by Maggie James
I was intrigued. ‘Does she have a particular type of treatment in mind?’
His jaw tightened with anger. ‘She’s still checking out alternative therapy centres, believing the bogus success rates quoted on their websites. Most of it is New Age crap, and a lot of it sounds downright dangerous. Take fasting, for example. How the hell can it do Darcy any good to starve herself and just drink juices if she’s sick? She needs food to build up her strength, damn it.’ He was almost shouting, worry in every line of his face.
Scott shook his head. ‘I don’t know what to say to her anymore, Lynnie.’
I decided not to mention my firm belief in complementary medicine. Part of me had been sceptical at first, but that changed over time. I’d tried aromatherapy for relaxation, flower remedies for stress, herbal tablets for period pain, and been impressed with the results. Perhaps Darcy wasn’t as deluded as Scott believed.
We finished our glasses of wine, it being obvious he didn’t want to discuss the subject any further. The moment was edging closer when I’d have to reveal my deception.
‘Coffee?’ I suggested.
He flashed me his megawatt smile. ‘Great idea.’
Unable to maintain eye contact, I escaped to the kitchen. As I fussed with the percolator, he came up behind me again, one hand resting on my hip, his breath fanning my neck. The musk of his aftershave wafted into my nostrils, and my bones melted with desire.
I couldn’t put it off any longer. ‘I have something to tell you.’
His arms slid around my waist, pulling me close. ‘You sound upset. Is everything all right?’
‘Not really.’ Tears stung my eyes.
‘Never mind the coffee. Come and sit down.’ He led me back towards the sofa, concern in his expression. ‘Talk to me. Please.’
My voice shaking with nerves, I plunged straight in. ‘My name isn’t Lynnie Connor. It’s Lyddie Hunter.’
Confusion washed over Scott’s face. ‘Lyddie? As in short for Lydia?’
‘Yes.’
‘I don’t understand. I noticed you and Ellie had different last names, and I wasn’t sure of the reason, but why lie about your first name? Or your surname, come to that?’
I swallowed hard. ‘It’s complicated.’ Then I told him everything. Ellie’s recent suicide attempt, the burning rage that spurred me to seek justice for her. The fact I’d dated Liam Tate, how Steven Simmons had never been real, just another of my sister’s lies. Scott didn’t interrupt, not once. At last I drew to a close, my hands trembling in my lap. ‘So now you know,’ I finished.
Oh God. It was like waiting for a firing squad to shoot. I couldn’t look at him, so great was my apprehension. Say something, I pleaded in my head. Anything. Just save me from my misery.
Scott released a long, slow breath. ‘This has come as a shock,’ he said. ‘I’d thought ... I’d hoped ...’ I glanced at him then, but his face was inscrutable. His hand rubbed over his jaw the way it did when he got tense.
‘I’m sorry,’ I whispered.
‘You have to understand, Lynnie. Excuse me, I mean Lyddie. God, this is so weird. What I’m trying to say is … I’m an honest kind of guy. What you see is what you get. So finding out you’ve lied ... well, it’s hit me hard. Especially after what happened with Ellie.’
‘I realise you’re hurt. Please ...’
‘I hoped we had a shot at something special. But now ...’ He shook his head. ‘How can I ever trust you again?’
‘You have to believe me.’ A tremor ran through my voice. ‘If I could change things I would.’
‘This Liam guy. Should I be worried about him?’
‘God, no. I only dated him because of Ellie. He meant nothing to me.’ I ran out of breath, falling silent. It wasn’t the right time to broach my suspicion that Liam had been stalking me.
No response for a few seconds. Then Scott spoke again. ‘Are you hiding any other secrets?’
I nodded. ‘There’s more.’ I explained the Harbourside flat was a temporary rental, how I lived in Spain but had returned for Ellie’s sake. ‘I’m not even an accountant anymore,’ I finished. ‘I went to Andalucía to paint. I run an art gallery there, not here.’
To my relief, a faint smile curved his mouth. Hope flickered within me.
‘I can’t pretend I wouldn’t rather date an artist than a bean-counter,’ he said. ‘Although the fact you live abroad might be a problem.’
The tension in my gut loosened a little. Scott was disappointed, but not as angry as I’d feared. Might he be prepared to give me - us - a second chance?
At that moment, the doorbell buzzed. I cursed under my breath as I went to answer it. Whoever had come calling, their timing was lousy.
When I yanked open the latch, Ellie stood in the entrance. Anger ignited in me. I stepped into the hallway and pulled the door partly closed.
‘What game are you playing now?’ My words dripped with bile. ‘I told you Scott was coming over tonight.’
‘That’s why I’m here.’ Her expression was nervous, yet determined. ‘I’ve been so upset, Lyddie. You were so mad at me earlier, but you must understand I never lied to you. About my business, about Steven Simmons, about him taking my money.’ She chewed her lip, her eyes anxious. ‘I hoped if he met me, your boyfriend would realise he’d made a mistake. That he’d dated some other woman, not me.’
That wasn’t an encounter I had the strength for, not after my recent revelations to Scott. I shook my head. ‘Not going to happen. You need to leave. Right now.’
I’d not reckoned on my sister’s determination. Before I could stop her, Ellie pushed past me into the apartment.
My anger boiled over as I followed close behind. ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing? You can’t force your way in here like this ...’ A strangled cry from Ellie interrupted my protest. She’d halted in the middle of the living area, her back to me. I positioned myself between Scott and my sister, unsure what was going on. She was staring at him as though he was her worst nightmare made real.
‘Hello, Ellie.’ Scott got up from the sofa, his body language awkward. ‘This is, um, a surprise. How are you?’
She didn’t respond, her expression one of horror. Her face was paper-pale, her eyes wide with shock.
‘Ellie?’ I prompted, my anger replaced by concern. ‘Els? Talk to me.’
‘It’s him,’ she whispered. ‘Oh, my God. Get him out of here, Lyddie. Please.’
Her next words sucker-punched me. ‘That’s Steven Simmons. The guy who stole my money.’
I stared at her in disbelief. ‘That’s ridiculous. Impossible.’
‘Ellie?’ Scott’s voice sounded agitated. ‘I don’t understand. You know my name is Scott Champion. Not whatever other one you just said.’
Ellie took a step backward. She’d grown even paler. ‘Liar. I don’t care what name you’re going by now. You were Steven Simmons last month.’
Scott turned to me, a frown on his face. ‘That’s impossible. Ellie dumped me back in February. I’ve not seen her since.’
‘You’re lying! Don’t listen to him, Lyddie! He’s Steven Simmons, and he stole my money, and ...’ Ellie slumped to the floor, her hands covering her face. I could only stare at her.
Scott drew me aside, his voice a whisper. ‘I think I should leave. Your sister - she’s not well, that much is obvious. You have to know, though. All that stuff she said - none of it’s true. I’ve not seen Ellie for months, I swear. As for saying I stole money from her ...’ He spread his palms in a gesture of incomprehension. ‘She’s lying, although I’ve no idea why.’
‘She does, whenever it suits her. I’m so sorry, Scott. I had no idea she’d barge in here tonight.’
He leaned forward, dropped a quick kiss on my forehead. ‘I’m no expert, but my guess is she needs psychiatric help.’
I nodded, tears in my eyes. ‘I know you’ve had a lot of crap thrown your way this evening. But don’t give up on me. That’s all I ask.’ My voice shook as I spoke
.
When Scott didn’t respond, desperation clawed at me. ‘Promise me you’ll give us another chance. Please.’
His expression grew wary. ‘I need to consider how we’d make this work going forward. To be honest, I’m not sure we can.’
Had my heart been made of glass, it would have shattered. I stayed mute, unable to speak. Then he strode towards the door, pulling it open. The next second he had gone.
His departure slammed a wrecking ball into my gut. The world stopped turning, imploded into fragments. Despair wracked me, heightened by the certainty Scott and I were finished.
Later I couldn’t remember how long I stayed frozen. After a while I became aware of Ellie’s continuing sobs. When I turned around, she was sitting on the sofa, wiping her face with a tissue. Her cheeks were mottled, her nose red. In that moment, I hated her.
I walked over, wrenching her hand away with iron fingers. Ellie winced with pain, but I didn’t give a damn. ‘You bitch,’ I snarled. Her only response was a sob.
‘Wasn’t it bad enough you invented a con man as the reason you’re broke? When all the time it was your lousy business decisions? No,’ I said as she began to speak. ‘Shut the fuck up. No more lies.’ I slumped beside her on the sofa, my grip on her arm still pincer-like. Energy drained from me like air from a balloon. Impossible to get my head around my sister’s betrayal.
‘I’ve always been there for you,’ I continued. ‘When you struggled at school, following the car crash, after the suicide attempts. So you can understand why I’m so angry.’ My fingers tightened their grasp. ‘You’ve lied, and that’s bad enough, but I never thought you’d stoop this low. You tried to break up me and Scott, just to bolster your story about a con artist. Well, it looks like your plan succeeded.’
‘I’m not lying,’ she said, her voice hoarse. ‘You’ve been dating the same man who stole my money.’
God, she was a fine actor, all right. ‘That’s impossible. The facts don’t fit.’
‘What do you mean? I swear Steven Simmons and Scott Champion are one and the same.’
‘Shut the fuck up and listen. You told me the guy you dated had long hair. Dark, almost black, you said. You’ve seen Scott. Mid-brown hair, worn short.’
More sobs. ‘He’s dyed and cut it since I last saw him.’
I ignored her. ‘His job’s not right, either. He doesn’t work in construction, but at a car dealership. What’s more, he paints. Beautiful, incredible works of art.’ I paused to draw breath. ‘This guy you allegedly dated. Was he an artist?’
She shook her head.
‘Didn’t think so.’ I spat the words out. ‘Because he never existed, did he? You know where I saw Scott’s paintings? At his home. He invited me there for a meal, and that’s more than Steve Simmons ever did for you, isn’t it?’ She stared at me but made no reply.
‘You told me he was evasive about his address, so you weren’t able to track him down. Convenient, that. Because, like I said before, he never existed, did he?’
‘You’re wrong.’ The words a mere whisper.
‘There’s more.’ My urge to inflict hurt grew stronger. ‘Scott has a sister, Darcy, and he wants me to meet her. You think a con man would introduce me to his family? Yeah, right. As if that would ever happen.’
No response. Ellie had become the frozen one, not me.
‘Scott’s the real deal, and you need to stop inventing all this nonsense about him.’
‘I never ... I didn’t ...’
‘Oh, and I almost forgot. The final nail in the coffin of your pathetic lies. He’s never asked me for money. Not the slightest hint of any financial issues. Hardly fits with him being a con artist, does it?’ I was well into my stride by then, my voice rising ever higher. ‘So don’t you dare come here spouting your crap and trying to break up the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve had it with you, Ellie. Get the hell out of here.’
12
I slept for maybe two hours at best that night, the events of the evening churning through my mind. Scott’s expression when I told him the truth, Ellie’s face as she spouted her lies. I lay in bed until almost morning, tortured by my thoughts. Could Scott forgive me? Would my relationship with Ellie ever recover? By the time the dawn light pierced my curtains, I’d persuaded myself the answer to both questions was no. Never had I felt more bereft.
Only one course of action seemed possible; I’d return to Spain on the next available flight. A couple of quick visits to Mum and Caroline, then I’d pack my stuff and get the hell out of the UK.
Such an option didn’t sit well with me, though. I’d never considered myself a coward yet there I was, contemplating running away as an option. In that moment, resolve took over. Before I scurried back to Spain, my tail between my legs, I’d do my best to win Scott back. My fingers fired off a text: All I’m asking for is a second chance. I pressed ‘send’ before I could chicken out.
Decision made, I slept at last.
When I awoke, it was past eleven and my eyes were gritty with exhaustion. I hauled myself upright, my gaze straying to my mobile on my bedside cabinet. The blue notification light was flashing. Scott, was my first thought. Please God, let him still want me.
I had four messages, three of them from Ellie. I glanced through them; more protestation of her innocence, pleas for us to meet. I deleted each one. A long time would need to pass before I’d be ready to see my sister again.
The fourth message was from Scott. I hesitated, aware his reply held the power either to crush me, or glue me back together. A second later, the knot of tension in my gut loosened as I read what he’d written.
Can we talk? Lunch at the Watershed, say twelve thirty?
That had to be good, right? He wasn’t dumping me. Not yet, anyway.
Shit. It was already ten past eleven, and I needed to get going. I sent a quick reply. Would love the chance to explain further. I’ll see you in the upstairs bar.
I arrived at the Watershed with a minute to spare, my palms clammy with nerves. The place was packed with the usual lunchtime crowd, but I couldn’t spot Scott among the throng. I stood by the windows overlooking Bristol’s Floating Harbour, taking deep breaths to calm myself. Twenty-five to one. I scanned the sea of faces in case I’d missed him first time, but no luck. The minutes ticked by. I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans, willing Scott to appear. Maybe he’d had second thoughts. I checked my phone, but found no new messages. Right when my insecurities threatened to swamp me, he appeared at the top of the stairs. Relief poured through me.
He headed in my direction, the sight of him so wonderful it seared my soul.
‘Sorry I’m late,’ he said. ‘I got held up at work.’
‘It doesn’t matter.’ Grateful I could even talk, I didn’t trust myself to say more.
He gestured towards the bar. ‘We should place our orders.’
My stomach was clenched too tightly for food, but I couldn’t refuse. I plumped for soup, with Scott opting for a Thai curry. Once we were seated at our table, awaiting our meals, I braced myself for what he might say.
‘I admit I’ve been shocked by all this,’ he began. ‘First finding out Ellie’s your sister, then you not being who you said you were. Then last night, when Ellie came round ... You mentioned she’s been unwell but not the details. I take it she suffers some form of mental illness?’
‘Something like that.’ I told him about the car crash, and described the effects of her brain injury.
When I finished, Scott shook his head. ‘It’s not her fault, I guess. She can’t help herself.’
‘It gets worse.’ If we were to re-establish our relationship, he had to know the full truth where Ellie was concerned. So far he’d only heard about her latest suicide attempt. Despite the fact she’d hate me for it, I told him about the first two.
Scott’s face betrayed his shock. ‘I’d not realised your sister was so disturbed. The last time she tried to kill herself - was that after she dumped me?’
&nbs
p; ‘Not because you wouldn’t lend her money,’ I hastened to reassure him. ‘It happened months after you two split, anyway. She did it because she’d backed herself into a financial corner and couldn’t cope.’
He was silent for a few seconds, his gaze fixed on the table. I held my breath, not daring to speak.
‘This does change things,’ he said at last. ‘And thank you for being honest. Everything makes more sense now.’
‘You understand why I lied? Why it’s a one-off and won’t happen again?’
He nodded but still looked troubled. ‘What’s wrong?’ I asked.
‘If we carry on seeing each other, will Ellie’s behaviour be a problem? If she continues these weird delusions about me?’
‘No.’ My reply was automatic. No way would I allow Ellie to break us up. Besides, my focus was on his words: ‘if we carry on seeing each other’. Maybe we stood a chance after all.
He blew out a breath. ‘I guess if she gets psychiatric help, then perhaps things might work out. I can’t deny I’m worried, though.’
‘She’s been seeing a counsellor for years. I’ll email the woman, let her know Ellie’s trapped herself in a web of lies, with you the villain of the piece.’ I drew in a deep breath. ‘Her counsellor won’t talk with me directly, not with confidentiality issues to consider. And I can’t deal with my sister myself, not while she’s behaving this way.’
‘Sounds like a plan.’ Scott smiled, but only with his mouth. His eyes remained shuttered.
I screwed up my remaining courage. ‘What about us?’
He frowned. ‘Don’t get me wrong, Lyddie. I understand your motives for lying. You were trying to protect your sister. I get that, along with you not realising how unstable she’d become. Promise me, though. No more deception.’
‘No more deception,’ I echoed.
‘That Liam guy? He really meant nothing to you?’
‘No. I swear on my life. He’s history.’ I hope, a small voice inside me said.