Chapter 27
Tara spent the next day glad to have had the apartment to herself. It was peaceful and gave her time and space to contemplate how kind Jack had been to her last night.
At eight o’clock in the evening, when it was time to pick Calum up from his friend’s house, she tried his phone but there was no answer, so she grabbed her car keys and decided to just go there anyway.
However, on arriving, the door opened to a puzzled Ben.
‘Hi, Ben, is Calum ready?’ she asked.
‘He left ages ago,’ replied Ben.
‘What? I was supposed to pick him up early evening,’ said Tara with a frown. Then, seeing no response from him, she asked, ‘When exactly did he leave?’
‘About three hours ago,’ came the reply.
Tara froze. Three hours ago. Where the hell was he?
‘Did he say where he was going?’ She forced herself to stay calm.
‘No. Just thought he was going back home.’
‘Can you think of anywhere he could be?’ she asked in a choked voice.
‘Err… Not really…’
They were interrupted by Ben’s mum.
‘Hi, Tara, come in.’ She’d overheard the conversation. All three of them stood in the hallway. ‘Listen, Ben, think carefully. Where would you guess Calum may have gone to?’
Ben shrugged his shoulders. ‘I dunno. He never said he was going anywhere.’
Both women exchanged frantic looks.
‘I’d better go home in case he’s there.’ Tara got in her car and drove at full pelt all the way back. The apartment was empty. Without hesitation, she rang Richard. To her annoyance, Melissa answered.
‘Hello?’ That sickly sweet voice irritated her further. Why was she answering Richard’s mobile? Probably because it was her name flashing on his screen.
‘I need to speak to Richard,’ Tara said flatly.
‘Oh, just a minute. I’ll see if he’s about…’ He obviously was, as he came on immediately (and no doubt wasn’t given chance to answer his own phone).
‘Tara? What is it?’
‘Calum’s gone missing. I don’t know where he is,’ she stated.
There was a slight pause.
‘Shit. Where was he?’
‘At Ben’s. I’ve just been there, and he said he left three hours ago,’ she explained, her voice cracking with emotion.
‘I’ll have a drive around, see if I can see him. You stay home in case he returns.’
‘Do you think I should ring the police?’
‘Wait till I get there.’
‘OK.’ Down went the phone.
Jack too was reflecting on last night. Instead of feeling better about the situation with Tara, the evening had brought more complications than any form of clarification.
Sighing, he decided to get a beer from the fridge.
As he stood by the kitchen window tipping his bottle back, he caught sight of a flickering of light outside the window.
Looking more closely, he saw a figure sat on a large rock by the side of the bay.
They had just lit a cigarette. Who the hell was it?
Jack didn’t like the idea of some unknown hanging about near his house at this hour.
He quickly made his way outside to face them.
The figure turned sharply at hearing him approach. Close up, Jack recognised him. It was Calum. Since when did Calum smoke?
‘Calum, what are you doing here?’ Jack asked quietly.
Calum shrugged his shoulders and took a long drag of his cigarette.
‘I take it your mum doesn’t know where you are?
’ Calum shook his head and looked down. ‘You better ring her. She’ll be worried.
’ Still there was no reply. Jack went to sit on the rock next to him.
‘What’s the matter, Calum?’ he gently asked feeling sorry for the lad.
‘I’m sick of it all.’
‘All what?’
‘Them, Mum and Dad. I’m constantly stuck in the middle. Everything was fine until she came along.’
‘She?’
‘Melissa, dad’s new wife. Dad’s new pregnant wife.’
‘Oh, I see.’
He stubbed his cigarette out with force. ‘Dad’s a dickhead.’
‘Hmm,’ Jack diplomatically offered, whilst secretly agreeing with him.
‘Mel was all right at first. She couldn’t do enough for me.’ Then he gave a harsh laugh. ‘But now I realise it was all an act, just to look good in front of Dad. As soon as her baby comes along, I’ll be shoved out of the way.’
‘I’m sure you won’t, Calum.’
‘I will. And do you know something else? Dad regrets the whole thing. It’s obvious. It’s written all over his face.’ Another harsh laugh followed.
‘We need to let your mum know where you are, mate.’
‘Fine. You ring her then.’
Jack pulled out his mobile and made the call. Within a quarter of an hour, he was driving Calum safely home. Tara came rushing out down the corridor.
‘Thanks so much, Jack,’ she gushed while throwing her arms around her son.
‘Just glad I saw him,’ he replied, once more appreciating how much Tara had to contend with. Then his eyes moved to Richard, who was standing at Tara’s door looking mutinous. He patted Calum on the back. ‘See you around, buddy.’
‘Thanks, Jack.’ Calum gave him a half smile.
Jack leaned forward and whispered, ‘Talk to your mum. And ditch the fags, mate, seriously.’
Tara overheard and gave him a questioning look. Jack winked reassuringly at her. ‘I’ll catch you tomorrow,’ he mouthed. Tara nodded her head discreetly. He looked towards Richard again, who was staring stony-faced at him.
The next morning, Tara sat at the breakfast bar staring into space. She was on her second cup of coffee, waiting for Calum to put in an appearance. Already Richard had been hounding her with text messages, like she had all the answers.
How is he? Keep me updated.
She was itching to speak to Jack, desperate to know the full details of exactly what had happened.
It would be interesting to hear what he had to say, judging by his solemn expression, which was so unlike Jack.
Plus, what he had whispered to Calum about talking to her?
Surely Calum knew he could confide in his mum?
Apparently not. Guilt started to edge its way in.
When could her son sit down and talk to her?
She was ‘always at work’ as he had recently commented.
The coffee was starting to leave a bitter taste in her mouth.
Her absence from the home was taking its toll.
But what choice did she have? Someone had to keep the roof over their heads.
Her mind cast back to Richard and Melissa’s new house with all the trimmings inside.
Melissa didn’t even work now. Once again, the injustice of it all stung hard.
Again Tara reminisced the lifestyle they’d had as a family.
Looking back, she now realised just how comfortable they had been; three holidays abroad a year, two in the summer and a winter break skiing; a beautiful, big Georgian home that she and Richard had enjoyed renovating together; an up-to-date wardrobe of clothes, not to mention the jewellery Richard often treated her to (that huge diamond engagement ring of Melissa’s suddenly shot into focus).
But what Tara missed most of all was the part-time working hours.
She’d had the perfect work-life balance.
It had given her the freedom to spend time at home with Calum, but also the interaction with colleagues and patients she craved.
Tara allowed herself to remember the good times as a family.
There had been plenty, she reluctantly acknowledged.
Saturday nights when the three of them shared a takeaway, chatting about the week they’d had, cheering Calum on from the sidelines while he played football, barbequing in the garden with neighbours, blasting out music and dancing into the early hours…
The list was endless. And now look at them.
They weren’t a family any more. They were separated.
Not talking. Richard was about to make a brand-new family.
She heard Calum slope into the kitchen and turned to face him.
‘Coffee?’ she asked with forced brightness.
‘Thanks,’ he mumbled and sat at the breakfast bar, knowing full well what was to come.
Tara placed his mug down in front of him. ‘Calum, we need to talk, love.’
‘Hmm,’ came the reply.
‘Why did you disappear like that? We were worried sick.’
‘We? You might have been, but Dad couldn’t care less.’
‘You know that isn’t true.’
‘Do I?’
Tara opened her mouth to speak, then stopped, realising she didn’t actually know what to say.
After the thought pattern she’d just had, she could well see how Calum must feel.
Hadn’t she herself felt abandoned? They had been abandoned.
Richard had chosen to leave them and start a new life with someone else.
Why should she even start to defend him?
A few moments passed in silence, as if each of them was absorbing the fact.
‘Jack is all right, you know,’ Calum eventually said somewhat matter of fact.
‘Yes, he is,’ she agreed.
There was another slight pause before Calum glanced sideways at her. ‘You could do worse.’
‘Sorry?’ Tara asked in surprise.
‘You and Jack.’ He shrugged. ‘Just saying.’
‘Ah, I see,’ she replied with an amused grin.
‘Yeah, why not?’
Tara blinked. The sight of Jack’s concerned face slid into her mind, as well as the compassion he’d previously shown her. There was clearly more to Jack than he initially let on.
‘What are you thinking, Mum?’ Calum eyed her pensively.
‘Nothing!’ she instantly answered, almost defensively.
‘Honestly, if Dad can piss off with someone new then so should you.’
Tara resisted the urge to laugh. Then suddenly her face turned serious.
‘Calum, I’d never leave, you know that?’
‘I know. I just meant you deserve to be happy, Mum, that’s all.’
Tara gulped. Now she was resisting the urge to cry. ‘Knowing you’re safe would make me happy, Calum.’
‘Hmm.’ He’d reverted back to monosyllabic replies.
‘Which means no running off.’
Another grunt followed.
‘And always talk to me. Tell me what’s bothering you.’
Calum looked up. ‘Dad being Dad bothers me. Why did he have to ruin everything?’ Tara chewed her lip, again not knowing what to say. ‘I thought he’d come back, you know.’
‘Why?’ She frowned.
‘Because he looked miserable all of a sudden. I honestly thought he’d had enough of Mel. Then he announced he was going to be a dad again… and I realised she’d trapped him,’ he choked, on the verge of tears.
‘Oh, Calum!’ Tara got up and hugged him hard.
Damn Richard and damn Melissa. From now on it was just them who mattered.
Her and Calum. There and then she decided to reduce her working hours.
Richard would have to subsidise the drop in income.
He more than had the means and he more than had the duty to support them.
Roll on that court hearing date. ‘There’s going to be a few changes,’ she whispered soothingly, stroking his hair.
‘I’m going to be here for you, Calum. I promise. ’