‘What is it?’ asked Caitlen, suddenly alert.
Harriet opened her eyes, but was happy to lie still and await an explanation.
‘Look who’s back already,’ Gina continued, turning to Caitlen. ‘It’s only Wesley, no doubt up to his old tricks. Look at all those bags, the boy’s been out shopping.’
Caitlen looked ahead and checked him out. He was wearing a sun cap and shades.
‘He’s had a busy day, I saw him out this morning while I was walking up the hill to bail you out of Spanish prison.’
‘Cow!’ said Caitlen, giving Gina a pretend snarl.
‘Looks like he’s been to the airport too. He wasn’t carrying that shopping bag when I saw him this morning!’
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Porter and Becky: June
‘How’s that leg of yours, Porter? I’m not walking too fast, am I?’
‘It’s better than it should be to be honest with you. It looks sore as hell, but with the bandages and the cream on it, it’s not so bad. It’s when I have to change the dressing that it’s most painful. Besides, I have a supply of painkillers, so I’m feeling great.’
‘I can’t believe Kasey chasing us away like that,’ Becky said as she offered Porter her arm, concerned that a set of steps might cause him some difficulty. He didn’t need the help, but thanked her anyway.
‘I guess it’s for the best,’ Porter replied. ‘I’m not sure that I’m ready to face Emmy yet. I mean, our marriage has been dead for some time. There’s no hate there just – well – I think we both lost interest a long time ago. What is it they always say in the agony columns? We’ve grown apart. Well, that’s us if I’m honest. We’ve just been going through the motions. I’m beginning to understand why I’ve been feeling the way I have now.’
‘Oh yes, how’s that?’
Becky was intrigued. She’d never really spent any time alone with Porter. He was part of the group so she would engage with him in a general way. But she couldn’t recall a time when they’d been alone together like this. She’d been a bit pissed off with Kasey because she’d rather have been with someone like Naomi or Caitlen. She felt like she’d got to pick last in a PE lesson and Porter was all that was left to join her team. Now they were chatting for the first time, it was flowing easier than she might have hoped for.
‘So, what are we going to do today?’
Porter changed the subject, he wasn’t ready to share just yet. He was inching closer towards that personal precipice. It exhilarated and frightened him. He feared that he might truly be a monster inside.
‘How about we find somewhere to sit down and admire the view? Maybe we can try some shopping later, if your leg is up to it.’
They headed towards the beachfront and walked from bar to bar, examining the menus and seeing how British they could get with their selections.
‘Are you smoking still?’ Becky asked. ‘Do we need to find somewhere outside? They seem more relaxed about things out here.’
‘Vaping, you mean?’ Porter asked. The distinction was important to him. It allowed him one more small deception with himself. He wasn’t a smoker, he was a vaper. Neither was he a killer – he was a victim of an unfortunate accident. Dr Barbara Lawrence had told him as much.
‘I won’t be vaping any more. I think that little incident was God’s way of telling me to quit, don’t you? Besides, Emmy always said that I looked like a complete wanker with that thing in my mouth. Said it looked like I was giving R2D2 a blow job the way I sucked away on it. I’m beginning to wonder if she had a point.’
Becky ventured a giggle, but stifled it as quickly as it had started. She wasn’t sure if Porter was the kind of guy who liked to laugh at himself. She thought probably not. So she took his comment as a direct Emmy quotation rather than a serious attempt at self-knowledge or humour. She recognised Porter’s self-absorption, she couldn’t understand why she’d never noticed it before. They were very much alike. They lived in their heads, not in the moment. And it was what was going on in their heads that told the true story, not what was coming out of their mouths.
They finally settled on a bar and ordered a couple of bacon rolls and a pot of tea between them.
‘We’re so English when we’re abroad, aren’t we? Look at us, tea and a bacon roll, it’s so predictable.’
‘What is it they say? When in Rome do as the Romans do. I say nonsense to that. When in Spain do as the English do ... just not in the pissing rain!’
‘I’ll second that,’ said Becky laughing. Porter was funny in a totally ironic way. If he ever got the joke, he had the potential to be quite a comedian. Only, Porter never got the joke.
‘What did you think of Wes’s behaviour last night?’ Becky asked, completely out of the blue.
‘What, when we all fell out?’
‘No, when we came back to my apartment and you came into the hallway to see who it was. Before all the others arrived and it all kicked off. When it was just us three.’
‘He seemed fine. I noticed that he was very touchy-feely with you, but I figured you’re a grown woman.’
‘Did you think he was drunk at all? Or maybe even a bit high?’
‘No, not particularly. Why?’
Porter looked at her closely, trying to figure out where she was heading. He thought back to what had happened. After returning from the hospital, Kasey had abandoned him for a night in the Old Town. He was feeling sorry for himself when he heard a loud crash in the hallway beyond the apartment. At first he’d thought it was a break-in, so he stepped outside to see what was going on.
Becky was there, with Wes. Her apartment was directly opposite the one that Porter and Emmy had been using. Wes had dropped his guitar case onto the marble floor, that’s what had created the noise. As Porter stepped out of his door, he ran straight into Wes, who was kneeling down on the floor picking up a pile of key cards which had evidently just dropped out of the case.
‘Oh, hi, are you alright there?’
Porter had bent down instinctively to help Wes. He’d snapped at him, then immediately softened his tone.
‘It’s alright I can do it! Sorry, thanks Porter, sorry I disturbed you.’
‘What are these?’ Porter asked. They looked just like the key card he was using to access his own apartment.
‘Oh ... err ... just some spares I got from reception. We’ve not really had enough to go around so I thought I’d ... err ... surprise Caitlen and get some extras.’
They’d invited Porter in for coffee – or to be more precise, Becky had invited Porter over for coffee. She was concerned about Porter being on his own all night while everybody else was out on the town. It had been immediately obvious to Porter that Wes wanted him out of the apartment. He was usually a bit slow to pick up on the social signals, but it was clear to Porter that Wes wanted him to piss off. The sooner, the better.
Eventually he’d made his excuses, but not before asking Becky if everything was alright. She’d been fine – concerned about his leg, but clearly not worried about Wes’s presence.
‘He did something a bit weird last night. Nobody’s ever done anything like that before, it was a bit of a shock.’
Porter looked at her.
‘You mean weirder than being a key card kleptomaniac?’
Again Becky noticed the humour. He didn’t even know he was doing it.
‘No, but that was a bit odd, I agree. Fancy hanging onto all those key cards and not handing them out. Very odd.’
She took another bite of her bacon roll and chewed it slowly, considering whether to share her experience with Porter.
‘I assumed that you two had ...’ Porter began, ‘I thought that you had ...’
‘You thought that we’d slept together last night, didn’t you?’
‘Well, I ... um ... well, yes. I mean, he walked out of your apartment in his underwear.’
‘Jesus, Porter, what kind of slag do you think I am? I’d just broken up with Matt in the most humiliating way
possible. I was looking for a shoulder to cry on, and Wes seemed to fit the bill. I figured that he’s a sensitive soul and all of that. You’d have to be to sing like that, right?’
Porter nodded, chastened, his face red.
‘I’m sorry, I think we all assumed ... well, to be honest with you, I’d kind of forgotten about it all, what with Emmy and Terry. So, how come he was in his underwear?’
‘Well, that’s just it. After you left, we had a bit of a heart-to-heart about what happened with Matt and he was really nice. I mean, really nice. He gave me a bit of a cuddle – nothing flirty you understand – and then he played a couple of songs for me on his guitar.’
‘Yes, I thought I heard music coming from somewhere. I assumed it was coming from one of the bars. It was just before it all kicked off outside wasn’t it? I was drifting in and out of sleep on my sofa by that time.
‘Well, he excused himself to use the bathroom and he was gone for longer than I’d have expected. So long that I went through to the bedroom to get changed for bed. I just assumed that, well, you don’t just go to the bathroom to pee, do you? I was sitting there, just thinking how pleased I was that I’d gone off with him after the row with Matt. He’d really helped to calm me down and make me feel better.’
Porter poured a second cup of tea for them both, anticipating that they were getting settled in now.
‘So what happened?’ he asked.
‘Well, I heard the latch go on the toilet and I’m thinking that it’s probably time to call it a night.’
‘Well, it must have been late by that time. The others came back in the small hours.’
‘It was. And I was tired. When he went to the bathroom, I crashed out for a moment. I was ready for my bed, that’s why I got my PJs and dressing gown on. But he stepped out of the bathroom stark naked. He was just standing there with no clothes on. The confidence of the man!’
‘Oh my God, what did you do? What was he thinking?’
‘Well, he must have read my vibes all wrong because I wasn’t interested at all. All I could think was how small his dick was in relation to the rest of his body. What a ridiculous thing to think of at a time like that. But it looked really small!’
‘What did you say?’
‘Well, I was saved by the bell. I was just starting to blurt out something about being very sorry if I’d given off the wrong signals when it all went crazy out in the hallway. And after that ... well, you know what happened, it all got a bit silly until Kasey banged our heads together. But what on earth would make a man who I barely know do something like that? Did he really think I’d go for that?’
‘I’m sorry you had to experience that,’ Porter said. It angered him that he’d been just across the corridor. He’d been in the same room as Wes, he’d seen what he was angling for before he took his leave. But he’d assumed that Becky was fine, that she could take care of herself. And what if they hadn’t all been drawn out of their apartments by the commotion in the hallway? Would Becky have been safe with Wes?
‘Do you think we ought to mention it to Caitlen?’ Becky asked. ‘I mean, we just took him on trust, didn’t we? He seemed like a nice guy. I’m just wondering if there’s another side to him.’
‘I think you’re right, I think we should speak to Caitlen about it tonight. It’s a tricky one to broach because she’s paying the bills and it was she who let him tag along. But I think you’re right, we should tell her and give her the chance to make her own decision.’
‘There’s another thing too. Kasey said that Wes had left early this morning so I didn’t get to see him and neither did Kasey.’
‘Blimey, Becky, there’s more? You had one heck of a night last night. What else happened?’
‘Well, I might be wrong because I was tired. You know, I just crashed out when I got back to the apartment last night. But ... I might have been imagining it. I’ve been asking myself all morning if I led him on in any way, so I’m seriously doubting myself at the moment.’
‘What is it? Don’t blame yourself for what Wes did, that’s totally on him.’
‘Thank you, Porter, I need to hear that right now. It’s just that ... when he was in the bathroom, I don’t think he was just getting undressed in there. He could have done that much faster. When I went to the bathroom first thing this morning, my phone was in there.’
‘Maybe you left it ...’
‘No Porter, I’m not sure about a lot of things that happened last night. But I do know I’m not imagining this. He’d been looking at my phone. He’d been going through the photographs. I’d been stupid enough to tell him about something bad that I’d done. I think he was looking for something in particular. I’m sure he has Caitlen’s passwords.’
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Benidorm: June
‘I can’t believe it. Brotherhood of Man! What are the chances of them playing here while we’re visiting?’
Naomi had calmed down considerably. A day lying on the beach, walking around the market stalls, enjoying some soft drinks in the beachfront bars had been exactly what she needed. Rhett was thankful for the respite too. He knew they were in deep shit financially, but it was their deep shit. Caitlen had no obligation to dig them out of their hole. Even if it would have been the most helpful thing she could do.
It was a long time since he and Naomi had just chilled. It felt good to park their problems and enjoy the sunshine and relaxed atmosphere.
‘It’s very cloak and dagger, Kasey keeping us all apart like this though. I mean, we could have shared a minibus and saved some cash. It’s a bit wasteful coming up here in dribs and drabs.’
‘It’s the best thing if you ask me. I’m going to apologise to Cait. I’ve been a cow. Kasey did the right thing, giving us time to think things over.’
The plan had been made and Kasey had played a blinder. He’d arranged a meal at Benidorm Palace and there was entertainment laid on afterwards. They’d all have to behave in public and they were under strict instructions to be civil with each other. After a day away spent apart, they’d had plenty of time to do some thinking.
It was like a military operation, but there was no messing with Kasey, he had the whole thing planned. He’d booked the taxis and figured out who would be arriving and when. He’d paid for everything out of his own pocket. Caitlen had been grateful for that, it was a thoughtful gesture.
First to arrive were Caitlen, Harriet, Matt and Gina. Their trepidation at the forthcoming awkwardness was immediately tempered by the sight of the venue.
‘Wow! Benidorm Palace, just look at it! It’s all sparkly and showbiz, I love it!’
Caitlen had never been to a place like it before, it was a cross between Las Vegas glitz and a bingo hall. There were posters, mirrors and bright lights everywhere. The main hall was lined with dining tables all positioned around a huge stage. There were bars at either side and smartly dressed serving staff whizzed along the aisles, darting between the tables and serving food to the assembled crowd.
There was an excited hubbub and many people had dressed up for a good night out. A waiter showed them to their table. They’d pushed the smaller tables together so that they could sit in a group, and Kasey had paid for Prosecco bottles to be placed in ice buckets as a greeting when they arrived.
‘Did you see how that waiter was looking at you?’ Harriet said, looking at Matt.
‘Well he does look like he’s been three rounds in a boxing match!’ Caitlen teased.
Matt was still worse for wear after the trials of the previous night, but he and Harriet had worked through their difficult conversation already. He was wrong, he should never have taken refuge in Becky’s arms after their break-up and he owed her a huge apology. She’d get it too, no reservations. But he and Harriet were staying together. They’d keep it cool at first, he’d respect what she’d told him about her past. It felt just like it should have been, Matt and Harriet, back in their rightful positions.
Naomi and Rhett, accompanied by Porter and
Wes, were next to turn up. Caitlen noticed how Kasey had carefully staggered the seriousness of the disagreements. She and Naomi were first to deal with their awkwardness, Kasey was giving her a dry run before Terry arrived. The next taxi was the one that could really make or break the evening. It was a powder keg on four wheels – Terry, Emmy and Becky. Kasey would travel with them too, just to make sure things remained civil and controlled for as long as possible.
Naomi rushed directly up to Caitlen and – without saying a word – pulled her in close and began to cry.
‘I’m so sorry, Cait, I said some horrible things. I really didn’t mean them.’
Caitlen cried too, relieved that this would just pass over as another sisterly spat. It was a bad one mind, and there were wounds to be healed. But Caitlen knew that so long as they were still talking, they’d work it out, just like they always had.
‘I need to tell you something, Cait,’ Naomi said, when she finally pulled herself away from her sister. ‘I haven’t been honest with you. Rhett and I are in trouble. It’s why I’ve been such a cow about your money. Let’s not do it now, but we need to talk. This evening if we can, I don’t want to hide this any longer.’
‘We will, we’ve got the whole night ahead of us. Just let me get Terry out the way first, I just want to make sure that we can be civil together.’
Rhett gave Naomi a kiss on the cheek and put his arm around her waist, steering her towards the table. Porter was hovering close by, anxious to get a word in. He was about to sidle up to Caitlen when her attention turned completely. The final party had entered the room and were making their way along the aisle, with Kasey leading the way.
‘Here we go!’ Caitlen muttered under her breath. They’d all had time to think about it. They’d played it through in their minds several times that day. Caitlen made straight for Terry, took his hand and suggested that they go and talk at the bar.
Porter, who had now forgotten what he wanted to say to Caitlen, was looking at Emmy, seeking a clear signal as to how it was going to play out. They sat at an empty table to the side of the main group table and began to talk.
Two Years After ; Friends Who Lie ; No More Secrets Page 31