‘Why are you wearing gloves?’ she asks.
‘I was going to clean out here.’ I pull them off and drop them on top of the freezer.
‘Now?’ She looks even more confused, and I can see why. I’m in my robe and slippers, my hair still unbrushed. I must look like one of those mad people who blow their noses in their socks and put teapots on their heads.
‘Let’s go back inside,’ I say, blood pulsing in my ears. This time I put my hand on her back to return her to the kitchen. ‘I’m dying for a coffee.’
19
Later, when I get home after school, I expect to find Teri on the sofa reading the paper, the way I left her, but she’s not here.
‘Hello! I’m home!’ I call out.
Silence. Maybe she’s gone out. I go into the bedroom and stop at the door, stunned.
I haven’t been in here since Teri moved in, and I can’t believe the mess. The bed is unmade, a swirl of linen mixed with odd socks, clothes scattered all over the floor, mostly underwear and T-shirts – all mine – and my red silk shirt is casually thrown on top of the dresser. What isthatdoing there?
I go back to the kitchen, and I’m putting my shopping away when I hear a crashing sound coming from upstairs.
I run upstairs to my bedroom, where the noise came from. A moan comes from the wardrobe. I gasp. Teri is on the floor, half-covered by my clothes and hangers.
‘What happened?’
‘I went to borrow a clean shirt, and my foot gave way.’ She sits holding her ankle, her legs entangled in shirts. ‘God, that hurts.’
I am vaguely thinking that it’s odd she’s in my room. Of course, she’s welcome to borrow whatever she wants, but I would have expected her to ask me first. But I don’t dwell on it.
‘You poor thing. Here. Give me your hand.’
She pushes clothes out of the way, reaching for my hand, and then suddenly we both stop.
Frozen.
There’s money all over the floor. Lots of it. And an upside-down, open shoebox.
‘Oh, God,’ I whisper.
‘What the hell?’ Teri says. ‘Did you rob a bank?’
I stare at the money, then at Teri, my heart racing, my thoughts jumbled together. I’m trying to come up with a story that could reasonably explain why there’s almost ten thousand pounds lying on the floor, but nothing comes. Or at least nothing rational.I’m saving to get my teeth capped. I’ve been putting a little aside for a new car. It’s for our second honeymoon. A cruise to the Caribbean.
Who am I kidding? We live in a very nice house on a very nice street. We clearly don’t want for anything. Why would I be scrimping extra cash here and there?
‘That’s okay. You don’t have to tell me,’ she says kindly.
I get to my knees and start gathering up the money. I try to shove it all back in the box. ‘There’s been a lot going on,’ I say.
‘I know. I can see that,’ she says sweetly. ‘I can see how tired you are all the time. I’m sorry, Kate. I hope I haven’t added to whatever is going on in your life. And if I have, I am truly sorry. I’ve been loving being here with you and Holly, and I’m dreading going back to my house, which is incredibly selfish of me. I’ll go home today.’
‘It’s not that,’ I say weakly.
‘Kate.’ She takes my hand. Her face is full of worry. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
I don’t know why. Maybe because she’s so nice, and I’m so tired because I’m not sleeping, and I think of what she said about her husband the previous day:I used to fantasise about him being dead.
And I burst into tears.
We sit together on the floor in front of my wardrobe, me with my arms around my legs, Teri has an arm around my shoulders. It’s the first time someone has shown me any care in such a long time – it makes me cry even more.
