The Truth About You

by Susan Lewis

  Thrilled – and appalled – by the thought of waking up with him, she said, ‘I wish you were coming this weekend.’

  He sighed. ‘Me too, but I have to stay here in New York. Something came up. Anyway, I’m not sure I can trust myself around you. You know what happened last time we were together.’

  Feeling wonderful biting sensations in her most intimate parts, she said, ‘I think about it all the time.’

  His eyes burned into hers. ‘Not long to wait now,’ he reminded her, ‘and you’ll be sweet sixteen. Meantime, I want you to do something for me. Have you read the book everyone’s talking about?’

  Her insides lurched. He must mean Fifty Shades of Grey. Of course she’d heard of it, and knew exactly what it was about, but she hadn’t actually read it yet, mainly because she knew if either of her parents caught her with it they’d go ballistic. ‘It’s like the first thing I’m going to download when I get my Kindle,’ she told him, hoping it was the right answer.

  He smiled. ‘Really? I’ll be interested to hear what you think of it.’

  ‘Have you read it?’

  His eyes seemed to narrow slightly as he said, ‘I should go now, but first tell me what you’re up to today so I can imagine you doing it.’

  Wishing she had the courage to say she was about to get in the shower so he could think of her with no clothes on, or that she had plans to laze around the garden in a bikini so he could imagine her that way, she heard herself saying, ‘I’m going over to my friend, Maudie’s, to do some revising. She’s a genius when it comes to physics.’ As soon as the words were out she wanted to grab them back. Why did she have to go and remind him she was still at school? It was really going to put him off, and she couldn’t bear it if it did.

  ‘I’ll try to catch up with you later,’ he told her, and a moment later he’d gone.

  She stared at the screen in despair. Oh God, oh God, oh God. What was she going to do? She always said the dumbest things and now he was going to think she was immature and stupid and a total waste of space, and if he thought that she’d just want to die.

  ‘Tierney! What are you doing in there?’ her mother called out.

  ‘Go away!’ Tierney seethed.

  ‘Dad and Zav are making pancakes,’ Lainey told her through the door. ‘They thought you’d like some too.’

  ‘I don’t want any pancakes. I’m not hungry. Just leave me alone.’

  There was a moment before Lainey said, ‘Are you all right?’

  ‘I’m fine. I just don’t want to come down yet.’

  There was no sound of her mother moving away. Tierney wanted to scream as she pictured her hovering outside. ‘Can I come in?’ Lainey eventually asked.

  Tierney’s fists were clenched. ‘No!’ she practically raged.

  ‘You know, I think I will.’

  ‘Don’t you dare! This is my room and you’re not invited.’

  More seconds ticked by, and then Tierney’s heart jarred at the sound of an email dropping into her inbox.

  She quickly clicked on.

  It was a gift from iTunes – from him!

  Oh my God, he’s sent me some music to download.

  She found the message.

  For you to listen to while revising. Xxx

  The door opened and her mother came in.

  ‘Well, at least you’re up,’ Lainey commented, casting a quick look around the room as though checking to make sure no one else was there.

  ‘Of course I am,’ Tierney replied sunnily, closing her laptop. ‘I was just checking to make sure Maudie’s still on for today. And actually, I’m dead in the mood for pancakes, especially Dad’s. Zav’s always have to be scraped off the floor.’

  Lainey laughed. ‘They’re still pretty tasty though,’ she commented, and grabbing a dressing gown she held it out for Tierney to slip into. ‘Just as well it was me and not Dad who came up here,’ she murmured over Tierney’s shoulder, ‘because wherever you were last night, and whatever you were doing, the smell in this room tells me that you were hitting the booze.’

  Tierney froze. Her mother was a witch.

  ‘I’m guessing you sneaked over to Max’s,’ Lainey continued, ‘but we’ll have a chat about it later.’

  Keeping her back turned, Tierney started for the door. ‘You’re not going to tell Dad, are you?’ she demanded, suddenly turning round and almost colliding with Lainey.

  Before Lainey could answer Tierney was seized by a rush of elation, and grabbing her mother in a vigorous embrace she squeezed with all her might. She didn’t care if she was in trouble; he’d sent her some music, which made everything all right, and after breakfast she was going to race back up here to find out what it was.

  After sending Tierney the mood-swinger on down for breakfast, Lainey went to knock gently on her father’s door, pushing it open as she did so. Funny how once she’d never have dreamt of walking into her father’s room without receiving his permission, while Tierney’s door had always been open to her. Now the situation was completely reversed.

  Finding Peter still fast asleep, she went to make sure he was breathing, much as she still did with the children, and after stooping to give Sherman a tousle she went quietly back to the landing. She’d leave him a while longer, then come back up to help him shower and dress.

  By the time she got down to the kitchen a ragged pile of pancakes was gaining some height in the middle of the table, while jars of marmalade, maple syrup and honey were circling its base, and a pot of fresh coffee had been placed to one side, a bit like an old-timer checking out the new kids on the block.

  ‘Auntie Daffs just called,’ Tierney told her, grabbing their napkins from a drawer to start laying them out. ‘She said she’ll ring back later, but I was to tell you it’s fine about . . . Oh my God, Mum, you’re dancing. Please don’t. Please, please. Oh God, Dad, stop!’

  With ‘The Hustle’ playing on the radio, Lainey shimmied up to Tom who, with a frying pan aloft in one hand and a tea towel in the other, was already jigging his hips back and forth ready to bump them against hers. Zav was laughing and cheering them on, while spilling his latest pancake mix all over the Aga.

  Tierney buried her face in her hands. ‘You two are so sad,’ she told them. ‘No one dances like that any more.’

  ‘We do,’ Tom responded cheerily, still getting into the groove. ‘Do you want us to show you how . . .’

  ‘Don’t even say it,’ Tierney cried, appalled. ‘No way am I ever going to want to dance like you.’

  Loving her horror almost as much as her struggle not to laugh, Lainey went to cup her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead. ‘Thanks for the message,’ she said. ‘Did Auntie Daffs say how she was?’

  ‘Mum,’ Zav piped up, ‘is Auntie Daffs our auntie or yours?’

  ‘Well, she’s mine first, because she’s Grandpa’s sister, but she’s . . .’

  ‘She’s our great-aunt,’ Tierney told him, ‘and she’s definitely great, because for someone so old she’s seriously cool. Can we start the pancakes now?’

  ‘Go on, before they get cold,’ Tom replied, readying Zav for his next throw.

  ‘Watch this,’ Zav cried as Max came yawning and stretching through the door, T-shirt riding up round his middle, jeans sagging below his boxers. ‘I’m about to toss one. Can I do it now, Dad?’

  ‘Slide it round the pan a bit more,’ Tom instructed. ‘That’s it! Now tilt the pan forward . . . Good. Not too far. Remember the wrist action . . . OK, go!’

  Zav flipped, the pancake flew and everyone cheered as it landed half in, half out of the pan.

  ‘I nearly caught it, I nearly caught it!’ Zav whooped excitedly, wiggling his hips and punching a hand in the air. ‘You can have it if you like, Max. Are you going to watch me play footie today? He can come, can’t he, Dad?’

  ‘If he wants to,’ Tom replied. ‘Don’t you have guests?’ he asked Max as Max slumped down at the table and helped himself to juice.

  ‘They’re still crashi
ng,’ Max yawned. ‘Is there any coffee?’

  ‘Tierney, can you get the phone, darling?’ Lainey called as she went into the larder.

  Bouncing round the table to go and do the honours, Tierney scooped up the receiver saying, ‘Good morning, Bannerleigh Cross. How can I help you?’

  Tom’s eyes sparked with amusement.

  ‘Someone’s in a good mood,’ Max grunted.

  ‘Oh hey Stacy,’ Tierney was saying warmly. ‘How are you? Yes, I’m cool thanks. Yes, Mum’s here. OK. Mum, Stacy wants to know what time you’re meeting this morning and where.’

  ‘In the courtyard at Mills, around eleven?’ Lainey replied.

  Tierney relayed the message. ‘I don’t know,’ she said, frowning, ‘I’ll ask. Stacy wants to know if she should book her flight yet, and if so to which airport?’

  Taking the phone, Lainey said to Stacy, ‘I’ll look into it later today, so don’t do anything yet. How did it go with Martin last night?’

  ‘Yes, it was good,’ Stacy replied, not sounding quite as upbeat as Lainey had expected. ‘Just not sure . . . Well, he didn’t stay over again and so now I’m wondering . . . Is he married, or a commitment-phobe . . . Nothing’s ever straightforward, is it?’

  ‘Tell me about it,’ Lainey muttered. ‘But did he say why he couldn’t stay the night?’

  ‘Should you be having this conversation with children in the room?’ Max demanded.

  ‘Feel free to leave,’ Lainey told him.

  Tom laughed.

  Max glared at her, but couldn’t quite hide the flicker of humour in his eyes.

  ‘Let’s talk about it later,’ Stacy said. ‘I’ve got some other news too, but it can wait till then.’

  As Lainey rang off, Zav arrived at the table with his final messy pancake, while Tom brought a bunch of cutlery and mugs for the coffee. ‘What was that about flights?’ he asked, sitting down next to Max.

  ‘To Italy,’ Lainey announced delightedly. ‘I’ve put a deposit on the villa near Tuoro that I sent you all a link to. Now all I have to do is sort out how we get there and who’s actually going to come with us.’

  ‘Me, me, I’m definitely coming,’ Zav shouted. ‘I’ve always wanted to go to Italy. Alfie says it’s brilliant there.’

  ‘Am I invited?’ Max wanted to know.

  Lainey was surprised. ‘I didn’t think you’d be interested. But you’re welcome if you’d like to come,’ she added hastily.

  ‘It might be a good idea for you to spend the summer looking for a job,’ Tom informed him.

  ‘Yeah, right, that sounds like fun,’ Max retorted.

  ‘It’s not supposed to be fun, it’s supposed to be growing up and sorting out your life.’

  Max groaned in dismay. ‘I so don’t need this . . .’

  ‘Let’s not spoil things,’ Lainey insisted, trying to head off a row.

  ‘I’m afraid I won’t be able to come,’ Tierney declared, her mouth half full of pancake.

  Astonished, Lainey glanced at Tom as she said, ‘What do you mean, you can’t come?’

  Tierney shrugged. ‘What I said.’

  ‘This isn’t negotiable,’ Tom informed her. ‘It’s a family holiday, so of course you’ll come.’

  ‘Sorry, I’m going to be sixteen by then, and I’ve got loads of things already planned for the summer.’

  ‘What sort of things?’ Lainey wanted to know.

  Tierney flushed.

  ‘Whatever they are, they can wait till we’re back,’ Tom said decisively.

  Tierney’s eyes glinted as she shook her head. ‘No way,’ she retorted. ‘I’m staying here – and think of it this way, I’ll be able to look after Grandpa, because he can’t be on his own, can he? Or are you planning to take him too?’

  ‘That was what Auntie Daffs was ringing about,’ Lainey told her. ‘She and Uncle Jack are coming to stay while we’re away. And that means all of us, including you.’

  Tierney’s face was taut with defiance. ‘As I just said,’ she muttered through her teeth, ‘I’ll be sixteen by then, which means I’ll be an adult, so . . .’

  ‘It does not make you an adult,’ Tom interrupted, ‘and don’t speak to your mother in that tone.’

  ‘Why not? You always do.’

  Stunned, Lainey could only watch as Tom put down his cutlery and glared at his daughter. ‘You’ll take that back right now,’ he demanded, ‘or you’ll go to your room.’

  ‘Why should I take it back if it’s true?’ Tierney protested.

  ‘It isn’t true,’ Zav cried. ‘Dad always speaks really nicely to Mum, doesn’t he, Mum?’

  ‘Actually, this isn’t about me and Dad,’ Lainey reminded them, wondering what was really going on with Tierney. ‘It’s about you, Tierney, and the fact that we want you to come on holiday with us. It wouldn’t be the same without you . . .’

  ‘Oh Mum, give me a break,’ Tierney cried, her face colouring with frustration. She couldn’t go away now. She had to stay here to be with him. ‘This is all about you trying to find out about your family, if you’ve even got one . . .’

  ‘Course she has, she’s got us,’ Zav pointed out.

  ‘You know what I mean,’ Tierney snapped at him. She fixed her mother with seriously determined eyes. ‘I don’t want to come to Italy,’ she informed her, ‘and if you make me I won’t want to be a part of this family any more.’ Rising to her feet she began stalking out of the room.

  ‘Sit back down,’ Tom ordered in a tone no one ever defied.

  Tierney hesitated.

  ‘Now!’

  Pink-faced and steely-eyed, Tierney returned to her place.

  ‘Eat your breakfast,’ Tom commanded.

  ‘I’m not hungry,’ she replied sulkily.

  Tom glanced at Lainey and carried on with his own pancake.

  The others followed suit, eating in silence until Max said, ‘Anyone fancy a game of Happy Families?’

  Zav gave a shout of laughter as Lainey and Tom struggled to suppress their own.

  ‘You all think you’re so bloody funny,’ Tierney cried savagely. ‘Well, I don’t. I hate you, all of you, and I can’t wait to leave home.’

  ‘Zav, pass the honey, son,’ Tom said, reaching out a hand for it.

  ‘So I’m invited to Italy?’ Max asked Lainey.

  ‘Of course,’ she replied, sending a silent prayer that he’d leave his black moods at home. ‘As long as you pull your weight,’ she added lamely.

  He looked amazed, offended. ‘Don’t I always?’

  She returned the look. ‘Can’t say I’d noticed.’

  He appeared pained.

  ‘Do you have any spending money?’ Tom asked him.

  ‘No, why, are you offering? Cool.’

  Even Tierney had to choke back a laugh.

  Tom narrowed him a look. ‘Get a job anywhere, doing anything, until it’s time to go, and you can come.’

  ‘Does it have to be legal?’

  Tom rolled his eyes as Tierney struggled with another laugh.

  ‘I’ll give you half my pocket money if you’ll do my homework,’ Zav offered.

  ‘How much do you get?’ Max wanted to know.

  ‘A pound a week.’

  Max’s eyes rounded. ‘Wow! And you’d give me a full fifty p just for doing your sums? It’s a deal.’

  Knowing better than to rise to it, Lainey put a hand on Tierney’s back and gave it a rub. ‘Fancy coming to the market with me this morning?’ she said softly. ‘We could pop into Moonflower and see if they’ve received anything new since we were last there.’

  Tierney was shaking her head. ‘No thanks,’ she said stiffly. ‘I’m going to Maudie’s for some revising. I hope that keeps you happy,’ she shot at her father.

  ‘Delirious,’ he assured her. ‘Are any of you three joining us for dinner tonight? Have they been invited?’ he asked Lainey.

  ‘No, we haven’t,’ Zav sighed. ‘Or I haven’t anyway, and I really want to come.’

  ‘
You’re so weird,’ Tierney told him.

  ‘You say that about everyone,’ he retorted, ‘and really it’s you who’s weird, isn’t she, Mum?’

  ‘She’s gorgeous,’ Lainey replied, going to pick up the phone. ‘Hello, Bannerleigh Cross.’

  ‘These pancakes are seriously good, little man,’ Max informed Zav as he reached for a third. ‘You can cook for me any time.’

  ‘Hello?’ Lainey said into the phone.

  ‘Hello,’ Max and Zav echoed back.

  Lainey turned away. ‘Hello,’ she said again. Someone was there, she could hear noises in the background, but whoever it was still didn’t speak. ‘I’m going to ring off now,’ she told whoever it was. ‘Goodbye.’

  ‘Goodbye,’ Max and Zav repeated.

  Tom was regarding her curiously.

  She merely shrugged. ‘OK, I’ve got a lot to do before the party tonight, so you lot are in charge of clearing up here. If your friends wake up and want food,’ she said to Max, ‘eggs are down the road at the farm, bacon’s two fields along to the right but can run fast, same goes for the milk, but in a separate field.’ Enjoying her little joke, she dropped a kiss on Tom’s head before running upstairs to start getting her father into the day.

  An hour and a half later Lainey was hunting high and low for her mobile phone. If she didn’t leave soon she was going to be late for Stacy, but she hated being out of contact in case there was some sort of emergency.

  She’d rung her own number half a dozen times now, but before she could hear where in the house the phone might be the call was skipping straight through to voicemail.

  ‘This is crazy,’ she muttered angrily, turfing everything upside down in the kitchen again, certain this was where she’d last seen it.

  She hoped Tierney hadn’t taken it by mistake, but if she had she’d surely have answered it by now.

  ‘Dad,’ she said, barely even glancing across to where he was playing cards with his old sales director, Marty, who usually came to visit on Saturday mornings. Snap was all they managed these days, and Peter didn’t even seem sure about that. How wonderful Marty was to spare his old friend this time. ‘Dad, have you seen my phone?’ she asked, yanking open the cutlery drawer and rummaging inside. He often hid things, probably unintentionally, but it had caused countless problems in the past.