The Runaway Woman

by Josephine Cox

  ‘I’ll have to get back soon, though,’ Martin informed her. ‘Anne’s coming round later. I expect she’s had another call from her mother, and wants to run it by me … not that I care one way or the other.’

  ‘Aw, that’s not a nice thing to say,’ Paula declared with sarcasm. ‘Poor, dear Lucy!’

  ‘I don’t mean to be spiteful, but I can’t lie, and I can’t help the way I feel.’ Martin spoke with conviction. ‘Especially now, when I’ve decided who I want to spend the rest of my life with.’ He smacked her bottom, and when she ran into the bedroom squealing and laughing, he was right on her heels.

  When Martin shut the door behind him, she laughed aloud. ‘Frightened some bogeyman might come up and get me, are you?’

  ‘No, because I’m the bogeyman today.’ He growled like a wild animal, sending Paula into fits of laughter.

  Martin, however, recalled briefly how, because of the open door, Lucy had found them together in this very bed.

  Undeterred, he ran at the bed and grabbed hold of the now naked Paula. ‘I’ve been waiting for this all day,’ he cooed wickedly.

  And, for the moment, it seemed that peace had prevailed.

  ‘They’re at it again!’ Mary Taylor had seen Martin go in through the back door. She had heard the raucous laughter, and then the revealing silence. ‘It’s disgraceful!’ She angrily thumped her fist on the table. ‘There’s poor Lucy, gone off for a well-earned break since losing her parents, and here’s her sister … blatantly flaunting her affair with Lucy’s husband. I’m sorely tempted to go round there and give them a piece of my mind, the pair of them!’

  ‘You’ll do no such thing, Mary!’ Peter came up behind her. ‘I agree with you, it is disgraceful, and I, too, would like to give them a piece of my mind, but I won’t and neither will you! It would not make the slightest difference because people like that don’t give a damn about anything or anyone. They would simply laugh in your face, and just carry on with what they’re doing. And what we must also remember, Mary, is that what they do in the privacy of their own homes is none of our business.’

  Mary did not agree, but she was wise enough to heed her husband’s advice.

  Reluctantly, she returned to her armchair, and resumed her crossword puzzle.

  When she continued to mumble, Peter grumbled, ‘Are you still worrying about that pair next door?’

  ‘Yes, I am,’ she admitted. ‘But don’t concern yourself, Peter. I promise, I shall mind my own business, as you say. But I’ll tell you this – and trust my word – before too long there’ll be murder done.’

  ‘Hmm!’ Her husband said nothing more, but he, too, thought the goings-on next door were a recipe for absolute disaster.

  Unaware that they were the subject of conversation between their watchful neighbours, Martin and Paula now lay on top of the bed, talking, making plans, and generally winding down from their wild activities.

  ‘I’d best get ready for home,’ Martin said lazily. ‘Anne might even be there now, waiting for me.’

  Paula was nervous about that. ‘Lucy didn’t say anything to Anne, did she? About finding us together.’

  ‘No, not as far as I can tell. You know Lucy as well as I do, and we both know that she would rather die than hurt her children. So, I think we can rest assured that she’s said nothing to them … or anyone else. She’ll keep what she saw to herself, for Anne and Samuel’s sakes. Whether or not she’ll tackle me, I don’t know. Maybe that’s why she took off – to decide what to do next – but like I say, she won’t want the children to know what she saw. Never in a million years!’

  Paula had no conscience about Lucy learning the truth. ‘She’s too soft, and forgiving, the silly cow! She’s always been a bit of a softie, even when we were kids.’ She gave a twisted little smile. ‘I mean, she let herself get pregnant by you, didn’t she? Huh! You would never find me being so vulnerable.’

  ‘Hey!’ Martin stopped her right there. ‘We’re not talking about Lucy and you. And we’re not talking about what took place over twenty years ago. I’m just saying that if Samuel and Anne knew about you and me, they would be up in arms. That’s why even though I’m impatient for us to be together, we still need to be careful and keep it low-key until your divorce is through. Maybe then we’ll be in a better position to make plans … even move away, if need be. I’m self-employed with good references, so I can find work wherever I choose.’

  Paula nodded in agreement. ‘I thought you were in a hurry to get home?’ she reminded him.

  ‘Oh, I see!’ He was instantly suspicious. ‘Now that you’ve had your wicked way with me, you can’t get rid of me quickly enough, is that it?’

  ‘Don’t talk silly, Martin. You just said you needed to go home because Anne might be there for you. And what if she is, and she gets so impatient that she makes her way over here to see if I know where you are? She’s done that before. So, don’t think I’m trying to get rid of you, because I’m not! I’m just a bit worried, that’s all.’

  ‘Yes, you’re probably right.’

  Scrambling off the bed, he quickly got dressed. Then he had a sudden thought. ‘By the way, the divorce papers … have you signed them, like I asked?’

  ‘Not yet.’ She got out of the other side of the bed. ‘I haven’t had time. I’ve been busy. Like you, I haven’t stopped all day, but I’ll sign them tonight, and get them back. Then we can both breathe easy. At least that part of the plan will be dealt with, won’t it?’

  ‘Yes, but I did remind you last night and you said you would have them signed and posted by midday today. You can do it now and I’ll drop it in the post box on my way home.’

  ‘No! I’ll take them into town myself. It will be much quicker that way, and I can have a word with the solicitor while I’m at it; ask him to get it done as quickly as possible.’

  ‘Good thinking. We’ll both rest easy when you’re no longer married to that gormless lump of a husband! We’ll have a good wedding, my sweet, and you can name your own destination for the honeymoon. I’ll make sure that money will not be an object even if I have to work my fingers to the bone. Although, come to think of it, you should get a nice little settlement with the divorce.’

  ‘What makes you say that?’

  ‘Well, Ray beat you black and blue … or so you told me.’

  ‘He did!’ Paula asserted angrily. ‘What … you think I was making it up, do you?’

  ‘Of course I don’t. But it does mean that he’ll be made to pay through the nose, and serves him right. I hope he gets all he deserves.’

  Martin tidied himself, brushed his hair into place, and made his way downstairs, with Paula just behind him.

  At the door, she kissed him cheerio and made sure there was no sign of lipstick on him. ‘Go on … you look decent enough.’

  Suddenly he turned back. ‘Where are the divorce papers?’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because I need to watch you sign them, and then I know it’s done.’

  ‘So you think I’m not capable of signing the papers all by myself, do you?’

  ‘I never said that, but you didn’t sign them last night, did you? And you promised you would.’ He grew irritated. ‘Get them now and sign them in front of me.’

  ‘I thought I asked you not to tell me what to do?’ Paula argued.

  ‘That was before. This is different. Please, Paula, get the papers, will you?’

  When Paula hesitated, he asked her outright, ‘Do you love me?’

  ‘You know I do!’

  ‘And you want to be rid of your big oaf of a husband – is that the truth or not?’

  ‘Yes, it’s our part of the plan. You know that!’

  ‘Then, please, sign the papers in front of me.’

  ‘OK. If you don’t trust me, I suppose I’ll have to.’

  ‘It’s not that I don’t trust you, I just don’t trust your memory. So, go on, do it now, then we can both relax.’

  Realising he would not leave until she
signed them, Paula went to the hallway drawer, where she drew out the papers and signed them quickly. ‘There!’ She showed him the signature. ‘Happy now, are you?’

  ‘And you will take them to the solicitor first thing, won’t you?’

  ‘I’ve said, haven’t I?’

  ‘Don’t forget!’

  ‘I won’t. I promise, I’ll put them into my handbag right now … look!’ She collected her handbag from the lounge and placed the papers inside. ‘I have to go into town first thing, and I need to take my handbag with me, so I can’t possibly forget, so stop your fretting!’

  She kissed him goodbye, and he climbed into the van and drove off, waving out the window as he went.

  Ten minutes later, as he turned into his own street, he was not altogether surprised to see Anne, who was walking towards his house, with his grandson in the pushchair.

  As he neared the house, Anne caught sight of him, and started to hurry. Breathless, she drew up at the door, just as her father pulled up. ‘Hiya, Dad!’ When Martin got out of the car, she gave him a big hug. Martin was pleased to see her too, and he was also thankful that he had not lingered too long at Paula’s, because Anne might well have gone there looking for him.

  ‘You’re late tonight, aren’t you, Dad?’ Anne chatted while Martin unlocked the front door.

  ‘I had a ton of work on today,’ he said. ‘It was one of those plumbing jobs that you dare not leave unfinished … damned nuisance.’

  Anne took the baby out of the pushchair. ‘I’ve been round here once, but there was no sign of you. I thought you might be round Paula’s. I know sometimes you pop in for a few minutes … especially now Mum’s away.’

  ‘I don’t go round that often.’ Her comment put him on his guard. ‘I’m just a bit concerned about her, what with all that nasty business going on with the divorce. That great bruiser of a husband seems to be making it as difficult as he can for her!’

  ‘Hmm! I never did like him. He always was a bit of a brute.’

  ‘That’s right. So, as your mother isn’t here to listen to her sister’s troubles, I do try to find a spare minute to slip round … just so she doesn’t feel abandoned … if you know what I mean?’

  As he turned the door key and ushered Anne and the baby inside, he had a disturbing thought. ‘Does your mother ask about Paula?’

  ‘Sort of, yes.’

  ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  ‘When she rang the last time, I told her what you said … that Paula’s ex is hassling her to speed up the divorce.’

  ‘And what did your mum say to that?’

  Anne shrugged. ‘Not much really. She didn’t make any comment. I expect, with her still grieving for Nan and Granddad, she’s trying to keep her mind clear of Paula’s problems, and in a way I don’t blame her. Mum is always thinking of other people, and it’s high time she started to think of herself. Mind you, she seems to be enjoying her stay with Kathleen’s aunt.’

  ‘Really?’ Martin could not relate Lucy with the word ‘enjoying’. ‘And is that what she actually said – that she was “enjoying” herself?’

  ‘That’s what she said, and it was lovely to hear her so calm and content. I had been really worried about her. She was so down the weeks before she left, I really thought she might have a breakdown.’

  ‘You never said anything to me.’ He was made to wonder if that was after Lucy had caught him and Paula in her bedroom. And his greatest fear was that she would tell the children.

  ‘I expect deep down, as well as grieving for her parents, she must be worried about Paula. I mean, she is her sister, after all, and you know what Mum’s like about family.’

  ‘Yes, I know what she’s like, but as you say, she’s got to put herself first now and then, and not be too involved in other people’s problems.’ He was thinking that once Paula was divorced, and Lucy would have to deal with her own marriage break-up, she would need to toughen up in order to get through it all.

  Anne was still thinking of Paula, and she now had a suggestion. ‘D’you think Paula might like to come and stay with me for a while, just until Mum gets back?’

  Martin was shocked. ‘No, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. It’s a very kind thought, though, but when I popped in just now, she was having one hell of a battle with her husband on the telephone … all to do with divorce papers and all the other stuff that goes with a divorce. And besides, you’ve got enough on your plate, with keeping an eye on my grandson, and taking care of your house and husband. You’ve said before now that you never seem to have enough hours in the day, and the little one is getting some new teeth coming through, and you’ve not had a good night in ages.’

  ‘Yes, that’s true enough. And then there’s Samuel, worrying about Mum. I told him she was absolutely fine, and that she would likely be home at any minute. First, though, she needed to get her head straight, what with all that’s happened lately.’

  ‘And what did he say?’

  ‘He wanted a number where he could call her, and I explained that she was staying with her friend’s aunt, who is quite old, and we were not to intrude on the old dear. I told him that Mum was ringing me regularly, to keep us up with everything.’

  ‘And what did he say to that?’

  ‘He said that was good enough; as long as she was all right, that was all he needed to know.’

  ‘You’re a good girl, Anne. A good daughter, and a good sister to our Samuel.’

  It flashed through Martin’s mind that sooner rather than later, if he had his way, he would be obliged to break the news to his children that he and their mother were breaking up. It would be a huge blow to them; especially so soon after losing their grandparents; but they were young enough to get over it. Besides, he and Lucy had gone far enough with this sham of a marriage. Things happen, and sometimes it’s best to move on.

  ‘Dad!’ Anne’s voice invaded his thoughts. ‘Have you suddenly gone deaf or what?’

  ‘Oh, sorry, I was miles away.’ He glanced at the pushchair. ‘Ah, look there, the little man’s nodded off.’

  ‘He’s been crawling all over the place today,’ she told him proudly. ‘He’s worn himself out. Y’know, Dad, I reckon he’ll stand up and try to walk, any day now.’

  Martin proudly pointed out, ‘You and your brother were both up on your feet at a year. So this little fella-me-lad here should be running amok any time now.’

  ‘Hmm!’ Anne chuckled. ‘I expect I’ll have to lock up my china when that happens.’

  Martin, too, laughed. ‘That might be a good idea.’

  Anne asked him if he was hungry. ‘I’ll cook you something if you like?’

  ‘No, it’s all right, sweetie, there’s nothing in the cupboards to cook. I haven’t been shopping yet … you know what it’s like.’

  ‘That’s just what I thought!’ She went into the kitchen and checked the cupboards. ‘I’ll do you a big shop tomorrow,’ she said, returning to the lounge. ‘Give me three or four pounds … that should easily cover it. But, if you’re hungry now, Dad, it won’t take me long to pop down the street for fish and chips.’

  With Paula at the forefront of his mind, Martin wanted to be on his own for a while. ‘Thanks all the same, sweetie, but I had a pie from the café at lunchtime … and I had cornflakes this morning before I set off, so you see, I haven’t gone hungry.’

  ‘OK, Dad, but give me a ring if you need anything. Oh! And like we agreed, I’ll be round tomorrow to hoover through and change the bed. OK?’

  ‘OK, yes, and thanks for that. Oh, and you’d best take that spare key from the hallway cupboard.’

  Anne glanced up at the mantelpiece chimer. ‘Oh, my goodness, it’s gone eight o’clock! I didn’t realise it was that time. Les said he was hoping to make it home tonight.’ She gave him a brief cuddle, ‘’Bye, Dad, see you tomorrow.’

  ‘’Bye, love, and give my regards to Les.’ He bent to place a kiss on the sleeping child’s forehead. ‘G’night, little man.’<
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  With Paula on his mind, Martin grew increasingly restless.

  Turning on the television, he absently-mindedly watched the news. A little envious, he watched the report on how Lieutenant Scott Carpenter was launched in a spacecraft. The craft made three revolutions round the earth, before the capsule was recovered from the Atlantic. ‘Whatever next, eh?’ It’ll be Mars, soon, I shouldn’t wonder.’ Martin commented.

  Leaning forward in the chair, he turned the television off. You wouldn’t catch me going up there … not for a gold clock or a million pounds … no way! he thought.

  Even now, when he needed to think of the next job on his work list, he found himself growing angry again by the thought of those divorce papers not having been sent off before, when Paula promised faithfully she would do it.

  It’s hard, he thought, but, like she said, I have to learn to trust her, or she could very likely scupper our plans for getting together. And I can’t have that … not when we’re so close to being together for good and all. The thought of going to bed every night with Paula gave him a warm and satisfactory feeling.

  The house was locked up, he was alone, and he did not much like it. ‘Maybe I’d best go back and persuade her to let me go with her to the solicitor. That way, I’d know she means what she says,’ he muttered.

  One minute he was sorely tempted to go to see Paula, and the next, he thought better of it. She won’t thank me for keeping on about that damned letter. He was just a tiny bit afraid. ‘No … best not go crashing in on her just now. Leave her be until tomorrow, then we’ll see …’

  After a few anxious minutes he managed to get her out of his head, and then, the worries crept back again as his thoughts ran over Paula’s lack of urgency regarding the papers. All the same, if it hasn’t been delivered by tomorrow morning, I’ll have to put my foot down and take it in myself … whether she likes it or not! he decided.

  Now he switched his attention from Paula to Lucy.

  ‘I don’t think Lucy is all that bothered about our marriage. If she was, she never would have gone away like this, and why is it she calls Anne instead of me? All right, I work all hours, but why doesn’t she call late in the evening, when she just might get hold of me?’