She reached her hand down the side pocket of her door, pulled out some wine gums and started chewing. What choice did she have in all of this? One last try. ‘Neil, is there anybody? Anyone you could go to?’
‘If there was, I wouldn’t land all this on you Cleo. Sorry. We won’t be any bother and I’ll try to get somewhere when some money comes into the business at the end of the month. Just a week. Two at the most. Please?’
Cleo took a deep breath, she’d run out of steam, ‘I’ll say yes but I want it to be as soon as you can. I want you to pay back what you owe me and then I want my life back.’
Neil rewarded her with one of his endearing dimpled grins. How had they ever worked on attracting her to this shallow, selfish man?
‘You and Josh had better have my room. You can’t share that narrow camp bed with him. I suppose I’ll have to take that.’
‘Thanks, Cleo, that’s more than generous.’
‘You go and sort it out. There’s clean bedding in the airing cupboard. I’m just going to sit here awhile.’ She shrugged off Neil’s hug and he got out of the car.
As she watched him walk back towards the building, Cleo pressed the button that rolled back the roof of her car and then she reclined back to look at the darkening sky. She relished the silence; a moment of calm. She closed her eyes and tried to forget the day she’d had and the night she was going to have on that camp bed.
Cleo shivered, feeling icy cold. She looked at her watch and realised that she must’ve dozed off; it was after eleven. The dark velvet of the sky was lit by the bright crescent of the Mead moon but the city lights were hiding the stars that were out there too. Glancing up at the windows of her apartment, she noticed that the hallway lamp was the only other light shining. Her guests were all bedded down so at least she could go back up there without facing anyone else.
17
At the end of another hectic week, Alex woke to the now familiar sounds of Cleo making coffee in the kitchen. She guessed it must be six in the morning. She was surprised at how she had felt sympathy for Cleo over the past two weeks. Her big sis had to sleep in her office, work long hours and then come home to a houseful of lodgers. It couldn’t be fun for her.
They’d Skyped Mum last night and had chatted about how things were going without a mention of Josh’s arrival and the bedlam that reigned in the apartment. Cleo had even stroked Pharos as Alex had held him up to the screen to purr at Mum. Mum had looked tanned and happy and wanted to talk about what they were up to much more than her travels. That was Mum.
Alex had another hour before she needed to get up and was about to turn over when her door opened and Josh came in clutching one of his dinosaurs. She groaned and put her head under the duvet.
‘You there, Alex?’ Josh peered under the duvet.
‘Yes, I’m here. What made you get up so early?’
‘It’s not dark and Daddy has gone to work,’ Alex sat up and helped Josh onto her bed.
‘No, it’s far too early for Daddy to be at work. Is he in the bathroom?’
‘Mm...mm’ Josh shook his head frowning at Alex. ‘Daddy is at work. He told me to go back to sleep but I couldn’t.’
‘You stay here with your dino and I’ll just check.’
She checked the bathroom and then knocked on Cleo’s bedroom door. No sound. She peeped inside. Empty. No Neil. She checked the wardrobe for clothes and breathed a sigh of relief. His clothes were there so he hadn’t scarpered off. His watch and phone weren’t on the bedside cabinet but there was a note propped up there.
Sorry Ladies, I have an urgent trip and didn’t want to wake you. I’ll be back tomorrow. It’s Friday, so Alex, maybe you could stay off school for one day and look after Josh? It is important or I wouldn’t ask. Love Neil x
The cheek of that man. It was an ultimatum not a request. She took the note into the office to show Cleo, just as she was packing her work bag and about to set off.
‘Have you seen Neil?’
‘This morning?’ Cleo looked puzzled.
‘Take a look at this.’
As Cleo read the note, Josh wandered in.
‘Shall we have brekkie, Alex?’
‘Good idea, Josh. Why don’t you watch Peppa Pig while I make it?’
Cleo hadn’t said a word but Alex could see that her sister’s mind was working overtime thinking of something, a solution.
She wouldn’t mind taking a day off to look after Josh but Cleo wouldn’t be happy about her missing school and she was due to have a history tutorial about an assignment she’d completed. That was at eleven and she didn’t want to miss it. She had Art all afternoon too and loved that Friday session.
Cleo was on the phone. ‘Heather, I know how you always have loads to do on your day off but can I ask you a huge favour?’
As Cleo’s face relaxed, Alex knew that Heather had stepped in and was going to help out. Cleo was filling Heather in on the latest development as Alex made breakfast for Josh and herself.
‘Tell Heather that I can stay here until ten. I’ll miss my tutor group and go in for my history tutorial,’ Alex called.
After the call, Cleo came into the kitchen and gave her a hug as she poured milk on Josh’s rice crispies. Alex almost spilled the carton. Wow, that was a first!
‘Thanks for all you’ve done Alex. This isn’t your mess but I do appreciate you helping out. Heather is coming over with Archie as soon as they’re ready.’
‘No problem.’ She felt as thrilled as she did whenever she made Mum proud.
As she was leaving the apartment, Cleo called, ‘But, Alex, don’t you let him have that cereal bowl near my grey sofa or carpet!’
Now that was more like her sister, always a ‘bu't’. She was still smiling though, as she sat Josh up at the breakfast bar and tied a tea towel around his neck.
Alex was glad to leave Josh with Heather and catch the metro to school. Dinosaurs and dishes weren’t a great way to start the day. She was surprised to see Gracie get on at her stop.
‘Hey, Gracie, over here! Looks like we’re both late.’
Gracie gave her a watery smile and said, ‘Don’t talk about being late.’
‘I didn’t think you’d be so bothered.’ Alex knew that Gracie skipped school a lot. She was often looking after her younger brothers and going off when she had ‘other fish to fry’, whatever that meant.
‘It depends on what sort of late,’ Gracie muttered.
Alex guessed what she meant straight away. ‘Do you mean late, as in period?’
‘Very late. I need to do a test. Don’t you tell another soul, Alex, ‘cos nobody else knows.’
‘I won’t, of course I won’t. Do you want me to come to the chemist with you?’
‘Would you? I’ve been saving dinner and smoke money to get a kit.’
They got off the metro a stop early and walked to the large chemist further away from school. Alex still had plenty of time before her history tutorial.
‘Does the dad know?’ asked Alex.
‘Don’t be daft. It might be nothing and I’d have made a fool of meself for nowt,’ laughed Gracie. Her bravado was back. ‘I bet you’re dying to know who it is.’
‘Is it anybody I know?’
‘Aye. I’ll tell you but mind that you keep this to yourself ... It’s Ty.’
‘Tyrone? Bloody Hell! You’re always arguing and rude to each other.’
‘You know nowt. That’s just how me and him go on Alex. We’ve been courting since primary school, not like this of course. We’ve been proper serious for over a year but he goes off and has his daft flings every now and then.’
‘Other girls?’
‘Aye. I find out and scare them off and they soon dump him. Me and him were always meant for each other but I didn’t want this, not before A levels and a job and a flat.’
‘What’ll you do?’
‘I’d never get rid. If that’s what you mean. That’s not for me, not when it’s Ty’s. Anyway we’d better be sure first.�
��
They’d reached the chemist and Gracie looked uncomfortable. ‘Will you ask, Alex? I’m more well known round the shops than you. Them at the counter might start some gossip.’
Alex shook her hair out of its loose bun and borrowed some of Gracie’s juicy tube gloss to try to look a bit older before they approached the counter.
‘Excuse me, can you give me a pregnancy test, please?’
‘Any particular sort?’
Alex felt confused; what could the woman mean? ‘The most reliable sort, but not too expensive please.’ Alex knew that they only had fifteen pounds.
‘They are all reliable after two weeks and this one is £9.99. Some others have two tests for £15 though.’
‘Oh no, one will suffice,’ Alex said.
Gracie was giggling behind her.
‘Thank you so much. No, I don’t have my loyalty card with me this morning.’ Phew she was glad to get out of there.
Gracie broke into peals of laughter as they got to the door.
‘What’s so funny?’ Alex felt confused. She’d done this for Gracie and now it was a huge joke.
‘You! “One will suffice.” You sounded so bloody la-di-da’
Alex saw the funny side and they both laughed as they walked back in the direction of school. Alex kept the test in her bag; Gracie hadn’t a schoolbag with her as usual.
‘We’ll do it at lunchtime but out of school over at the cafe, shall we?’ Gracie suggested.
Alex agreed and they hurried into the building because it was now almost eleven and she had to meet her history tutor for her one to one.
Alex waited by the gates for Gracie but she didn’t appear. Her tutorial had gone well and she wanted a quick lunch before going to the Art studios for an afternoon of painting.
Ty came up as she was standing there. ‘Gracie said to tell you she’s gone out of school. She had an argument with Batesy about being late into school and walked out. She’s a moody cow at the moment. She’s meeting me over at my place and she says your plan can wait until Monday.’
‘Oh, right. Tell her that’s fine,’ Alex said. She was about to go back through the gates when Ty caught her arm.
He asked, ‘Do you know what she meant because I don’t and she wouldn’t tell me?’
‘Sorry Ty, if Gracie doesn’t want you in on this, I don’t either. Just tell her I’ll see her on Monday.’
‘She asked me to give you her mobile number.’
Ty handed her a slip of paper; Alex took it and hurried off before she gave anything away and went to meet Lee at their Art session.
In the studio, as they gathered together the materials they needed for the afternoon, a couple of the girls were talking about the Karate sessions they’d signed up for. There were four ‘taster’ sessions after school starting tonight for lower 6th form only and Lee was going to give it a go.
‘It’s useful to be able to defend yourself around here, well anywhere really. You should come with us, Alex.’
‘I haven’t any gym stuff with me or I would. I used to love gymnastics.’
‘That’s no excuse, it’s in bare feet and those white suits are provided for the taster course. Go and sign up at afternoon break.’
Alex thought about it and decided it might be fun. She found the notice board near reception and signed her name. There would be fourteen of them attending four till five. She checked no one was about and asked for Ann at reception.
‘Hi, Alex, how’s it going?’
‘Great thanks. I’m going to go to Karate tonight so I’ll be here until five. Can you let Cleo know? Tell her I don’t want a lift but I’ll be home late.’
‘Are you still incognito? Nobody twigged?’ Ann asked.
‘Not yet, I’d hate anyone to find out we’re related,’ she shuddered.
Ann winked, ‘It’s safe with me, Alex.’
They were sorting out a pile of freshly laundered karate suits in the changing rooms and tying white belts around the baggy outfits, when a deep Scottish voice yelled through the changing room door,
‘Come out as soon as you have your gis on, we only have an hour.’
Alex hurriedly tied her hair in a pony tail and followed Lee into the gym.
Their instructor, a tall powerful looking man, was standing waiting for them. Alex noticed his black belt and then, as he introduced himself, she studied his face. It was familiar. Where had she seen him before? His eyes looked over her as she stood in line and there was no recognition there. They hadn’t met then, but there was something, even the voice.
He had set them off on a paired exercise and was visiting each pair to watch them more closely when it hit her. Oh damn and blast! Her face must have changed because Lee was asking her if she was alright.
‘I didn’t hurt you, did I Alex?’
‘Of course not, I’m OK.’
‘Less talking girls and keep moving,’ the instructor said as he passed them.
Alex gathered her scattered thoughts together and concentrated. No way was she going to attract extra attention. She knew who he was but, thankfully, he didn’t recognise her. The last time they’d met she had been off her face, hysterical and he’d saved her friend’s life. The club doorman from Edinburgh was here in Tyneview and teaching her karate.
18
Teri stretched out in the shade under a grass umbrella and looked out over silver sands to a turquoise sea. That heady mix of sun and sea lingered on her skin and she was sure that the climate was soothing her aching joints; this was a healing holiday. The Red Sea was an unbelievable shade and underneath it was another world; a glorious variety of multi-coloured fish, coral and plants. She had started to explore the tip of this existence just by snorkelling yards from the shore. She felt like one of the Cousteaus from one of those wonderful old documentaries when she followed Greg underwater, using hand signals to point fish and plants out to one another.
Greg. She hadn’t dreamed of meeting a fellow traveller, a true friend to share her exploration of Egypt and its treasures. He had invited her to join his party to tour the pyramids and the Cairo museum and she had enjoyed being part of the large party who wanted to see as much of Egypt as possible in a few days. When the party had left to go on to a Nile cruise, Teri stayed on in Cairo for a few more days and revisited the museum several times; there was so much to see there.
The special room that contained several mummified Pharaohs fascinated her. She was drawn back to it time and time again. Lying there was Ramses II, who she’d read so much about and his hair was as fair as her own, she’d never imagined that. Many moons ago, she’d renamed herself after his favourite wife and she hoped he didn’t find her visits too intrusive.
After Cairo, she’d visited Sinai on her own and had climbed, with a party of noisy Italians, up the mount. They’d started at midnight when it was cool and it had taken five hours to reach the summit. She’d got up to the top just before dawn to witness the most spectacular sunrise of her life. The Egyptian gods had taken a giant golden egg and broken its yolk all over the darkened sky to herald the start of day. Cameras had clicked all around her but she just feasted her eyes on it; no picture could capture that magic. She had the urge to create, to make a tapestry with those jewelled colours. That scene was etched in her memory ready for when she got home.
Teri decided to take a beach break at Hurghada before the trip to Luxor and all its wonders. She was going to meet up with Greg again to explore Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. She checked into a luxury hotel, enjoyed the air conditioning and the chance to skype her girls and had been delighted at how they both seemed to be comfortable in one another’s company. Even Pharos seemed to be settled; it seemed like her plan was working.
Greg had surprised her. He’d asked if she’d mind him joining her on the beach break and had arrived at Makadi Bay a couple of days ago. They’d had fun and relaxed and were very easy in each other’s company but now Teri felt rather confused. They’d held hands walking along the beach last night an
d she knew they were getting fond of one another. Maybe too fond?
He’d told her he was forty, that was nine years her junior, was it such a gap? That was the main thing stopping her from succumbing to a holiday romance. That and the fact that Greg was the first man she’d looked at in that way since Mac. It must be the spell of Egypt.
Greg’s shadow stood in the way of the sun. He threw an ice cold lolly that landed on her midriff.
‘Greg!’ she shrieked. He sat on the end of her lounger. Tall, tanned, long hair ruffled by the sea, who could resist him? He was thoughtful and caring too.
‘Teri, you’ve lain there long enough. When you finish that ice lolly, we should go for a dip then a siesta.’
‘What do you mean, a siesta? Teri sat up.
‘A short sleep in the cool air conditioned rooms that we’ve got. What did you think I meant?’
Teri turned pink and it wasn’t the sun. She held his gaze. ‘It was the ‘we’ I was questioning,’ she said.
Greg’s brown eyes were reading hers. ‘Teri, there’s no one I’d rather siesta with than you and I think you know that.’
She was lost for words. He’d placed the beach ball firmly on her patch of sand.
Becoming lovers developed as naturally as their friendship. Teri and Greg walked back to the hotel and, when the lift reached her floor, instead of getting out on her own, she took Greg’s hand and they walked to her room together.
She led him to the wet room and they showered off the sand and salt of the beach together. They shared their first kiss. Warm and tender at first and then more demanding as they shared their hunger for each other. She pulled slightly away but wanted more, so much more.
‘It’s been such a long time,’ she said as he wrapped her in a towel and carried her over to the bed.
‘Let’s just take lots of time now and make sure it’s worth it.’ His kisses teased her neck and moved along her throat and down her body. She arched her back as he kissed the scar just below her bikini line, Teri raised her head and looked up and Greg smiled, ‘You just lie there and relax. We have all afternoon to siesta.’
A Jarful of Moondreams: What Secrets Are Ready to Spill Out? Page 12