Chapter 21
Joe came away from the meeting knowing that he’d confused Gemma with his blow hot, blow cold approach. He felt confused too, and not just by the girl. It was this place! Corrybank and Puddleducks and Corrytown, all rolled into one. Somehow, teaching had seemed much simpler in the inner-city school, even though they’d had a community police car outside all day, in case a pupil or parent whipped out a knife.
Yet the issues here in this suburban town were just as challenging in their own subtle way and, to be frank, he didn’t always know how to deal with them. ‘Explain more,’ Mike said when he rang that night for a general chat.
Joe tried but it wasn’t easy sitting on his bed with his back to the wall, knowing that Gemma might or might not be listening on the other side. Even though this was a Victorian house, the walls weren’t all as thick as one might think. He had definitely heard her laughing on her mobile the other evening, and had felt awkward in case it was at him. ‘Everyone here seems more sensitive, somehow,’ he attempted.
Mike roared with laughter. ‘You mean they’re offended by the famous Joe Balls waspish comments?’ Joe shifted uncomfortably. ‘Something like that. But there’s something else too. You’ll never believe who turned up at my door the other evening.’
Mike whistled. ‘Not Ed?’
‘Incredible, isn’t it, after everything she said.’
‘I don’t believe it! How did she know where to find you?’
‘I was hoping you might tell me,’ Joe said quietly. ‘You think Lynette might have given her your address?’ Mike’s voice sounded reflective at the other end. ‘If she did, mate, it would only be because she’s worried you’re lonely.’
Joe’s throat tightened. They had all been such good friends at uni, the four of them. They’d been a striking four, too: two tall, strapping lads each with attractive auburn-haired girlfriends. In some ways, the girls looked quite alike, but their personalities couldn’t have been more different. ‘But Lynette knows why Ed and I split up. Why would she have done such a thing?’
‘Point taken. I’ll ask her. Meanwhile, how did you feel when she turned up like that?’
He’d been asking himself the same question. ‘Confused. It doesn’t help that she’s started leaving messages on my voicemail, asking if I feel like a drink sometime.’
There was a groan from Mike’s end. ‘You’re not going to fall for all this, are you?’
‘No, I’m not.’ He tried to sound firmer than he felt. Of course Ed had done something he could never forgive, but it was still difficult to move on when you’d shared so much history. ‘There’s something else too.’
‘Don’t tell me! You’ve got another woman after you. Honestly Joe, I don’t know how you do it. How many proposals did you get at your last place? Six, or was it seven?’
Joe couldn’t help feeling a slight flush of pride. ‘Nine and a half actually, but before you ask how I worked out the half, the issue I was talking about was what I’m going to dress up as tomorrow.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’ve got to dress up as something tomorrow for Significant Figures. Nothing to do with maths. It’s a project to teach the children about people who meant something in history, and staff have to do it too.’
There was another crashing sound and then Lynette’s voice chipped in. ‘Hi, Joe. Sorry to take over but Mike’s needed to sort out the troops.’
Joe felt a flash of envy. Usually he managed to keep that part under control, but he had a sudden picture in his head of himself as a dad with two small boys and he began to wonder, yet again, if that was ever going to happen. He told Lynette about his costume problem.
‘Have you got a spare sheet and pillowcase?’ Lynette’s voice had taken on a professional edge. ‘Because if so, you could go as …’
‘A ghost?’
‘Which famous one were you thinking of?’
‘I’ve no idea,’ he said mournfully.
‘By the way, I couldn’t help overhearing. It wasn’t me who gave Ed your address. I wouldn’t do that. Must go. The boys are flooding the bathroom again. Byeeee.’
Lynette hadn’t given Ed his address? Then how had she found him? The only person who knew his new rented address, apart from his friends, was the school secretary. Joe’s mouth tightened. If Diana-but-call-me-Di had given that out without permission, he truly would have an axe to wield. Meanwhile …
Within minutes, he found himself standing at the door of Gemma’s bedsit. Too late, he wished he’d been a bit nicer at their last meeting, which might possibly account for the cold look she was giving him now. ‘Sorry to bother you. I’m not actually after tea bags but I did wonder if you had a spare sheet and a pillowcase. My spares are all in London.’
Her frostiness melted. ‘I take it you’re going to a dressing up party?’
He was astonished. ‘How did you know?’
She shrugged, and he observed for the first time that she had rather pretty shoulders under that skinny top. ‘It’s one of the easier dressing-up options. You can always tell from someone’s linen cupboard if they’ve got kids in school plays because there’ll be at least two pillowcases with a half-circle cut out of the side.’
She was already bending down, getting something out of a small pine chest of drawers.
Joe tried to look away but found himself staring.
‘Will these do?’ She suddenly turned round and caught him looking.
‘Perfect,’ he stammered, which was a complete first for him. He’d never, even when Ed had been at her worst, stammered. ‘Thank you.’ Then grabbing the not-so-neatly folded offerings from her hand, he almost bolted back into his own bedsit, feeling like a spotty, gauche sixth-former all over again.