Best served cold, p.21
Best Served Cold, page 21
‘Lily. Sophie.’ Harry beckoned us over. ‘Sorry you had to witness that.’
‘Whatever that was, it looked serious?’ I reached for his face, but he pulled away from me. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Sure. Listen, half the pub is watching, so can I get you two a drink and then we can sit down, and I’ll explain?’
‘No call for that sort of behaviour,’ grumbled Ben.
‘I’ll give her that one for free,’ said Harry, eyes cast down.
Ben smiled ruefully. ‘It’s not always as colourful as this. What can I get you?’
‘I’ll get these, Dad.’ Harry held up his hand. He looked a bit shaken. I needed to know who this woman was and why she’d slapped him one. And why he’d given her a free pass?
‘Next one, son, eh?’ Ben shook his head. ‘Girls? What would you like?’
‘Er, a pint of lager for the both of us?’ I looked at Sophie, and she nodded. ‘Whatever you’ve got here. Thanks, Ben.’
‘No worries.’ He flagged the barman down and ordered five more pints. ‘Need a pick-me-up after so much drama.’
Shuffling to an empty table, away from most of the people still staring at us, we sat down. Alice charged out of the toilet and joined us.
‘What an absolute clusterfuck!’
‘Alice!’ Ben huffed. ‘Language.’
‘True, though.’ She sat down with a thump.
‘That’s as maybe. But it’s Christmas Eve, and we should have forgiveness in our hearts.’
Alice snorted. ‘You do whatever makes you happy, but if I see her again soon, I’ll thump her one!’
‘Who is she?’ I looked at everyone around the table. ‘Why is she so angry?’
‘She,’ said Harry, ‘is my ex-girlfriend—’
‘His childhood sweetheart…’ Alice ground the words out.
Harry glared at Alice. ‘And as you might have gathered, we didn’t break up amicably.’
‘No shit!’ said Sophie. ‘Oops, sorry, Ben.’
It hit me. She must be the ex-girlfriend Alice had told me about. The one who Harry broke up with by sending her a text. Well, she was obviously still mad at him. I’d probably still be pretty narked, but I wasn’t sure if I’d go so far as whacking him one in front of everyone down the local pub. And hadn’t it been years ago? Obviously, she could hold a grudge. Or maybe it was something else entirely. I needed to find out.
Ben rolled his eyes and took a swig of his pint.
Sophie stared at Alice. ‘Why is she so angry at you?’
‘That’ll be because she thinks I broke her and Harry up.’
‘Did you?’ I asked. Then I recalled what Alice had told me. That Alice thought she was a nutter and had her claws in him in a way you wouldn’t believe. What did she say? That she was like a rabid stalker.’
‘Absolutely!
‘Wow!’ I said. ‘What did she do?’
‘Argh! Harry rubbed his hands across his face. ‘What didn’t she do! She didn’t want me to have any female friends, including Alice. I mean, Alice is my cousin, for crying out loud!’
‘She was jealous to the nth degree and back again.’ Alice shook her head.
Harry continued. ‘She would check my phone for messages, delete stuff she didn’t like the sound of, so I missed loads of things because I didn’t know about any of it.’
‘She even rang some of us back,’ said Ben, ‘and told us what she thought of us.’
‘She also followed him,’ said Alice, ‘when he came home from his job.’
Harry nodded. ‘I worked in the tea-shop at weekends and summer holidays—’
‘And she’d pop up if he ever dared to meet me.’
A muscle twitched in Harry’s jaw. ‘Screaming mad shit – sorry, Dad – but she was crazy.’
‘I know, lad.’ Ben nodded. ‘As I said, she even had a go at me and Shirley. Imagine that! Your mother’s a sweetheart and was very upset. The names she called this family.’ His glance slid to Alice.
‘All she wanted,’ said Harry, ‘was for me to spend all my time with her and her family. It was as if they owned me or something.’
‘Yeah,’ said Alice, ‘like you were their pet dog.’
‘They were all an unpleasant bunch,’ said Ben. ‘Never had much time for the lot of them.’
Harry wiped his sleeve across his mouth. ‘It wasn’t all her fault though, was it? She didn’t stand a chance with her family.’
‘We all have a choice, Harry.’ Alice gulped her drink. ‘No matter what our background is.’ Turning to me, she said, ‘Best keep you out of her way, or she’ll probably rip your face off.’
‘Does she know about me? That I’m Harry’s girlfriend?’
‘If she doesn’t, she will do.’ Ben motioned across the pub. ‘It’s a small village, and everyone knows everyone and everything that is going on.’
‘Dad?’ inquired Harry. ‘Did you tell anyone that I was bringing Lily up here for Christmas?’
Ben sank into his pint, and we leaned forward for his answer.
‘Dad?’
‘Might have mentioned it to a couple of friends.’
‘Then everyone knows,’ said Alice. ‘Gossip is like wildfire in places like this. We’ll have to be careful and not let Lily and Sophie out of our sight.’
‘That sounds pretty scary,’ said Sophie. ‘And could I point out I’m not Harry’s new squeeze? I should be left out of this.’
‘New squeeze? Thanks for that, Sophie.’ I poked her. ‘May I point out that no one knows which one of us is Harry’s new squeeze. So, you’re in the line of fire too.’
‘Don’t joke about this, Lily.’ Harry closed his eyes for a moment. ‘When we broke up, she took it badly.’ At least he had the grace to look sheepish, even if he wasn’t forthcoming with why she might have taken it badly. ‘You have no idea what she’s capable of.’
‘Okay. But I kind of wish you’d warned us about her.’
‘I know. I’m sorry. Someone said she was still in Edinburgh, where she trained to be a teacher. She must have done the same as me. Come back home after graduating.’ Flexing his fingers, he said, ‘If I’d known she’d be here at the same time, I wouldn’t have come.’
‘Hey!’ Ben gave Harry a disapproving look. ‘We can’t and won’t let ourselves be bullied into doing stuff. Or not doing stuff. Otherwise, what we’re saying is this young slip-of-a-thing can control our lives.’
‘Happy Christmas to us all.’ I raised my glass. ‘And here’s to not being scared off by nutters?’
‘Hear, hear,’ said Ben. We all clinked glasses.
‘Sorry,’ said Alice, turning to me. ‘I bumped into Harry and Ben earlier, and we were about to call you to come down when it all kicked off with Jo—’
‘Jo? That’s her name?’
‘Yeah.’ Harry sniggered. ‘I didn’t mean to leave you both with the aunties. We wanted to do a quick recce first and a good thing too.’
‘Luckily,’ said Alice, ‘Harry had a bad feeling and wanted to check if she was here before bringing you both down to the pub.’
‘It’s all fun and games up north,’ said Sophie, putting on a horrible Yorkshire accent.
‘Not cool,’ said Harry.
‘Sorry.’
Two pints later, we rolled back to Harry’s house. Alice’s mum came to pick her up, and as she clambered into the car, she waved and shouted, ‘I’ll pop by tomorrow morning before Christmas dinner.’
It seemed a longer walk back, what with all the slipping, skidding and laughing.
‘Not bad timing,’ said Shirley. ‘Well done, you girls. Normally, they stumble in after I’ve driven the aunties home—’
‘They’re still here?’ said Ben. There was such a layering of despondency in his voice I nearly laughed.
‘Don’t be mean, Ben Bryson!’ Shirley’s fists were on her hips.
‘I only meant it’s tricky to sit through all their tales of death and embrocation.’ He held his hand over his face. ‘Makes me feel icky, you know? Especially if we have blancmange!’
‘Come on, now,’ chided Shirley. ‘The table is set, and the aunties are nearly done. You can all wash up, and then, while I drive them home, you can be the second serving.’ She chuckled. ‘That’s if they’ve left you anything.’
‘Thanks, love.’ Ben grinned at her. ‘I appreciate that.’
We took it in turns to pop upstairs to the bathroom to freshen up. By then, the ancient aunties had finished their tea and were being helped into their coats.
‘One for the road?’ cackled one of them.
‘Be gone with you,’ laughed Shirley. ‘What are you two like?’ She shooshed them out of the front door as if they were a couple of chickens, with Harry and Ben helping them down the steps and to the car. There was a honk of the horn, and Shirley slewed out onto the road.
As tea was set up, we sat down at the table and tucked in.
‘Did Shirley make all this?’ Sophie gestured at the spread on the table.
‘She surely did.’ Ben winked at us. ‘Get it? Surely? Shirley?’
‘Good grief, Dad!’ Harry shook his head..
‘She’s a fantastic cook.’ I nodded. ‘Can I have that last fairy cake?’
‘Go for it,’ said Harry.
Having taken one bite, I was startled when there was a noise at the back door. Shattered glass sprayed across the lino as a large rock crashed through the window.
‘Harry?’ The voice outside in the garden was strident. ‘Yer a fucking, lying bastard!’
‘Oh, no!’ Harry rose so fast his chair fell back. ‘Not her again.’
‘What the heck does she think she’s doing?’ Ben had also risen, and he was squeezing around the table. He looked mad, fists balled, and a grimace across his face changed him completely.
Harry yanked the door open, just as the girl we’d seen in the pub shoved her way in.
‘Which one of these slags is she?’ She poked at Sophie, who reared back. ‘You, you fucking bitch?’
‘Me!’ I stood and faced her. ‘If you have a problem, it’s with me.’ In the light of the kitchen, I could see her eyes were a vivid, luminous blue lined in kohl, black lines streaking down her cheeks, and her pretty face was a mask of hate and anger. Her red hair tumbled down her back, and again, she gave the impression of being on fire.
‘Oh, I’ve got a problem, all right.’ Lunging, she tried to smack me in my face. I saw it coming and dodged but I stumbled backwards and cracked my elbow on the windowsill behind me. She gobbed a big blob of spittle at me, which landed on my dress. ‘Harry’s mine. He’ll always be mine—’
Sophie cried out. ‘You’re disgusting.’
‘Fuck off, Jo!’ Harry pulled her around and yelled into her face. ‘Get it through your thick skull I was never yours and will never, ever be yours. Ever!’
‘Yer a chicken, Harry. You loved me but you dumped me like a coward. A fuckin’ text message, for God’s sake! I know you didn’t mean it. It was her, that bitch, Alice. She set you against me—’
Harry stepped back, face white and his jaw grinding. ‘I did love you but that was before I knew what kind of person you were. All the horrible stuff you did. Now get out before we call the police on your scrawny little arse!’
‘You promised me—’
Harry grabbed her and started to propel her towards the door. ‘I should call the police. You’ve smashed our window and attacked my girlfriend—’
‘Attacked her?’ It was a shriek. ‘She ain’t seen nothing yet.’
‘Go home.’ I’d never seen Harry so angry, his face leached of colour, his lips thin.
Struggling against him, she cried, ‘You promised me we’d be together forever and you’d never leave me!’
‘I was twelve, for God’s sake!’ Harry stopped and let her go. ‘You can’t hold a kid to a promise he made half his life ago. I don’t know how many times I have to say this, Jo. I don’t love you. I will never be with you, and you have to understand that now. No more of this.’
Jo turned to me. ‘He’ll never be yours. You’re nothing but a thieving bitch.’
‘And you’re a psycho!’ I was shaking and clung to Sophie, who stood defiantly in front of me as protection. I hated showing how frightened I was of her, of her sheer hate and fury.
‘Get out of my house,’ Ben pointed to the back door, ‘or so help me, I will call the police.’
Jo spun and stomped out, screaming, ‘I’ll get you in the end. All of you. That bitch Alice too.’ The back door slammed behind her.
Standing like statues, it took a minute for us to come alive.
‘We should call the police.’ Harry spun from his dad to me.
‘No, please don’t call the police on my account.’ I sat down, my legs quivering. It was incredible how shaky I felt, and pain was ricocheting up my elbow to my shoulder. I clutched my arm tight to me.
Sophie reached out to me. ‘You’re hurt, Lily.’
‘I whacked my elbow trying to get out of her way.’
‘I’ll get some ice.’ Harry delved in the freezer and held out a packet of peas. I wrapped the bag around the bit that was throbbing. ‘She’s in a right state. It’s like she’s a stuck record. But,’ and he looked shamefaced, ‘I have to admit I didn’t help the situation. She’s right. I did end our relationship with a text message.’
‘I know.’ I held out my hand to him. ‘Alice told me.’
‘Ah!’ he closed his eyes for a second. ‘So, I presume she told you what I did next?’
‘Yep.’
Sophie piped up, ‘What did you do, Harry?’
I wagged a finger at her. ‘It’s all in the past and nothing to do with you, Miss Nosey-Parker!’
‘I am so sorry,’ said Ben, alternately patting my hand and turning back towards the door. The cold air was whistling through the hole in the window. Sophie had searched for a dustpan and brush and was sweeping up the broken glass. Ben nodded. ‘I need to board that up. Now, we can still call the police. She’s had a go at you, Lily and smashed our window.’
‘She’s a very ill young woman,’ I said. ‘Would calling the police on her help her? Or make it worse?’
Harry groaned. ‘I don’t want to know what else she’s capable of.’
‘Then leave it.’
‘What the heck,’ said Shirley as she came into the kitchen, ‘has gone on here?’
‘Jo!’ we all chorused.
‘Oh!’ said Shirley. ‘I see.’
Christmas Eve, both past and present. A world of hurt and fear in between. One reason why I have no special affinity towards the Christmas period. The memories of Jo always sneak into my psyche at this time of year. That first time she crashed into my life, raging and wild-eyed. I should have called the police, but I was trying to be understanding, to acknowledge her pain. Stupid me.
But I have Jack in my life. He’s here with me now. My ‘partner’. My friend and lover.
Chapter Twenty-Two
FRIDAY, 25 DECEMBER – WILD BOAR AND WILD TIMES
‘Happy Christmas.’ Jack hands me a present wrapped in pretty paper and tied up with a big gold bow. ‘I had no idea what to get you, but I tried.’
We are drinking our first coffee sitting at the Moroccan table in the living room, having had croissants for breakfast. Even though it’s not even nine yet, we don’t want to stuff too much, as the main event will be the roast boar for dinner. I must remember to put it on, or that will be a complete disaster.
I carefully pull off the bow and paper, and inside is a box and inside the box is the prettiest jumper I’ve ever seen.
‘Oh, Jack! It’s perfect. I love it.’ I slip it on, and it fits like it was made for me.
‘I didn’t want to go down the route of sexy underwear. I thought that might be a bit crass and so much of a cliché.’
‘I don’t know many men who can get clothes right, but job done, Mister.’ I kiss him on his stubbly cheek. ‘Let me get you yours. I tried my best too.’
Ripping off the paper, he holds the sweater I spent ages choosing for him. It’s a rich blue-green, round-necked and made from Merino wool. I hope he likes it as much as I adore this top.
‘Great minds think alike,’ he grins. ‘I love it, and I’m glad you didn’t get me any slinky boxers with I love Santa on them.’
‘Nearly.’
Alice arrives early, ostensibly to help me prepare, loaded with bags packed with Christmassy stuff: crackers, mince pies and a bottle of Baileys, which I am tempted to hide.
Jack is still in the shower. It’s that early.
‘Where is he?’ Alice is hissing.
‘In the bathroom,’ I hiss back.
Decanting it all into the kitchen, we look around. There’s no available space. Anywhere. And barely any floor space left, either.
‘Did you, by any chance,’ says Alice, ‘go completely mad? I mean,’ she gestures around her, ‘you’ve got everything, including the kitchen sink. Did I miss a memo somewhere? Have you invited another fifty people for Christmas?’ She winks at me. ‘Please tell me you didn’t ask the ancient aunties over? Now that would explain it!’
‘Yeah, well,’ I make a face at her, ‘I only wanted it to be nice for all of us.’ I wave around us. ‘And Jack arrived with a mountain of goodies too.’
‘Whatever is in the oven smells divine!’
‘Wild boar.’
‘Boar?’ She practically shrieks. ‘You mean one of those big piggy things with huge tusks?’
‘Yep. I’ve marinated it in a bottle of red with juniper berries and loads of other stuff. I found a bottle of quince sauce to go with it—’
‘What the hell is quince?’
‘Similar to apples except more fragrant. I looked up what went with wild boar, and there it was. I found a bottle in the supermarket. Couldn’t believe my luck.’
‘Can’t wait. You may have noticed I’m not in my finery, so direct me to what you want me to do. We can get changed later.’
I think for a moment. ‘Could you peel the spuds while I do the parsnips?’
‘Sure thing, boss.’
‘Fancy a cup of Colombian coffee while we work?’
