not, she’s just different,’ he finished lamely.

  ‘Oh, Roy, you don’t know where she’s been or who she’s been with. You know what kids are like; they change partners all the time. You could catch all sorts and pass it on to me.’

  ‘She’s not like that, Sam. She’s never slept around.’

  She looked at him aghast. ‘You mean you were her first? Oh, God, that makes it even worse.’

  Roy clapped his hands to his head. ‘Well I can’t fucking win either way!’ he exclaimed. ‘So what does it matter?’

  ‘I hope to God she’s on the pill. She is - isn’t she?’

  ‘Yes,’ he replied. ‘Of course she is.’

  ‘Do you want to be with her? Are you planning on leaving me?’

  He got down on his knees in front of her. ‘Do you want me to go?’ He took her hands in his. She was cold and shaking, tears running freely down her cheeks.

  ‘No, of course I don’t want you to go. After last night and this morning I thought everything was perfect between us. I was so happy and now this. Oh, Roy, you were with her yesterday morning and then you made love to me last night. How could you do that?’ Sammy sobbed. ‘And she was at Jane’s last night. What must she have been thinking? I bet she was laughing at me behind my back.’

  ‘Sam, please don’t think like that. I’d already made up my mind to finish with her and I went to do that this afternoon, but she wasn’t home. I’ll do it tomorrow, I promise you.’

  Sammy shook her head. ‘You won’t. You don’t see her again, or you’re out of that door for good and there’ll be a part of you missing, because I’ll chop it off! I’ll call her now and tell her that it’s over. Was that her phoning this morning?’

  ‘Yes, it was. I’ll have to tell her, not you, that’s not fair. She’ll be so upset.’

  ‘Well tough. If you go to her, you never set foot in this house again. I mean that, Roy. It’s your choice.’

  The door between the hall and lounge opened and Jason’s worried face peered around it. ‘I heard shouting, is everything okay?’

  ‘Oh wonderful, Jason, absolutely bloody wonderful. Your father’s only been screwing your friend Livvy for the last few months!’

  Jason gasped, the colour draining from his young face. ‘Dad, no! You haven’t - have you?’ His tone was incredulous.

  ‘Yes he bloody well has,’ Sammy answered for Roy who hung his head, unable to look Jason in the eye. She spoke again, quieter this time. ‘Just leave us alone, Jason love. We’ve a lot to discuss. I’ll come up and see you later.’

  Jason nodded. He left the room and closed the door quietly.

  ‘Did you have to tell him like that?’ Roy said.

  ‘Well why not? He’s a grown up. You’re always telling me not to baby him. I’ll tell Nick later, too when he phones. In fact, I’ll phone him at Jane’s and tell him now. Let him know what sort of animal he’s got for a father, seducing his young friend. I’m surprised you haven’t made a play for Jess, you’re always ogling her when she’s around.’

  ‘That’s uncalled for, Sam. Jess is Ed’s daughter, my son’s fiancée. I would never do that.’

  ‘Only because Ed and Nick would annihilate you if you did,’ Sammy responded tartly.

  ‘Sammy, this is getting ridiculous. I’m going to go now and tell her it’s over.’ He picked up his jacket and made for the door.

  ‘You go to her now, Roy and you don’t ever come back to this house,’ she said.

  ‘Fine, here’s the fucking house key. I’ll stay at Ed’s or Sean’s tonight.’ He wrestled the key from his key ring, threw it at her, and walked out.

  ***

  Why the hell didn’t I keep my big mouth shut and think first before confessing all? Roy thought as he sat in his car and lit a cigarette. Now what? If he went to Livvy’s, who knew what Sammy might do? She could be fiery and unpredictable when the mood took her.

  He revved up the engine and drove over to Hanover’s Lodge. He spotted Nick’s car parked on the drive as well as Jon’s and sighed; that meant Ed and Jane had a houseful. Still, he’d nowhere else to go apart from his elderly parents, and his mother would give him hell when she found out what he’d been up to. Sammy would no doubt make it her business to tell them. She was very close to them, closer in fact than he was. She was probably calling them right now.

  Eddie let him in, a wary look on his face. Nick, Jess and Jon were seated around the kitchen table, finishing their meal. Katie and Dom were in their pyjamas, about to go up to bed. Jane was on the phone and judging by the cold look she gave him, Roy guessed she was talking to Sammy.

  ‘Say goodnight to everybody,’ Eddie said to the kids as he tried to shepherd them out of the room.

  ‘I want Uncle Roy to read me a bedtime story.’ Katie folded her arms across her chest.

  ‘Not tonight,’ her dad said. ‘He’ll read you one another time. Now move it, Katie or you won’t get a story at all. Sit down and help yourself to a glass of wine,’ he said to Roy. ‘See you in a few minutes.’

  Jon got up. ‘I’ll take ’em up, Dad. You stay down here with Roy.’

  ‘Thanks, son,’ Eddie replied as Katie flung herself at her brother and he hoisted her onto his shoulders. He left the room, Dom following on his heels.

  There was an uneasy silence as Roy took a seat. He poured a glass of red and took a sip, his hand shaking. All eyes were on him and he felt his face warming.

  ‘I’ve just talked to Mum,’ Nick spoke first. I hope you haven’t come here looking for sympathy, Dad, because you sure as hell won’t get any from me.’ He scraped his chair backwards on the quarry tiled floor and stood up. ‘I ought to punch your fucking lights out for what you’ve done.’

  ‘Your mother’s already done that,’ Roy replied, touching his throbbing cheek.

  ‘Good for her,’ Jess said. ‘How could you, Roy
? How could you do that to Sammy, and with that little slapper? I knew there was something about her that I didn’t trust.’

  ‘Cool it, Jess,’ Eddie warned. ‘I think Roy’s had enough for tonight.’

  ‘Well we’re going over to see Mum in a minute,’ Nick said. ‘She needs us.’

  Jane finished on the phone, hung up and looked at Roy. ‘Well, you’ve really done it this time. Why, Roy, why now? Why didn’t you just get it out of your system while you were on the road? Why play around now under all our noses and with a bit of a kid. That little Madam was here last night as well. The two of you together in the same room and neither of you batted an eyelid.

  ‘How bloody brazen can you get? I can’t believe it of you or Livvy, I really can’t. I’m going over to sit with Sammy for a while; she’s devastated. Try and talk some sense into him, Ed,’ she finished as she left the house, closely followed by Jess and Nick who didn’t waste a backward glance on his father.

  Jon returned to the kitchen shortly after the others left. He sat down and handed Roy a cigarette.

  ‘What on earth made you tell Sammy the truth?’ he asked. ‘Wouldn’t a white lie have been better?’

  Roy smiled wearily. ‘Oh, believe me I was all ready with my white lies, Jon. What I didn’t bargain on was Sammy checking out my alibi for Monday morning. It fell flat on its face. So I decided I’d better just get it over with. She’d guessed I was having an affair. She just needed a name. I can’t believe I managed to get away with it for over three months and then blow it all in one fell swoop.’

  ‘An unfortunate set of circumstances, I suppose,’ Eddie sighed. ‘I got accused of being in cahoots with you. Jane thought I’d been up to something, too. She doesn’t know that I know by the way, and she thinks that’s really odd, considering how close you and I are.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Ed, really I am. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this bloody mess.’

  ‘So, what now, Roy?’ Jon asked.

  He shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Sammy told me not to come back if I go to Livvy’s, so I threw the house key at her and walked out. I’ve got to warn Livvy that Sammy knows. I need to finish it with her. Sammy wanted to tell her, but I can’t let her do that, it wouldn’t be fair.’