CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
As I drew up and parked outside Penny’s house in Henley Green, a few miles from Sunnybrook, I couldn’t help thinking about the last time I was there – with Caleb, on babysitting duties.
We’d had an amazing evening, chatting to Will about Christmas and then later, making plans just the two of us.
It still made me smile recalling Will’s excitement when he realised it was snowing.
The first snowfall of the season! He and Caleb had gone out into the garden while I finished making dinner.
Happy times.
Tonight, though, was going to be rather different.
With a heavy heart, I got out of the car and slip-slid my way up the icy garden path to the door. At least I had the Jingle Bell Forest with Caleb to look forward to.
I was clinging rather desperately to the idea of it. But the way things were going between us, would it even happen?
Penny greeted me at the door with a flushed face and a big smile. ‘Hi, Katja. This is so good of you. Is that brother of mine coming over to keep you company?’ She ushered me into the living room.
‘Er . . . no. Not tonight.’
She flicked her eyes to the ceiling. ‘Don’t tell me, he’s working late?’
‘Probably.’ I gave her a rueful look.
She shook her head. ‘I keep telling him that life is about more than these eco-house projects of his, noble though they are. You probably have to schedule in appointments for dates, do you?’ she joked.
I forced a laugh. ‘Something like that.’
‘Well, anyway, have a seat. Make yourself at home. Will’s up in his room doing his homework but he’ll be down in a minute. Can I get you a cuppa?’
‘Oh, no. You get yourself ready.’ I sank down on the big, squashy sofa. ‘I know where the kitchen is.’
‘Okay.’ She grimaced. ‘I’m really not sure about this date. But I guess I need to just put my big girl pants on and do it, don’t I?’
I grinned at her. ‘You do.’
She groaned, perching on the arm of the sofa for a moment.
‘It’s awful, though, isn’t it? All the “I like films and music and going hiking at weekends” stuff?
It feels so exhausting sometimes, having to start over with a whole new person who could actually be the devil in disguise showing you his best side.
’ She sighed. ‘Oh, dear, this is definitely not the right attitude, is it?’
I chuckled. ‘It’s completely natural. And you never know, you might have a fabulous time tonight.’
‘Here’s hoping.’ She sprang up with her fingers crossed. ‘Better finish getting ready. The taxi’s due in five minutes. I’m meeting him at the restaurant.’ Rushing out, she called back, ‘Help yourself to anything in the fridge or the cupboards, okay?’
‘Thank you!’ I chose a magazine from the rack and settled back on the sofa to flick through it.
But I found I couldn’t concentrate on the features inside.
It was on my mind that I needed to broach the subject of Lewis and the bullying with Will, and what action we should take.
Tonight was the perfect opportunity to talk to him . . .
Ten minutes later, Will came downstairs, followed by Penny in a cloud of perfume and nervous energy that emerged in frantic goodbyes and kisses for her son, which of course he found totally revolting.
‘Homework. Bath. Then in bed by eight-thirty, okay? Thanks, Katja!’ She gave us a little wave and rushed out.
The whole house seemed to breathe a sigh of relief after the front door closed.
I smiled at Will. ‘Homework done?’
‘Nearly finished. Would you like me to make you a cup of tea?’ he asked, a little awkwardly.
‘I’d love one.’ I abandoned the magazine and followed him through to the kitchen.
‘Mum likes her tea to be orange,’ he said as he filled the kettle. ‘What colour do you like?’
I chuckled. ‘Just plain old beige, I think. Well, maybe somewhere in between orange and beige?’
‘Right,’ he said seriously, turning to watch the kettle, as hot colour whooshed into his cheeks.
I smiled, recalling how awkward it had felt being twelve, in the first year at secondary school .
. . when you were on the cusp of becoming a teenager.
I’d been shy at school and rubbish at sport, neither of which had been a great help in the popularity stakes.
But I’d had a couple of close friends, who were just as geeky as me.
And at least I hadn’t suffered at the hands of any nasty bullies.
‘The perfect colour,’ I smiled, taking the mug Will held out to me. He hadn’t made a drink for himself. He was just being the perfect host. All credit to Penny and Tom for bringing him up to be so kind and considerate.
He pointed upstairs. ‘I’ll just . . .’
‘Finish your homework. Of course.’ I took a sip of the tea. ‘You make a great cuppa!’ I called after him, but he’d already disappeared into his bedroom.
I returned to the sofa with my tea, placing the mug on the side table and picking up the magazine. But after trying to get into a feature about eyebrows, I found my attention wandering inevitably to Caleb, wondering what he was doing.
I didn’t envy Penny and her ‘first date’. It was always nerve-racking, meeting someone new. But maybe I’d have to join her soon in her hunt for the ‘perfect man’?
I swallowed hard. I thought I’d found him in Caleb but the emotional distance between us these days was making me question everything. It was so confusing how you could be happily in love one moment and then suddenly find yourself on such shaky ground the next . . .
Distracted by a sound from upstairs, I went to the foot of the stairs to listen.
Standing there, I realised to my surprise that it was Will, singing in the privacy of his room. I recognised the song from Shrek the Musical and I smiled to myself as I cocked my head to hear better. Maisie was right. Will really did have a good voice.
When he came down for a snack a little later, I took my mug through to the kitchen and washed it up, saying casually, ‘How’s the boy who had his appendix out? Ryan, wasn’t it?’
He looked up from making his peanut butter and jam sandwich. ‘Um . . . yeah. Ryan. He’s okay.’
‘I bet he was in agony, the poor boy.’
He nodded. ‘He got his Xbox early. With two extra games. He didn’t have to wait for Christmas.’
I suppressed a smile at the trace of envy in Will’s voice. ‘Very nice. I guess there are some advantages to being in extreme pain, then.’
Will gave a hesitant grin as he picked up his plate and headed for the door.
‘I heard you singing earlier and you’re really good.’
He glanced down at his feet, blushing furiously at the praise. He was clearly desperate to escape the nosey babysitter’s questions and run back upstairs. But a maturity beyond his years was keeping him standing there because it was rude not to engage in conversation with grown-ups!
‘You don’t fancy auditioning for the main part in the show?’
‘No way.’
‘Why not?’
He shrugged and frowned at the floor, rubbing at a scuff mark with his foot. ‘We already know who’s going to get it,’ he mumbled, looking up.
‘It might still be worth offering to audition? It would be a shame to waste a voice like yours.’ I paused. ‘Plus, it would be quite nice getting one up on that Lewis Hatcher guy.’
Will gave a useless shrug that tore at my heart.
‘Bullies like Lewis Hatcher are just cowards, really. They don’t like it when someone stands up to them because they lose their power.’
He gave a heavy sigh and abandoned his sandwich plate on the counter.
Then he leaned with his chin on his hands on the edge of the kitchen sink and stared forlornly out of the window.
He looked so defeated I really wanted to give him a hug and tell him it would be all right.
But knowing that would go down like a fart in a lift, I stayed right where I was.
‘Bullies act like they’re shining a spotlight on you, but really they’re just scared of the dark behind them,’ I murmured, remembering something my Granny Olga was fond of saying.
Will turned and stood up straight at that, staring at me curiously. ‘You think Lewis is afraid of the dark?’
I nodded. ‘It might not be the dark he’s scared of, but some kind of fear will be at the root of his thuggish behaviour. Maybe he’s scared his gang might not like him anymore if he drops the fake tough guy image.’
Will frowned, thinking about this, and I picked up a tea towel to dry my mug. The big kitchen clock on the wall clunked the seconds.
At last, he broke the silence. ‘Lewis said I’d be really sorry if I auditioned for Ryan’s part.’
‘Did he, now?’ I frowned, feeling angry on Will’s behalf. ‘Well, that’s just typical bullying behaviour.’
‘He said he’d get me after school.’
‘The nasty little –’ I broke off, not wanting to curse in front of him. If she didn’t already, Penny definitely needed to know about this. I’d tell her as soon as she came back from her night out.
‘Would I be standing up to Lewis if I auditioned for Ryan’s part?’
I looked at Will in surprise. ‘Yes, you most definitely would be. You’d be showing him you’re not afraid of him.’
‘But what if I’m bad?’
‘At singing? You wouldn’t be.’
‘I get nervous singing when there are people listening. Even Mum.’
‘That’s just stage fright. A lot of people have that, you know.’
He frowned. ‘Lewis Hatcher doesn’t.’
‘Yes, but he’s weird.’
We caught each other’s eye and Will’s mouth curved into a smile.
*****
Penny couldn’t possibly know about the extent of the bullying . . . the threat from Lewis that he’d ‘get’ Will after school if he dared to audition. Otherwise, she’d have been up to the school already to sort it out, and I’d know about it.
I was watching TV on the sofa, listening to the bath taps running upstairs and not paying much attention to the nature programme that was on.
Will was such a lovely boy. How did he cope with having to go to school every day, not knowing what horrible stuff was in store for him, courtesy of that horrible bully and his boot-licking mates?
Right at that moment, I felt so aggrieved for Will, I wanted to take the nasty little scumbag by one of his ears and haul him in front of the head teacher myself so he’d get the punishment he was due!
A little later, thinking it was probably time Will was in bed – it was after eight-thirty, the curfew Penny had given him – I got up to go and call through the bathroom door.
But just as I rose to my feet, the TV and the lights clicked off, and my world was plunged into darkness. Disorientated, I stood there in shock for a moment. It must be a power cut.
Cautiously, I made my way to the window and looked out, but lights were still glowing behind the neighbours’ curtains. Damn! It was just Penny’s house, which meant I’d have to find the fuse box somehow.
Will would know where it was.
I was gradually growing accustomed to the dark but I still had to feel my way around furniture obstacles to get to the hall. As I climbed the stairs, I called out, ‘Will? A switch must have tripped. Do you know where the fuse box is so I can sort it?’
A stair creaked and I paused to hear his reply.
Nothing. Maybe he hadn’t heard me.
Quickening my pace, I hurried up the remaining stairs and paused for a moment, listening at the bathroom door. ‘Will? Are you okay in there?’
Still there was no reply. Not even a splash of bath water.
‘Will? Is something wrong?’ I called, my heart beating faster with worry. In my panic, I tried the door, but of course it was locked. ‘Can you come out? Please, Will?’
As I stood there, imagining all kinds of horrible things, I suddenly heard the lurch of the bath water . . .