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Tabby McClure:No. When you know someone’s a liar – what’s the point?
Goosebumps coat my skin when I wake in the morning to a silent house. Max isn’t beside me, his side of the bed unslept in. It’s seven o’clock, and usually Poppy is tearing around her bedroom by now. Demanding breakfast. Asking to watch TV.
Like a bullet piercing my flesh, it all comes crashing back to me. Nothing is normal.
Max insisted on sleeping on the sofa last night. He’d keep me awake, he’d said. It was better for both of us if he stayed downstairs.
I pull on my dressing gown and check Poppy’s room. It’s empty, but her duvet lies on the floor, her cuddly toys scattered over it.
They’re both downstairs, cuddled together on the sofa, watching a cartoon. Poppy looks up and waves before turning back to the television.
‘How are you feeling?’ I ask Max.
‘Tired. I didn’t sleep much. Couldn’t get comfortable.’
‘You should have slept in bed. I could have come down here if you needed space.’
‘It wouldn’t have made any difference. The pain’s unbearable.’
He says all this without looking at me, and I silently question why he won’t make eye contact.
‘Can we have eggs on toast for breakfast?’ Poppy asks.
‘It’s a school day. Eggs will take too long.’
‘Pleeease,’ she begs.
‘I could do with eggs too,’ Max says. ‘The hospital food they forced me to eat was tasteless. I’d make it myself but…’ He lifts his arms, then winces.
‘I’ll do eggs,’ I say, turning to Poppy. ‘But you’ll need to get dressed for school while I’m making them.’
Poppy runs off, thundering up the stairs.
‘I’ve told Cole I can’t come in today,’ I say.
‘Why?’ Max demands. ‘I told you – I don’t need a babysitter.’
‘You have a head injury. You can’t be alone in case?—’
‘In case what? If I was going to die, it would have happened by now. Anyway, Paula said she’d come over to go through some things with me.’
The image of Paula sitting in the café flashes into my head. Her words, full of indignation.I don’t want to work for someone who could do that to his wife and child. ‘She agreed?’ I ask doubtfully. ‘When you’re supposed to be recuperating?’
‘I’m her boss. She had no choice.’ I’ve never heard Max utter such harsh words. He’s never been one to pull rank and throw his weight around.
Without another word, I head to the kitchen to make scrambled eggs.
After walking Poppy to school, I’m tempted to head to the shop, instead of going home. The thought of being alone there with Max fills me with dread.But I can’t leave him alone for too long. Just in case. If anything happened to him, it would be all my fault.
I run him a bath when I get back, and leave the room while he undresses. I can’t bear to look at his naked body – not because of the bruises, but because all I can picture is Alice Hughes’s hands wandering all over it.
‘I’ll be in the bedroom,’ I say, placing a clean towel on the edge of the bath. ‘Not because you need help.’
‘Wait,’ he says, reaching for my arm. But then he lets it fall and turns away.
‘Do you know anyone who has a silver Golf?’ I ask idly.
He looks up. ‘No, why?’
