Chapter 32
Jude
The torment on her face is clear as crystal.
The decisions made even more difficult by the ex-husband, who seems determined to make things hard work.
But also money. She’s right, the school is not cheap.
But I’m happy to pay it. I’d even put all the money for Nat right up until eighteen into a trust for school fees. But I know she won’t take it.
I won’t push it tonight, but a decision is coming, and we are going to have to make one.
I keep my chat light and banter funny. Talking about James and Bucky's antics with their friends. I know I’m not removing the events of the past few hours, but I’m making it easier for them.
The boys seem okay as we drive back to their home.
The house is in darkness as we arrive. Then we see the head torches. “Biker gang’s here.” I point to them, looking at Noah via the rearview mirror. “Shouldn’t they be out on the rob? It’s after ten.” He snorts, waving at them all as they descend on the lawn and drive for the lowdown.
We hear Noah start to tell the tale, the bikers lapping it up. But they’re good lads. I recognise most of them—they do cricket and football with the boys at the club and building.
Nat is shoved off into the house to get ready for bed and school. Ollie’s still not home. I send a prayer into the ether for the boy having to deal with his dad.
Why did I not keep my mouth shut? I could see his face.
To be fair to the guy, if the boot had been on the other foot, I’m sure I would have acted similarly.
Undoubtedly he still thinks he’s in charge of Emma’s household.
But she’s been leveraging him out of her life for the past eight years, and I would bet that only in the last few months has this ramped up.
His view will be that it’s me. But I don’t think it is.
She would have done it on her own. I just make it easier for her in some ways.
She has someone to talk to, someone to discuss things with.
But my presence makes it harder in others.
Nigel's views and his jealousy are a big issue in their post divorce relationship.
Noah comes in and goes upstairs with Emma and Nat. I’m mulling over his test paper, and I go to the drawer where I know he has kept the others. He was wafting them around a week or so ago. I sit and start to go through them all.
I’m nearly done when Ollie comes in. He stops when he sees me sat at the kitchen island on my own, surrounded by papers. Sometimes when he’s back from Nigels he’s more aggressive, but tonight he scrubs his hand down his face and sits opposite me. I flick my eyes at him.
“Are you hungry? Did you eat?” I deliberately keep my voice neutral.
“I didn’t eat. I’ll get some toast.” He blows out a breath and stares off into space.
“I did spaghetti, brought some home for you. Shall I heat it up?” I continue with my bland voice and face with no expression on.
He nods. I send a small smile at him, and get up and remove the plated meal from the fridge.
I start preparations to heat it up, along with some garlic bread I salvaged from the other two.
“What are you doing with Noah’s tests?” He pulls the paper towards him. Looking at my markings on them.
“Noah said that he knew he got all the answers right, so can’t understand why she’s marking zero.” I point to the red score at the bottom. “But he’s right. He has got all the right answers, just not necessarily in the right order.” I grin, stealing an old comedy line, but he’s too young to get it.
He’s studying the sheets, the questions, and my corresponding drawn lines from question to the correct answer, which is not next to it, but up and down the page.
“Look, even the answers are all in the same pattern. One to five are at the bottom and six to fifteen at the top. The rest are all in the same place on every sheet.” He’s pulling all the sheets together, the pattern easy to see if you mark them up.
“Noah says the words move, and without his aids, I bet they’d be moving up and down the page.
The fact he actually managed to read the question is amazing.
” Ollie sounds in awe of his brother. Plainly they have a close bond. Help each other.
“Well, you eat this and I’ll collate the information. If your Mum is going tomorrow, she can be armed with this.”
I pop the spaghetti plate in front of him, and go get the garlic bread out of the oven, giving him a side plate. “Do you want a beer?”
“I’m not eighteen until the summer,” he answers. “But, thank you.” He starts to eat.
“You can have a beer at home. I think we could all use one tonight. Was it all okay with your dad?” I set about moving around and getting him and I a beer, also setting out a wine glass for Emma.
He’s shaking his head. “No, he was wound off the clock by the time we got to his. Cal was crying and frantic, as he thought Noah was lost. Someone had contacted him on the Xbox and regaled a version of events.” He sighs.
“Dad won't have it, he didn't swear. He’s spitting blood about the other school. Says if Mum can afford private school, then she can pay him out.”
“I’m not sure she can afford it on her own. We went to the school tonight. It’s really great, and the boys loved it. It’s around the corner from my house. They can go there after school, but to be honest, they can stay in school til 8:30pm. So childcare will not be an issue term time.”
“I think Dad’ll start on about us selling the house if we’re in London all the time. He’s relentless, and to be honest, he sounds a bit desperate. I don’t know what’s going on with him.”
The boy looks confused, and I don’t blame him. He’s a logical lad, and his dad’s behaviour is not adding up.
“Amy’s family pays for their house. It’s huge. He has no bills, the only costs are for leisure.” He shrugs, then his voice hardens. “He could afford to pay for the school, but he won’t.”
“Your Mum’ll sort it. Don’t you worry about it. It’s hard, I know, but thanks for taking him today. I’ve apologised to your mum for opening my mouth. I don’t think that helped.” I’m contrite, and honestly so. It’s all definitely upset me. I shouldn’t have spoken up.
He gazes at me, and I think he’s going to start again with aggression.
But he surprises me. “It’s not your fault either, Jude.
What you said was logical, it’s just Dad wasn’t being.
I’m sorry I wasn’t very nice before, I just don’t want my mum upset anymore.
She’s worked hard to get away from Dad. Build back her life. We’re all better for it.
“And, thank you. I’m glad you found Noah. I told Mum to call you.”
He smiles at me and I’m rocked by how much he looks like Emma when he does. I’m also so proud of him for speaking up. Acknowledging what we both knew.
“Yes, well, my brothers are professional meddlers. Once you’re all part of our family, my brother thinks it’s his duty to watch out for everyone.” I shake my head, grinning.
“Well, on this occasion, I’m happy about it. Is he the tech company one?”
I nod. “Yes. Jonno. He lives in Ireland at the minute. He had a son last year, and is getting married in the summer. Still doesn’t stop him listening in on too many conversations though.”
“So how are James Greystone and Bucky Buckley related to you? Who do they belong to?” His face is a picture of intrigue. “I couldn’t see anything on the internet, only that Marcus Russell is their dad.”
“Well, Marcus—or Kellen, as we know him—is James’s biological dad. Bucky is adopted. My sister adopted him when he was five or so. She married Kell about three years ago.” His eyebrows go up trying to work it out. “It’s a long tale, one for another day.”
I pick up his plate that he’s polished off. “You have an interview tomorrow, don’t you?” His brows shoot up again. He thought we didn’t know. “Your Grandad spilled the beans.”
He shakes his head. “Yeah, I’m off to bed. It’s the final interview. I want the place that will send me to college for building and architecture.”
“Well, you know, I am an architect. So any questions…”
He starts to laugh. “Yeah, I heard. Your job description was added to the top of the list. Especially at that salary. Nat was well impressed.” He looks towards the stairs as Noah lets out a yell.
“I’ll go see them and then go to bed. See you tomorrow.
” He gets up and then turns. “Thanks for dinner, it was great. Better than Mum’s, but don’t tell her. ” He grins again and leaves.
I’m sat in the kitchen, staring at the sheets of paper, looking as scattered as my wits. These kids, this family have etched their names on my heart. I will fight tooth and nail to be with them.
School runs, school meetings, Ollie's interview, our work. The next morning, I feel like I’ve gone back ten years to when James and Bucky were at home.
I'm going to drop Nat at school and head back to Greystone house in London. Emma said she’ll take Noah on her own into school.
An appointment has been set for 10:00am.
Ollie’s heading into London early. He still hasn’t said where his interview is at, or which company.
The rest of us spend the morning running through the sheets. How due to not being able to use the aids, Noah had got the right answers, just not in the right places.
Emma has it in her head what she wants to get over to them all. Noah is primed with his speech, the apology-non apology. I’m proud of them both when I leave the house.
Nat is happy to be in my Landrover on his own. It’s like having King Charles in the front seat, royal waving at everyone he passes.
I’ve cleared my day from midday onwards. I know things may not go well, and I want to be on standby. The call comes in earlier than anticipated. 10:30am. My backside has hardly touched the seat at my kitchen table.
“We’re going home. I’m ringing the headmaster at Westmead today. We’ll start as soon as we can.” Her voice sounds firm and confident.
“Okay. Well, give me an hour and I'll come back to yours. We can hash out a plan.” I’m decisive and calm.
“See you in an hour,” she replies, but I detect the slight wobble in her voice now.
I pull up to the house and Noah must have been watching for me as he rushes out to grab me.
“They were all shouting at Mum. I could hear them. She never got a chance to speak.” Noah is holding my hand, tugging me into the house.
I go straight to Emma and pull her into a hug. “Was it really bad? Why did they not let you speak?” I brush her hair away from her face, looking into her eyes. She looks angry.
“Nigel got there first. And they did eventually, for me to state we were leaving.” She huffs, recounting the tale.
“Nigel had already told them about Westmead. They couldn’t believe we were considering leaving.
” She’s shaking her head in disbelief. “After all they’d done for the boys.
” She blows out a frustrated breath. “The head seemed fine, but Nigel stormed the meeting and he and Noah’s teacher were like bad cop and bad cop.
If I didn’t think it crazy, you’d have thought Nigel wanted Noah suspended. ”
Emma shakes her head. “Nigel was fuelling the fire.” She smiles at Noah.
“Noah did his apology. The head accepted it. It was Nigel and the teacher again, both pushing that it wasn’t enough.
” She sits back on her stool. “Anyway, I’m out.
Mum and Dad have said they’ll help. I just need to work hard and keep my head down. ”
I can see the worry lines on her forehead. Even the relief of sorting the school business is not enough to ease the new concerns this has caused. Adding more stones to the already mountainous landscape.
“What about Nat?” I ask.
“He can stay until the end of the week. But it’s already Wednesday, so by Monday they’ll both be at Westmead.” She looks distracted.
“Let me help? What’s the problem?” I can see something is on her mind.
“I need to get uniforms and such. And I’ve got really important business sign ups. And I can’t delegate it to Lou. The contracts are too big.” Her eyes are going around in circles.
“I’ll take them. I’ll go to the new school, get the list of items. It’ll probably be the same shops we went to for Evie’s boys.
I always shopped for them. In fact, I’ll take Noah with me today, as he’s not going back.
Nat’s last day can be tomorrow, Thursday.
I'll get them fitted for uniforms Friday. You go to work. I can sort this.” I’m working hard to stay firm and gentle.
She looks like she might collapse if the wrong thing is said.
“But what about your work? Meetings?” Her voice and eyes are full of worry.
“Nothing I can’t delegate. And next week, my sister is home, so I’d cleared a lot of time out to spend with her and the kids. It can all be sorted. Don’t worry.”
I watch as her shoulders come down from her ears slightly, feeling a rush of love towards her that she trusts me to look after her and the kids. I’ll always put her first.
I turn to Noah. “Right, let's go back into London. Drop your mother off at work. School, shops, then tea.” I have the itinerary sorted already.
Grinning at Emma, I pull her into a hug. “Go and sign up that client. We”—I point at Noah—“have got this.”
He nods at her, smiling widely. Then he turns a cheeky grin on me and asks, “Can we go to yours for tea, Jude? And have spaghetti again? We loved it. Even Ollie said it was great.” He looks a bit sheepishly at Emma, as if he doesn’t want to say my cooking is better than hers.
“I will if you agree to help. We’ve the bread to make if you want garlic bread again.”
“You made it yourself?” Emma’s eyes pop out of her head.
“Of course. Everything you’ve had at mine is all made from scratch, even the sourdough bread you love.”
“Oh my God.” She hangs her arms around my neck and kisses me.
“Eww,” Noah states, backing out the door. “Not in front of the children.”
Laughing, he slams the door and goes upstairs, as we continue to make out in her kitchen.