AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She frowns. “He’s a good-looking guy, so I wanted to sleep with him.”
“You still can,” I sniffle, wiping my eyes on my sleeve.
She laughs. “No offence, Meli, I love you and all that, but I don’t want your seconds. I’ll find another man to occupy me.” She puts a pancake on my plate and kisses me on the cheek. “I have to wake my child up for school. You owe me another night out, one where you don’t leave me for Arthur.”
I shush her, not wanting Mama B to overhear while she washes up. “It’s a deal.”
I change for work, and Mav drops me at the office. I really hope Arthur hasn’t sacked me. I don’t want Mav to think I can’t hold a job because I messed up again. He follows me up to the office, despite my protests.
Arthur is at his desk, yelling into his phone. He nods at Mav in greeting, and he takes a seat. I set about the papers on my desk. When he ends the call, he slams the phone on the desk. “Bad morning?” asks Mav.
“Something like that,” snaps Arthur, glancing in my direction. “I need a plus one for an event this evening. Can I borrow your sister?”
I look up in surprise as Mav shrugs. “If she doesn’t mind,” he replies.
“I owe Rosey a night out,” I mutter feebly.
“Rosey’s busy tonight,” Arthur says bluntly. “And I’ll pay you double time.”
“Haven’t you got women for this sort of thing?” Mav asks, laughing. “Meli isn’t very mature when it comes to events.”
“Mav,” I screech, embarrassed.
“I do have women for that sort of thing,” Arthur clarifies, “but it’s short notice, and Meli works for me now so . . .”
“Settled then,” says Mav. “But if I was you, I wouldn’t let her drink. She’ll either vomit or make a show of herself.” He’s teasing, but I don’t appreciate it and I scowl. His smile falters. “Anyway, what are you doing tomorrow night?”
Arthur stares at me for a second before shaking his head. “Not a lot, why?”
“Poker night at the club. Men only, unless you count the club girls,” he says, laughing again.
“Erm, you have an ol’ lady,” I remind him.
“Clearly, the girls are for Arthur and all the single brothers. Speaking of brothers, bring yours along.”
ARTHUR
Meli's avoiding me. She spent most of the day in the archives, and although it crossed my mind to go up there and show her how good things could be between us, I forced myself to give her the time she’s asked for.
Before I leave the office, I place a note on her desk arranging to pick her up for dinner at seven. Then I head to Ma’s house. Fridays are always dinner at her house, and not much gets in the way of that.
Albert is standing outside on his phone when I arrive. He disconnects the call and waits for me to get out the car. “I need you to stay calm,” he tells me when I join him in the front garden of the small house we all grew up in. We’ve been asking Ma to move into one of our apartment blocks for years, but she refuses to leave her memories behind.
“When you say shit like that, it makes me lose my calm, Bert. What’s going on?”
“She’s okay. The ambulance is—”
I push past him before he can finish and rush inside, where Charlie is pacing and Tommy is sitting beside Ma, holding her hand. She’s got a bandage wrapped around her head, and when she turns to look at me, rage fills me. Her eyes are black and swollen, and her lip is bloody. “Someone explain,” I grit out.
“She was mugged,” comes Albert’s voice from behind me.
“I’m fine, just a little shaken,” Ma reassures us.
“I’ve called a doctor to come check her over because she’s refusing to go to the hospital,” says Albert.
“Because I’m fine.”
“Ma, you banged your head,” says Tommy. “You should get it checked out.”
