Single Mother

by Samantha Hayes

  As she looks into Tom’s eyes, Mel thinks about this – never, ever again having to wonder about her heritage, her background, or the mother who didn’t want her. It would feel like a weight lifted.

  But before she can make sense of how she feels, she sees Tom’s face drawing closer in the firelight. His eyes are locked on hers as his mouth gently connects with her lips. And suddenly, it’s as though all her worries and fears and feelings of not belonging dissolve in the kiss, as if they never even existed.

  Just for that briefest of sweet moments, she feels as if she’s home.

  Until she hears a scream.

  Kate.

  Thirty

  Mel freezes, opening her eyes that she didn’t realise she’d closed as she’d fallen into the kiss. Her entire body is covered in goosebumps from the scream – unmistakably Kate’s.

  ‘God,’ Mel says, gripping the arms of the fold-up camping chair as another piercing yell cuts through the twilight. ‘That’s Kate.’

  She leaps up, stumbling over the rough ground of the spinney as she charges back towards the hotel, hearing Tom following her. A second later, he is running beside her, holding her hand as they weave through the tall grass, bushes and brambles.

  ‘Kate?’ Mel calls out. ‘What’s happened? Where are you?’

  But as she draws close to the building, she doesn’t need to search far to find her daughter. She and Chloe are close to where she left them earlier as they giggled together over their phones. Now, both girls are waist-deep, standing on the hardened concrete in the footings of the extension. Kate’s hands are clutching the sides of her pink face as she lets out scream after scream, staring down into the earth.

  Beside her, Chloe looks ashen and is shaking as she points down at something, imploring Mel and Tom to hurry.

  ‘What is it?’ Mel calls out as they draw up at the crumbling edge of the trench. ‘What’s going on?’

  Before either of them can answer, Tom has his arms around Kate’s waist and hoists her out, and then does the same with Chloe – getting them away from whatever danger it is they appear to have found. All sorts of things race through Mel’s mind – a gas leak, an unexploded Second World War bomb, a nest of poisonous insects… she can’t possibly think what would cause Kate to be in such a state.

  ‘Kate, talk to me,’ Mel says, taking her by the shoulders and looking her in the eye. But Kate remains silent, completely in shock.

  ‘Down there, Mrs Douglas,’ Chloe says in a shaky voice. ‘We were pretending to be archaeologists on a dig. We didn’t mean it. We’re so sorry, please don’t tell us off.’

  ‘What? What on earth—?’

  Mel halts when she sees Tom’s face. He’s jumped into the trench himself and is bending down, staring back up at Mel, his brow drawn tight in a frown.

  ‘Go inside, girls,’ Mel says, patting each of their backs. ‘Ask Rose for some hot chocolate. I’ll be in shortly.’

  Kate just stands there, only moving when Chloe takes her hand. ‘Come on, Katie. Let’s get in. It’s horrid. Think I’m gonna puke.’

  Mel watches Kate, who glances up at the rear windows of the hotel for a moment before silently following her friend back inside. Then Mel turns to Tom, crouching down by the trench to see what it is he’s looking at. She feels her heart hammering in her chest, as if it’s pumping its way up her throat.

  ‘Oh Christ,’ Mel says, covering her mouth when she sees it. Her stomach churns. ‘Is that…?’ She can’t bring herself to say the words.

  Tom wipes his big hands down his face, exhaling loudly behind them. He tips back his head and takes a breath before crouching down again. He pulls his phone from his back pocket, swiping on the torch to get a better look. ‘I think… yes, I’m afraid I think it is.’ He takes a moment, shining the torch beam over the crumbling earth lining the side of the trench as Mel watches on.

  ‘You can see where the girls have been digging around here, look.’ Tom points at an area of dry mud chiselled out in the side of the footings. There’s a plastic pot on the side of the trench filled with interesting-looking stones and a few fossils. The results of their ‘dig’ so far.

  ‘It doesn’t look as though they’ve disturbed it, thankfully,’ Tom says, his voice subdued. ‘The digger bucket must have come just inches away from it. It would have smashed it up.’

  ‘It’s… it’s…’ Mel stutters, getting down on her knees, leaning forward on her hands to get a closer look. The light is fading and she prays it’s just a trick of the shadows, perhaps just some old tree roots highlighted by the bright light of Tom’s phone. But the longer they stare at it, the more obvious it becomes.

  Kate and Chloe have unearthed the skeleton of a baby.

  ‘There’s no doubt,’ Tom says, standing up and hauling himself out of the three-foot deep trench. ‘Those bones are… well, they’re tiny. And the skull looks undeniably… human.’ Tom turns his back on it, bending forward and taking a breath.

  Mel also retreats, unable to look at it any more. She knows she’ll never be able to unsee the foetal position of the leg bones, the way the skull was twisted sideways, the eye sockets glaring out at them – the dark holes filled with mud, making it appear almost sad. Mel shudders.

  ‘We need to call the police,’ Tom says, pacing about.

  Mel nods, unable to think straight. ‘Yes, yes, I guess that’s what we have to do,’ she says, feeling nauseous again.

  ‘Unless…’

  ‘Unless what?’ Mel says, covering her mouth with her hand. ‘Surely you don’t mean…?’

  Tom glances at the mini digger parked at one end of the site. ‘There’s fuel in it,’ he says. ‘It would save you an awful lot of hassle, delays and bad publicity.’

  Mel stares at him before turning and going back to the trench, forcing herself to look at the bones again. She can even make out tiny fingers amid the chalky soil. She sighs, tipping her head back and staring up at the rear of the hotel, most of the windows stripped of their curtains – apart from room twelve. Miss Sarah’s room.

  For a moment, Mel thinks she sees the net drapes twitch, as if they’re being watched.

  She turns back to Tom. ‘No,’ she says vehemently. ‘I couldn’t possibly even consider it. For a start, the girls know it’s there. Word would get out. And besides, I couldn’t live with myself. However it came to be there, it’s a matter for the police.’

  Tom nods solemnly. ‘For what it’s worth, I agree totally,’ he says, coming up to Mel and gently putting an arm around her back. She drops her head onto his shoulder as they both stand at the edge of the trench, taking a moment to absorb what’s happened.

  Mel sniffs, nodding. ‘Good,’ she says. ‘I need to make sure the girls are—’ But she stops abruptly, one hand gripping onto Tom’s shirt as she presses against him. ‘Look,’ she whispers, staring back up at the hotel again. ‘Miss Sarah… at her window.’

  ‘Where?’ Tom replies, tracking Mel’s gaze.

  ‘There. Up there, watching us, look,’ Mel says, staring directly back at the woman’s gaunt and ghostlike face. They lock eyes for a moment – Mel trying to read something in the woman’s blank expression. But it’s impossible and, before she can even blink again, Miss Sarah has let the net curtain fall back into place and retreated into the darkness.

  ‘Thank you, Rose,’ Mel says as she sees the two girls are each drinking a mug of hot chocolate. ‘Is everything OK in the restaurant?’ While she may have felt a little giddy from the prosecco up in the spinney with Tom, she feels completely sober now.

  ‘All grand,’ Rose replies, clattering plates into the dishwasher. ‘There are quite a few locals in tonight,’ she adds. ‘Reckon old Moreton Inn has life in it yet, eh?’ She tips her head sideways, wiping her sweaty face on her sleeve. ‘Or death…’ Mel swears she hears her whisper when her back is turned. ‘We sold four cod and chips tonight to them lot at the bar, plus a lasagne and salad for the chap who’s staying. Though Nikki says he’s—’

  ‘Y
es, yes, Rose, thank you,’ Mel says, her mind whirring. She wishes no one had come in tonight, let alone a guest arriving. ‘I think you should go home now. We won’t get any more in tonight.’ Mel glances at her watch.

  ‘Nonsense,’ Rose says. ‘We’ve got forty minutes until we stop serving food at nine. You never know, we might get a couple of dessert orders. Nikki’s told them about the cheesecake I—’

  ‘I’m closing early tonight, Rose. So if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate you finishing up in here and heading home. I’ll pay you up to the end of your shift.’

  Rose stops for a moment, a tea towel between her hands. She glances between Mel and Tom, standing side by side, a hurt look on her face. ‘Ohh, right, I see,’ she says, tapping the side of her nose. ‘A bit of alone time, is it? I’ll be out of here then. And you girls, come on, drink up. Or why not take a slice of cheesecake up to your room with—’

  ‘Rose, no. The girls are staying here. And please, as quickly as you can.’

  Rose’s expression changes again, a deep frown forming between her eyes. ‘Understood,’ she says with a solemn nod. She turns and puts the last few plates in the dishwasher, flicking the machine on. A quick wipe down of the draining board and stainless-steel surfaces and she dries her hands. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow then,’ she says, removing her apron and heading off.

  When she’s gone, and when Tom has gone off to tell Nikki to not serve any more drinks, that everyone should finish up and go home, Mel steps outside the back door, keeping an eye on the girls through the window as they huddle together on stools at one end of the kitchen. Chloe has her arm around Kate and is talking to her, gently rubbing her back.

  ‘Hello, yes, put me through to my local police station, please,’ Mel says when the operator asks how she can help.

  Thirty-One

  ‘They’re on their way,’ Mel says quietly, filling the kettle. ‘Coffee?’ she asks, wanting to be completely in control of her thoughts when the police arrive. Tom nods.

  ‘Not the ending I’d had planned to the evening,’ he says, touching her hand briefly.

  Mel looks up at him. ‘Me neither,’ she says, glancing across at the girls, who are still huddled together in the kitchen.

  ‘It’s not your fault,’ she hears Chloe telling Kate. ‘You didn’t know it was there. You’re not in trouble.’

  Kate sits on the stool, her shoulders slightly hunched and her head drooping forward. She hasn’t spoken a word since they came inside, and she’s staring straight ahead, gazing at nothing.

  ‘More hot chocolate, you two? Or something to eat?’ Mel says, trying to sound normal. ‘And Kate, darling,’ she adds, going up to her daughter and giving her a squeeze, ‘I know what you found in the trench is upsetting, but Chloe’s right. You weren’t to know and it’s not your fault. OK?’

  Kate doesn’t move. Just the occasional blink of her eyes.

  ‘Chloe, do you still want to stay over, or should I call your mum?’ Mel flashes a look at Tom, who’s spooning coffee into two mugs.

  ‘Can I stay over, please, Mrs Douglas? I’m worried about Kate. I can look after her, if that’s OK?’

  Mel winces briefly at the Mrs, though casts it aside.

  ‘Of course, love,’ Mel says, wondering if she should inform the girl’s mum. But she decides to wait and see what the police say, knowing that it will do Kate good to have her friend here. She’s more likely to talk to her than anyone else. ‘Why don’t you girls go up to Kate’s room and watch some telly or play some games?’

  ‘But what’s going to happen, Mrs Douglas? Are you going to dig the… the body up?’

  Again, Mel winces inwardly, but not at the misuse of her name this time. ‘Well, firstly, it’s bones, Chloe. And we’re not sure what kind of bones yet. But no, I’m not going to disturb it. I’ve alerted the authorities so they can decide what to do.’

  Chloe’s big eyes circle around in their sockets. ‘You mean the police?’ She pulls a packet of mints from her pocket and offers one to Kate. Kate doesn’t move, so Chloe pops one in her own mouth before holding the little plastic tub out to Mel. ‘In case it’s human?’

  Mel shakes her head. ‘No thanks, love. And we’re not sure what it is out there, but best to be on the safe side, eh?’

  ‘What if there’s more, like it’s a whole spooky graveyard or something? They could do, like, a TV documentary on it and we might get to be in it, Katie. Like one of those crime watch things you see.’ Chloe jiggles up and down with excitement, clearly over the shock of what they discovered. But for some reason, Kate remains silent.

  ‘C’mon, Katie, let’s go and play Fortnite. No point us being archaeologists any more tonight.’ When Kate doesn’t make a move, Chloe takes her hand and gives it a tug, giving Kate no option but to put her feet on the ground when she’s off-balance. When Chloe gives her arm another gentle tug, Kate reluctantly follows her.

  ‘I’m here if you want to talk, love,’ Mel calls out to Kate, watching the girls leave the kitchen. ‘She’s very upset,’ she says to Tom, taking the coffee he’s made for her. ‘Understandably so. What do you think happened?’

  ‘My best guess,’ Tom says, perching on the stool Kate has just vacated, ‘is that they’ve disturbed a very old grave. I’m not sure what the process is, but it’ll probably need to be resited. Much paperwork, I imagine. It looked pretty ancient to me, but then I’m no expert.’

  Mel sips her coffee thoughtfully. One minute she’s drinking prosecco by candlelight, eating delicious food, and the next she’s calling the police because of what looks like the skeleton of a baby in the footings of the extension. ‘Surreal,’ she says. ‘I know it’s the last thing I should be thinking, but it’s going to cause massive delays to the building works. If you need to go to other jobs, Tom, I understand—’

  ‘Hell-ooo…?’ comes a voice from behind the swing doors as they open an inch or two.

  Mel goes over and pulls one wide open. ‘Oh, Mr Spencer. How can I help you?’ She has no idea how much he just overheard.

  ‘Any chance of some of that cheesecake I was promised?’ he says. His gaze darts behind her, flicking about the kitchen.

  ‘Oh…’ Mel says. ‘Yes, of course,’ she adds, trying to suppress the sigh. There’s no point annoying her first paying customer over a dessert. After tonight’s discovery, she’s going to need all the good reviews she can muster. ‘Take a seat and I’ll bring some out to you.’

  ‘Good, good,’ the man says. ‘And… well, don’t forget to call me Angus. I’m going to be around for a while, after all.’ He laughs then – a kind of throaty, grunting sound that makes Mel feel nauseous all over again.

  ‘You are?’ Mel says, her voice croaking.

  ‘I’ve important matters to take care of, you see,’ he replies with a stare that sends a shudder through Mel. She doesn’t like the way he looks at her.

  ‘Great,’ she says, forcing a smile. ‘I’ll bring your dessert in a minute.’ And she makes a point of shutting the kitchen door to end the conversation.

  ‘Nikki, can you close up here, please?’ Mel says quietly behind the bar. ‘Did Tom give you the message?’ She grabs some empty glasses and puts them in the washer ready for a cycle. Over on the banquette, she’s aware of Angus Spencer watching her, lifting small mouthfuls of cheesecake into his mouth and slowly licking them off the spoon, as if he’s trying to make it last longer and delay having to retire to his room.

  ‘Yes, he did, but… but what about them?’ Nikki says, flicking her eyes to the couple of locals propped against the bar. Mel hears them discussing the football. ‘They’ll have at least another three rounds before the night’s out. Don’t you want the business?’

  ‘Not tonight, Nikki,’ Mel replies quietly.

  ‘Oh, how come? Is there a prob—?’

  But Nikki stops and Mel catches her breath as two uniformed police officers walk through the door, each of them glancing around and getting their bearings.

  ‘Good evening,’ the f
emale officer says to both Mel and Nikki as she approaches the bar. ‘Is Miss Douglas here, please?’

  ‘Yes, yes, that’s me,’ Mel says, suddenly aware of a clattering sound as well as her cheeks burning scarlet as the locals stare at her. When she glances behind the officers, she sees that Angus has dropped his spoon on the floor and, in the process of picking it up, has knocked over his pint. ‘Nikki, would you clean up for our guest while I see to this, please?’

  ‘Of course,’ Nikki says slowly, reaching for several cloths from the small sink behind the bar without taking her eyes off the officers.

  ‘Follow me,’ Mel says. ‘We’ll go somewhere more private.’ As she heads out of the back of the restaurant, towards the kitchen, she catches sight of Angus, his eyes tracking her as she leaves.

  Ten minutes later, after the constables have introduced themselves as PCs Angie Gordon and Stuart Latch from the local constabulary, Mel leads the way out through the back hallway and onto the building site.

  ‘As you can see,’ she adds quickly, having unlocked the door with several keys. ‘The area is cordoned off securely from staff and hotel guests. All the health and safety measures are in place for the build.’

  ‘I don’t doubt that,’ the male officer says.

  ‘The girls were digging around here,’ Mel adds, noticing that Tom has followed them out. She feels strangely comforted to have him beside her, as if he is in this with her, too. For a fleeting second, she almost feels their kiss still tingling on her lips. ‘They’re into fossil hunting, you see. They figured it was a good time to root around in the deep trench before the blocks and bricks go in and it gets backfilled.’

  ‘And they found more than they were bargaining for?’ PC Latch says, his uniform cap under his arm. PC Gordon follows suit and removes her hat too as they approach the trench.

  ‘Indeed,’ Tom says. ‘The screams were… well, they were loud. The girls are very upset.’