pressed to my ear, Tommy’s breath crackling down the line.
I left it as long as I dared. Holding out until the very second Jason appeared at the driver’s door. And then with that, I pressed the red button, cutting Tommy off, and turned to Jason with a smile.
Chapter Thirty-Two
‘Thanks again for coming today,’ said Jason as he stowed his teaching materials on the back seat. He got in beside me and, after hooking his arm around the back of my headrest, reversed out of the parking space. ‘I need to make a quick stop.’ He pulled onto the main road. ‘I’ve got to drop Barney’s fire engine at Vicky’s.’
I shook my head, not sure I’d heard him right.
‘You’ve got the fire engine with you?’ They usually exchanged the toy every other Monday, like clockwork. Today was Tuesday.
‘I’m late getting it back,’ he went on, ‘and she’s not best pleased.’
We pulled up outside Vicky’s house and Jason went to retrieve the toy from the boot. I’d just relaxed back into my seat when I noticed Jason beckoning for me to join him. I raised my hands in the air to signal my confusion. I’d never been into Vicky’s house before and she had never been into mine. It was an unspoken rule and, I felt, quite normal, in fact, for the divorcée and the new wife never to enter each other’s territory. Right now though, Jason seemed to feel differently. He marched back round to my side of the car and opened the door.
‘I want you to come with me,’ he said, unable to meet my eyes.
‘What? Why?’
‘Please. I’ll explain later.’ Reaching in, he undid my seat belt, helped me out and began pulling me down the garden path.
‘Jason, what is this about?’ I asked as he rang the doorbell.
Before he could answer, Vicky appeared.
‘You’re a day late,’ she said. ‘A whole day.’
She had yet to notice me standing behind him.
‘It’s not fair,’ she said. ‘We agreed.’ She had lost weight in the weeks since we’d last seen her that time in the curry house, and there were pale grey smudges underneath her eyes.
‘I left a message. I got held up yesterday,’ said Jason, quietly. ‘Then I had to work.’
He handed her the bag with the toy inside and she pressed it to her body. After a few moments she looked up and it was then that she registered my presence.
‘Don’t suppose there’s any chance of a cup of tea?’ asked Jason, as though me being there was the most normal thing in the world. ‘I’m parched.’
Open-mouthed, Vicky looked at him and then me, like this was some kind of trick. I held my breath, waiting for the insults to fly, but it seemed Vicky had decided to go with whatever was happening, however strange. Still clutching the bag to her chest, she headed to the kitchen.
As Jason crossed the threshold, I turned around, intending to bail and go back to the car, but he held my hand firm.
‘Heidi, no.’
‘But …’
‘Heidi, please.’
I let him lead me into the living room. He sat down on the sofa but I remained standing.
‘What’s going on? This is weird.’ I was about to continue but was silenced by Vicky coming into the room.
‘The kettle’s on.’ Seeing me, she stopped for a moment, as though she’d forgotten I was here, but within seconds she’d righted herself and slumped in the armchair. Realising I had no choice but to sit this one out, I took my place next to Jason.
‘Were you teaching today?’ Vicky asked. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and now she took a section of it between her fingers and began twisting it tight like a rope.
‘Yes, I’ve been putting in the hours.’ He looked at the room as he spoke. ‘I need to practise for my assessment and the extra cash is good. Especially as we’ve got the holiday round the corner.’
‘Holiday?’ asked Vicky. She twisted the hair even tighter; it started to pull at the white of her scalp.
‘We’re going to Gran Canaria for two weeks.’ He grabbed my knee. ‘Winter sun. All-inclusive.’
‘Gran Canaria.’ For the first time since she’d entered the room, Vicky looked me in the eye.
‘We go away on 20th November. The 20th for two weeks, isn’t it, Heidi?’
He turned to look at me for affirmation and it was then I realised why he’d wanted me to come and watch him teach today. He must have planned it all along. If I came with him to his class